After spending the last few years building up their reputation as one of the fresh and most dynamic hip-hop groups emerging right now, New York-based duo Hippie Tribe are back on the grind once again as they deliver their latest effort 'Goku'.
Showcasing more of that bold and pulsing production they are known for, 'Goku' makes for a dark and intense listen. Filled with pounding basslines, killer hooks, and an unmistakable flow between the two artists, this new release is a firm and solid addition to their ever-growing catalogue.
So with the new single available now, we sat down with them to find out more about their background and what has inspired them most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you learned to play?
blond.bomber - Piano, I was classically trained at 8, Bach & Chopin were some of my earliest influences.
dp.thuH - I started on drums at like 2.5 or 3 - i grew up playing for church choirs - those Gospel song progressions are wild and kinda unpredictable but it was all i knew - there’s a bunch of different flavors incorporated - that's why we blend different sounds in our music now, muscle memory.
What was the first album you remember owning?
dp.thuH - Uhhh, my momma owned it so technically, I did. Probably the Winans, Tomorrow album or Fred Hammond. My momma would play them joints all day everyday. ‘No Weapon’, ‘Glory to Glory’ - oh shit, Kirk Franklin God’s Property! okay that’s probably it actually. Damn the sonics on that went noopy! Stomp!
blond.bomber - The Jackson 5 Christmas - I listened to it on a Walkman - that shit went crazy. I know it's probably controversial to say this maybe but Joe Jackson was onto something. Dude was wild wild wild for sure, but he definitely had them kids going stupid on that CD.
What is a song you wish you had written yourself?
blond.bomber - Superpower by Beyoncé and frank orrrr anything by Sia.
What has been the most thrilling moment about creating your own music?
blond.bomber - Bad bitches screaming your lyrics back at you when you perform. top 3 feelings, hands down”.
dp.thuH - Yea, it's fire. shorties especially, yes but really anybody screaming your songs is odee. I think the best part for me is whenever we lay out a demo and you just know it's gonna hit - not that it's mixed or sounds ready yet or anything but we made this something...created this, whatever….and we listen back and I just get this surge like woahhh - okay this is diffff. damn we really did this…...man wait till we finish and they hear this.
And what about the most frustrating part?
blond.bomber - All the cap. we can control everything but when people cap and say they can do blah blah albh, it sets you back when they don’t. We've had like 3 managers and shit just doesn’t work out because most people don’t walk it. and we have the vision, but we need execution from everybody if you’re involved - I know its not yours but you need to move and act like it's your baby. because that's what it is for us - anything short of that just isn't gonna be acceptable.
dp.thuH - Yea, creating is what we love, that shits the easy part. The only frustrations that come with all this is the business aspect for us. It'd be hella nice to have a slightly bigger team so we can delegate certain things but that’ll come - it’s all a matter of time. We’re earning our stripes right now and maybe we’re being tested a little - like “how much are you willing to do in order to really make this shit go?” and the answer we keep giving back to the universe is “whatever we got to” and we mean that. whatever it takes, we gon’ do that shit - it’s all we know how to do - make it happen, make it work.
Which artist would you most love to share a stage with?
dp.thuH - Willow, H.E.R., Erykah Badu, Anderson Paak, Travis Scott because we fuck wit the rage heavy... Masego...we really wanna play so if you play instruments AND can sing/rap - we tryna rock out forreal. I feel like our live shows are closer to Queen or Santana - we move the people and we move with the people - it's a real experience.
blond.bomber - ThuderCat! he’s a fuckin beast….our shit probably isn’t going to sound like it does on spotify because this is the live show - you can listen to the original whenever you want. we’re gonna show you we can actually outdo ourselves.
Where do you see yourself in five years time?
dp.thuH - Honestly, I think doing a lot of the same stuff but at a much larger scale. Still looking for ways to enrich inner city communities - still helping people, especially kids, realize their potential & have resources to accomplish whatever they need to…..art endeavors will expand to different mediums and at that point, we’ll have signed a few fire ass artists under our OTOLO Records label. In 5 years we’ll be the go-to producers and songwriters for all the top artists on majors or Indie. If you are hot, you wanna work with the Tribe. inshallah.
blond.bomber - yea inshallah, we’re recognized as being so good at what we do that we get to only take our favorite calls. We make enough bread that we can do whatever we want whenever. we’re going to make movies, we’re going to have art houses, fashion lines - sustainable. media network….five years, Hippie Tribe, OTOLO Records, its up…. and when its up with us, its stuck.
dp.thuH - on God bruv, Elmers.
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Hippie Tribe's new single 'Goku' is available to stream now. Check it out below.
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