Xavier Lamar Dotson (born January 12, 1980), known professionally as Zaytoven, is an American Atlanta-based record producer from San Francisco, California. He has released collaborative projects with artists including Gucci Mane, Usher, Future, Young Dolph, Migos, Lecrae, Lil Yachty, Chief Keef, Young Scooter, B.o.B, Boosie Badazz, Waka Flocka Flame, 21 Savage, Deitrick Haddon and La Fève. He is known for being a pioneer of trap production.
After producing Gucci Mane's 2005 single "Icy", Zaytoven signed with 1017 Records as in-house talent. He was credited on Usher's 2009 single "Papers", which peaked within the Billboard Hot 100's top 40.
Early life Dotson spent a lot of time at church growing up, as his father was a preacher when not working for the army. He learned to play instruments through the church bands along with his three younger siblings. He gravitated toward playing the piano and organ.
Dotson was introduced to rap in middle school by a friend. He learned to produce music while attending high school in his spare time between school and basketball, Dotson played the keyboard during halftime at his high school football games. While he was performing one day at the game, he met rapper JT the Bigga Figga who liked what he heard, and invited Dotson to his studio, where Dotson had unlimited access to his keyboards. He truly began to utilize his skills as a producer while making beats in JT's studio before he started making a name for himself in Atlanta.
Career Career beginnings Zaytoven started going over to JT the Bigga Figga's studio every day to make beats and learn how to use the equipment. He began to sell beats to JT and went on to collaborate with Bay Area artists such as Messy Marv and E-40 while still in high school. During his senior year in high school, Zaytoven's family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, due to his father's retirement. Zaytoven decided to stay in San Francisco, California, finish his senior year, and continue his producing for local rappers. He realized that he needed a studio of his own where he could produce with his own equipment and work at any time of the day.
Having saved up money from his day job as a barber, Zaytoven began to buy equipment for producing. He would ship this to his parents' house in Atlanta, to which he eventually moved, and set up his own studio there. He enrolled in a local barber college in Atlanta and got a job as a barber to help finance the rest of his studio. While attending barber school, a classmate of his introduced Zaytoven to Gucci Mane, who would become his right-hand man in his career as a producer. Zaytoven and Gucci Mane began to work together every day after meeting each other. Zaytoven said in an interview with Fader that Gucci Mane would call him at 7 a.m. asking if he was ready to start making music for that day. Zaytoven and Gucci Mane spent the majority of the early 2000s making music together and selling mixtapes out of the trunks of their cars in Atlanta. It wasn't until 2005 that the two gained mainstream recognition from their hit song "Icy", with features from Young Jeezy and Boo. This recognition gave Zaytoven's career the boost it needed to take off, landing the hit song "Papers" with Usher in 2010 on Usher's certified platinum album Raymond v. Raymond.
Rise to fame Zaytoven's work on Usher's album Raymond v. Raymond earned him a Grammy Award in 2011 and a serious reputation in the hip-hop world. He started to work with more artists as his popularity grew in the Atlanta rap scene. He helped shaped the careers of artists such as OJ da Juiceman, Yung L.A., Yung Ralph, Shop Boyz, Lil Scrappy, Jagged Edge, and Gorilla Zoe.
Zaytoven collaborated with hip hop trio Migos. He produced several tracks on their 2013 mixtape, Y.R.N. (Young Rich Niggas), including the hit track "Versace", which peaked at 53 on the Billboard chart. Zaytoven's collaboration with Migos continued; he helped produce their followup mixtape No Label 2, released on February 25, 2014.
In 2015, Zaytoven provided exclusive production for ten mixtapes, including Future's Beast Mode, released on January 15. He also worked on Future's album DS2, which debuted on July 17.
In July 2016, Zaytoven produced or co-produced seven songs on Gucci Mane's first album since being released from prison, Everybody Looking. In the same month, Lil Uzi Vert's The Perfect LUV Tape was released, containing the Zaytoven-produced songs "Money Mitch" and "SideLine Watching (Hold Up)". In 2017, Zaytoven contributed to projects such as Gucci Mane's Mr. Davis, 21 Savage's Issa Album, Migos' Culture, Moneybagg Yo's Heartless, and Yo Gotti's I Still Am. Zaytoven also released two independent projects, Wake Up & Cook Up and Where Would the Game Be Without Me.
Zaytoven was scheduled to release his debut album Trap Holizay on May 25, 2018, and a collaborative album with Lecrae titled Let the Trap Say Amen on June 22, 2018.
Acting career Zaytoven made his acting debut in the 2012 film Birds of a Feather, co-starring with Gucci Mane. The sequel Birds of a Feather 2 was released in 2018.
Tracklib In 2018, Zaytoven joined the Creators Advisory Board of Tracklib.
Discography
Collaborative albums +TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsUSUSR&B/HHNLD Let the Trap Say Amen Released: June 22, 2018 Label: Reach Format: Digital download, streaming4926— A Released: October 12, 2018 Label: RCA Format: Digital download, streaming3119135 Lost Tapes Released: February 18, 2021 Label: Zaytoven Global, LLC Format: Digital download, streaming——— Pray For Atlanta Released: January 19, 2024 Label: Reach Format: Digital download, streaming———
Compilation albums +TitleAlbum details Zaytoven Presents: Fo15 Released: April 15, 2021 Label: Fo15 Empire Format: Digital download, streaming
Extended plays +TitleAlbum details GucTiggy Released: August 22, 2016 Label: 1017 Format: Digital download Greatest Gift Released: December 14, 2018 Label: Familiar Territory, Motown Format: Digital download Drip & Zay Released: October 1, 2021 Label: Zaytoven Global, LLC Format: Digital download Only One Released: January 6, 2023 Label: Zaytoven Global, LLC Format: Digital download 24 the EPReleased: June 24, 2023 Label: Damon Fletcher LLC Format: Digital download
Mixtapes +TitleMixtape detailsPeak chart positionsUSUSR&B/HHCANFRANLDUK World War 3 (Lean) Released: August 12, 2013 Label: 1017, RBC Format: Digital download, streaming—33———— Beast Mode Released: January 15, 2015 Label: Freebandz Format: Digital download, streaming—————— Juggathon Released: May 27, 2015 Label: Familiar Territory, Black Migo Gang, Freebandz Format: Digital download, streaming—————— For Trappers Only Released: September 30, 2015 Label: 300 Entertainment, Glizzy Gang Format: Digital download, streaming—————— Trapping Made It Happen Released: December 15, 2017 Label: Familiar Format: Digital download, streaming—————— Trapholizay Released: May 25, 2018 Label: Familiar Territory, Motown Format: Digital download, streaming7843———— Beast Mode 2 Released: July 6, 2018 Label: Freebandz, Epic Format: Digital download, streaming331313049 55 6Toven Released: July 13, 2018 Label: Deeper Than Sound Format: Digital download, streaming—————— GloToven Released: March 15, 2019 Label: Glo Gang, RBC Format: Digital download, streaming153————— Camp GloTiggy Released: May 31, 2019 Label: Glo Gang, RBC Format: Digital download, streaming—————— Bad Azz Zay Released: September 20, 2019 Label: Bad Azz, Familiar Territory Format: Digital download, streaming—————— A-Team(with Lil Keed, Lil Gotit, and Lil Yachty) Released: February 28, 2020 Label: Familiar Territory, Opposition Format: Digital download, streaming—————— Pack Just Landed Vol. 1 Released: August 7, 2020 Label: Zaytoven Global, LLC Format: Digital download, streaming—————— Pack Just Landed Vol. 2 Released: September 4, 2020 Label: Zaytoven Global, LLC Format: Digital download, streaming—————— Zaystreet Released: December 11, 2020 Label: Familiar Territory, Black Migo Gang, Freebandz Format: Digital download, streaming—————— GrinchToven Stole The Trap Released: December 25, 2020 Label: Self-released Format: Digital download, streaming—————— Moetoven Released: April 23, 2021 Label: Moe Money, Epic Format: Digital download, streaming—————— Pack Just Landed Vol. 3 Released: September 7, 2021 Label: Zaytoven Global, LLC Format: Digital download, streaming—————— Keys To the Streets Released: October 22, 2021 Label: Cinematic, Soldier Life Format: Digital download, streaming—————— GhostToven Released: December 17, 2021 Label: High & Mighty Entertainment Format: Digital download, streaming—————— Streetz Got No Heart Released: June 24, 2022 Label: Zaytoven Global, LLC Format: Digital download, streaming—————— Loverz n Friendz Released: July 22, 2022 Label: Zaytoven Global, LLC Format: Digital download, streaming——————
Other charted songs +TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbumUSR&B "Stay at Home"201822A
Production discography
Charted songs +TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbumUSUSR&B/HHUSRap "Icy"2005—4623Trap House "Pillz"2006———Hard to Kill, No Pad, No Pencil "I'm a Dog"2008———Chicken Talk 2, Bird Money, The State vs. Radric Davis "Bricks"———EA Sportscenter, The State vs. Radric Davis "Make tha Trap Say Aye"—2213The Otha Side of the Trap "I Don't Love Her"2011———The Return of Mr. Zone 6 "Versace"2013993123Y.R.N. (Young Rich Niggas) "3500"2015822518Rodeo "Guwop Home"2016———Everybody Looking "No Sleep (Intro)"——— "Waybach"——— "Too Much Sauce"502115Project E.T. "Used to This"1454Future "St. Brick Intro"———The Return of East Atlanta Santa "What the Price"2017—41—Culture "Get Right Witcha"722919 "Big on Big"—47— "Brown Paper Bag"—40— "When I Was Broke"———Future "Feds Did a Sweep"——— "Famous"9441—Issa Album "Nothin New"——— "Wifi Lit"2018532623Beast Mode 2 "31 Days"6434— "Cuddle My Wrist"7038— "Racks Blue"7642— "Red Light"——— "Some More"——— "Doh Doh"——— "When I Think About It"——— "Hate the Real Me"——— "Problems"5733—Tha Carter V "Moana"2020——— "RIP Luv"7632—Savage Mode II "Real Baby Pluto"541716Pluto × Baby Pluto "Million Dollar Play"672523 "Roadrunner"2021———Culture III "Better Believe"883125See You Next Wednesday Notes
Filmography Year Film Role2012 Birds of a FeatherHimself2013Weed Man 2018 Birds of a Feather 2
References
External links