# Hitmaka
**Hitmaka** is the professional name of Christian Ward (born 1985 in Chicago, Illinois), an American record producer, songwriter, and former rapper who first performed as **Yung Berg** before rebranding as a producer of commercial rap and R&B hits for artists including [Meek Mill](https://www.edgepedia.org/meek-mill), Big Sean, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, and [Lil Wayne](https://www.edgepedia.org/lil-wayne).[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hitmaka-mn0000414480)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Christian Ward, born 1985 in Chicago, Illinois; sources disagree on the exact date (October 9 per one AllMusic page, September 9 per another and per Famous Birthdays)[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hitmaka-mn0000414480) • [4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/yung-berg-mn0000481296) • [3](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/yung-berg.html) |
| Earlier names | Iceberg (early 2000s), then Yung Berg; adopted the Hitmaka name around 2014[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hitmaka-mn0000414480) • [3](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/yung-berg.html) |
| Breakthrough as rapper | "Sexy Lady," a radio hit in 2007, released after he settled with Epic Records[4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/yung-berg-mn0000481296) |
| Signature productions | Co-produced and co-wrote Big Sean's "Bounce Back" (2016) and shaped A Boogie Wit da Hoodie's "Look Back At It" into his first No. 1 hit with the artist[2](https://www.complex.com/music/a/shawn-setaro/hitmaka-yung-berg-interview) |
| Executive role | Vice President of A&R at Atlantic Records[2](https://www.complex.com/music/a/shawn-setaro/hitmaka-yung-berg-interview) |
| Solo releases | 1-800-HIT-EAZY with Eric Bellinger (2021), 1(800)HIT-EAZY: Line 2 (2023), Back in My Prime (2023); studio album Big Tuh in progress[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hitmaka-mn0000414480) |
| Credit volume | In one catalog analysis, credited on 264 songs by other artists: producer on 222, writer on 206[7](https://lyricsweb.com/artist/hitmaka) |
## Early career: Iceberg to Yung Berg
Ward was rapping under the stage name Iceberg by the early 2000s and was first signed to DMX's Bloodline Records, a Def Jam imprint. His rap plans were interrupted when his parents sent him to boarding school; after getting out in 2003 he moved to Los Angeles, and a few years later debuted as Yung Berg.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hitmaka-mn0000414480) In interviews he has described coming up in the Chicago scene around [Kanye West](https://www.edgepedia.org/kanye-west)'s early group the Go Getters, GLC, and others, and says that Kanye West, No I.D., and Boogz produced the demo that led to the Bloodline deal.[2](https://www.complex.com/music/a/shawn-setaro/hitmaka-yung-berg-interview) His first professional appearance was "Dog 4 Life" on the soundtrack of the film *Exit Wounds*.[3](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/yung-berg.html)
As Yung Berg he reached radio in 2007 with "Sexy Lady," signing with [Epic Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/epic-records) after labels had approached him with major deals.[4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/yung-berg-mn0000481296) He also appeared on [Ray J](https://www.edgepedia.org/ray-j)'s 2007 hit "Sexy Can I," a record he later cited among those he built.[8](https://podcasts.apple.com/eg/podcast/the-managers-playbook-063-hitmaka-hit-songs/id1747217573?i=1000762236863) By the late 2000s he was working as a producer in addition to rapping, with credits including tracks on [Nicki Minaj](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicki-minaj)'s album *The Pinkprint* and singles for French Montana, Lil Wayne, Meek Mill, and Yo Gotti, and he co-wrote and produced Diddy's 2010 album *Last Train to Paris*.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hitmaka-mn0000414480) • [3](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/yung-berg.html)
## The rebrand to Hitmaka
The name change came around 2014.[3](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/yung-berg.html) Ward has said it was not a planned rebrand: while in a Miami studio with Jordan Hollywood he said "Hitmaka" at the start of a song and decided to keep it as his new persona.[6](https://www.kolormagazine.com/music/hitmaka-yung-berg-interview) He credits the producer and writer Rico Love with pushing him to leave the Yung Berg name behind.[10](https://pod.wave.co/podcast/joe-and-jada/hitmaka-on-yung-berg-name-change-pharrell-kanye-wild-rap-industry-stories) A contemporary account from DJ Infamous, who recorded with him in 2014, framed the change as a way to move past the publicity around the chain-snatching incident and other drama associated with the Yung Berg name and to work behind the scenes.[5](https://www.vladtv.com/article/187787/dj-infamous-yung-berg-is-rapping-under-a-new-name) Ward himself has summarized the calculation: "People said that Yung Berg would never have another hit record. That's why Hitmaka does."[2](https://www.complex.com/music/a/shawn-setaro/hitmaka-yung-berg-interview)
## Production career
**Hit records.** Working largely as a producer and co-writer, Ward assembled a run of commercial hits. He co-produced and co-wrote the hook of [Big Sean](https://www.edgepedia.org/big-sean)'s "Bounce Back" with Jeremih and co-producer Smash David; the hook came from a session at his house on January 5, 2016, after roughly nine songs that day.[2](https://www.complex.com/music/a/shawn-setaro/hitmaka-yung-berg-interview) On A Boogie Wit da Hoodie's "Look Back At It," which had been stuck in the clearing process for about nine months, he restructured a roughly five-minute record into a three-minute-and-30-second single; it became his first No. 1 hit with the artist.[2](https://www.complex.com/music/a/shawn-setaro/hitmaka-yung-berg-interview) His other work in this period includes contributions to Drake's "Jaded" and [French Montana](https://www.edgepedia.org/french-montana)'s "No Stylist," and production for [Chris Brown](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-brown), Ty Dolla $ign, and Tamar Braxton.[2](https://www.complex.com/music/a/shawn-setaro/hitmaka-yung-berg-interview) • [11](https://www.hot97.com/news/hitmaka-on-dmx-stealing-a-girl-mistakes-made-as-young-berg-jay-z-breaks-down-new-sound/)
**"Thot Box" and solo work.** In 2019 he stepped in front of the camera with the single "Thot Box," whose original version featured 2 Chainz, Meek Mill, YBN Nahmir, A Boogie wit Da Hoodie, and Tyga; a remix weeks later added verses from Young Ma, Dreezy, Mulatto, DreamDoll, and Chinese Kitty.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hitmaka-mn0000414480) Further singles followed, including "Pack Loud" (2019) and "Down Bad" (2022), some slated for his studio album *Big Tuh*.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hitmaka-mn0000414480) His released projects include the 2021 collaboration with singer [Eric Bellinger](https://www.edgepedia.org/eric-bellinger), *1-800-HIT-EAZY*, its 2023 sequel *1(800)HIT-EAZY: Line 2*, and *Back in My Prime* (2023).[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hitmaka-mn0000414480)
**Output and collaborators.** A catalog analysis of 264 songs by other artists credited Hitmaka as producer on 222 and writer on 206, with 164 songs carrying both credits; his most credits were on songs by the R&B singer Tink, at 61 of the 264, and the producer Cardiak was his most frequent co-producer, on 28 of the 222 produced songs.[7](https://lyricsweb.com/artist/hitmaka) Throughout the early 2020s he kept producing for T.I., Latto, Bryson Tiller, and many others while working toward *Big Tuh*.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hitmaka-mn0000414480) One example of his collaborative method: in 2018 he co-produced "Lie Detector" by 24hrs featuring [Lil Pump](https://www.edgepedia.org/lil-pump) with the Atlanta producer GottiRockSolid, a track with over 40 million streams that was licensed for the [EA Sports](https://www.edgepedia.org/ea-sports) soundtrack of NBA Live 2019.[9](https://www.soundbetter.com/profiles/440029-gottirocksolid)
## A&R and industry commentary
Ward's focus shifted gradually from rapping to production and A&R work, and he served as Vice President of A&R at [Atlantic Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/atlantic-records).[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hitmaka-mn0000414480) • [2](https://www.complex.com/music/a/shawn-setaro/hitmaka-yung-berg-interview) In podcast interviews he has discussed the business behind hit records, including demo-first songwriting, producer credits and advances, publishing, and artist development, and has argued that the industry is fundamentally a people business in which relationships and reputation create opportunities.[8](https://podcasts.apple.com/eg/podcast/the-managers-playbook-063-hitmaka-hit-songs/id1747217573?i=1000762236863) • [12](https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/136aafba-55fb-4e67-be6a-39686f87cfe4/episodes/42bd1489-6392-44bd-a175-452ec723e980/the-manager%27s-playbook-inside-the-playbook-hitmaka-on-why-the-music-industry-is-really-a-people-business) On *The RAYDAR Report* in 2025 he discussed how fake streams can manipulate charts, saying a record can go platinum "with the push of a button."[13](https://podcasts.apple.com/ng/podcast/the-raydar-report-hitmaka-fake-streams-cardi-bs-court/id1640081616?i=1000725177744)
## References
1. [Hitmaka — Biography, Discography, Albums & Expert Reviews, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hitmaka-mn0000414480)
2. [Hitmaka Plots His 'World Domination,' Shares Kanye West, DMX, Jeremih, and Nicki Minaj Stories, Complex (Shawn Setaro, October 9, 2019)](https://www.complex.com/music/a/shawn-setaro/hitmaka-yung-berg-interview)
3. [Hitmaka - Age, Bio, Family, Famous Birthdays](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/yung-berg.html)
4. [Yung Berg — Biography, Discography, Albums & Expert Reviews, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/yung-berg-mn0000481296)
5. [EXCLUSIVE: DJ Infamous: Yung Berg Is Rapping Under a New Name, VladTV (April 7, 2014)](https://www.vladtv.com/article/187787/dj-infamous-yung-berg-is-rapping-under-a-new-name)
6. [The Evolution of Hitmaka, KOLOR Magazine](https://www.kolormagazine.com/music/hitmaka-yung-berg-interview)
7. [Hitmaka - Songs, Albums & Lyrics, LyricsWeb](https://lyricsweb.com/artist/hitmaka)
8. [The Manager's Playbook 063: Hitmaka - Hit Songs, Songwriting, A&R, Artist Development & Music Business, Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/eg/podcast/the-managers-playbook-063-hitmaka-hit-songs/id1747217573?i=1000762236863)
9. [GottiRockSolid - Producer/Mix Engineer - Atlanta, SoundBetter](https://www.soundbetter.com/profiles/440029-gottirocksolid)
10. [Hitmaka on Yung Berg name change, Pharrell & Kanye, WILD rap industry stories, Joe and Jada](https://pod.wave.co/podcast/joe-and-jada/hitmaka-on-yung-berg-name-change-pharrell-kanye-wild-rap-industry-stories)
11. [Hitmaka On DMX Stealing A Girl, Mistakes Made As Young Berg, Jay-Z + Breaks Down New Sound!, Hot 97 (September 25, 2019)](https://www.hot97.com/news/hitmaka-on-dmx-stealing-a-girl-mistakes-made-as-young-berg-jay-z-breaks-down-new-sound/)
12. [Inside the Playbook: Hitmaka on Why the Music Industry Is Really a People Business, The Manager's Playbook, Amazon Music](https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/136aafba-55fb-4e67-be6a-39686f87cfe4/episodes/42bd1489-6392-44bd-a175-452ec723e980/the-manager%27s-playbook-inside-the-playbook-hitmaka-on-why-the-music-industry-is-really-a-people-business)
13. [The RAYDAR Report | Hitmaka, Fake Streams, Cardi B's Court Case, & Why the Industry Is Rigged!, Apple Podcasts (September 5, 2025)](https://podcasts.apple.com/ng/podcast/the-raydar-report-hitmaka-fake-streams-cardi-bs-court/id1640081616?i=1000725177744)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › Songwriters and record producers › Record producers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license