Elton “L10” Chueng is an engineer with a love for the craft, not the celebrity. He’s been there when transcendent artists like Noname and Smino made some of their most heart-wrenching songs and knows exactly what it takes to create timeless music.

“Maybe In Nirvana was Luv 4 Rent at a point in time. Maybe In Nirvana is basically like the prequel to Luv 4 Rent,” Chueng told REVOLT. “Listening to them back-to-back tells this elongated story on where his mindset was at the time.”

In this installment of “Studio Sessions,” the platinum-selling engineer discusses working on Cordae’s latest album, The Crossroads; the Smino song that affected him emotionally while making it; and the personal sacrifices he made to help bring classics to the world. Get into the exclusive chat below!

Before Smino put out his latest album, Maybe In Nirvana, he released Luv 4 Rent. You said in an IG caption that you all gave everything to make the latter project. What did that entail?

There was just a lot of time invested. At the end of the day, we just care about the art and the music. There's still magic that happens behind the scenes. The real magic is having a community. Actually, Maybe In Nirvana was the first rendition of Luv 4 Rent. We just kept chipping away at the album. It was years in the making for that one. I think we worked on Luv 4 Rent for four years or something like that, if I'm not mistaken. The pandemic kind of ruined all sense of time (laughs). We put patience and time into this.

Maybe In Nirvana was Luv 4 Rent at a point in time. Maybe In Nirvana is basically like the prequel to Luv 4 Rent. Listening to them back-to-back tells this elongated story on where his mindset was at the time. Maybe In Nirvana talks about when he first moved out to LA and some of the things he had to encounter. I think there were like three versions of Luv 4 Rent. I'm not gonna lie to you. That's how much patience, hard work, and dedication went into it. At the end of the day, we all really cared about the music.

You were in the studio with DJ Drama recently. What came from that?

It was nothing. He was doing drops and stuff like that. I believe Smino was doing a mixtape, and we kind of chopped it up about that. I’m not too sure where that mixtape stands.

What was a big career achievement for you?

Recently, I worked on Cordae’s latest album. That was a lot of fun. It was a moment to step up and hold my own as one of two mixers on the project. The other mixer on there was Manny Marroquin, whose mixes I’ve studied over the years. I was very confident in my skill set, and it resulted in me taking the rest of the album across the finish line.

What were some personal parts of your life you’ve had to sacrifice for work?

Any time away from home is a sacrifice. I definitely could have been spending a little bit more time at home with family. I might have missed a cousin's wedding to mix a record. When I turned 30, I questioned what the hell I did through most of my 20s (laughs). I was always in the studio. I've been living in the studio for a good part of my life now.

You started working with Noname early in her career. How has the relationship between you two evolved over the years?

It's better than ever. I feel like everybody's busy, so we're considerate with each other's time. I think we're realizing how important time is. Anytime we can, we get together, link up, and cook up some music, or just even have a conversation and catch up. We come from Chicago. It ain't no industry here. All we had was us. I think that's a beautiful thing about it. Our creative process is stronger than ever. I feel like anytime we link up, it's like we pick up where we left off. She knows a bit more about herself and her craft, and we just continue to elevate and challenge each other. She's chipping away at something right now. I can't say too much about it, but that's been fun.

You’ve worked on some really emotionally charged songs. Have you teared up in the studio mixing or making them with artists?

Smino’s “I Deserve” record is one of those. There's a lot of emotion on that record. People have told me that particular record made them feel something. I remember mixing it and being like, “Damn, this one is f**king me up, bro (laughs).”

What do you have planned for 2025?

2025 is about grinding for me. Staying locked in on my craft and my business. I plan on moving around a bit more and connecting with more artists and more people to gain a broader perspective. Most importantly, [focusing] on me and looking to continue to make an impact on the world with music.