Words like legend and OG are often thrown around in the music industry removed from their true meaning. One breakout record and suddenly they’re slapped next to an artist’s name. But this isn’t always the case. Some artists truly put the work in, earn their stripes and merit the highest level of esteem. When it comes to trap music, few are more deserving of the title of legend than UZ. His Trap Shit series helped to define the electronic form of the genre in its infancy. While many artists who made a name for themselves within trap left the genre for the next hot trend that would bring larger payouts or more desirable festivals slots, UZ doubled-down, not only pushing the genre forward with his own work, but also curating the future through Quality Goods Records. QGR is an embodiment of everything a label should be; consistently striving to discover and nurture new talent. When it comes to doing it for the culture and leading by example UZ is the apex for authenticity. From his DJ sets, to his releases, to the work his label does, everything is truly quality.
Fresh off the release of his new collab with fellow trap heavyweight Hucci, we had the honour of connecting with the man behind the mask. We spoke about how he first got into producing trap, the evolution of UZ, why less is more, his vision for Quality Goods Records, the potential longevity of trap, his favourite rap albums of all time and more. Read the full interview below.
When did you first hear trap music and what made you want to create it?
I’ve always been into music since a young age, one of my brother’s hobbies was to DJ in his basement room and I use to stay there and listen to him playing 90’s UK rave music. I quickly got introduced to Public Enemy and rap after that, then went to a punk rock/hardcore period and went back full hip hop/funk. I also went through an early dubstep period but quickly moved away went it became too noisy to a more minimal and experimental sound that was starting to emerge from the UK and US with artists like Hudson Mohawke, Lunice, Morri$, etc… (I remember having heard trap music before that and thought that the hi-hats were really interesting)
Having produced a lot of experimental rap beats and mixing all these influences together probably ended up having me starting my own version of trap beats.
I broke my elbow in a scooter accident and I had to stay home and rest for 2 months. Being a little handicapped with one arm, I started making really simple yet powerful trap beats and I thought to myself why not upload them to SoundCloud?
When did the idea for the UZ project come about? How did it all take shape?
I had a UK house project called PLEZIER at the time and it was starting to take off, I was trying something different and was really happy with the sound. Unfortunately I broke my elbow in a scooter accident and I had to stay home and rest for 2 months. Being a little handicapped with one arm, I started making really simple yet powerful trap beats and I thought to myself why not upload them to SoundCloud? So I asked myself, what’s an image that’s gangsta, an UZI gun, what’s the first name that comes to mind with trap in it? Balltrap (which means clay pigeon shooting in English) and I started using this weird font (copy pasting the letters one by one for a few months) and that was it, I created UZ in an hour and the project was out.
How did the Trap Shit series become so prolific? Did you have any grand plans for the series when you dropped ‘√1?’
When I started making the UZ beats, there were just like, the first melody that comes out of me is the one that I am going to keep, I wasn’t going to spend 3 hours making it. I just wanted to keep it simple, minimal and a lot of bass so I spent an hour max making the beat and I wanted to do one a week if I remember correctly. There was absolutely no plan whatsoever when I started UZ.
I just wanted to keep it simple, minimal and a lot of bass so I spent an hour max making the beat and I wanted to do one a week if I remember correctly. There was absolutely no plan whatsoever when I started UZ.
The mask has evolved with time but you never seem to be without it. Are you a private person who prefers to be anonymous or is it more about maintaining the brand?
I never thought of this project like a brand, I really am just about the music and I started UZ secretly, using weird font, and making fun beats, nothing was premeditated, it just happened like that. I got contacted by a US booking agency within a few months, they put me on with a management team and that was the start of my second career. When we sat down to talk about the shows we decided I was going to play with a mask.
We evolved the mask a little bit last year because we felt like it needed an upgrade after 7 years. I didn’t want to change a lot so the fans would not get pissed (of course a few did anyways…) so we made it look like I just took off the “FUCK” hat.
I know people have always been saying “the branding is great,” etc. but I always cared less about that to be honest. Before I started UZ I’ve played hundreds of shows under DJ Troubl and wanted to retire because playing shows were a lot of stress for me and to be honest, putting a mask on my face was helping me a lot go on stage. Now I don’t really want to show my face but it’s personal at this point, there isn’t any pictures of me anywhere on the internet that are recent and that is my personal choice, I don’t like attention, I’m usually the quiet one in the room but I listen and observe a lot.
Your sound is pretty much the pinnacle of “less is more.” Do you have any suggestions for producers on how to make music that’s impactful without being overproduced?
“Less is more” I what I live by now, apply this your life and your level of happiness will increase, get rid of the stuff you don’t need and appreciate the things you really need. I always liked minimal music, and this is how I approach it. When I start writing music, I ALWAYS start with the main melody, once I have one that I am really happy with, I start building up around it, the kick and bass are always the last thing I’d do, and if at that point the bass key is too low (because I always never know because I never start in a predetermined key) then I switch up the key of the song until it sounds right. After that I start deleting stuff and that’s where it gets better. Don’t add stuff if you’re happy with it, just structure it and if it doesn’t sound right try deleting stuff or rewrite better, simpler melodies.
What I am looking for in music is not an overproduced track, or a sound design performance or any of that… My favorite songs always have a catchy melody and I feel like electronic music sometimes is just a bunch of noises put together just for producers to impress other producers and I am definitely going away from this and taking a minimalistic approach to my music.
All the big labels were going into a pop direction trying to get playlist placements so you know, I felt like we needed a new label with a strong cohesive visual identity trying to do something different.
Why did you feel that Quality Goods Records needed to exist?
The main reason is me always digging for new music and finding so many talented forward thinking producers online that needed their music to be heard by a bigger audience than just SoundCloud producers. There’s a few cool collectives trying to push the boundaries but not an actual label with resources doing things like Mad Decent 4 or 5 years ago for example. All the big labels were going into a pop direction trying to get playlist placements so you know, I felt like we needed a new label with a strong cohesive visual identity trying to do something different. The first idea of creating the label came into mind a little bit before the release of ‘Trap Shit 21’ so you can see it took us a long time to set up properly but now that we are started we’re unstoppable.
What’s your ultimate goal for QGR?
We have already achieved so much in such little time – We were the first to give a solid platform to now fast growing names such as Oski, SAYMYNAME, TYNAN, UNKWN, Ian Munro to mention only a few. Our goal is to continue this route yet help develop their growth on the long run and now we are in a position to do this with the launch of our own Showcase events which starts in NYC on July 19 and will happen in selected cities of USA. We want to establish ourselves as a pillar independent label in the trap electronic scene. An imprint of reference for all groundbreaking sounds and artists more in connection with the fans and listeners – that’s why we started our new show installment: QGR House Party live streamed in Partnership with Serato and solid brands with limited free access to handpicked fans.
You’re one of the few labels that truly stays ahead of the curve. How do you remain so on the pulse of what’s next in the underground?
I am the main A&R and I am always digging for music. What I usually do is I would follow an underground artist and look at what he is listening and you just go deeper and deeper. That’s the way I do it and it works. I don’t follow what the “big artists” are doing, I already know what they are doing, I’m up for the young and innovative producers, they are way more interesting!
You demonstrated your Layers on your debut and were Reborn on your sophomore album, what’s next?
Probably a third one but I didn’t tell you anything!
A lot of producers jumped out of the wagon like always and the real ones stayed, it is still very present and has influenced a lot of what you hear on the radio now. I don’t think it will ever die and it’s just one of those genres of music that’s here to stay with its ups and downs. I’m here to keep the OG version of it alive though!
I feel like people have been doubting the longevity of trap since its inception, yet nearly a decade later it’s still thriving. Do you think there’s a shelf life for trap or will it be a genre like house or hip-hop that will still be going strong 20 years from now?
First you have to differentiate trap and electronic trap as I would say. The first trap tracks appeared in the 90’s and are basically just a subgenre of rap music using 808 beats and crazy hi-hats triplets and all the gangsta shit that goes with it. Then there is electronic trap that I got introduced to by early Lunice / Hudson / Morri$ right around when dubstep got way too noisy for me, so I decided to come up with my own version and mix what I have learned from producing electronic music and rap beats with trap elements, without the lyrics. Electronic trap definitely had its peak between 2012 and 2015 and like every genre that goes up went calm after that. A lot of producers jumped out of the wagon like always and the real ones stayed, it is still very present and has influenced a lot of what you hear on the radio now. I don’t think it will ever die and it’s just one of those genres of music that’s here to stay with its ups and downs. I’m here to keep the OG version of it alive though!
I know you’re a big hip-hop head, what are your top 5 rap albums of all time?
Now that’s a difficult one, there is way too many great albums, I’ve got to give you at least 10!
The Pharcyde – Labcabincalifornia
Jeru the Damaja – Wrath of the Math
Madlib & Jaydee – Jaylib & Madlib & MF Doom – Madvillainy
Nas – Illmatic
Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die/Life After death
Dr. Dre – The Chronic
Gangstarr – Hard to Earn (but any of the albums are incredible!)
Group Home – Livin’ Proof
Nine – Nine Livez
Das EFX – Hold It Down
Lords Of The Underground – Here Comes The Lords
Snoop Dogg – Doggystyle
And of course: Wu-Tang clan – Enter the 36 Chambers
What do you do when you need a break from music?
I relax at home, watch movies and TV shows and sell/buy stuff online. Nothing exciting.
You said in a past AMA that you love spending money on things you don’t need. What’s the most frivolous thing you’ve ever purchased?
Everything I buy is well thought and I buy knowing I can always sell for equal to more money. I spend smart ;)
