by Black Enterprise
November 2, 2025
The Grammy-nominated musician and producer speaks solely to BLACK ENTERPRISE about how he approaches model collaborations
Terrace Martin, who’s been nominated for six Grammy awards and produced songs for everybody from Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg to Stevie Marvel and Charlie Wilson, has simply launched new music with a shocking collaborator: The Home of Suntory Japanese whisky.
For the launch of its limited-edition Toki Black, Suntory labored with Martin and Japanese jazz artist Ryota Nozaki, referred to as Jazztronik. The ensuing composition was impressed by Toki, which implies “time,” and by the Japanese philosophy of Ichigo Ichie—the concept that every second is exclusive and unrepeatable.
Suntory recorded the inventive course of and launched each a movie and a bespoke vinyl: Aspect A options an improvisational session between the artists, whereas Aspect B presents Martin’s fashionable reinterpretation.
“I by no means labored with all Japanese musicians. The one factor we needed to talk with was music. However music, love, and this whisky had all people simply on one accord. It was a phenomenal expertise,” Martin stated at a launch occasion in New York Metropolis, “and Toki Black was the gas.”
BLACK ENTERPRISE caught up with Martin after the launch of Toki Black Japanese whisky to listen to extra about how he approaches the enterprise facet of making music for model offers:
What was it about this chance with Suntory that piqued your curiosity?
Apart from the good whisky, all people on the Suntory workforce felt like a household. Everyone had tons of nice concepts. Their final objective was to ensure each of our manufacturers had been aligned.
How do you consider the alternatives you’re introduced to collaborate with manufacturers?
I select collaboration companions primarily based on the model’s integrity and what their mission is. If the model’s mission traces up with mine, I’ll resolve I need to go ahead.
Did you enlist any assist to evaluate the enterprise facet of those collaborations?
Sure, I’ve gotten recommendation from a number of folks about their model offers, like Herbie Hancock and Snoop Dogg. More often than not they informed me it went extraordinarily effectively when pairing with the appropriate model.
This was your first time working with folks you haven’t been making music with for the final 30 years. What does it imply to you, particularly as a Black artist, to have been capable of make a dwelling along with your crew from again within the day?
Reaching success with the identical set of mates I’ve had since grade faculty is a blessing; I’m very grateful and grateful for that. It means the world to me, working in such a loopy enterprise I’ve a trusted household that I can even go to, and that’s greater than gold.
At a time when it seems like there’s much less communication and collaboration and extra distrust and division, are you able to share recommendation for working with individuals who aren’t such as you?
My greatest recommendation is to anticipate the surprising, take away all ego, and go into every state of affairs with an open thoughts and open coronary heart.
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