Cherry City's Finest

Behind the scenes

The parts that
didn't make it

Between the takes. Photos and short clips from the studio, the lot, and everywhere else the record got made.

  • Week 1

    Days 1–7

    01 Intro · 02 Star Player · 03 Break It Down · 04 Lavar Ball · 05 Greenz · 06 Money Mitch · 07 Through My City

    • Day 1 — August 15 (Track 1: Intro)

      Aug 15, 2026

      First night at Purple Sound. The intro gets made.

      • The whole room at Purple Sound under the purple light, everyone at the screens while the session runs
      • On the pads under the Purple Sound neon sign, headphones on, waveform up on the laptop
      • At the desk between the monitors, working the session on the screen
      • Three of the crew on the couch under the blacklight between takes
      WithXTC,Puti.keenz,JayTheBrain,Waavyyy,BelinskiiProd.yoCoach

    • Day 2 — August 16 (Track 2: Star Player)

      Aug 16, 2026

      The whole room at Purple Sound — takes going down and the couch full.

      • Everybody in — the Welcome to Purple Sound sign on the door and the whole room under the purple light
      • Two at the desk under the purple light, the session up on both screens
      • On the mic in the hoodie while the desk runs the session
      • The phone rig rolling while the take goes down at the booth
      • Eyes on the session at the desk, the artist at the mic right behind
      • Both screens running, the couch full, everyone on the playback
      • Mid-session — one look back at the camera before the next take
      • The couch wall between takes, signs up for the camera
      • The whole room from the corner — the session up on both screens
      WithWaavyyy,Belinskii,MeLo,GloMilo100KProd.Artez,jojo.wavEng.Purple Sound Studios

    • Day 3 — August 17 (Track 3: Break It Down)

      Aug 17, 2026

      Break It Down night — pens out on the couch, then the whole room in headphones while the takes go down.

      • The whole room at Purple Sound — the session running on both screens while the crew settles in
      • The desk working the session between the monitors, the room gathered behind
      • Two on the couch under the string lights, ears on the beat
      • Heads down all around the room — laptop open, verses going into phones
      • Writing the verse in headphones, phone in hand, the beat on the laptop next over
      • Everybody working — the desk on the session, the couch on the pens
      • The whole room turned to the screen for the playback
      • The take goes down — on the mic at the booth wall while the room listens in headphones
      • Mid-take from the corner — everyone locked in on their own mix
      • Through the door — the Welcome to Purple Sound sign and the whole room at work
      • From the corner — the couch crew on their phones while the desk runs the session
      • Everybody on something — laptop, phones, the desk — under the purple ceiling light
      • Three stations going at once — the booth screen, the desk, and the side table
      • In headphones at the desk, working through the vocal takes on the screen
      • Dialing it in on the laptop, the Purple Sound neon burning on the table
      • Two rigs side by side — the desk on the takes, the laptop on the beat
      • Lining up the next take — one at the booth screen, two on the desks
      • At the booth screen getting the next one ready while the desk holds it down
      • Punching in at the booth wall, the session up on every screen in the room
      • Full house under the string lights — the couch, the booth wall, and the desk all going
      • A take going down at the booth wall while the room works around it
      • The mic pulled right up to the couch — verse off the phone, straight into the take
      • The couch session — mic in the shockmount, phone up, the desk rolling behind
      • Headphones on over the laptop, the Purple Sound neon lighting the table
      • Deep in the plugin windows — beat work on the laptop with the big screen above
      WithXTC,MeLo,Smokey Grams,flowititProd.3z

    • Day 4 — August 18 (Track 4: Lavar Ball)

      Aug 18, 2026

      Lavar Ball day — outside in the sun before anyone went in, then Purple Sound: the room on the session, the phone rig rolling at the booth, and a mix that ran into the evening.

      • Early afternoon — the room gathered behind the desk, the session up on both screens
      • The desk working while the couch watches the playback
      • The phone rig up at the booth, rolling on the take
      • Filming from behind the glass while the take goes down
      • Behind the camera at the booth wall
      • Pens out on the couch, the pad lit up on the arm rest
      • The room from the corner — phones out, verses going down
      • Heads down under the purple, writing through the beat
      • Two on the couch working the same verse
      • At the laptop pulling the beat back up
      • Cueing the next one at the booth
      • The lounge under the strip light — a break between takes
      • Sat around the room while the next take gets set
      • Back at the desk, the whole room in on it
      • Over the shoulder at the session, monitors going
      • In headphones at the board, working the take
      • Two on the session — one in headphones, one driving
      • The room listening back against the wood wall
      • Late afternoon — the mix starts, everyone still in the room
      • Watching the mix come together under the blue light
      • Dialing it in, the levels up on the screen
      • The last of it — the room emptying out by the door
      WithAstro 503,BLXNCO,JayKub,WaavyyyProd.3zEng.Purple Sound Studios

    • Day 5 — August 19 (Track 5: Greenz + Bonus: Off Sight On Sight)

      Aug 19, 2026

      An evening that ran to two records — the room packed in at the desk from six, the pads out by eight, and the mix still going at nine.

      • Half six — first at the boards, the room still filling
      • Chairs pulled in as more people arrive
      • Standing at the desk working the session
      • The room watching the screens from the back
      • Full room under the strip lights
      • Over the shoulder at the take
      • At the boards while the room listens in
      • From the back of the room — every chair taken
      • Everyone in, eyes on the session
      • Heads turned to the screen for the playback
      • Leaning in on the playback
      • The room listening the whole way through
      • Eight o'clock — the pads come out
      • Pads beside the session, working an idea in
      • Two on it at the desk
      • The couch and the desk both working
      • Writing on the couch under the string lights
      • In headphones on the mix
      • Late on — the mix up on both screens
      • Levels up, working it down
      • Nine o'clock — close on the pads
      • The last of the night at the machine
      WithBLXNCO,XTC,JayKub,flowititProd.goodstuffcrisEng.Purple Sound Studios

    • Day 6 — August 20 (Track 6: Money Mitch)

      Aug 20, 2026

      A day that started outside — a camera up in the park in the late sun — then moved into Purple Sound and ran past ten.

      • Five in the afternoon — the park before anything is set up
      • Getting the shot together on the path
      • The tripod goes up in the late sun
      • Framing it, the bench and the grass behind
      • Rolling — the camera out in the open
      • Quarter to seven — inside at Purple Sound, chairs pulled up
      • The desk fills up, the session on the screens
      • Seven o'clock, everyone settled in
      • Everybody on it — the whole room facing the board
      • Watching the take come through
      • Gathered round the boards
      • Deep in the dark, the screens the only light
      • At the booth with the strip light running
      • Working the machine at the rack
      • Close in the purple
      • From the floor — the room above the light strip
      • Eight o'clock — headphones on at the desk
      • On the cans, listening it back
      • The session running long, the room still in
      • Late at the desk, monitors up
      • Gone ten — the room thinning out under the strip
      • The last run of the night
      WithMeLo,oh1baby,JayKub,BelinskiiProd.3zEng.Purple Sound Studios

    • Day 7 — August 21 (Track 7: Through My City)

      Aug 21, 2026

      An afternoon in a room with a window — daylight through the blinds behind the screens, a break in the hall, and the last playback gone five.

      • Half three — the room already in, someone at the door
      • Watching the session from the back of the room
      • At the board with the afternoon light through the blinds
      • Over the desk, the session up on screen
      • The room settled in around the boards
      • Everyone facing in, eyes on the take
      • The full room under the ceiling light
      • Listening it back together
      • Ten past five — up on the take
      • Working it through at the board
      • Out in the hall in the daylight
      • Sat in the doorway between takes
      • Throwing it up for the camera
      • Back through the door into the dark
      • Standing room at the end of the session
      • The last playback of the afternoon
      • Closing it out
      WithXTC,Chico_sdx,TZOTOPSTAR,3z,YapProd.yoCoachEng.Purple Sound Studios

  • Week 2

    Days 8–14

    08 Luminate · 09 Too Many · 10 Mick Jager · 11 All Of Me · 12 Sliding · 13 AI · 14 Drink · 15 Meat & Potatoes

    • Day 8 — August 22 (Track 8: Luminate + Track 9: Too Many)

      Aug 22, 2026

      Two tracks and two locations — classic cars in the lot at noon, the whole crew shooting on a parking roof through the afternoon, then inside to the purple room until ten.

      • Midday — classic cars lined up in the lot
      • Out by the cars before anything starts
      • Four o'clock — the gimbal rig up against the sky
      • Rolling on the parking roof
      • The crew gathering at the wall
      • Lining the shot up
      • Everyone in frame, camera out
      • The group shot against the skyline
      • Between setups on the roof
      • Checking the take back on the screen
      • The tripod up, the city behind
      • Hands up for the take
      • Packing the rig down
      • Five past five — inside, the purple room
      • At the boards with the session up
      • Half six — the screen the only light
      • The room working around the desk
      • Gone eight — back in and still going
      • Ten to ten — late on the session
      • The last of the night at the desk
      • Closing it down
      WithSmokey Grams,Belinskii,Waavyyy,IXIKK,MaxieProd.3zEng.Purple Sound Studios

    • Day 9 — August 23 (Track 10: Mick Jager)

      Aug 23, 2026

      A midday session in the room with the window — headphones on, the blinds letting the afternoon in behind the screens.

      • Twenty past twelve — at the desk, session up
      • Standing at the board, daylight through the blinds
      • Ten past two — in headphones on the take
      • Two at the board working it through
      • The room watching from behind
      • Settled in around the desk
      • Close on the screen in the dark
      • Up on the take, hands going
      • Back to the board, the blinds behind
      • The last of the session
      Withsiahdakiddd,Maxie,3zEng.Purple Sound Studios

    • Day 10 — August 24 (Track 11: All Of Me)

      Aug 24, 2026

      A late afternoon at Purple Sound — four o'clock at the desk through to six under the neon.

      • Gone four — at the desk, the session up
      • The room in behind the board
      • The booth wall, empty for a moment
      • Back on it at the desk
      • Three at the board working the take
      • Under the light strip, the session running
      • Close on the session
      • Ten to six — over by the door
      • The room lit from the doorway
      • Under the neon at the desk
      • The last of it
      WithSmokey GramsEng.Purple Sound Studios

    • Day 11 — August 25 (Track 12: Sliding)

      Aug 25, 2026

      Photos from this day get posted here as they land.

    • Day 12 — August 26 (Track 13: AI + Video 2)

      Aug 26, 2026

      An evening at Purple Sound — the desk from half five, the second video watched back on a laptop against the foam, and the booth still going at half eight.

      • Half five — at the desk, the neon up
      • The room settling in behind the board
      • Phones out, the session on screen
      • Working the take through
      • Over by the wall with the laptop
      • Two at the board under the neon
      • Close on the desk, the screen lit
      • Standing at the mic
      • Watching the video back on the laptop
      • The room over by the door
      • Quarter to eight — the session running
      • Twenty past eight — up at the booth
      • The take goes down
      • Gone half eight — the last of it
      With3z,JayTheBrain,MeLo,WaavyyyProd.goodstuffcrisEng.Purple Sound Studios

    • Day 13 — August 27 (Track 14: Drink)

      Aug 27, 2026

      Half seven to half eight at Purple Sound — keys out early, the room in close, and the beat still going at the end.

      • Half seven — at the board, the session up
      • On the keys, working a part in
      • The room over by the door
      • Down the length of the desk
      • The keyboard beside the session
      • Heads down under the neon
      • The room working it through
      • Phones out, the beat running
      • Gathered in at the desk
      • Up at the front of the room
      • Close in the purple
      • On the cans at the board
      • The last of the night
      WithBLXNCO,JayKub,XTC,oh1babyProd.jojo.wavEng.Purple Sound Studios

    • Day 14 — August 28 (Track 15: Meat & Potatoes)

      Aug 28, 2026

      The calling cards, in hand — a fanned-out stack on a car seat and a single Star Player up close.

      • The calling cards fanned out on the seat
      • A handful of them, the cherries showing
      • Holding the stack
      • GloMilo100K's Star Player card — Cherry City, Oregon on the front
      WithXTC,oh1baby,Chico_sdx,TZOTOPSTAR

  • Week 3

    Days 15–21

    16 Royal Rumble · 17 Move Differently · 18 Something In The Air Today · 19 Ascension · 20 More Than Music · 21 Final Cypher

    • Day 15 — August 29 (Track 16: Royal Rumble + Video 3)

      Aug 29, 2026

      Video 3, shot outside — a tripod by the car in the morning, then the whole crew on the overpass with the freeway running underneath.

      • Half nine — setting up beside the car
      • Framing the shot on the screen
      • Rolling, the door open behind
      • Working the angle round the car
      • The rig against the sky
      • Half one — out on the overpass
      • The crew on the bridge, freeway behind the fence
      • Shooting through the chain-link
      • The last setup of the day
      With3z,JayTheBrain,MeLo,MaxieProd.Mikey Margiela

    • Day 16 — August 30 (Track 17: Move Differently)

      Aug 30, 2026

      A guitar comes out at Purple Sound — tuned up by the door, then played into the session while the room listens.

      • Half three — guitar out by the door
      • Tuning it up
      • On the guitar under the purple
      • Playing it into the session
      • Close on the take
      • At the desk with it running
      • In headphones on the board
      • The last of it
      WithIXIKK,GloMilo100K,Too Hyfe,Chico_sdxEng.Purple Sound Studios

    • Day 17 — August 31 (Track 18: Something In The Air Today)

      Aug 31, 2026

      Purple Sound from three in the afternoon to half five — the room in close, the session running.

      • Three o'clock — at the board
      • The session running, the room settled
      • Reaching across the desk
      • Heads in on the take
      • Standing at the back of the room
      • The last of the afternoon
      With3z,TZOTOPSTAREng.Purple Sound Studios

    • Day 18 — September 1 (Track 19: Ascension + Beat Work)

      Sep 1, 2026

      Beat work — an afternoon at the boards and a stand-up session at the desk in the evening.

      • Three o'clock, the room in
      • Standing at the desk working it
      • On the beat late on
      • The two of them at the board
      WithAstro 503,WaavyyyProd.OuterSpaceMusicEng.Purple Sound Studios

    • Day 19 — September 2 (Track 20: More Than Music + Video 4)

      Sep 2, 2026

      A short evening at the boards — the cypher beat coming together.

      • Gone four — at the boards
      • Working the beat through
      Withbabyzay503,Astro 503,Waavyyy,Chico_sdxEng.Purple Sound Studios

    • Day 20 — September 3 (Track 21: Final Cypher — Verses)

      Sep 3, 2026

      Cypher verses, called in one after another — half six through half seven, the room filling and emptying around the mic.

      • Half six — the room waiting on the next call
      • Laid out on the couch between verses
      • Up at the desk in the red shirt
      • The next one in at the board
      • Gone half seven, still going
      Eng.Purple Sound Studios

    • Day 21 — September 4 (Track 21: Final Cypher — Pickups + Video)

      Sep 4, 2026

      The last day. A CCF banner painted from a blank tarp — white outline, red fill, cherries — hung at Thee Creative Escape, and the whole cast in front of it for the cypher video.

      • The tarp before anything went on it
      • Cherry City Studios, on the way in
      • Thee Creative Escape — where the record ends
      • Midday — the outline goes down on a blank tarp
      • Red into the letters
      • Working the fill, flat on the floor
      • CCF taking shape
      • Over the top of it, filling in
      • The cherries go on — up on the wall now
      • The finished banner: outline, fill, cherries, all of it
      • Hung and ready
      • Six o'clock — the cast arrives
      • Cameras up in the room
      • Everyone in front of the banner
      • The group shot
      • Shooting the cypher against the wall
      • The last frame of the record
      Eng.Purple Sound Studios