Terrace Martin Makes Music for the People with New LP ‘Drones’

Los Angeles-born musician and producer Terrace Martin remembers being at the White House. It was near the end of former President Obama’s final term in office and he’d been invited to dinner with the POTUS, Michelle, and a few other folks, including musicians Herbie Hancock, Robert Glasper, and Chick Corea. At one point Glasper introduced Martin to Barack and told him Martin was the one who produced Kendrick Lamar’s 2018 song, “How Much a Dollar Cost.” It was then Barack called over to Michelle from across the room, expressing joy, wanting to share it. Barack told Martin how he’s used that song in dialogue with his political colleagues to elucidate to them more clearly the Black American experience. These are the moments, Martin says, that he lives for. This is the purpose he pours into his music, and the artist’s latest example, Drones, which features names like Lamar, SZA, Snoop Dogg, Leon Bridges, and Ty Dolla Sign, is out Friday (November 5).