Metro Boomin: The Architect of Modern Trap Production

Leland Tyler Wayne, known professionally as Metro Boomin, is an American record producer, DJ, and executive from St. Louis, Missouri. He is the defining architect of 2010s trap music, a hitmaker whose signature tag "If Young Metro don't trust you, I'm gon' shoot you" became a cultural watermark. His 2022 album HEROES & VILLAINS debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, cementing his status as a marquee artist beyond production.

Early career

Born in 1993 in St. Louis, Metro Boomin began making beats on a laptop as a teenager, connecting with local rappers and building an online presence. His strategic move to Atlanta for college proved pivotal, allowing him to network directly with the city's vibrant rap scene. Early placements on mixtapes from Future and Gucci Mane in the early 2010s established his dark, atmospheric sound within the industry's inner circles.

Breakthrough

Metro Boomin's mainstream breakthrough accelerated around 2015 through his integral role on Future's prolific mixtape run, including the influential DS2. His status was solidified in 2016 with co-production credits on two chart-dominating number-one albums: Drake's Views and The Weeknd's Starboy. The massive success of the latter's title track, which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and achieved multi-platinum certification, made him an in-demand superstar producer.

Key tracks

Bad and Boujee — This 2016 Migos hit, co-produced by Metro, became a viral sensation and reached number one on the Hot 100, defining a rap era.

Heartless — A standout from his 2018 collaborative album with Future, SAVAGE MODE II, this platinum-certified track showcases his evolving, cinematic sound.

Creepin' — The 2022 collaboration with The Weeknd and 21 Savage from HEROES & VILLAINS became a global smash, topping charts worldwide and achieving platinum status.

Mask Off — His iconic, flute-driven production for Future's 2017 hit became a cultural phenomenon, certified diamond and spawning countless remixes.

Following his initial peak, Metro Boomin launched his own label, Boominati Worldwide, and released a series of high-profile collaborative projects. These included the chart-topping SAVAGE MODE II with 21 Savage in 2020 and the blockbuster solo album HEROES & VILLAINS in 2022, which featured guests like John Legend and Don Toliver. His work on the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack in 2023 further demonstrated his expansive musical vision, earning critical acclaim and a Grammy nomination.

Fans of Metro Boomin's atmospheric trap production and hit-making prowess should also explore Southside, a fellow Atlanta-based producer and collective leader with a similarly dominant presence in modern rap. The dark, melodic style of Mike Will Made-It shares a parallel evolution from producer to cultural architect. The collaborative energy and street anthems of 21 Savage, Metro's frequent partner, are essential listening. For the melodic and emotive side of trap, the music of Future, Metro's most formative collaborator, provides the perfect complement.

Metro Boomin's catalog is a staple on hip-hop and top 40 radio stations across the dial, from major market FM powerhouses to curated online rap streams. His consistent output of chart-topping singles and albums ensures his production and artist tracks maintain heavy rotation, defining the sound of contemporary urban radio.

You can hear the influential trap production and hit records of Metro Boomin on a wide variety of radio stations featured here. Listeners can discover his iconic beats and collaborations by tuning into the hip-hop and top 40 stations available on onairium.com.