Trek NB – Q&A Interview

Tell us a little about yourself. Where you are from? How long have you been making Hip Hop Beats?

I go by the name of Trek NB. I grew up in Italy and I currently live in Stockholm, Sweden. Making beats is something that I began with in this year. On January 2014 I scrapped the little money I had left and bought myself a new laptop and a MPD26. Ever since then I started experimenting with beatmaking, learning as much as I can and trying to improve with every project I complete.

What influences you in making Hip Hop?

It’s about life really. That’s my biggest inspiration. What I mean is that the spectrum of life is as broad as you can imagine. I normally pick a theme and develop a music experience around it. I’m also influenced by the 90s. It’s the decade I grew up in, even though I discovered Hip-Hop pretty late in my late. This 90s influence is not necessarily reflected in my music but rather in the spirit of what I do. Being authentic to my style and inspiration pays a great role in my project. This thirsty for true self-expression, unmitigated by public approval or sales quota is what I admire in real artists. It’s what Hip-Hop was built upon back in the days. I’m a promoter of true artistry.

Describe your music, and what separates you from other Hip Hop Producers?

My music is essentially introspective and “conceptual”. That’s true for everything that comes straight from your inspiration. I make music for myself. It’s my testing ground to see how good I can be. What separates from other producers is that I don’t follow formulas. I don’t try to be a “boombap” beatmaker, I don’t try to be a “trap” beatmaker. I don’t have a stream that I’m trying to fit in. I go with the moment.

Who have you collaborated with? Who would you like to collab with in the near future?

I’m not so fond of rap anymore to be completely honest. I’m turned off by the genre and what it came down to. It’s true that there are nice cats out there and you just have to look for them but still… That’s why I like beatmaking. It’s pure. I have no rapper that I’d like to work with. It would be nice to make a beat tape toghether with some dope beatsmiths. I did one recently with a good pal of mine who’s now living in Egypt. We called it This Thing Of Ours. Really nice quick project.

Your definition of “Underground Hip Hop”?

Underground Hip-Hop is Hip-Hop nowadays. It’s a trite argument but everything that’s been passed on TV and hyped on most blogs may have the guise of Hip-Hop but it’s not. I don’t give a fuck how many catchy hooks and beats they come up with to cover for the disgustingly low-level of the artists. I mean, songs where the word “nigga” is the only rhyming word in the whole stupid song.. AND rhymes with itself? Such ignorance belongs in the trash, no matter how many guns, rented cars, paid models you have in your shitty videos. Undeground Hip-Hop it’s where the genre took refuge until, hopefully, it strikes back.

Can you describe on how the Hip Hop scene is different in Sweden compared to the U.S.?

I don’t know man, I don’t really follow neither U.S Hip-Hop or Swedish Hip-Hop. I get bored quickly. Nobody catches my attention long enough. I’ve been in Chicago and Washington once 15 years ago so I don’t know how you guys do it. My reference for US Hip-Hop is the videos and media. As regards Sweden, I guess you have a bunch of cats trying to compare their experience here, where things are relatively quiet, to the Afro-american ghetto experience. Which is always amusing in its dullness. I like to hear artists who genuinely speak about their life without embellishing anything. Honesty is what I look for in an artist. I rarely spot it.

Any current or future projects you are promoting?

Of course my Shards series. It’s an ongoing series featuring my beat. I don’t like fanfare and mouthing off about releases as if the world was waiting for that shit. Nobody really gives a fuck about what most of us music cats do. You may release 10 albums and they’d all fall face first in the dirt. So the Shards series is a way for me to keep myself engaged, test new beatmaking techniques, learn more about making music and – if anybody is interested in what I do – keep listeners waiting for something fresh. I normally drop one of those a month, if work and everything else allows it. Time is tight. I’d say keep an eye on the series. I’m about to drop Vol.VI – It’ll be called “Inches”. Look out for that one.

Can you give us a brief description of the creative process of Shards Vol.V No Country For Immigrant African Men? Also/ what was the idea or concept description about your Album Art Cover.

I got the idea for Vol.V from watching how Israel’s right-wing, racist parties where treating African immigrants. All over Europe, right-wing parties are sweeping elections. It’s such an annoying thought considering how both Jews, Germans, French, Italians, etc all got their fair dose of discrimination in the early 1900s when moving to the US. People never learn shit from history. But taking also inspiration from my experience and the one of my mother and many other Africans I know, I decided to put out this title that pretty much expresses my feeling about the whole immigration issue when it comes to African people. The cover art was something I loved because the dude in the picture somehow oozes this sense of royalty (with the red blanket) even among the trash of the beach. It’s a strong contrast that I felt was really fitting. I tend to notice strange details in things like that.

Where can we find your music and info?

You can find my music on Bandcamp only. I also have a website: Trek’s Word where I interview other beatmakers I dig, from time to time. I highly recommend anybody who digs Hip-Hop and beatmaking to check it out. They might discover a cat or two they would like to follow. It’s my way of giving back and not being completely self-centered. The only social media I use is Twitter. So if anybody wanna reach, they can follow me there. I don’t follow back everybody though. I’m not into that social etiquette nonsense. I prefer to have real interactions with people who are genuinely interested in talking to me. Keep the numbers game elsewhere.

Any shout outs?

Nah, not really. I only wish the people I love the best in life and success in one way or another. We’re all spinning on this planet till we fade away. Let’s hope we get what we hope for as long as we’re alive. I wanna thank you guys for the amazing treatment I’ve received. You’re the first people to interview me and it means a lot. I also respect the work you’re doing keeping Hip-Hop sacred as it should be. I’ll be getting in touch in the future when I have new stuff you may like. Keep up the good work.