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The Interview
By Calvin Cyrus

So let’s start out with the basics: What is NewGriiim?

D: NewGriiim is 2 dudes from opposite sides of the country with different lives coming together for the love of Bass and Hip Hop.

N: NewGriiim to me is like jazzy meets vicious, we have very different but similar styles and it’s like a little bit of gentleman, deep, introspective flavor meets that grim, witty, mean flavor. It’s the best of both worlds cause sometimes it’s banger-focused and other times it’s like, okay were gonna slow it down a bit and get into storytelling with a lot of imagery and thought-provoking lyrics.

How long have you known each other?

D: We met online during the pandemic like 2-3 years ago, I believe.

N: Since COVID, we hopped on a Livestream and he was like “yo NewGent I really love your stuff and I’m thinking yo I’ve been loving your stuff for a minute but I figured you didn’t know of me cause you’re out east.” So we started talking and hit it off immediately. then we were closely following each other’s projects and talking potential Collabs. soon after he approached me about managing me and I knew I needed someone who understands what it’s like for a rapper, so we just kept building on our relationship in a short amount of time.

What inspired you guys to collaborate together?

D: It kinda just made sense. Talking to Chase about songs I’m writing and vice versa, we feed off each other. We know how each other thinks and how we would go about dissecting a track. We know how to motivate each other and get the creative flow going, and to top it all off, Our styles are a great contrast.

N: I think it was the thought of what could be. I always say he’s like the Method Man of the group, with big flavor and a huge presence. I’ve always been a little more like kick-back vibes and I knew we’d not only create something that really has a lot of mood, but also something that’s DIFFERENT. We really wanted to go with like the Wu-Tang method, where you’ve got multiple styles to choose from, but at the same time, BARS.

We’ve seen your act evolve and grow over the last few performances. But your energy levels and enthusiasm is second to none. What’s been your driving force in development?

D: At the Goop Troop Collective we have a motto. It’s “Passion Begets Passion”. Seeing how much Chase puts into the set, how much our friends put into hosting events, and all our homies performing before us. It just makes me want to come out swinging Better and better everytime.

N: One big thing we’ve really wanted to focus on is how we are performing live. Like you said, energy is HUGE, but it’s also important that we aren’t yelling and are bringing that vocal level down a tad so we are really riding over the beats rather than overtaking them completely. Allows the listener to really pay attention to the lyrics and making sure they are digesting what we’re saying. that comes with time and practice over the years and trial and error. that also means balance as far as hitting them with some fire bars maybe in a string of back to back to back tunes then letting the tunes breathe for a sec so the audience can catch their breath and let loose a bit and get into the music. not only are we rappers, but, we want to tell a story with the music too, and not overwhelm them with lyrics. being a selecta is very important to me.

Your set at Tropical Dreams came together beautifully, but, as with all groups, there was some turbulence beforehand. Can you tell us about some of the adversity you faced leading up to that performance?

D: I’m a man of many hats and sometimes it can get stressful. Helping run an event, managing artists, and performing can make for one stressed fella at times. Does it help when your buddy accidentally does an emergency police call on your phone? Probably not. Friday night got a little hectic but we survive as a family and I wouldn’t navigate this music life with anyone else! Big ups to Sub•Cul•Ture and Goop Fam.

N: We had a disagreement, the night before, regarding our output with releasing music with some of our goop troop members, myself included. it was totally valid because we need to be putting out more tunes more consistently. The way it was said was after a full day with no sleep and one mcgriddle all day, after dario picked me up from the airport. the timing and tone was off, but we knew it wasn’t meant to come off that way. But that’s the thing; we can check each other and let each other know when something is done that we don’t like or we feel is unprofessional or whatever the issue may be. As you know, Jumanji, I missed the cypher mid-day because I wanted to clear my head and be ready to go for our set, and that’s exactly what we did. Move on and we can deal with any disagreements later. Then, after we came in and rocked it, there was no frustration or resentment. the second we press play, it’s all business and getting into that flow state and comradery we have on stage that really sets us apart.

Many artists find it hard to balance work and life. If we pull back the curtain, how does NewGriiim get it done?

D: How do we get it done? I guess we know that it’s not a race. Personally, for me, the De La Griiim project is for fun self expression. it’s so cathartic to just leave it all on the stage. I truly appreciate every chance I get to perform and know that every step on this journey will line up when and how it should. I mean, I’m also on top of all my artists to get things done, but it’s always soft deadlines. Real Art will last and shouldn’t be rushed.

N: Work is vital to this industry and being successful in my opinion. You can absolutely do it without, but you need to be somewhat established to make ends meet. Right now, I sell solar panels and work my butt off during the weeks so I can afford to make things work. I know Dario does the same. It allows me to pay rent and get out to some of these states I’ve never played in because I’m not reliant on the money from music until it’s more than just a ‘high level hobby,’ as I say. Sometimes that leads to less output on the production side, but it gives me peace of mind in a crazy industry. I always refer to a good friend, Dela Moon, who teaches yoga and has multiple jobs, then plays shows whenever she wants without overdoing it and burning herself into the ground. I think longevity is key in this industry and we want to be around for a long time, where I’m still living healthy and making sure I’m not here for one second and gone the next.

Tell us about some of the sounds and genres you’ve been exploring.

D: I’m really all over the place with this. I’m huge on like, smart gangsta rap. Been on a huge Boogie kick, Ghetts (grime side of the same idea), Griselda. Just BARS. All substance, no bullshit. Been getting into Jazz, shouts out to Sinfonë for helping me out there, Michael Brecker, Chet Baker, Kamasi Washington. Been trying to find more and more I vibe with. Polyphia’s new album is GOAT level stuff. So much music in the world I’m vibing with. Bass world, I gotta give it up to the homies Chef Boyarbeatz, Oxossi and Mythm. Really good dudes doing really dope stuff and definitely need y’all to keep an eye out for the Goop Troop Collective. Lotta dope releases planned this year!

N: Everything! From deep 140 to 140 bangers and tracks that really get the party Poppin, to grime (obviously), to 80 to 90 plus bpm glitchy stuff, on the tipper spectrum as far as style, to halftime and stuff that has a lot of hip hop influence and head nod vibes, to drum and bass, from liquid to rollers, to all out bangers. I think it’s important for me that we’re switching it up and that we don’t get pigeon-holed into one genre or one vibe. We want to really create stuff that’s got a little edge of something different, Because Im a hip hop head at heart and that 85 to 90 bpm range with classic hip hop drums and feel is what I grew up rapping on, so that’s where my home is as far as my style. I’ve really loved doing more 140 the last few years and really diving into the different styles you can create in that.

Do you have any new projects coming up?

D: The NewGriiim debut EP is def dropping in 2023. We’re thinking 4-5 tracks. I’ve also got stuff in the works with tons of homies including Pi Wrecks, Rsrch Chmcls, Undehfined, Glass Arrowhead, Slaythoven & The Apothecary. Always down to Collab with anyone too!

N: We are working on our debut EP. we’ve got a Collab with undehfined that’s just straight new York hip hop vibes with huge sub work and it’s like the epitome of NewGriiim and the vibe we wanna set it off with. Along with that, we’ve got multiple 120/140 tunes we are finishing up with our goop brother the apothecary, and then some classic boom-bap hip hop stuff with rsrch chmcls (smokestax – amazing new york producer). We really wanna come out swinging with vicious bars and rhyme schemes, and really show that we can do ANYTHING, as far as vibe and style goes. Along with that, onthe solo side I’ve got collabs going with Wiley, Oxossi, Chef boyarbeatz, duffrey, st4rfox, hullabalo0 yumyum and of course our goop troop members the apothecary, glass arrowhead, slaythoven, symbiosa and tons more. So I’m super excited for 2023 and to get all these tunes out and really start building our fanbase, both as a group and individually. Any success for either of us on the solo side will trickle into our Newgriiim project, so we’ve got a lot of outlets to really grow and showcase and build that empire.

Are there any artists that you’d be excited to work with?

D: Only bucket list artists for me are Tyler The Creator and Kid Cudi. Huge inspirations to me. Other then that, I just let the vibe ride. It’s honestly hard for me to work with other artists. Feels forced sometimes.

N: I would’ve said Hypho but we hit it off at tropical dreams and we are starting a little something. definitely artists like Visages and Monty, and some of these insane UK cats, but that’s probably a ways off. definitely guys like detox unit, resonant language and some of these ridiculous sound design centered artists. What’s crazy is that I’ve been collabing with some of my favorite artists and people I’ve looked up to and they are often super down to earth people who are super nice and have zero ego. that’s really reminded me that it’s possible to Collab with anyone, truly. So that’s definitely boosted my confidence and allowed me to really go full throttle.

What were your first cars? When did you get them?

D: My first car was a 2003 Nissan Altima I think. Got it in 2013 and totalled it like 7 months later. Only accident I’ve ever been in.

N: It was an old Mercedes Benz 1990 something with 160k miles on it. I fuckin loved that car and one day I saw a friend on the road and we started racing then he jumped in front of me and slammed his brakes on a yellow light and I wasn’t prepared so I totalled it. I was probably around 15/16 yrs old. It was definitely important for me to have some freedom. I moved out at 18 for that reason, cause I wanted to be in control of everything in my life, even though it was a struggle for many years.

If you could go back in time and tell the younger you anything, what would it be?

D: Little Debbie is the devil, don’t sit in that chair like that and do some stretches, don’t let them make you feel shitty, EVERYONE is gonna be into anime eventually.

N: Work harder, be consistent, get those projects done NOW. It’s easier said than done and I don’t regret anything, but I think I could be a few years ahead of where I’m at now if I had a few more sleepless nights doing whatever I can to finish some of these projects.

Any plans for 2023?

D: Keep it moving! It’s been a big year for me. Hope to keep Goop Troop and Sub•Cul•Ture growing. Hope to hop up in more new places with the AG Fam. Just want to keep this music life alive.

N: I’m opening for Monty in January with the momentive crew in LA on hsd sound. Big bucket list show for me cause I’m huge on that UK 140/halftime/ dnb scene. then in February I’ve got a dope show with east coast boy Josh Teed, along with one of my day one partners, st4rfox, who I owe a ton of my success to cause he was bringing me on shows and really helped me get out there for more audiences. We’ve got a great thing as a combo too, cause he plays trumpet and sax. One day i would like to see Dario, st4rfox, and I, do some stuff together. But 23 is my year to finish these loads of projects I have, and I’m looking to do some fests and dope select shows, but I’m also trying to focus on the production side, so I’m not too worried about the bookings. I want to play for New audiences and really be picky with what and where I’m playing.

Where did you guys grow up? How did growing up in those neighborhoods shape your artistry?

D: I moved a lot growing up, but I’m originally from DC. I’ve definitely seen some shit and was exposed to a lot at a young age. Where I’m from, you don’t have a choice. You have to be hard to survive. Things didn’t change much when I ended up in Lawrence, MA, one of the poorest cities in the country. This is where the grit in my music comes from. De La Griiim deals with the duality of wanting to survive, seeing things, doing things, and learning from them out in the streets. Eventually, I got my head on straight and now we pushing bass baby. I try to convey that message. it doesn’t matter where you’re from, it just matters where you’re going.

N: I grew up in Costa Mesa, orange county. At the time, the area was a little more rough, though, now it’s considered nice as fuck when you talk about OC. But we ended up getting robbed when we came back after a 2-day weekend and my parents decided to move cause they didn’t want me and my younger brother having to worry or grow up in what could be potentially a dangerous situation. So, I’m always thankful to my parents, cause they really brought us up in a great environment. living on the west coast was always a big influence because you so much greatness, along with sublime out of garden Grove, OC/Lbc and then 15 mins away is long beach where snoop & a lot of west coast greats were based out of. that west coast vibe was big. But really I was always so enamored with east coast rap so it was like west meets east & bringing more of that east coast flavor into west coast vibes & blending the two. That was huge, cause i’d be listening to mobb deep, Wu Tang, tribe called quest and nas and then also listening to Dre, pac and people under the stairs. having those two to go back and forth shaped who I am as an artist. Atmosphere too, not west coast, but it felt like it, and that west vs east coast was always in the back of my mind.

What the fuck is a Goop?

D: Goop isn’t a sound, it’s a vibe. The Goop Troop is a group of artists who just really enjoy each other’s company and work. We have producers, VJs and Visual content creators, Rappers & MCs, recently added a dope photographer and it’s manned by a 3 person management team. We kinda all help where and how we can and do whatever we can for each other. It’s all about supporting their visions and literally any creative in New England! This love can fit in all types of spaces, cuz you know, it’s Goop!

N: Goop is a vibe! To me, it means like drippy, trippy goopy bass music. Stuff that’s not just mainstream or popular. it’s got depth and it’s got that “ooooh” factor where you hear a goopy tune and you’re like damn, this is that sauce! there’s so many layers to it. I think for us as a crew, with goop troop we wanna be different.

Anyone you wanna shout out?

D: Oh boy. My mom, Goop Troop Fam, Sub•Cul•Ture Fam,Bass Face Collective, Soundz Organic, The Mutiny, Your Parents, Art Life, Shepheard Productions, Connecticut Live, Full Melt Productions, and Rezinate. Keeping the New England underground bass scene alive!

N: De la griiim for one, my dude Jumanji who is not only one of my biggest influences as far as rappers/mcs in this scene, man’s off the top game is seriously insane. I don’t know anyone who’s as quick and witty as he is. also my fiance for being such an amazing and supportive partner and allowing me to go for this, even when she’s listening to me spit bars over and over and working on lyrics and production constantly. It’s not easy for anyone in a relationship with an artist. You gotta have thick skin and patience, so huge shouts to her! mad love for interviewing us and getting inside our heads, cause we have a lot to say and a LOT to prove! Also check out my fiance’s project, ethereal resonance, she’s a beast on the decks.

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