Atlanta producer
TM88 helped influence the sound of rap with his uncommonly sharp and still commercially accessible instrumentals.
He launched his career in the early 2010s as part of
808 Mafia, a crew associated with trap stars such as
Gucci Mane and
Waka Flocka Flame, before going on to work with
Migos,
Drake,
2 Chainz, and numerous others. He co-headlined
TGOD Mafia: Rude Awakening (2016) with
Juicy J and
Wiz Khalifa, and was responsible for several tracks on
Young Thug's
JEFFERY (2016) as well as
Lil Uzi Vert's 2017 hit "XO TOUR Llif3," which went on to be streamed over one and a half-billion times. Along with producing hits for top-tier rap artists,
TM88 released projects of his own, like the 2018 mixtape 88 Birdz and 2021's
Pi'erre Bourne collaboration Yo!88.
Born Bryan Lamar Simmons in Miami, Florida,
TM88 cut some tracks with Brick Squad artist
Slim Dunkin before he joined
808 Mafia, founded by fellow producers
Southside and
Lex Luger. From 2012 to 2013, two self-titled mixtapes appeared from the crew while
TM88 earned solo credits on numerous
Gucci,
Future, and
Young Thug tracks. In 2014, he first worked with
Wiz Khalifa. The MC then introduced
TM88 to the co-owner of his
Taylor Gang label,
Juicy J.
TM88 produced the former
Three 6 Mafia leader's solo cut "You and I 2016" featuring
TY Dolla $ign, and was co-credited alongside
Juicy and
Wiz on that year's Atlantic Records release
TGOD Mafia: Rude Awakening. The collaborative mixtape debuted at number 26 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The same year,
TM88 produced four tracks on
Young Thug's
JEFFERY, which reached number 8 on the Billboard 200 and was widely acclaimed. Along with JW Lucas,
TM88 co-produced
Lil Uzi Vert's 2017 single "XO TOUR Llif3," which charted at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and was voted one of the best songs of the year by several publications.
TM88 continued producing for artists such as
Moneybagg Yo and
Gunna, and mixtape 88 Birdz (with Doe Boy) came out in 2018. "Slayerr" (with
Lil Uzi Vert) was released in 2019. 2020 found
TM88 producing tracks for
Moneybagg Yo,
Roy Woods and
Wiz Khalifa, and in 2021 he teamed with fellow producer
Pi'erre Bourne for Yo!88, an 11-song release that featured guest spots from
Khalifa and
Young Nudy. ~ David Jeffries