Words by Jesse Serwer—

Miami’s Circle House Studios is truly a unique environment. Producers Pharrell, Rico Love, Supa Dups and Donovan “Don Corleon” Bennett all count the recording facility, owned by Roger and Ian Lewis of Inner Circle, as their MIA homebase, meaning you’re just as likely to see Justin Bieber and Flo Rida there as reggae veterans from days of yore. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch some truly unexpected combos from different corners of the music world chopping it up in the yard (aka “Circle Village”), over some of Circle House’s famous iced tea. (It’s so good none other than Mary J. Blige has been known to shout it out in interviews). Just to give you the idea of the energy that comes out of the place, one of the most recent success stories to emerge from the studio is French Montana and Nicki Minaj’s dancehall/hip-hop banger “Freaks.”