Nic Nac
Nicholas Matthew Balding, known professionally as Nic Nac, is an American record producer from El Cerrito, California. He is known for producing several hit songs—mainly for hip hop and pop artists—in the mid-2010s, including "Loyal" for Chris Brown, "Do It Again" for Pia Mia, and DJ Khaled's "I'm the One" and "No Brainer". He began his career as part of the regional hip hop production group Go Dav in the early 2000s, and has since formed Starting Six.
His productions can be identified by the producer tag "Let Me See You!", a voice clip sampled from Wallpaper.'s 2013 song "Hesher". His musical style has been described as similar to fellow California-based producer Mustard, with whom he often collaborates.
Early life
Nicholas Balding was born on July 5, 1989, in El Cerrito. He started to DJ when he was in fifth grade. His parents got him something called a "DJ In A Box" that came with two turntables, a mixer, and two speakers. He used basic drum beats and, at the time, did not know how to play piano. He started to DJ because he lived up the street from a Guitar Center and went there every day to hang around the people who worked there. They showed him how to DJ, so by the time he got to high school, he met someone in his class who made beats and he gave him a program. In 2003, when he was in the eighth grade, Balding and his cousin started a DJing group; they were DJing for their friends' parties, for school dances, and so on. He was playing songs by different rappers such as the Ying Yang Twins, E-40, Lil Jon, and Too $hort.Career
Balding got into production at the age of 14, during high school. He used Fruity Loops. Later in high school, Balding formed a group with four rappers and one singer, named Go Dav. Balding was the only member who did not hail from Oakland, California. They became known locally for their 2007 song "Ride or Die Chick".In the late 2000s, he got together with some of his best friends at St Mary's High School in Berkeley, and started a similar group, who went by the name Starting Six.
His first major success as a producer was the 2010 single "143" by Bobby Brackins. His earnings from the song enabled him to relocate to Los Angeles. He hired a manager after moving to Los Angeles, though they later had a falling out.
After "143", the next hit he produced was the 2013 single "Beat It" by Sean Kingston, Chris Brown, and Wiz Khalifa. After producing the song, Balding's hired a new manager with a closer mutual connection to Brown. Later in 2013, he produced Brown's single "Loyal". Prior to its release, Balding's manager played the beat for Brown's manager, and Brown took the beat for his own the same day. He cut the track that night and enlisted Lil Wayne, French Montana, and Too Short to record verses within a week.
In 2015, he then produced Chris Brown and Tyga's single "Ayo (Chris Brown and [Tyga song)|Ayo]". Balding delivered, his production replete with an echoing "I neeeed you" helium vocal sample.
Production style
Nic Nac describes his melodies as "video gamey", with heavy R&B chords underneath. He frequently uses a voice loop in his productions: "Let me see you!", which is heard prominently in perhaps his most famous production, Chris Brown's 2013 single "Loyal".Personal life
In 2014, he started dating singer Pia Mia.Production discography
| Year | Song | Artist | Album |
| 2007 | "Demo On Wax" | Team Knoc | The Makeover |
| 2010 | "Rocket" | Yuna | Decorate |
| 2010 | "Random Awesome" | Yuna | Decorate |
| 2010 | "I'm Ready" | Bobby Brackins, Marc E. Bassy | Live Good 0.5 |
| 2010 | "143" | Bobby Brackins, Ray J | Live Good 0.5 |
| 2010 | "Nightime" | YMTK aka Young Murph | Nightime Sunshine |
| 2010 | "Sunshine" | YMTK aka Young Murph | Nightime Sunshine |
| 2010 | "Introduction Day" | YMTK aka Young Murph | Nightime Sunshine |
| 2010 | "Game Time" | YMTK aka Young Murph | Nightime Sunshine |
| 2010 | "Leader" | YMTK aka Young Murph | Nightime Sunshine |
| 2010 | "El Aye" | YMTK aka Young Murph | Nightime Sunshine |
| 2010 | "Put It In the Sky | YMTK aka Young Murph | Nightime Sunshine |
| 2010 | "Feel Good" | YMTK aka Young Murph | Nightime Sunshine |
| 2010 | "Be Girl " | YMTK aka Young Murph | Nightime Sunshine |
| 2010 | "Lights Out" | YMTK aka Young Murph | Nightime Sunshine |
| 2010 | "Dare Me" | YMTK aka Young Murph | Nightime Sunshine |
| 2010 | "Carpool" | YMTK aka Young Murph | Nightime Sunshine |
| 2010 | "Nightime 2.0" | YMTK aka Young Murph | Nightime Sunshine |
| 2010 | "Little Devil" | Campa | rowspan="3" |
| 2011 | "180" | Bobby Brackins, Jeremih | - |
| 2011 | "Bout That Life" | Mann | - |
| 2012 | "Chainless" | Tinashe | In Case We Die |
| 2012 | "Young Booty" | Bobby Brackins | Stay On It |
| 2012 | "B.Y.O.B." | Bobby Brackins, Wallpaper | Stay On It |
| 2012 | "Yanking" | Bobby Brackins | Stay On It |
| 2012 | "Breeder" | Bobby Brackins, Starting Six | Stay On It |
| 2012 | "Like Me Revemped" | Bobby Brackins, Nic Nac | Stay On It |
| 2012 | "S.O.D" | Starting Six, Aliky | On Yo Beach |
| 2013 | "I Hit It First" | Ray J, Bobby Brackins | |
| 2013 | "Open Yo Legs" | Bobby Brackins | Maxwell Park |
| 2013 | "Big Body" | Bobby Brackins, Clyde Carson, Ty Dolla $ign | Maxwell Park |
| 2013 | "Jungle Fever" | Bobby Brackins | Maxwell Park |
| 2013 | "Kindergarten" | Bobby Brackins | Maxwell Park |
| 2013 | "Rari" | Bobby Brackins, Ray J | Maxwell Park |
| 2013 | "Westside" | Bobby Brackins, Marc E. Bassy | Maxwell Park |
| 2013 | "Beat It" | Sean Kingston, Chris Brown, Wiz Khalifa | Back 2 Life |
| 2013 | "Hold That" | Sean Kingston, Yo Gotti | Back 2 Life |
| 2013 | "Seasonal Love" | Sean Kingston, Wale | Back 2 Life |
| 2013 | "Shotta Luv" | Sean Kingston, 2 Chainz | Back 2 Life |
| 2013 | "Ayo " | Sean Kingston | Back 2 Life |
| 2013 | "Save One For Me" | Sean Kingston | Back 2 Life |
| 2013 | "My Baby" | Zendaya | Zendaya |
| 2013 | "Wake Up In It" | Mally Mall, Sean Kingston, Tyga, French Montana, Pusha T | Well Done IV |
| 2013 | "GLOBE" | YMTK, Bread | MPL 2: Murphy Pan's Labyrinth |
| 2013 | "Hotel Party" | YMTK, The Six | MPL 2: Murphy Pan's Labyrinth |
| 2014 | "Dolo" | Kid Ink, R. Kelly | Full Speed |
| 2014 | "Fucking Around" | 100s | Ivry |
| 2014 | "Nothing" | Ma$e, Eric Bellinger | Now We Even |
| 2014 | "2 Blessed" | Roach Gigz | Roachy Balboa Round 4 |
| 2014 | "Loyal" | Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Tyga | X |
| 2014 | "Came To Do" | Chris Brown, Akon | X |
| 2014 | "Fill Me In" | Pia Mia, Austin Mahone | TBA |
| 2014 | "Fuck With You" | Pia Mia | TBA |
| 2014 | "Watch Me Work" | Tinashe | Aquarius |
| 2014 | "I Don't Get Tired" | Kevin Gates, August Alsina | Luca Brasi 2 |
| 2014 | "Say What" | Ernest Rush | STRT TRBL |
| 2015 | "Dolo" | Kid Ink, R. Kelly | Full Speed |
| 2015 | "Ayo" | Chris Brown, Tyga | Fan of a Fan: The Album |
| 2015 | "Bitches N Marijuana" | Chris Brown, Tyga, Schoolboy Q | Fan of a Fan: The Album |
| 2015 | "I'm Up" | Omarion, French Montana, Kid Ink | I'm Up – Single |
| 2015 | "Do It Again" | Pia Mia featuring Chris Brown and Tyga | Do It Again – Single |
| 2016 | "Faithful" | Bobby Brackins, Ty Dolla Sign | To Live For |
| 2016 | "Back to the Crib" | Bobby Brackins, Wash | To Live For |
| 2016 | "Joy Ride" | Bobby Brackins, Austin Mahone | To Live For |
| 2017 | "I'm the One" | DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne | Grateful |
| 2018 | "No Brainer" | DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, and Chance the Rapper | Father of Asahd |
| 2019 | "All I Do Is Cry" | Kim Petras | Clarity |