Posted by Creator Spotlight
Subjxct 2oo4, production mastermind from New Jersey’s 2oo4 collective, is one of the game’s most dynamic producers. His wide array of distinct sounds, influences and tastes all fuse together to create his mind-bending beats. With a lengthy discography, and production credits with a whole cast of legends, Subjxct is extremely underrated as a producer. His clean, polished and experimental soundscapes deserve more shine. In this edition of ‘Creator Spotlight’, we asked Subjxct about his collective ‘2oo4’, his passion for Professional Wrestling and much more. Peep some of his production and the interview below:
First off, introduce yourself. Who is Subjxct? What do you do? And where are you from?
Subjxct 5, Producer, Engineer, DJ from Elizabeth, New Jersey
Your production style is easily one of the most unique out there. How would you describe your sound to someone who isn’t familiar with your wave?
Well personally, I feel like I don’t hold myself to one specific sound. I try to go outside the box and switch up my sound constantly. Whether its techno-influenced, Boom Bap or West-Coast style. I try to expand my musical abilities. Someone who isn’t familiar can expect many things.
You and your group ‘2oo4’ restore a feeling of ‘regionalism’ back into the rap world. You rep New Jersey to the fullest. How important are your New Jersey roots to your creative journey?
Well we’re all big on trying to stick to our roots whilst trying something new. Being from New Jersey, a place where we are considered the shadows, we try to keep tradition with our style and our whole aesthetic. But give a new sound, that tells people we are the new face of Dirty Jersey.
Can you offer some insight into the ‘2oo4’ movement?
2oo4 is short for 2oo4Life. We’re all 90s babies who grew up in the 2000s a very rich era of Hip Hop that played a big role in who we are and the music we all grew up listening to. I personally feel like it made us open to make different music than what people expect New Jersey artists to make.
Through your Instagram and Twitter you represent your love for varying genres of music. Your music taste ranges from Golden-Age Rap to Nu-Metal. How did you develop this unique taste? And what albums/tapes helped you craft your sound?
This a question I love answering people always tell me I have great taste in music (or I have shitty taste in music, whoever you wanna ask) but I’ve always bounced back between metal and hip hop, grew up a Rap City kid and a TRL kid watching: State Property, Ludacris, Cash Money, G-Unit, Outkast, etc. On the other hand being a huge fan of: Limp Bizkit, Korn, Slipknot, Deftones, Metallica, Anthrax, etc.
As far as what albums made me craft my sound that’s a wide range because I’m still getting influenced by a lot of artists out now, I’ll be typing this until next year naming the albums that made me the artist I am haha.
Another one of your big interests is Wrestling, Who are some of your favorite wrestlers from the following eras: The Attitude Era, Ruthless Aggression and in the current era?
I feel like I’m at the end of my appreciation for wrestling. So much has changed since I started as a kid but I still pay attention to what’s going on. I have some controversial favorites honestly. CM Punk, the 2nd city saint! Straight edge lifestyle, hardcore music, he paved the way for a lot of the new wrestlers now and was one of the best on the mic. Undertaker, the big dog, arguably the greatest wrestler of all time. Edge, RVD, Chris Jericho, AJ Styles, Austin, HBK, Taz, Chris Benoit (aside from that shit he did, it’s sad because he was a cannon), Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley and Hangman Page. I can go on and on.
Your production, aside from its transcendent sound, is extremely polished and well-mastered. With your proficient skills in sound design, do you ever aspire to do a Movie or Video Game soundtrack?
I think about scoring movies a lot. I wanna do a horror movie one day, as well as something 70s inspired. I have been getting into Scorsese type movies and Blaxpoitation films lately. They’ve been playing a role in the music I’m about to drop soon. But most definitely wanna score movies. As far as video games I would too. I need a racing game to use my beats. Tell the people at Need For Speed to hit me up.
If you had the chance to stunt with any Wrestling Championship for a day. Which Title would it be?
Aw man well I can’t have a championship everyone else would know. I gotta have the rare titles or the classics: NWA World Championship, IWGP Heavyweight Championship. I feel like I would make a great ECW Television Champion. Have the ‘feud of the year’ with Taz in the 90s haha. You can throw that classic Intercontinental Title in there. The one that Bret Hart had (another favorite of mine shout out to the Hitman).
Who are some of your favorite people to work with and who do you hope to work with in the future?
Of course the gang is always a favorite. We make the best music together. We just have great chemistry on every song. Aside from the guys, my bro from NYC Vinny Fanta, Tony Seltzer, shout out the whole Nocturnal Posse we finna flood the streets for 2020. DJ Lucas and Dark World, the homies from Mass. My boy Stitch from Elizabeth. Goner and Papora from NYC, we got a lot of collabs lined up.
As far as who I’m tryna work with, I have a few artists as well as producers: Lucki, Lil Gotit, Digdat, Earl Sweatshirt, Griselda records, Alchemist and Mutant Academy. I can go on all day about this, it’s a wide variety.
Team AEW or WWE?
AEW all day, we’re in a modern day war. Since I didn’t get to watch WWF vs WCW in the 90s, I feel like AEW has managed to find that formula to go head to head with WWE. That hasn’t been done since then (the 90’s) and they’re not trying to compete which makes it cool. It’s an alternative: different storylines, different aesthetic, new and old faces. Something that the mainstream wrestling crowd hasn’t seen yet. All for anything that’s not WWE. They fucked up so much, somebody gotta wake them up.
For people trying to get into Subjxct and 2oo4 which projects/songs should they check out?
Definitely that Hot-700 tape we dropped in 2017 that’s our best piece of work in my opinion (part 2 might be coming soon…) Me & Papo’s AF1MG Live mixtapes, Vol. 1 & 2 out now, 2oo4 self titled (2oo4?) on all platforms now. Beats from me, Tony Seltzer and Captain Crunch. Just gotta look us up on Soundcloud and all other platforms, we have a lot of music out.
Who makes your all-time Producer list?
Alchemist, Lex Luger, Zaytoven, 808 Mafia, Swizz Beatz, Dr. Dre, Young Chop, Knxwledge, DJ Premier, Madlib, and many others.
Any shout outs/ social media plugs?
Follow me on Instagram @sbjct2oo4, Twitter @Subjxct2oo4, find me on Soundcloud just type in Subjxct 5.
Follow 2oo4 on twitter @2oo4Life, Instagram @2oo4Live and Soundcloud look up 2oo4,
AF1MG page on twitter @AF1Music_, Instagram @af1music and Soundcloud look up AF1MG
What can fans look forward to in the new year?
More projects from the team. New Papo album dropping very soon. New Rich project. Me and Ouee got some shit cookin up. I have some instrumental EPs lined up soon. Some collabs in the works, just stay tuned.
List your Top 5 Wrestling Feuds of all time:
Sheesh this is a good one, Bret vs HBK, Austin vs Rock, Cena vs Edge, Taz vs Sabu, Hogan vs Sting, Flair vs Sting, Omega vs Okada, Taker vs Kane and Punk vs Cena. It’s way too many to just pick 5.
LO-FI | The Magazine 