Two Terabytes to DB Looper: Natekizbeats’ Creative Leap with The Drum Broker
When Nate Kiz opened the Dropbox link from The Drum Broker, he wasn’t prepared for what stared back: nearly two terabytes of drums and samples, a digital crate-digger’s dream and nightmare. To make sense of it, he worked out a simple formula for DB Looper: each beat would be built from one melodic sample and one drum sample. The catch was that those elements could never come from the same pack. That way, even if he dipped into the same pack for another beat, the drums and melodies were always sourced separately, keeping every track unique. The result was DB Looper, an album built entirely from Drum Broker sounds where Nate stepped away from his usual micro-chopped style to embrace looping. But it wasn’t just drag-and-drop. He chopped many of the drum sounds into new patterns, layering his own swing into the project so that each track carried his fingerprint. The Early Days For Nate Kiz, beatmaking started long before DB Looper ever hit Bandcamp. His dad was a drummer, so music gear was always around the house. But instead of sitting at a kit, he got curious about how rhythms could be programmed. A bootleg copy of Fruity Loops 3 gave him his first taste of digital production. Around the same time, a PlayStation music game introduced him to sequencing in a different way. Those tools weren’t glamorous, but they made him realize he’d rather build the beats than rap over them. In the pre-YouTube era, learning production was slow and hands-on. Every problem meant trial and error: figuring out why samples didn’t line up, how to clean up muddy sounds, or how to make drums knock harder. “Everything took longer back then,” he says, “but those mistakes gave my beats a grit I still chase today.” Koala Sampler Eventually, he embraced new tools like Koala Sampler on iPad, drawn in part by learning that Madlib made beats entirely on his tablet. At first, he doubted a $5 app could compete with heavyweight DAWs. Now, nearly 1,000 Koala beats later, it’s his main weapon. “Koala lets me work anywhere: on the couch, in the car, even waiting in a parking lot,” he says. “It’s pure focus with zero bloat.” Flipping the Packs When the Drum Broker drop arrived, Nate Kiz went straight for trusted names: • The Alchemist - Break Fluid and Soundbytes • Beat Butcha - Filth Series • Jake One - Snare Jordan • Marco Polo - Signature drum kits • Select gems from Soul Surplus and Kingsway Music "I wanted each beat to feel unique, so even if I pulled from the same pack twice, I never took both the drums and melody from it on the same beat. The drums always came from a different source, or vice versa. That way, each track still had its own DNA,” he explains. “Once I picked my melodic loop and drums, I’d just start building. No second-guessing." The Concept The name DB Looper wasn’t just a clever play on “loops.” It carried a story. Nate explained that he always liked the mystery of DB Cooper, the infamous hijacker who vanished in the 1970s after parachuting from a plane with stolen cash. For his project, he flipped that myth into a producer’s tale: DB Looper is a character who breaks into The Drum Broker vault, steals two terabytes of samples, and disappears into hiding. On the album, that story plays out in beats, skits, and visuals. Each track is like another page in the caper, with the character escaping the scene, finding refuge on an island, and building a new identity out of the sounds he stole. “I wanted it to feel like you’re following this character’s journey, not just listening to a beat tape,” Nate said. This narrative twist gave the project its identity. The “DB” in DB Looper became both Drum Broker and a nod to DB Cooper, while the “Looper” highlighted Nate’s decision to embrace loops over his usual micro-chopped approach. It’s more than just a project name: it’s a concept album built on myth, creativity, and the fun of reimagining history through hip hop production. For Nate, DB Looper wasn’t just about beats or loops. The story gave him a canvas to experiment with visuals, skits, and animation that carried the project further. More Than Music, A Story in Loops DB Looper isn’t just an audio project, it’s a multimedia concept. Nate Kiz expanded the world with storytelling, voice acting, and animation, giving the release a distinct visual identity. His growing animation skills fed into skits, promo videos, and stickers, and he’s experimenting with collaborations to keep pushing boundaries. “I don’t just want people to hear this project,” he says. “I want them to step into its world.” Why Koala Sampler Koala’s simplicity and portability made DB Looper possible in ways no other setup could. The app strips beatmaking down to essentials which include sampling, chopping, sequencing without the clutter of a full DAW. But that minimalism comes with quirks. Sequencing can be tedious, and without traditional quantization, mistakes sneak in. Instead of fighting them, he leaned in. The swing and off-kilter feel became part of the project’s character, making the loops feel alive. To expand Koala’s sonic palette, he paired it with the AUM app, running loops through effects chains that added grit, texture, and depth. This workflow let him blur the line between lo-fi and polished. Nate also relied heavily on BABY Audio’s FX Plugins as well as FabFilter’s Limiter for the project, which helped him polish the mixes. The biggest shift, though, was freedom. Koala let him make beats anywhere: sketching on the couch, finishing chops in the car, even sneaking in a loop while his child napped. “Sometimes I only have 15 minutes,” he says. “But with Koala, I can get an idea out before it disappears.” Goals Beyond DB Looper Looking forward, Nate Kiz aims to release four projects a year, whether solo beat tapes, full collaborations with rappers, or producer-to-producer joint efforts. He’s also working toward launching his first sample pack, built from field recordings, contact mic experiments, drum loops, and melodies crafted with boutique gadgets. His ambition isn’t about chasing placements, it’s about creating complete, self-contained works that reflect his vision. Hear the Project for yourself: DB LOOPER on bandcampDB LOOPER on SpotifyDB LOOPER on Apple Music Follow Nate Kiz on Instagram: @Natekizbeats
NervousCook$: Crafting Gritty Hip Hop with Koala Sampler
NervousCook$ (stylized with a dollar sign) is a London-based hip hop producer known for merging dark, cinematic textures with the soulful grit of classic boom-bap. His online presence spotlights both his music-making and visual art, creating a distinctive brand that blends style, sound, and creativity. Although he’s experimented with various samplers and production techniques over the years, a central element of his current workflow involves Koala Sampler – a mobile sampling app he uses on his iPad to craft entire beats from scratch. In a recent video, NervousCook$ demonstrates just how powerful this mobile setup can be. Loading loops and hits from Beat Butcha’s “Nourishment” sample pack directly into Koala, he quickly slices and rearranges them into a head-nodding composition. The experience of working with an intuitive touchscreen environment, rather than a traditional desktop or hardware sampler, encourages a more immediate, sketchbook-style approach. Instead of getting lost in endless menus and plugin options, he can tap out drum patterns, pitch-shift samples, and add lo-fi effects on the fly—perfect for capturing those sudden flashes of inspiration. This immediacy is precisely what draws NervousCook$ to Koala Sampler. While he’s no stranger to full studio rigs and legacy hardware like the SP-404, the portability of an iPad frees him to create just about anywhere. For him, the limitations of a smaller device are actually liberating: they strip away the noise and narrow the focus to the raw essentials of chopping, layering, and adding subtle sonic treatments. Even though Koala is light on the surface, it still provides a broad toolkit for sample manipulation, effects processing, and real-time performance features such as stutters and filters. Stylistically, NervousCook$ has made a name for himself with beats that hit hard yet maintain a dusty warmth reminiscent of the golden-era hip hop he cites as an influence. With Koala Sampler, he has found a way to embed those same gritty characteristics into mobile production. Beat Butcha’s distinctively punchy drums and moody melodies pair seamlessly with Koala’s built-in compressor and filter settings, allowing him to craft a signature sound that’s both vintage in feel and forward-thinking in execution. Beyond his mobile beatmaking sessions, NervousCook$ is also active in the visual art world, running an online art store at Nervousville.art. This duality of music and art has built a strong following for his work, particularly among fellow producers who value his transparency, technique sharing, and creative approach to gear. Though still an independent artist, he’s already caught the attention of industry platforms and collaborators, further cementing his reputation as a rising voice in underground hip hop production. Whether chopping loops on an iPad or painting canvases in his studio, NervousCook$ continues to find fresh ways to combine modern technology with old-school sensibilities—proving that innovation and tradition can coexist in the same vibrant space. Follow NervousCook$: NervousCook$ YouTube Channel NervousCook$ Bandcamp
NervousCook$ Reviews Beat Butcha's 'Nourishment' Sample Pack on Koala Sampler
Join NervousCook$ as he dives into Beat Butcha’s Nourishment Vol. 1—a 2,001-sound monster sample pack bursting with dusty breaks, melodic chops, one-shot drums, and hi-hat loops. Covering genres from mainstream Hip Hop and Yacht Rock to Old School Afro and 80s Boogie, this pack is a treasure trove for producers looking to blend classic vibes with a modern twist. Using the Koala Sampler, NervousCook$ flips these samples live, crafting beats that inspire while showcasing the pack’s incredible versatility. Experience the creative process in action—from previewing and chopping samples to layering drums and finalizing a beat—and discover how every element comes together to fuel your musical creativity. Ready to start chopping? Download Nourishment Vol. 1 and explore more Beat Butcha Sample Packs to level up your beatmaking game.