Michael Williams Jr., widely known as Mike Will Made-It, serves as the CEO of Ear Drummers Entertainment. His influence spans major hits like Rihanna’s “Pour It Up” and Beyoncé’s “Formation,” and he has notably executive produced albums for Miley Cyrus and crafted Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble,” as reported by Forbes.
Williams’ journey in music began when he persuaded his father to let him drop out of Georgia State after just one semester to focus on beat production, leveraging his burgeoning popularity in Atlanta. Starting with his sisters’ keyboard, he experimented to develop his distinctive beats, supported by his father, a former DJ. At the age of 14, he convinced his father to invest in a $600 Korg Electribe drum machine, further fueling his music career.
In his early career, he collaborated with emerging talents such as 2 Chainz, Future, Lil Yachty, and 21 Savage. Known for his hands-on approach, Williams personally debuted records at radio stations, solidifying his reputation with his distinctive producer tag. His success allowed him to escalate his fee from $500 per track to over $2,000.
“They believed in me as a producer,” Williams shared with Forbes. His pivotal role as executive producer on Miley Cyrus’s “Bangerz” in 2013 marked a significant milestone, establishing him in the pop music scene.
In 2013, Williams struck a deal with renowned producer Jimmy Iovine to establish Ear Drummers Records. Under this label, he cultivated the hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd, producing their four albums, including the chart-topping “Black Beatles,” which ignited the viral Mannequin Challenge in 2016.
Williams’ achievements as a music producer not only cemented his status among the industry’s elite but also amassed an estimated $40 million fortune from his music production catalog and publishing fees in recent years.
Now focusing on real estate ventures in Atlanta, Williams has invested approximately $20 million. His acquisitions include a warehouse on Joseph Lowery NW Boulevard, transformed into the Wxllxm Culture Center. Adjacent to this, he purchased a property exceeding 10,000 square feet, alongside five acres of surrounding land. Williams envisions developing a commercial complex featuring condominiums and a state-of-the-art music studio, emphasizing the importance of securing suitable investment partners to replicate his successes in real estate.
