Megan Thee Stallion - "Hiss"

In Part 2, Leslie Brathwaite dives into the vocal chain that shapes Megan Thee Stallion’s commanding performance on “Hiss.” He reveals the reasoning behind every move, from taming sibilance with the Waves DeEsser to sculpting tone with the SSL EQ, Fairchild compressor, and Precision EQ. Each plugin choice is guided by feel rather than numbers, resulting in a vocal sound that’s smooth, controlled, and powerful.

Leslie explains how to balance compression and brightness without losing natural presence, using subtle EQ moves and harmonic coloration to enhance definition. He also shares how gentle mix bus processing can glue the track together while preserving headroom for mastering. The result is a clear, modern hip-hop vocal mix that sits perfectly over booming 808s and crisp trap drums, all achieved with a minimalist workflow rooted in purpose.