Dun Deal

David Cunningham (born August 22, 1986), better known by his stage name Dun Deal, is an American record producer and rapper from Atlanta, Georgia.^[1] He is best known for producing Young Thug's single "Stoner" and Migos' "Hannah Montana".^[1] Deal has also worked with Gucci Mane, Usher, Trey Songz, Future, Drake, Rich Homie Quan, and Kevin Gates, among others.^[1][2]

Biography

Dun Deal started his career as a rapper in 2003, when he formed the group O Boys with his high school friends. They weresigned with one of Ruff Ryders' sub-labels. He used the money he received from the label to buy studio equipment and started learning how to create beats. By 2005, Deal had moved from rapping to producing. His first major production work was one of Tyler Perry's movies.^[1]

In about 2007, Deal started producing for artists, such as Rich Kidz, Future, Cash Out, Young Thug and Dem Franchize Boyz.^[3] He had a studio in downtown Atlanta and was working with a production team called Planet 9.^[4]

In 2012, while producing on Rich Kidz's album Everybody Eat Bread, Deal signed to DJ Spinz's production team Hoodrich Production Group (HPG), which also includes C4, S.O.S and Childish Major.^[1][4]

In 2013, Deal gained recognition for producing Migos' single "Hannah Montana". According to Deal, when DJ Spinz was in a recording session with Migos, he contacted Deal and requested some instrumentals. the song was recorded. Once, while having a DJ Spinz c Deal sent back a beat which he had created about two years before, and Migos recorded what would turn to be "Hannah Montana" in about 30 minutes.^[1] Deal was initially skeptical about the song's title, but the song became a hit.^[2]

In October 2013, Deal was included on Complex‍ '​s list "25 New Producers To Watch For". The list author Craig Jenkins commented that "his beats [are] the emotional focal points of whatever album he's on, and his restless versatility ensures we'll be hearing his name a lot more in the years to come."^[5] In January 2014, Deal, among his team HPG, was also included on FACT‍ '​s "10 hip-hop producers to watch in 2014". FACT authors Chris Kelly and John Twells stated that "the group's sound defined 2013 with a diverse set of productions".^[6]

In early 2014, Young Thug's "Stoner", produced by Deal, got mainstream popularity, and peaked at number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[7] The song also spawned a number of unofficial remixes by rappers, such as Wale, Jim Jones, Jadakiss, Iamsu! and Trick-Trick.^[8] Deal, who has been working with Young Thug, since the rapper was 16 years old,^[9] revealed that it took him 15 minutes to create the instrumental for "Stoner" and Thug recorded the whole song in another 15 minutes, mostly freestyling.^[1] Later, he commented on the success of the song: "I'm definitely always surprised when a song takes off like that. You know, you expect it to be a hit when you think it's a good song and you make it yourself, but you never know it's gonna be a really big hit."^[9]

On April 30, 2014, Deal released a collaboration EP with rapper Rome Fortune, titled Drive, Thighs & Lies.^[10] Deal is also working on a compilation mixtape, called BASS (Below a Silver Sky), which is set for a release during 2014.^[11]

Musical style

Gabriel Herrera of Vice described Deal as "a driving force behind a number of huge hits on the southern mixtape circuit, Top 40 radio, and everything in between."^[4] In an interview with MercyHope, Deal commented on his musical growth, saying: "there was a certain sound I felt like I was missing when I first started. And the more I did it every day, I started to catch that formula to make those type of songs where they could be on the radio."^[12]

Deal uses Logic Studio to create his music, and sometimes also plays live instruments: a guitar, a grand piano and drums. Like many hip-hop producers, Deal uses a musical signature on the instrumentals he creates, which consists of the phrase "Dun Deeeal on the Track", followed by a pitched-up vocal effect. The tag was originally recorded by Skool Boy from the Rich Kidz.^[4]

Discography

Extended Plays

• 2014: Drive, Thighs & Lies (with Rome Fortune)

Mixtapes

• 2013: World War 3: Molly (with Gucci Mane, Metro Boomin, Sonny Digital, C4)
• 2014: BASS (Below a Silver Sky)

Production discography

Singles produced

Other Songs

References