Ricky Remedy is not your average producer. The seasoned veteran’s journey is as unconventional as it is impressive. He was a key artist in the electronic trap movement helping shape the sound with his releases as well as his sample packs. In the hip-hop world, he’s worked with everyone from Travis Scott to Diddy, French Montana, T.I., Rick Ross, Tory Lanez, Megan Thee Stallion, and more. He has a Latin Grammy nomination, has toured the world, and even performed on Jimmy Kimmel alongside Steve Aoki and Sonny Digital. His resume and catalog are crazy and yet he remains underrated. While being overlooked has cast doubts for the artist in the past, 2022 has seen him return with a new passion and focus, doubling down on his music and creation. He’s unleashed standout heaters like ‘COMMOTION,’ ‘LOSE CONTROL,’ and ‘GET UP,’ expanded his visual talents, and even found a new way to approach social media with fun flips and clips.
Ricky Remedy has been on our list as a must-have guest for our mix + interview series for quite some time, so it is a great honour to have him joining us today. His mix is almost exclusively his own work, moving between originals, flips, and unreleased IDs, with a few tracks from his homies mixed in. Our interview dives deep into a wide range of subjects from the importance of enjoying the process to the evolution of remix culture, creating for Instagram and TikTok, wild studio memories, and even his desire to give up on music and how reignited his passion. Check both below and show the lowkey legend some love!
Tell us about the mix. What was your vision when creating it? What do you want listeners to take away from it?
This mix was a dive back into my roots. Bringing back the electronic trap vibes that have evolved over the years. I wanted to achieve a feeling of nostalgia while bringing a fresh sound.
You recently tweeted, “A wise man once said juice is temporary, but sauce, sauce is forever. Find your sauce.” What’s your sauce?
Once you find your sauce, it sticks with you. I suppose my sauce is my sonic identity. Something that is special, unique, and can inspire others. It’s when you hear an ID in someone’s set and you just know that’s a Remedy tune.
What’s the greatest example of you bringing a vision you had in your head to life?
I’d say creating visuals/music videos for songs that I produced, whether it be for myself or for another artist. Music is a vehicle for imagination. It’s one thing to have a vision musically, but to take it to the next level visually is absolutely gratifying.
Can you tell us a little bit about your expansion into the visual world? What sparked your interest in CG/VFX? How have your skills been evolving?
Ever since I was young, I had a deep interest in film, CG, animation, and special effects. However, self-learning music production was easier and more accessible than VFX. Around 2018, with the rise of technology and access to user-friendly VFX programs, I wanted to pursue CG & VFX. I pursued it under the premise that I would create these worlds, these scenes, around the music I’d make. I would further solidify the vision I’d have when making a song. What would the song LOOK like? What world could be created from the sounds? I’m very happy with the progress I’ve made over the years.
You’ve been creating a lot more fun Instagram and TikTok content. Are you enjoying it or is it more of a means to an end in the current music landscape?
It can be a bit of both. I enjoy making it because it keeps me creative and adaptive. General consumption of music is constantly changing as the years go by. New generations growing up with these apps is changing how people listen to music. Adaptation is key to longevity.
we played him a reference track with Tory Lanez on the hook and he ended up jumping on the song. T.I and Travis Scott walked in from the room next door and heard the song he was working on, and also wanted to hop on. It was such a crazy moment.
You’ve worked with a wide range of top-tier rappers and artists. Are there any wild studio sessions that stick out for you? If so, take us back there.
There are so many that could be classified as wild but I’d say the one that really stuck with me was being in the studio with Meek Mill, Travis Scott, and T.I. In early 2013. It was Paramount Studios in LA. I was making mostly hip hop at the time. Meek played some beats he had emailed to him by some of the biggest and best producers in the world. I remember that being one of the most inspirational moments for me. Hearing some of the hardest, most creative beats I’ve ever heard. It really helped me level up my sound. Then we played him a reference track with Tory Lanez on the hook and he ended up jumping on the song. T.I and Travis Scott walked in from the room next door and heard the song he was working on, and also wanted to hop on. It was such a crazy moment.
If you don’t know how to game the social media algorithms, or make “entertaining” content, you’ll get lost in the sauce, no matter how influential you might have been in the past.
Why do you think underground legends and pioneers are so quickly forgotten these days? How can we fix this?
I believe legends get forgotten because of the current social media landscape. We fall victim to the social media algorithm. People who came up in the early 2000s didn’t rely on social media to gain their recognition. So now that it’s become the norm to build your following through the means of social media, it’s alienated those who aren’t as able to naturally adapt to this norm. If you don’t know how to game the social media algorithms, or make “entertaining” content, you’ll get lost in the sauce, no matter how influential you might have been in the past. I can’t say there’s a way to fix this because as a whole, we’re moving to new ways of consuming music & entertainment, so I’d advise to just adapt.
With the rising dominance of Spotify and Apple Music it seems like remix culture has been on a steady decline. You’re well known for your bootlegs, edits, and reworks. What drives you to keep reworking tracks?
I don’t believe remix culture has necessarily “declined” but it has changed the way it is presented. If you think about it, tik tok and Instagram is full of mashups and edits of trending or well-known songs. As long as there’s a place for these edits and remixes to thrive, I don’t see any reason to move away from reworking tunes. Same goes with DJing. You can play out tunes that everyone knows, sure. But you can further reinforce your sonic identity through reworking that song in a way that only you would. Remixing will never die!
But what inspires me most, is knowing that in this industry, at any moment, your life can completely change.
A few years ago you publicly shared a desire to give up on music. What prompted that feeling? What inspired you to keep going?
As an artist, you usually live a double life. Artists will identify themselves with their art, and that’s a problem. You are not your art, you are not your creations. You are you, and people, like myself, can forget that. I noticed there was a decline in my following. I wasn’t getting booked anymore, I wasn’t receiving nearly as much attention as when I first came up in 2014. I felt as though my value was based solely on the attention and praise I’d receive from my peers and supporters. I loved what I did but it felt like it wasn’t working for me anymore. There was no progression, only regression. It hurts as an artist to see that. One thing that really inspires me to keep going is that, this is all I know. I’ve spent more than half of my life doing this. But what inspires me most, is knowing that in this industry, at any moment, your life can completely change.
What excites you right now?
Making creative content and expanding outside of what I normally do musically excites me. Seeing my progress excites me. Seeing a new generation of creators get their recognition excites me!
When you’re young, your passions aren’t influenced by societal standards. You simply just love it.
You’ve spoken about the importance of enjoying the process. How do you continue to enjoy creating 10 years into your career?
I enjoy it because I believe I’m following something that my inner child has always wanted to pursue. When you’re young, your passions aren’t influenced by societal standards. You simply just love it. If you follow that, the process itself is what you’ll be far more focused on, instead of the final product. Once you have a final product, what comes after that?
What should fans expect from you musically in the near future?
Expect versatility. As much as I’m more known for my “trap” music, I’ve always been much more than that. Trap music isn’t as prevalent as it was when I first came up, so I think it’s a great time to expand.
Any final words?
Thank you for having me. I truly appreciate the opportunity and I truly appreciate what you do for underground artists.
(Shameless plug) New edit out on Friday! Also peep my Patreon for exclusive music and packs!
Tracklist
RICKY REMEDY – ID
BEAM – PLANET BEAM
RICKY REMEDY – LEFT OFF
MISSY ELLOITT FT CIARA – LOSE CONTROL (RICKY REMEDY BOOTLEG)
JAWNS – BODY BREAKER > RICKY REMEDY – ID
RICKY REMEDY – ID
JWLS – GOLD (RICKY REMEDY EDIT)
JAWNS – BODY BREAKER (BADLIKE REMIX)
RICKY REMEDY – ID
RICKY REMEDY – SWERVE
CENTRAL CEE – DOJA (RICKY REMEDY EDIT)
CIARA – GET UP (RICKY REMEDY EDIT)
RICKY REMEDY – ID
W IN K – FORGET
RICKY REMEDY – ID
SHOUSE – LOVE TONIGHT (RICKY REMEDY EDIT)
RICKY REMEDY – ID
RL GRIME & ISOXO – STINGER (RICKY REMEDY EDIT)
BAILO & RICKY REMEDY – PULL UP
VANILLA ACE – COMMOTION (RICKY REMEDY EDIT)
RICKY REMEDY FT. BIG BABY SCUMBAG – ID
RICKY REMEDY – GOIN’ DOWN
RICKY REMEDY – ID
