OFFTOP, Kidz from the Burbz, Illa Than Most, Black Suburbia, Civilized Savage, the list goes on. Over the past few year’s New Jersey’s Hip-Hop scene has proven there’s strength in numbers as MC’s DJ’s, producers, designers, photographers and musicians have linked up to form artistic collectives in the same vein as classic crews like Wu-Tang Clan, Dipset and The Native Tongues.
One of the crews that has made a name for itself recently is the three man unit, TRAPBANG, consisting of Dey Bishop, MattyPasq and Kon Sweetie from Bayville. The trio has released a steady stream of solo/collaborative music, videos and high energy live performances that have placed them firmly in the conversation of what’s hot in New Jersey Hip-Hop.
NJ Next’s Angelo Gingerelli recently sat down with Dey, Matty and Kon to talk about their history, the local music scene and what makes TRAPBANG hot right now.
When do you become a Hip-Hop fan and when/how do you decide to become an artist?
All of our stories are quite different.
Dey: I was introduced to rap by my brother, the album was Ready to Die. My parents hadn’t allowed me to listen to explicit music, so I would always hide whenever I wanted to use my walkman. One day, my cousin caught me secretly listening to the CD and decided he would essentially give me a Hip-Hop care package; it was a box full of what I would now consider some of my favorite albums in music entirely, with the likes of 2Pac, OutKast, Eminem and Nas, among others. Tragically, shortly after, my cousin’s life was taken by a drunk driver, leaving me the music as relics to remember him. This lead me to study these albums, eventually forming my love for writing my own music.”
Matty: Music has always been such an important part of my world. My parents have great taste in music, so I always had countless good music/CDs at my disposal. My older brother, Mark, was in a bunch of bands growing up, so since age 10 I have been constantly going to shows. I just fell in love with music. Hip-Hop came into my life later than it did for my TrapBang compadres through artists such as Kanye, Drake, and other more current rappers. However, since then I definitely found a love and appreciation for late 80’s and 90’s Hip-Hop. I started writing raps at 15, recording/producing at 16, guitar/other instruments at 17, and now I’m here.
Kon: I was introduced to Hip-Hop early, around age 5. The Marshall Mathers LP and The Chronic 2001 were the albums that I first came across via my older brother’s CD collection. I played guitar for a few years, and started creating my own Hip-Hop at age 13 after hearing my older brother’s (Arcade) first demo tape. I created TRAPBANG a few years later in 2012, at age 16. Chip Smalley (RIP BiG GREASE) was recording and mixing, Arcade and I were rapping and started creating a buzz locally and playing local house shows/venues. Dey Bishop joined forces in 2013, Matty in 2014 and the rest of history will write itself. ”
How did you guys meet and start working together?
Dey: We were all raised in the same town of Bayville, New Jersey. It’s a small area so naturally each of us met each other growing up. Kon has been friends with both Matty and I since 8 years old, while Matty and I hadn’t met until high school. 2013 marked the first time I collaborated with Kon Sweetie, and in 2014, MattyPasq had started creating alongside us, solidifying the group.
Your catalog has a lot of “TRAPABANG” material and lot of solo material from each member. What is the normal creative process and how do you decide who goes on what track and what becomes a group song/project and what solo members get to keep to themselves?
The creative process always happens naturally. Some songs stem from lyrics written, while others begin from a production aspect. Most importantly, we want nothing to be forced. We are all individual solo artists, so we create freely on our own, often times leading to collaborations between the three of us.
You clearly put a lot of work into your videos, what is the normal process for making a TrapBang video and how important is the visual aspect of the music in 2019?
We go very in-depth with our visual process, not limited to just music videos. Scenes are scripted, as well as improvised during production. Collectively, we agree that videos are an important aspect of music and a worthwhile way to garner attention. The average consumer likes to identify themselves with the artist, putting a face to the name. TRAPBANG sees a visual treatment as an opportunity to express ourselves in a different medium, outside of the music itself.
TrapBang performs a lot around New Jersey. How would you describe the current Hip-Hop scene in NJ (live shows, collaborations, media outlets, etc.) and how have you seen it evolve over the last few years?
From our experience playing shows in NJ over the past several years, we’ve noticed an increase in venues who’ve historically not hosted Hip-Hop events. It’s definitely important for a music community to able to learn about and respect all genres, to have rap completely absent is detrimental to a scene’s culture. Hip-Hop comes from a place of love, centered around building relationships and bonds between people who felt marginalized or like outcasts. That theme is universal, relatable in all walks of life. With unity in our music scene, possibilities for growth are only limited by imagination.
What’s next for TrapBang?
We’re constantly creating, growing, and learning; and we plan on continuing to do just that. Expect new releases from every member of TRAPBANG in 2019.
Short Response Questions
Top 5 Rappers of All Time:
Dey: 2pac, Royce da 5’9”, Black Thought, Kendrick Lamar & Mac Miller
Kon: Mac Miller, Big L, Mos Def, Biggie, Styles P
Matty: Kon Sweetie, Dey Bishop, Kendrick Lamar, Royce da 5’9”, Ab-Soul
Top 4 Producers you would like to do a TRAPBANG track if money/connections were no object:
Dey: DJ Premier, Pharrell, Kanye West & El-P.
Kon: DJ Premier, Mac Miller (RIP), 9th Wonder, Just Blaze.
Matty: Kanye West, Pharrell, Clams Casino, Rick Rubin.
Top 3 Hip-Hop Groups/Collectives of all time:
Dey: Black Star, OutKast & The Roots.
Kon: D.I.T.C., PRhyme, The L.O.X.
Matty: De La Soul, TrapBang, Black Hippy.
2 Songs that a new fan should hear to get a good introduction to TRAPBANG:
Dey: Gold, December Twenty
Kon: Us, Paint The Town
Matty: Hope You’re Okay, All On You
1 Reason everybody should check out TRAPBANG:
Dey: “I genuinely think we’re making the best rap shit right now.”
Kon: “We’re tight. I promise.”
Matty: “We love what we do and there’s a little something for every listener.”
