Meet the sound engineer creating Philly’s new sound

Whether it was the Philadelphia Sound of the 1970s, the piercing jams that propelled the neo-soul era, or the inception of gangsta rap, Philly has always been a pioneer in music and culture. It’s home to artists who have gone against the grain, and now there’s a new legion of creatives continuing the tradition.

From Lil Uzi Vert and Tierra Whack to Armani White, Fridayy, D Sturdy, 2Rare, and others, Philly-bred stars are dominating the airwaves.

White’s “Goated” went viral on TikTok, and vocalist Fridayy is one of the most exciting R&B talents of our time. The booming and frenetic pace of D Sturdy’s “Shake Dhat” and Whack’s “Millions — Jumbo Sounds Mix” has added a Philly-style variety to the electro-sound.

This new Philly sound is a mix of pop-rap, trap, and Jersey club music, a subgenre that originated in Newark in the early 2000s.

One of the architects fueling this new creative wave is Ben Thomas. The 27-year-old audio engineer and producer most recently worked on Lil Uzi Vert’s hit “Just Wanna Rock,” which garnered a nod for best rap song at the 2024 Grammy Awards next month.

“There has been a strong emergence of artists from Philly based on the Jersey wave,” he said. “It’s really dope to see them winning.”

Uzi’s record, Thomas said, is one of the many demonstrating the city’s renewed musical charge and influence, beyond its very recognizable R&B sound.

“I think this period of Philly music is beautiful,” said Thomas, who marked his eighth Grammy nomination with “Just Wanna Rock.” “Uzi does a Philly and Jersey song, and then we have major artists copying their style. Also, we have so much talent here. It’s great to see people getting their shine and I’m blessed to play a small part.”

As an audio engineer and producer, Thomas is partly a curator and a connector. He has linked the city’s biggest artists and helped craft their solo or collaborative projects. And through his work with Uzi and other local artists, he has turned the once-regional Jersey club sound into one also helmed by Philly artists, and opened doors for emerging musical talents.

In the years of knowing Thomas, Def Jam signee Fridayy said Thomas has always made a way for Philly artists to flourish. “He’s definitely gone outside the box with a lot of records in Philly,” he said. But his work across different genres is what’s elevated Thomas’ profile.

Thomas, a New York native who moved to Philadelphia in 2009, attended Germantown Friends School and met now-mentor Brandon Jones, the school’s then assistant athletics director and varsity basketball coach.

When Thomas majored in business at Temple, it was Jones who convinced him to change course and pursue music full-time. “When you combine passion and work ethic with a skill set like [Thomas’], the result is what you see today,” Jones said.

After deferring a job offer from Deloitte, Thomas started a makeshift studio inside the basement of his mom’s Mount Airy home. This is where artist Chill Moody began working with Thomas.

Never taking up that Deloitte offer, Thomas met Lil Uzi Vert through their manager and became his dedicated sound engineer for three and a half years.

He recently branched out to pursue audio mixing and songwriting, which has led to collaborations with the likes of Justin Bieber, Bryson Tiller, Jazmine Sullivan, and Meek Mill. Or in other words, “the stuff that’s getting the national attention, like the big stuff,” as Moody puts it.

For Thomas, “It’s just me planting a lot of seeds.” He likes to think he is just “doing me, and that some of the stuff I’m doing is winning. But I also don’t want to be complacent. It’s important to get on the new wave as it changes.”

When DJ Don Cannon met Thomas through Uzi, he was immediately struck by how Thomas studied the business and evolved as an audio engineer. “He was never late and his ear was always tuned for today’s work. It’s something a lot of people would look past,” the Generation Now label cofounder said. “And unlike most engineers and producers, Thomas didn’t smoke or drink; ... [he] used to watch Jeopardy! in his free time.”

“This new phase of Philadelphia music has been brewing since 2015 or 2016,” said Armani White, who shot to fame with his viral hit “Billie Eilish.” “We’ve all been around each other, and in some way crossed paths, and [Thomas] has been in those rooms with a lot of different names.”

As Thomas continues to perfect his craft and pursue songwriting ventures, he wants to put the same energy toward community service and engagement, especially for young students of color. Along with opening the doors of his Kensington recording studio to local artists, Thomas mentors young residents who are a part of GettingtheMAXoutoflife, a community-based program ran by life coach and motivational speaker Maxwell Brown.

“I think he has qualities that will make him one of the greatest producer-engineers of all time across all genres,” Moody proclaimed.

And while Thomas is happy to receive the recognition, and he’s hopeful Uzi’s name gets called on Grammy night, awards are not a source of motivation for him; it’s community itself. “It’s not a one-person show over here,” he said. “There’s a lot of support that allows me to shine, and I’m very thankful for everybody.”