Rapper-producer Erick the Architect thinks rather a lot about New York Metropolis. Born Erick Arc Elliott, he grew up there and realized to like music and how you can create it, first as a part of the acclaimed hip-hop trio Flatbush Zombies. Town stays a central topic for him, even after relocating to Los Angeles to proceed his solo profession, as he displays deeply on his hometown on the brand new single, “CA$HMERE TEAR$.”
The track is considered one of a number of new tracks on the brand new deluxe version of his debut solo album, I’ve By no means Been Right here Earlier than, initially launched in February. That double album already featured appearances by George Clinton (“Ezekiel’s Wheel”), James Blake (“Parkour”), and others amongst its 16 tracks. “CA$HMERE TEAR$” is an autobiographical echo from his New York adolescence.
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The track is a followup to the dreamy, nostalgic single “Beverly Drive,” an ode to the Flatbush road that raised him. The brand new monitor represents his time within the metropolis and “the a part of me that was impressed each day, simply being from Flatbush,” he says. “‘Beverly Drive’ is sort of like New York within the morning, and ‘CA$HMERE TEAR$’ is like New York at evening.”
The monitor opens with a brassy blast of horns, directly trendy and related to the woozy bop previous, easing right into a soulful bass groove and Erick’s assertion on the New York he knew as locals cheered him on for his music and accolades: “You recognize I maintain it down, however I feel, I’m like, ‘Who’s backin’ me?’/ Oldheads informed me, ‘Go ‘head, go get that plaque for me.’”
Except for the brand new album, Erick created the unique rating for final 12 months’s The Alternative Is Yours, a documentary about Black Sheep’s Andres “Dres” Vargas-Titus working to complete tracks begun by the legendary J.Dilla. And he’s again on tour for a number of West Coast dates this January and February, becoming a member of the French pop group L’impératrice. (Erick appeared on L’impératrice’s Pulsar.) And he’s already planning one other unnamed venture for subsequent 12 months.
As we spoke final week from his LA residence, “CA$HMERE TEAR$” had simply been launched, and was excited for the brand new monitor to hit the streets. “It’s like the primary day of college,” Erick says with a smile throughout an internet video name. “I attain out to the folks I make the music with and simply inform them I admire them, as a result of it’s a win. Typically we neglect to be pleased about the truth that you may even do it.”
On social media, you known as “CA$HMERE TEAR$” “among the best songs I’ve ever made.” Why do you’re feeling that means?
Erick the Architect: It’s considered one of my finest as a result of the narrative is so true. It’s about New York earlier than it was gentrified. Once I say, “I maintain it down, however I’m pondering like, who’s backing me?” — if anyone’s holding me down bodily, I can’t transfer. But when anyone’s holding you down emotionally, you may transfer as a lot as you may. However who’s backing me? My forefathers and my uncles, my OGs, my pops: “I need you to do as large as you probably can in your life. I need you to carry residence the gold,” and that could possibly be figurative. The gold that I noticed as a child, it wasn’t accomplishments and trophies, it was jewellery. It was issues that aesthetically have been lovely. And I’m like, “Effectively, I acquired a gold report now.” All of us like shiny issues. However this was a unique stage of delight.
It has a really particular vibe with these horns originally.
It feels stay, proper? It seems like this can be a fanfare, actually large stadium stuff. The primary couple of seconds of a track in all probability get folks to drag in. I actually needed it to be one thing that captivated you earlier than I even stated something. I believed it having stay horns in these first seconds was like, “What’s about to occur?” It seems like a curtain is about to return down. I used to be going for cinema, for one thing that felt prefer it was speculated to be on a giant display screen.
You recorded in LA. Is it simpler to write down a few completely different time in New York whenever you’re not in New York?
The lyrics have been written over two years in the past. The lyrics have been at all times very sturdy, reminiscing on the best way issues was once. Being that distant from New York, it makes it simpler so that you can dream and take into consideration what issues was once like. That is perhaps my means of exhibiting those that although I stay on the West Coast, I’m nonetheless very a lot a New Yorker.
Within the track, you discuss adjustments in New York together with gentrification. Are you unhappy about these adjustments?
After COVID, in New York, the heartbeat is completely different. I really feel like regardless of the BPM or pulse was prior, it undoubtedly slowed down a bit bit. Possibly one thing sped up. To look at a few of the impartial companies and shops go away for Starbucks and Targets, it does make me unhappy. A few of the stuff that was prevalent after I was there as a child is simply gone. A few of it wasn’t authorized or good, however what’s? Bootleg CDs and DVDs and all that shit was very unlawful, however these firms have a lot cash and this dude promoting on the road has nothing.
CDs are how I fell in love with music. And New York was pivotal for DVDs and CDs. You can go to Church Avenue, you can go to Flatbush Avenue, and decide up something … a man with a blanket with all of the CDs laid down and also you choosing one thing out by the quilt and flipping it to the again, and this shit has like 40 songs on it. That was how I realized how you can make music, actually. I may spend $20 and get 4 CDs. Now I spend $20 listening to every thing on the Web.
Did you discover that type of power shifting to LA, or did you discover a completely different power?
I discovered a unique power. I discovered an power that challenged my creativity. It challenged how a lot I actually needed to do that, to be impartial and to withstand the issues that will occur to you whenever you transfer to a brand new place. It’s like going to a brand new college. You need to make new buddies. You don’t know the place to go to eat. However I thrive in conditions like that as a result of it forces me to take a look at my reflection. I believed that if I got here right here, I might be thrown into the hearth to determine what I used to be gonna do.
I’ve By no means Been Right here Earlier than was already a double album. Why develop it with so many new tracks for the deluxe version?
Persons are scared to make lengthy tasks now. They’re like, “Oh, if the track is over three minutes, it doesn’t get playlisted,” or regardless of the hell the foundations supposedly are. I used to be like, nicely, I’ll chop a pair [of songs] off and provides folks a second serving to [later]. Lots of people after they do a deluxe, it’s only a bunch of leftover trash. Whether or not the artist thinks that or not, the way it’s delivered is typically very underwhelming. Nah, bro, that is “CA$HMERE TEAR$.” I’m providing you with among the best information now. Why didn’t you place that on the unique? I’m like, this was at all times the plan.
Has being a producer has helped you’ve gotten that broader perspective?
Completely. No disrespect to individuals who simply rap or simply sing, however … I wish to get my fingers on the precise association and play an instrument or faucet somebody on the shoulder that performs bass higher than me so I can get it to sound a sure means. All my buddies are fairly dope musicians and at all times prepared so as to add an thought. We will at all times get to one thing the place we’re all contributing our greatest asset to make a track, you recognize?
What’s it like working with George Clinton?
Oh, man. This man is so vital to music, so vital to historical past, to funk music, to black tradition. Him and James Brown have been in all probability the 2 those that jogged my memory of my mother as a result of she known as that “actual music.” He’s a outstanding musician and he’s a outstanding individual. He despatched me far more than what I requested for, and I needed to decide the components that spoke to the report essentially the most. However that was really easy.
You wish to work with very completely different varieties of individuals.
I assume I don’t notice how bizarre I’m. Whilst a younger child rising up within the hood, listening to rock music, folks used to say, “Why you listening to white folks music?” And I used to be like, “Rock was not invented by white folks.” And I’m a child with these ideas. I’ve at all times thought we must always be taught from one another, and music grew to become the catalyst for the way I communicated with folks. As a child, Z100 was one of many largest radio stations and also you’d hear Madonna and Edward McCain and Aerosmith, and I related pop music with simply pop music. I didn’t assume it was white or black.
You created an 8-bit-style online game to go along with this album. What impressed that?
Once I was a child, my brother had a Commodore Vic 20. We had a Nintendo and ColecoVision. And the 8-bit look and the sounds are so nostalgic to me. I’m a gamer. Many of the effort that I put into it was egocentric. It was for me. After which I used to be like, cool, let’s put it on the Web for folks to truly play. I might’ve made it only for me to play with my buddies.
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