00:00
Oak City Slums
Off the Record is a show from 88.1 WKNC in which DJs talk with artists about everything from their music to upcoming tours to former bandmates birthdays. Make sure to follow WKNC on SoundCloud and Tumblr so you never miss a beat. Enjoy. See you buddy.
00:21
Music
[Intermission]
03:15
DJ Iron Mic
What's going on, everybody? It's your boy, DJ Iron Mic. Back with you on another beautiful Wednesday for local rap lunch. You know how we do. We take an hour, should be more. But just an hour every Wednesday at noon to give you nothing but the illest. Hip hop coming out of North Carolina. I got an amazing guest in the studio with me today, OG Beat Maker, the man, the guy who paves the roads for everyone out here. I feel like, oh, yeah. Wow. I got Oak City Slums in the building, man.
03:45
Oak City Slums
That's what's up, man. Thanks.
03:47
DJ Iron Mic
Thanks for coming up, man. It's good to have you up here.
03:48
Oak City Slums
Okay. I'm glad to be here, but.
03:50
DJ Iron Mic
Yeah. So, I mean, shoot, you've been up to a lot. Yeah, been. I mean… This is your first time up it in my show?
03:58
Oak City Slums
No, it's my second time.
03:59
DJ Iron Mic
Not in my show.
04:00
Oak City Slums
Really?
04:00
DJ Iron Mic
Yeah. So I'm like, you know, sure. I'm fanboying out right now. Okay.
04:05
Oak City Slums
Hey, man, we ain't here, but not bad.
04:07
DJ Iron Mic
Yeah, but yeah, man, so, you know, like, you know, killing it on the scene out here with the beat making. Yeah, man, he's been like, pretty much on everybody's albums. You did something for Joose’s album, right?
04:18
Oak City Slums
Yeah, yeah, yeah, man. You know, it's all family out here. It's all love. And, you know, not for nothing, you know, it's teamwork, you know what I'm saying? I don't want to say the slogan, you know, teamwork, dreamwork. I guess I said it.
04:31
DJ Iron Mic
Yeah, you just did.
04:32
Oak City Slums
But, you know, it's. I don't, I don't really. I don't really share my stuff with people I'm not really rocking with, you know what I'm saying? So I rock with Joose.
04:39
DJ Iron Mic
Yeah.
04:39
Oak City Slums
You know, I mean, that's my homie.
04:40
DJ Iron Mic
That's what's up.
04:41
Oak City Slums
So show them love. Throw him a track, too. Oh, no, I, I, I heard on low there might be a Joose Slums EP coming out.
04:50
DJ Iron Mic
Oh, yeah. I ain't even hear about that. I'm his DJ. I didn't even hear about that.
04:53
Oak City Slums
Hey, man, that was on some that was speaking over you know, the music at the venue.
04:57
DJ Iron Mic
Okay.
04:58
Oak City Slums
You know, that was fire. I got like, five joints that I'm gonna send his way now.
05:03
DJ Iron Mic
I first got introduced to. To you in, I think, what, 2014, when you were DJing for Pat Jr.
05:11
Oak City Slums
Okay. Yeah, you guys are working. I remember Deep south, man.
05:14
DJ Iron Mic
Yeah, that's right.
05:16
Oak City Slums
And three years ago, four years ago.
05:17
DJ Iron Mic
Yeah, it was a while ago. Time flies, man.
05:20
Oak City Slums
For sure.
05:20
DJ Iron Mic
I had, like, a little infant at that time, and now she's three years old.
05:23
Oak City Slums
Yeah.
05:23
DJ Iron Mic
Talking back to me. Right.
05:25
Oak City Slums
But.
05:26
DJ Iron Mic
But yeah, like, so since then, like, you know, you personally, like, you've worked with a lot of people. As I said, you've done a lot killed hopscotch. I feel like that's like the most legendary local hopscotch set ever.
05:39
Oak City Slums
I might agree with you. Yeah, I mean, you know, man, I'm having fun. You know, we're kind of talking off the radio. You know, North Carolina's got. I think they got a lot of stigmas, but North Carolina is very innovative, you know, I'm saying. And so I feel blessed to have been raised here, you know, I mean, I come from Southern California, but I moved here when I was 11, so I'm from the South. I tell people I'm from the South. Like, you know, they asked why I don't have an accent. Because I'm from California.
06:04
DJ Iron Mic
Right.
06:04
Oak City Slums
But everything I know is Southern, you know what I'm saying? And so North Carolina's got a lot of magic here, man. And, you know, so for me, I feel like that innovation, like, people kind of sleep on the innovation has happened here. You know, they get. They get a little stuck, you know, in periods of time. And so I think. I think what. What. What happened at Hopscotch was just a break in the mold, you know, I mean, that. That a lot of people didn't. Didn't know it was already happening in the area. Like, I didn't. I'm not doing anything new. I'm just doing something different, you know what I'm saying? And then I've. I've made my own little niche and notch in the. In the local community.
06:41
Oak City Slums
And so I think that's what people were excited about, and they're excited to hear something just, you know. You know how your ears get bored, you know, I mean, you just want to hear something new. So it's not like. Like what I'm doing is like, oh, man, this is the crazy thing. I've never heard this before. It's just different, you know? I mean. Right? And you know, my influences are influencing my music, and I have a wide variety of, you know, influences. And so I think that's what. That's mainly what's happened over the years. It's just. I keep trying to just do something new, something that's even new to me, you know, I mean, so I'm not really ever trying to, like, you know, jump on a bandwagon or, you know, jump, you know, oh, this is hot right now.
07:15
Oak City Slums
So I'm gonna do this, or, you know, I mean, I. I just don't do that. That's not my style, you know, it's not. Hey, if you're trying to make it, I'm not mad at that. Right. And so if you jump on a bandwagon, more power to you. I don't do that. And so hopscotch was that, you know, I don't want to live in the past because I've done things. I think I've done bigger things since then and made bigger moves since then. But that was, for me, definitely, like a. A point in recent history, at least for me. That was, like, defining moment where I was like, yo, I can rock a bigger crowd than the ones I've been rocking. And that was. At that time, that was the biggest crowd I'd rocked.
07:47
Oak City Slums
I played in front of thousands of people before that, but they weren't feeling me, you know, I mean, like. And it could have been my fault. Could have been, like, the venue or the, you know, the show I was on, whatever, but they weren't feeling me, you know, and that was the first show where I felt like everybody was, you know, connected. We were connected, you know, I was doing my thing. I could have played Old McDonald, and they would have been like, oh, my God, yo, that's crazy.
08:08
DJ Iron Mic
You know, so, yeah, and that, you know, that. That's why I say, like, you paved the way for a lot of other artists out here, because for a lot of people, like, looking at it from the outside in. As for me, covering artists, doing this and writing for Indie Week and, you know, working with artists, DJing and stuff. Like, seeing you do that, yeah, I think that was also defining moment for, like, the scene also, as a whole, too.
08:31
Oak City Slums
Well, I've also. I think I've done a good job of just reaching in locally. I mean, you know, some of my friends are international artists, and some of them are, you know, they've worked with, you know, your favorite rappers. Yeah, my friends work with those guys. Yeah, you know, you name it, they. I have a friend that's probably produced for them, has got a track with them, you know, but you know, that doesn't really pour into what's going on here, you know what I'm saying? And so I've always looked at work with people that are around me and boost the people around me, you know what I'm saying? So as far as putting people on, I wasn't, I don't think I was necessarily putting people on. I think we were all grinding together.
09:05
Oak City Slums
That's what happened, you know, I mean, and somebody's, you know, at the time, nobody was taking leadership and nobody was going like, hey, like let's do this, let's move this way, you know what I'm saying? And so, you know, I, my father is a natural leader, you know what I'm saying? So some of those qualities have been passed down to me. And I think a lot of times I just get sick of watching people twiddle their thumbs.
09:27
DJ Iron Mic
Absolutely.
09:27
Oak City Slums
And I was like, hey, fine, I'll do it. You know, I mean like, I might fail, but I'mma try. I'm. At least try it because at the end of the day, at least I can say I tried, you know, I wasn't really good at it, but you know. Yeah, nobody else is doing it.
09:40
DJ Iron Mic
I feel like you've had a love hate relationship with that role though.
09:42
Oak City Slums
Oh, God.
09:43
DJ Iron Mic
You know, mostly hate.
09:46
Oak City Slums
Mostly hate. I don't like, I don't like. Well, because I mean anybody who knows me don't. I don't like my shows to be crazy extravagant. I like to be, I like everything. Me kind of like plain and streamlined, you know, I mean from everything, my production value, all that stuff, everything. I like, I like it, you know, I like the art itself to speak for itself, you know what I'm saying? I don't really have to like, I don't want to like, you know, even on my gram and stuff like that. I don't really want to do a bunch of like, you know, over the top promotions and stuff like that.
10:13
Oak City Slums
I don't really, you know, I mean, I want my face to, you know, I'm not like, I'm not super good looking, I'm good looking, but I'm not like super duper good looking, you know. I mean, so, you know. No, but you know, I'm saying so it's like my, it's like I'm not trying to put something out there that's not real. Like my music, that's. I made that right. That's my music. You know, I mean, like, filters can make me look a certain way. You know, the timing and money can make my grandpop. That's not real, you know, I mean, and for me, it's like there's. There's got to be some honesty amongst all the, you know, the fake, you know, filters, all the rams.
10:46
DJ Iron Mic
Yes.
10:47
Oak City Slums
Yeah. You know what I'm saying? So I don't know, man. You know, I mean, I'm not. I don't think. I don't consider myself, like, a leader in the area. I think I'd try to do something different. I got homies that I would consider, like, real leaders in the area. Like, people don't really know who they are, but they really drive in the. The local scene. They're putting on for people that they wouldn't have no idea they're being put on by such and such, you know, I mean, like, you know, I'm just kind of like the face that kind of got put in place because it wasn't popping and nobody was organized. I think if I would take credit for anything, I organized what was already going on. Like, none of these people.
11:21
Oak City Slums
I never, you know, I. I mean, there's been a couple people that come under my wing and, like, you know, my. In my studio, I've let them use my stuff. I've taught them. I've shown them how to produce things and. But I say, like, 80 of the people I'm linked up with are already doing their thing and we're already popping as far as, like, their stuff being good and of some quality. Yeah, it was just now, it was just somebody saying, like, hey, okay, let's. Let's go do a show now. Let's. All right, let's start with 20 people. See, we can get 20 people in a room and that, you know, and then it was. Oh, there was 30. It was. Oh, they brought some friends there, you know, they didn't know. 100, 150. Dang, man.
11:56
DJ Iron Mic
We got, like.
11:57
Oak City Slums
We sold out the venue. Oh, snap. You know, now we're playing, like, you know, this, you know, the Ritz or something, you know, and we're, you know, rocking a crowd at the Ritz. And then, you know, the Sylvanessa thing popped off last year. It was like. And I wrote, you know. I mean, like, to me, it was like, man, can we do. Can we do more? Can we do more? And when the wave's over. I've said it many times. When the wave's over, it's over. You know, I mean, like, I'm not. I'm not trying to. Like, I'm having so much fun, and the moment it stops becoming fun and, like, you know, people don't really think my music's hot anymore. Hey, it's over, you know? I mean, I'm not really. I'm not tripping about it. You know what I'm saying?
12:27
Oak City Slums
Like, on to the next thing. You know what I mean? But, yeah, you know, right now, it's like we're riding a wave, man. And as long as the wave is still moving, man, I'm keep. I'm gonna keep riding it, you know what I'm saying?
12:35
DJ Iron Mic
You know, kind of going back a little bit on something you said earlier, like, how you. You know, you. You're there as kind of like a. Not. I wouldn't call it a mentor. I wouldn't put that on you because, you know, but someone who's, like, there to, like, you know, guide people. Is that some of the things I. That's one of the biggest things I respected about you because a few years ago, I hit you up about crystals, right? And I. We. I ain't really know you that much yet. Just, like, from a couple shows here and there and showed you his music and you were like, oh, this dude's dope.
13:05
Oak City Slums
Yeah.
13:05
DJ Iron Mic
And like, you guys built a relationship off music.
13:08
Oak City Slums
Yeah, I know. Before I even talk to you. Right? So, yeah. I mean, but that's. That's my. That's in my lifestyle again. That's. That's not just in music, you know, I mean, like, you know, I got my little sister here with me. Like, I'm always. I'm. I got my. You know, I got my daughter with me here. You know what I'm saying? Like, I'm the people around me that I love and I respect. Even, you know, I mean, there's a few. There's few people in my close circle, but then there's people that, you know, it's just human beings. I respect human beings. I respect everybody. So, you know, if I have a bit of knowledge, like, why I'm gonna keep it from you. Yeah. You know, I mean, like, so when I'm grinding, people don't understand, like, any show.
13:41
Oak City Slums
Like, I mean, it was a time I was making wild money off these shows, but I wasn't keeping it, you know, I mean, like, I'm not trying to pat myself on the back, but it was like, why? The fact is, I'm gonna take care of you. Hopefully one day that'll come back to me when I need you to Take care of me. And it's happened.
13:54
DJ Iron Mic
Yeah.
13:55
Oak City Slums
You know, I mean, like, I'm not, like, I'm not like, hoarding some, you know, I mean, like the local, I guess, like, not to be, like, on a tangent, but the local fame thing is, like, that's played out, man. I'm not trying to be just famous in my area. I'm not even just trying to be famous, to be honest, but I'm trying to build, like, a community, you know, I'm saying, like, that anybody can play anybody, like the talent shows, right? That's what I'm trying to do. So whoever's the best, I don't care who you are, your sexual orientation, I don't care. None of that matters to me.
14:28
DJ Iron Mic
Right.
14:28
Oak City Slums
What I'm talking about is like, hey, here, my studio is open to you. So whatever gear I have, that means you have. Whatever opportunities I have, that means you have those same opportunities. I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna keep that for myself. I'm not putting myself onto everything. Right. I've passed on shows, I've passed opportunities to other people that could, you know, benefit from it. So for me, that has always been more the focus because not only that, I don't have time for everything, you know what I'm saying? So if I can build a community, that's going to keep it up, you know, because at one point it was just me and a couple other people booking, you know, shows around here. And so if I can make it where it just, it runs itself. Well, that's great. Then.
15:08
Oak City Slums
I'm not really worried about, like, it, can I get on. Like, somebody will put me on. Yeah, somebody. Because a lot is. Because it's popping now. Yeah. You know, I mean, unfortunately, in the last couple years, it slowed down a little bit, you know, I mean, but I, you know, I can't take credit for that or, you know, or be blamed for that, you know, I'm saying. But it slowed down a bit. But it's like it hasn't, it's not dead.
15:26
DJ Iron Mic
No, not at all.
15:27
Oak City Slums
Because, because again, like, that sharing mentality, I think it's like, maybe it's not everybody's sharing together, but at least they're sharing within the small little group of people they have or whatever. Everybody. I think I, I, I would say I set a precedence of, hey, let's put everybody on. Like, anybody who can, who's popping, let's put them on. You know what I'm saying, so you.
15:45
DJ Iron Mic
Know, kind of on that topic about things kind of like slowing down, like just putting people on, just off the talent alone. We have a lot of festivals that have kind of popped up in the past couple of years in this area. I think that's awesome for the scene to see how, you know, it's not, definitely not a bad thing for the scene. But one of my only things about it is sometimes I feel like it comes. Causes some division in the scene because sometimes people get booked who don't necessarily have the talent, you know, or. And people get looked over. There's always hurt feelings like that.
16:20
Oak City Slums
Yeah.
16:21
DJ Iron Mic
How do you, as someone who like is about unifying the scene, how do you see those kind of like third party factors?
16:27
Oak City Slums
I don't, I don't care. It's none of my business. Yeah, the money side. It's not my money, so I'm not spending the money. The other side of it is like, I'm not the talent booker. Yeah, that's none of my business. Like I think the, you know, when if I think something's trash, that's my opinion. That's this. And I can hold that opinion if I want to. But the fact is it's not my money, it's not my show. I don't care. You put whoever, you can put a billion national acts on it and no locals. And I could care less. You could put all locals. I don't think any of them are good or you know, it's all your homies. I don't care. It's not my show.
17:04
DJ Iron Mic
Right.
17:05
Oak City Slums
My show. I'm trying to, I want to put the best on whoever I deem the best. And people look at my shows and obviously some people have problems with my shows. I'm like, that's. Hey, when you're spending the money, you go ahead and yeah, whoever you want on and do your thing. And you know what? They should. Yeah. Look, you're the one with the vision, not me. I did. I'm not Moog Fest, I'm not Hopscotch, I'm not Dreamville Fest. I'm not any of these people. I'm. I'm Oak City Slums. So when Oak City Slum is doing something, I'm gonna try to put my vision forth. So when these festivals put their vision for it, they think, you know, whatever their motive is, that's their money, that is their dream, that is their vision. I have nothing to do with that.
17:45
Oak City Slums
And more power to them. You know, I mean, congratulations. If it pops. If it doesn't, hey, I'm sorry. Better luck next time, right? I hope it pops.
17:54
DJ Iron Mic
Yeah.
17:54
Oak City Slums
Because it's good for the city. I mean, so for me, what it really comes down to is it good for Raleigh? Are you doing, are you putting on, are you putting Raleigh on? Really?
18:02
DJ Iron Mic
And that's what I'm talking. I'm not saying, you know, I'm not talking about any specific festival.
18:05
Speaker 2
No, no.
18:06
Oak City Slums
I think all of them are great. And those are the big ones. I mentioned it just because, like, you know, in Dreamville, like everybody's losing their mind. I know, Jake.
18:12
DJ Iron Mic
We don't even know who's on.
18:13
Oak City Slums
Right. We don't even know anyways, but it's like. Yeah, you know, so. Hey, do your thing, man. I, I think it's great. I think it's. I think all the festivals are great. I think all the shows are great. I think when no matter how many people show up to them, I think the shows being active and people keep it moving and keep things busy, I think that's all great. I don't, I don't have a problem with anybody, any one promoter. How they do their thing. That's their thing.
18:39
DJ Iron Mic
Yeah.
18:39
Oak City Slums
And it's not my responsibility when it flops and when it succeeds, I can't take credit for it either.
18:44
DJ Iron Mic
Right.
18:45
Oak City Slums
You know what I'm saying? But I'm happy that it's happening because it just means that there's art still going on. You know, little pop up shops, little, little, you know, little parties going on in art spaces. I think all that's great, man. Just makes it makes it easier to keep doing music and it's going to inspire somebody to do something better. You know what I mean? So I'm with all of it. I like all of it. Yeah. Yeah, man. I mean, that's the most honest PC answer I have too. And it's like, it's the truth, but it's. That really is what it is. Anybody who knows me knows I'm telling the truth.
19:14
DJ Iron Mic
No, I mean, I don't see, I don't even could be mad at that, you know, But I mean, you put one hell of a show at Moog Fest. People were talking about it. I had to work in the marketplace. And like people who I aren't even from this market were like, yeah, I went to this like unofficial late night show and it was crazy. Everyone who's like performing Was there and love. I was like, oh, yeah, that's my homie. Put that on.
19:36
Oak City Slums
Yeah. I mean, again, man, I'm just inspired by people who did it before me, man. I mean, Discovery, blacklisted these. These are parties that made me go like, yo, I want to be a part of that. I want to make a crowd move like that. You know what I'm saying? I didn't start producing until I was 27, and I didn't go to parties before then. So then when I started making music that was for partying, I was like, well, how did. How does it get done? And I saw. I mean, at least in this area, I saw the best doing it. Okay. And so I'm like, wow, that's. Wow, look at. Everybody's having a great time, you know, I mean, it's just good fun, and nobody's thinking about their problems right now. I want to do that. You know what I'm saying?
20:10
Oak City Slums
So I just. I'm just. I'm copying people. I put my own spin to it. That's it.
20:15
DJ Iron Mic
Stealing like an artist.
20:16
Oak City Slums
Yeah, for sure.
20:17
DJ Iron Mic
I remember one of my. One of my favorite sets of yours wasn't even, like, a big show. It was at Neptune's. It was like a. It was actually after Joose’s Barn Burn.
20:27
Oak City Slums
Oh, my Lord. Yeah, that was.
20:29
DJ Iron Mic
That was off the hook, right? And it was, like, so off the cuff. Yeah.
20:33
Oak City Slums
Nobody was ready for it, man. And the room was stupid. Yeah, that was awesome.
20:37
DJ Iron Mic
A room full of strangers. Like, it was. No.
20:38
Oak City Slums
Nobody knew who I was in, like,
20:39
DJ Iron Mic
The Scene or anything like that.
20:40
Oak City Slums
Nobody knew who I was. It was great.
20:42
DJ Iron Mic
It was just people just having a great time, and you definitely, you know.
20:45
Oak City Slums
And again, it goes back to what I was saying. People are looking for something new. You can hear Drake any time of the day, a bazillion times. You can hear all your favorite popular raps and songs any time of day. And then it's just one of those magical moments where you're playing something, they don't know what is being played, but they're feeling it, right? And it's a rare moment. And then there's times where I. It's the same kind of moment, and people think I'm terrible. You know what I'm saying?
21:09
DJ Iron Mic
So, you know, I feel that's just kind of like life of, you know, beat maker, DJ, Anything like that. You can be. It's sometimes just like that. Like the Whatever. Like the cosmos is working in your favor, and you've got everybody loving you. And then sometimes it's just, you know, absolute crap. Yeah, yeah, man, but that's just how it is. But I mean, you said earlier that, you know, you're not trying to be like the man in your city and you've done a lot of different things. I know you didn't start, as you said, you didn't start with making beats and all that. You started in hardcore. Yeah. A while ago my manager at Guitar center, like knew exactly who you were. Like, yo, he's like a crazy ass drummer.
21:48
Oak City Slums
Yeah, yeah.
21:49
DJ Iron Mic
And he's like the whitest guy ever. So.
21:50
Oak City Slums
Yeah.
21:51
DJ Iron Mic
You know how, you know, how do you get from that point to this point and then, you know, obviously you're going to be leveling up. So.
21:57
Oak City Slums
Yeah, I mean, it all started when I was, you know, I was three years old, I started playing drums. And then, you know, I grew up. My parents all. They listen to, you know, smooth jazz and funk and, you know, traditional black folk music, you know, soul.
22:13
DJ Iron Mic
Yeah.
22:14
Oak City Slums
R B. My sisters were into house music and you know, New World Order and Depeche Mode and all that stuff. You know, again, black family. But you know, this kind of opposite side of like, I guess it's not even, it's not even opposite of black culture. It got appropriated.
22:35
DJ Iron Mic
Just got a problem. Yeah, exactly.
22:36
Oak City Slums
Right. You know what I'm saying? So now. Oh, it's white people music. And I only like, I only. I hate using that word appropriation. But it really is though, because. Because it's one of the things. And the thing is, actually it's more shocking to black people when I tell them I make electronic music than it is to white people. Which is kind of weird.
22:51
DJ Iron Mic
You know, that is, it's really weird.
22:53
Oak City Slums
Because house music is black people music.
22:55
DJ Iron Mic
Yeah.
22:55
Oak City Slums
And if you talk to the right age of black person, they know house music like you would not.
23:00
DJ Iron Mic
Believe and write demographic like, you know, from Chicago. You talk exactly Detroit. It's not crazy.
23:05
Oak City Slums
So. Yeah, so my, you know, and then you know, early, my older siblings are, you know, they're like 45 and 40 and they. I think I got their ages wrong. I don't ever remember their ages, but the. They, you know, so they're in early 90s, you know, saying, so Crystal Waters, Robin S. Okay. Yeah, I was hearing that stuff, you know, but that was like, I'm hearing all this stuff from my siblings and my parents. And then when I got old enough to kind of decide what I like to listen to I had met some friends of mine here in North Carolina who are from Colorado, and they were really into punk and death metal and stuff like that. And they show me my first tape and I got into it and it was like, man, I love. I love this music.
23:50
Oak City Slums
And so I. I got into punk and hardcore when I was like 12. And then as I, you know, progressed in music and became a better musician and more learned musician, I got into jazz, I got into funk and stuff like that. And I started playing more stuff like that, not just harder music. And then I started doing session work at 15 and some. Some local studios. And then I, as I kind of progress as a professional drummer, you know, drumming as a whole kind in the drum community kind of took a. A left turn where they really wanted a specific kind of drummer. And so a lot of the gospel music drummers are like, we're taking up every gig. I mean, no matter what kind of gig it was, they were getting every gig. And so where I'm. I'm more.
24:33
Oak City Slums
I'm more of a groove guy or these other drummers were more chop guys and they do a lot of fancy, you know, fills and odd meter and stuff like that, where I was more just like. I like to be solid and. And give a essence rather than value with my chops. You know what I'm saying? So, yeah, so I just kind of. I worked slowed up for me, where I wasn't playing as much out, I wasn't playing as much in the studio. Always playing on my own records and stuff like that and recording and sampling myself as far as, like, you know, messing around with music. But I didn't start recording music. I was, you know, until I was about 25. But then I didn't even start making beats until I was 20, 27.
25:13
Oak City Slums
But, you know, all through that process of, you know, being a professional musician, I was listening to new music. I was listening to, you know, I was looking for new music. So I got really into bluegrass and folk and Americana music. I got, you know, I was already into like, you know, punk and hardcore, you know, and then having some nostalgia of house music for my older siblings and jazz and stuff like that for my parents, I was digging all this stuff and then. And along the process, you know, my sisters were also into like, brand newbie and tricol quests, you know, De La Soul and stuff like that. And so I got into hip hop, really heavy in my late teens.
25:48
DJ Iron Mic
Okay.
25:49
Oak City Slums
Which. And then. So that's when I discovered J Dilla, all right? You know, and he was Working with Erykah Badu and Comments and the whole.
25:55
DJ Iron Mic
Neo soul movement and everything.
25:57
Oak City Slums
And he was. But, yeah, the whole Neo souls thing. But he was also. When I was listening to his discography, I was hearing, like, techno. I was hearing, like, you know, house music. You know, these. These little glimpses of it. And it. When I went to go make my own music, I was kind of copying J Dilla, which influenced me to kind of go super left field. Yeah. So that's what kind of got me, you know. Then I discovered footwork and I've discovered, you know, club music and stuff like that along the way. By no means am I either or of any of those things. Like, I'm not like, one thing, you know.
26:29
DJ Iron Mic
Right.
26:30
Oak City Slums
But all those influences have created this environment for me.
26:33
DJ Iron Mic
That's what. You know, it was funny he said that because, like, some. I. I was telling people, like, I'm have. Oh, I'm gonna have slums up in. Up at local Rap Lunch. And they were like, slums isn't, like, necessarily a rap producer. I was like, yeah, but he's not definitely producer.
26:45
Oak City Slums
Rappers. Yeah, yeah.
26:47
DJ Iron Mic
But, like, that's the thing. Like, no one can really put, like, their thumb on what you.
26:51
Oak City Slums
I don't. And I like it that way, so. I like it that way. Like, rappers don't think I'm hip hop enough. Club artists don't think I'm club enough. I'm like, great. That sounds awesome. Yeah, I like all those compliments.
27:01
DJ Iron Mic
That old Jadakiss rhyme. Too black for mtv, not black enough for bet, man.
27:08
Oak City Slums
It's the truth, you know? I mean. And, like. But when you go to my shows, you see every kind of person dancing my music.
27:12
DJ Iron Mic
Absolutely. That's all I care about. Yeah. And you're doing it. So we got. I mean, we got new music coming up from.
27:18
Oak City Slums
Right.
27:19
DJ Iron Mic
I mean, let's, you know. Yeah. We're gonna debut it. Oh, we're gonna do it. We're just gonna go right up. I thought.
27:24
Oak City Slums
I'm gonna talk about it. We can talk about.
27:25
DJ Iron Mic
We got some time.
27:26
Oak City Slums
Yeah, okay. We got. We're good. All right.
27:29
DJ Iron Mic
I mean, as you know, we've been talking about this. You've been super busy, you know, and you're a father. Yeah, I'm a father, too, so I know how that's almost impossible to make me.
27:39
Oak City Slums
It's not impossible. You just have to be purposeful.
27:41
DJ Iron Mic
Right, exactly. So, you know, with this new album coming out, like, how. You know, let's talk about the process.
27:48
Oak City Slums
All right. I'm gonna Backtrack a little bit. I got my little sister here with me. Kayla here. So you're live.
27:58
Kayla
Hey.
28:00
Oak City Slums
So for me, the record. All right. So. All right. I got this new record coming out. It's titled Not. Well, the record for me was. Is a Maybe some type of memoir of my headspace.
28:18
DJ Iron Mic
Okay.
28:19
Oak City Slums
You know, And I think the songs. And when I listen to the songs, I listen back to them. I. There's distinct memories of each one of them. You know what I'm saying? And I always like working with people close to me. So put my little sister on was. She's the only singing feature. I have a production feature, but she's the only, like, voice on the whole record, you know? I mean, so, you know, obviously, I do a lot of instrumental music, but, you know, like. Like, it was mentioned. I do work with artists, but I didn't. I. You know, even though I'm working a lot of artists, I have. You know, I put out a single with Ace Henderson that was, like, a little joint we did together. I'm always trying to flex a little bit like that. I really have production skills.
29:03
Oak City Slums
But also, you know, with people trying to pigeonholed me to sound, people thought, like, I'm the sampling guy. Right. So my last record was. Every song on my last record had samples on it. Like, where. It's a sample base. I purposely made this next. This record I just. I'm done with now. I purposely made it with no sampling base. Everything is played by me.
29:25
DJ Iron Mic
Oh, wow.
29:26
Oak City Slums
Right. So keys, bass lines, drums.
29:29
DJ Iron Mic
So you're, like, showing it.
29:31
Oak City Slums
Yeah, I'm definitely, like, trying to. I'm trying to. Like, I'm showing growth in my. In my ability as a musician. Like, I'm not a fantastic piano player. I'm. I'm. I'm not even a learned piano player. I just. I spent a lot of time, like, making a lot of bad mistakes, you know, I mean, and, like, recording and not doing something right now. Now I'm like, okay, well. And I got, like, 10 songs of stuff I wrote. Yeah. You know, and played myself and produce myself. And I didn't sample from another artist or, you know, me or off a record or anything like that, so. But we have the single called Sleep. I've been wanting to work with Kayla for since she was like a child.
30:12
Oak City Slums
She'd be in the studio, and I'd tell her, sing on something of mine or just to kind of goof around, because that's usually. That's what usually starts with. But with this track, funny enough, this particular Track. It started out when I made it. I made it with a sample, okay? And then I had a homegirl of mine. I'll leave her name out of it because I don't wanna. I don't want to embarrass her anything like that. But she rapped on it, okay? And it was fire, okay? Like, dude, I'm talking like, yo, if I. I' ma send it to you one day, all right? Yeah.
30:42
DJ Iron Mic
Hear it.
30:42
Oak City Slums
It's fire. She did it. One take. It was crazy. And then she didn't like it.
30:48
DJ Iron Mic
Wow.
30:48
Oak City Slums
Really? She didn't like it. And so I said, I don't want to change it. And so we argued about it. I was like, look, I don't want to change it. Just give me the. Let me, let me, give me the blessing to release it as is. And if I had released it as is, this would have been released three years ago. Oh, that's how old this track is, right?
31:03
DJ Iron Mic
Wow. Yeah.
31:04
Oak City Slums
So. But it's the track's fire, right? So I'm like, I'm keep begging her like, let me release this. You know, Finally I'm like, look, I'll pay you. Let me release this track. And she's like, oh, I just want to record it. And I was like, I don't want to record it. You know, I mean, like, if you record something, sometimes you lose the essence, right?
31:21
DJ Iron Mic
Yeah.
31:22
Oak City Slums
What makes it kind of what it is that it was like there's some little screw ups here and there. And that's what I liked about it. You know, I'm saying even on. On my full record, there's. There's mistakes all over the record, but it's the ass half of it is like, I don't want it to be perfect. That's not real. Yeah, like, you know, I mean, it's not. That's not how, you know, playing live is even. You know what I'm saying? So I left a lot of it out. And so I wind up like sending the record to like a bunch of artists to see like, what they felt about it. It's obviously, it's my style, so it's different. A lot of people are not used to it, so it's kind of hard find matching up. So over time, you know, just.
32:00
Oak City Slums
I went through a bunch of artists, none of them fit. And then I want to send it to Kayla one night just like, hey, see if you can write to this. And then she wrote to it, and so I'll let her explain about the lyrics.
32:13
DJ Iron Mic
You Want. You want to explain later? You want us to just get into it?
32:16
Kayla
That's a deal.
32:17
DJ Iron Mic
No, talk about it.
32:18
Kayla
Talk about the lyrics. Like.
32:19
Oak City Slums
Yeah, so.
32:21
Kayla
Well, first of all, Rodney, I started writing at like 14 years old and I was writing poetry. Rodney was like, he was the first one to actually like listen or actually care that I was writing. And so it was like crazy for him to ask me to write over this track. And so I like, I was listening to it and what do you want me to say?
32:42
Oak City Slums
I don't just talk about the track. Like what made you write it? Like, I mean, like, because like, I mean, I don't. My only requirement when I work with artists is like don't say anything foul. You know, I mean that my kids can't listen to talking content wise. I don't really care. So I did. To me, I don't do to say. I don't tell them what this, what to say or write. So I just sent it to her and then she sent me back some lyrics.
33:02
Kayla
He's always encouraged me to write in a way that everybody can understand or everybody can relate to. So if you're accurately displaying an emotion, like if you're accurately expressing an emotion, it is relatable. But not everybody can relate to an exact situation. So I challenged. Well, he challenged me really. And I took on the challenge to write in a way. I wrote about a personal situation that I was going through, but I feel like it's relatable in a lot of areas, in a lot of ways. It could apply to a lot of situations. And so he's challenging me to do that with my writing. And he's always been the type of person to have goals and achieve them. And that's inspiring to me. And he's like always encouraged me in different areas of my writing and to improve.
33:47
Kayla
And so I was, I'm super grateful for this opportunity. Opportunity.
33:51
DJ Iron Mic
Awesome. That's some real big bro stuff right there. When she.
33:53
Oak City Slums
Yeah, and when she sent me the lyrics, actually I was like, wow, these are really good. And then like immediately when she sent me the lyrics, I personalized the lyrics and I was like, it made me think of something personal. But then I realized as I read them, I, I know obviously I know her. So it's like I know her situation and so I knew it was about this specific situation rather than what I. It kind of personally. That's what I like about it. So. Okay. When you listen to it you can.
34:20
DJ Iron Mic
You're gonna think one thing, you can internalize it.
34:22
Oak City Slums
I promise you, whatever you're hearing, you're. Is not the situation is not what you're hearing.
34:26
DJ Iron Mic
Okay.
34:26
Oak City Slums
You know, I mean, because, like, I did the same thing. I was like, oh, this is. This isn't about me.
34:31
DJ Iron Mic
Like, that's awesome.
34:33
Oak City Slums
Yeah. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? So, I don't know. We had fun. And so, you know, she's artistic and she's a writer. I don't write, you know, I mean, I'm just. I just like writing music, so. And it was just. I'm always looking for the opportunity to keep working with people around me. I don't really. I do have opportunities to work with bigger artists pretty often. No link up and the network and all that stuff, but I'm just, you know, I'm not gonna go out my way to go do it, number one. Number two, I'm having a lot of fun exploring how creative everybody is around me and the people I keep around me.
35:05
DJ Iron Mic
That's awesome. So let's. Yeah, so let's get into it then. Yeah. We're gonna debut Sleep off the Oak City Slums new album coming up. We're also going to play a couple other tracks and get ready in here because in, like, towards the end of the hour, you're gonna do a little live set for us, correct?
35:18
Oak City Slums
Yeah, actually, I went. I was on IG telling everybody, oh, I got these new things, and then I. I'd messed up on, like, I had a little technical difficulty and I messed up on all the tracks I was going to show, so forgive me, I'll probably play them at a show.
35:34
DJ Iron Mic
So not everything's going to be new. We got this new track, but your set's gonna be stuff old, but not everybody's heard it, so, you know, but either way, let's get into it. I'm also. Play some Joose, maybe some 3am, I don't know, some other stuff. Yeah, but we're gonna get into it. Keep it locked here. WKNC 88.1 FM. Local rap lunch. Got Oak City Slums in the building. Let's get into it.
36:17
Music
[Oak City Slums]