Fife singer-songwriter Sam Brodie scores first Billboard number one hit

The track No Use by 03 Greedo topped the Billboard Luxembourg songs chart, debuting at number one. It was co-written and produced by Kirkcaldy singer-songwriter, composer and musician Sam Brodie, and marked the first time a Scottish producer has ever had a Billboard #1 rap hit.

Sam, aged 22, is self-taught and has been producing music since 2016. He first uploaded his early demos to YouTube and Soundcloud and found an audience for his work.

Sam said: “Almost instantly, the beat ideas I uploaded to YouTube started to get hundreds of thousands of views, and my demos as a singer were not picking up traction at all. From there, artists started reaching out to use the beats and I focused my attention on that.”

In 2022, he began producing samples for website Wavs.com in an effort to ensure that he was properly credited for his work.

He explained: “Weston, the co-producer of the song, found one of my samples on the website and added drums to it. He is a part of the Interscope Records camp that produces songs for Shady Blu and she picked out the beat he made and used it. She was then able to get 03 Greedo to be a part of the track and in June 2023 I found out about it. I loved the process of this one because I was able to have my vocals on the song too and helped co-write the chorus.”

The former Balwearie High School student said he hopes to continue the momentum.

Sam said: “It's a weird feeling, Blair Ferguson is another producer from Scotland who just won a Grammy and had a number one Billboard R&B song with SZA so I knew that it was possible to have one, just not for a rap song. I'm very much humbled and grateful to be apart of the song however the fact it went #1 on any chart was never the intention so it's very surprising. I always believed I would have one, and wanted one too so I'm thankful I've reached that goal.”