What’s your stage name and where are you from?
HZPROD, also known as Hadzilla. I’m a Bosnian-born producer raised in the United States, currently based overseas. My background and experiences across different cultures heavily influence the cinematic and emotional direction of my music.
What’s the story behind your stage name?
HZPROD originally came from shortening “Hadzilla,” a nickname tied to my last name and personality. Over time it became more than just a tag … it turned into the identity behind the production, visuals and overall creative direction. I wanted something simple, memorable and aggressive enough to match the energy of the music.
Describe your musical journey in three sentences.
Music started as something personal for me before it became public. I taught myself production through experimentation, studying hip-hop, film scores and atmospheric sound design while slowly building my own style. That journey eventually led to creating WAR TORN, a producer-led project featuring artists like The Game, KXNG Crooked, Mickey Factz, Horseshoe G.A.N.G, Marco Vernice, Siggas, Sashaa, Zombie Juice and Charles Hamilton.
Share an interesting experience you had while creating your latest track.
One of the most interesting parts of creating PEACE? was seeing artists from completely different backgrounds connect to the same emotional theme. The record was built around tension, loss and frustration with the state of the world, and hearing each artist interpret that in their own way made the song feel bigger than just music. It reminded me that hip-hop can still carry real emotion and meaning when people are honest on a record.
What message do you want to convey through your music?
I want my music to make people feel something real. A lot of my work deals with inner conflict, world issues, pressure, trauma and hope, but I never want it to feel forced or preachy. The goal is to create cinematic music that people can connect to emotionally while also using the platform to bring awareness to things happening around the world.
Tell us about a challenge you faced during production and how you overcame it.
One challenge during production was balancing the cinematic atmosphere with hard-hitting drums without overcrowding the mix. A lot of my beats have layered textures, orchestral elements and heavy low-end, so getting clarity while keeping the emotion intact took a lot of trial and error. I overcame it by simplifying arrangements, focusing on sound selection and learning how to let certain elements breathe instead of forcing everything to compete for space.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
One artist I’d love to collaborate with is Lupe Fiasco because of how layered and thoughtful his music is. He approaches records almost like films or literature, and I respect artists who challenge listeners creatively instead of chasing trends. I think my production style would create a strong cinematic foundation for that type of storytelling.
Where do you see your music taking you in the next year?
Over the next year I want to continue expanding WAR TORN, grow the audience organically and push the producer identity further into the spotlight. I also want to build stronger relationships within film, media and live creative spaces because my sound naturally leans cinematic. Most importantly, I want the music to continue reaching people in a meaningful way rather than just chasing numbers.
What’s the next big step for you as an artist?
The next big step is evolving from simply releasing music into building a full creative world around the sound. That includes stronger visuals, more storytelling, live experiences and collaborations that feel intentional instead of random industry placements. I want HZPROD to feel like a universe, not just a producer name.
Where can we hear/watch your most recent work?
You can find my latest releases, visuals and updates here:
Instagram: @hzprod_
Website: www.hz-prod.com
YouTube / Streaming Platforms: Hadzillabeats/HZPROD
Recent releases include “PEACE?”, “Dreamer” and “War Within” from the WAR TORN project.
