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How to Make a Lil Noonie Type Beat With a YFG Fatso Sample

Lil Noonie Type Beat x YFG Fatso Sample Type Beat "Wanna Be Free"

Video: Lil Noonie Type Beat x YFG Fatso Sample Type Beat "Wanna Be Free"

· based on the channel Davy's Gray II

A Lil Noonie type beat is a dark, sample-driven drill instrumental built for the sparse, pain-heavy delivery associated with Lil Noonie and his Philadelphia scene — and "Wanna Be Free" by Davy's Gray shows the formula at 172 BPM in D# minor, pairing that vocal pocket with a YFG Fatso-style sample loop. You can hear the result and grab a license through the purchase page for "Wanna Be Free", which also carries the current Buy 1 Get 4 Free offer.

What defines the Lil Noonie type beat sound

The Lil Noonie type beat sits at the intersection of Philly drill and sample-based pain music, so the beat has to leave room for long, conversational verses. In practice that means a few fixed decisions:

  1. Tempo around 170–175 BPM. "Wanna Be Free" is set at 172 BPM, a range that supports both double-time hi-hat runs and half-time snare patterns.
  2. A minor key. The reference beat is in D# minor; minor keys keep the melodic loop mournful without turning it into a ballad.
  3. A sampled melodic core. Instead of a synth melody written from scratch, the hook is usually a chopped or filtered sample — a vocal phrase, a guitar line, a piano loop — pitched and time-stretched to fit the key.
  4. Sparse drum arrangement. Kick on the downbeat, snare or clap on the third, rolling hats, and a lot of empty space between hits.
  5. Low-end discipline. 808 slides are used as punctuation, not as a constant bassline, so the vocal stays intelligible.

YFG Fatso's catalog leans harder and more aggressive than the typical pain-drill template, which is why producers cross the two names: the sample supplies the melancholy, the drums supply the pressure.

How to build the beat step by step

Start with the sample, then build drums around it, then mix for a vocalist who records quietly and close to the mic. A working order:

  1. Set the session to 172 BPM and D# minor. Match the reference tempo so a freestyle recorded over the beat feels natural.
  2. Find or write a 4–8 bar sample loop. A short vocal chop, a filtered guitar or a piano phrase works; keep it simple enough that it survives heavy pitching.
  3. Chop on the grid. Slice the loop into one-shot pieces and re-trigger them in a new rhythm — this is what separates a sample type beat from a loop with drums on top.
  4. Add pitch variation. Drop the loop a semitone or two in the verse section and return to the original pitch in the hook to create movement without new melodies.
  5. Program the drums. Kick and snare on the core pattern, then layer 16th- and 32nd-note hat rolls. Leave the first bar of each section almost empty so the vocal entrance lands clean.
  6. Design the 808. Tune the 808 to the root note, use slides on the last beat of a phrase, and sidechain it lightly against the kick.
  7. Arrange in song form. Intro (sample only), verse, hook, verse, hook, outro — the structure Lil Noonie and Lil Speedy-style records typically follow.

For drum sounds, Davy's Gray ships two relevant kits: the Philly Drill Drum Kit at https://bsta.rs/VTXguw and the 13 Angels Drum Kit with 40+ MIDI presets at https://bsta.rs/xy9kjr. Both are built for this tempo range and key set.

Sample selection and clearance

A sample type beat is only usable if the sample itself is cleared, so decide early whether the loop is original or licensed. Producers in this lane usually work one of three ways:

  • Original recorded loops. Play the guitar or keys yourself, or use a loop pack whose license permits commercial release. This is the safest route and the one that lets you sell exclusive rights.
  • Public-domain or cleared material. Older recordings with expired protection, or sample libraries with explicit clearance, can be flipped legally.
  • Uncleared flips. Common in free type beats, but a rapper who releases the song commercially inherits the risk. If a beat is tagged "free for profit," that refers to the beat license, not to the underlying sample.

When you buy a beat like "Wanna Be Free," read the license tier: lease terms typically cap streams and forbid re-selling the instrumental, while exclusive deals transfer ownership. The producer's store at https://davysgraymusic.beatstars.com/ lists the available tiers.

Mixing for a Lil Noonie or YFG Fatso vocal

Mixing a type beat for this style means protecting the midrange so the rapper's voice sits on top without EQ surgery. Practical moves:

  1. High-pass the sample around 150–250 Hz so it does not fight the 808.
  2. Carve 1–3 kHz on the melodic loop by 2–3 dB where the vocal is densest.
  3. Keep the 808 mono below roughly 120 Hz and let the sample stay wide for stereo interest.
  4. Use a short plate or slap delay on ad-libs only, leaving the main vocal dry and forward.
  5. Reference at low volume — Philly drill vocals are often mixed quietly and rely on the beat's energy rather than aggressive compression.

If you are producing for a rapper in the Lil Noonie x Chuckyy or Lil Noonie x Lil Speedy mold, print a version with the hook sample ducked by 1–2 dB so the artist can hear where the pocket sits.

Common mistakes with this beat style

Most weak Lil Noonie type beats fail for the same handful of reasons, and each is fixable before you upload. Overloading the loop with reverb and delay makes the sample mushy and removes the dry, cold character the style depends on. Programming constant 808 slides leaves no space for the vocal, so slides should mark phrase endings rather than every bar. Setting the tempo too high — above roughly 180 BPM — pushes the rapper into double-time delivery and flattens the conversational flow. Finally, using a tagged, unlicensed beat for a commercial release wastes the recording: secure the license first, then record.

Final thoughts on the Lil Noonie type beat approach

A convincing Lil Noonie type beat comes down to a cold sample, a disciplined drum pattern at roughly 172 BPM in a minor key, and enough empty space for a rapper to talk. "Wanna Be Free" demonstrates the YFG Fatso cross-over version of that formula, and its license terms are straightforward: buy before you release. Channel Davy's Gray II produced the beat and publishes the full catalog, kits and loop packs behind it. If the sound fits your next session, license "Wanna Be Free" here and start chopping.

Key takeaways

  • "Wanna Be Free" by Davy's Gray runs at 172 BPM in D# minor.
  • The beat blends Lil Noonie and YFG Fatso styles, with a sample as the melodic core.
  • License via bsta.rs/vDbiCd; the store runs a Buy 1 Get 4 Free sale.
  • Philly Drill Drum Kit and 13 Angels Drum Kit (+40 MIDI presets) are the producer's own tools.
  • Free downloads are for demo use only — a paid license is required before release.

Questions & answers

What tempo and key is the "Wanna Be Free" Lil Noonie type beat in?

The beat is set at 172 BPM in D# minor. That tempo sits in the standard range for Philly drill and pain-drill records, and the minor key keeps the sample dark. Matching both values in your DAW makes freestyling over the instrumental feel natural.

Can I use a free Lil Noonie type beat for a commercial release?

Only if the license allows it. Free downloads are generally for demo and non-profit use, while leases and exclusive licenses set the terms for distribution and streaming. Always purchase a license before releasing a song built on someone else's instrumental.

What makes a YFG Fatso sample type beat different from a standard drill beat?

The sample carries the melody instead of a written synth line, and the drums lean harder and more aggressive than the typical pain-drill template. Producers cross Lil Noonie and YFG Fatso styles to get melancholy from the loop and pressure from the percussion.

Where can I get the drum kits used in this style?

Davy's Gray offers the Philly Drill Drum Kit and the 13 Angels Drum Kit, which includes more than 40 MIDI presets. Both are sold through BeatStars, and loop packs are shared on the producer's Telegram channel.

Source: Lil Noonie Type Beat x YFG Fatso Sample Type Beat "Wanna Be Free" · Markdown version

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