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Favorite ThisETC!ETC! & The Trickaz talk 'Supa Hot Fire' out NOW on Firepower Records

Published: March 10, 2015

By: Irina Groushevaia

Today, two wildly diverse acts from the world of hip-hop and trap dropped a stunning collaboration. France's Tha Trickaz joined forces with LA mainstay ETC!ETC! for a thrilling joint, "Supa Hot Fire." The acts were kinda enough to give us the scoop behind this totally unique project that burst onto the scene today via Datsik's Firepower Records.

What is the backstory between Tha Trickaz and ETC!ETC! collaboration? How did you find each other?

ETC!ETC!: I met Pho from Tha Trickaz few years back when I toured with his other project, Dirtyphonics, as the opener. We always shared ideas and when he showed me his [Trickaz] project, I was into it. It wasn't until recently when I came to Paris to play a show that he came out and we really went into the making of the tune.

THA TRICKAZ: When we met ETC!ETC! that night in Paris, we were just getting out of a studio session with our good friend Apashe who played the same night. We just sat after ETC!ETC!'s set and invited him in our studio, but unfortunately his plane was a bit to early to consider another studio session. We all kept the idea and not even a week later we were sending each other files back and forth from Paris to LA! The vibe and the flow was definitely Supa Hot!

Pho, how do you differentiate your Dirtyphonics output from Tha Trickaz--do you try to keep the sounds as separate as possible?

Pho: I've never asked myself to keep the sounds as separate as possible simply because, while composing with different people, tracks comes naturally different. It's a little bit like jamming on guitar with different people; it's never gonna be the same and that's what's up! Dirtyphonics started from a DnB basis and Tha Trickaz was more in a hip-hop and samples philosophy at the beginning; more than ten years later, each one has its own path, even though both can be considered "bass music." After all, the only common thing is that for both of them there's no rules and that we don't wanna stick to one genre. 

What inspired you to create this "Frankenstein" of so many different sonic styles? 

ETC!ETC!: I think really we both wanted to make something that was "US" and brought something crazy to this genre. Keeping the balance between each others' elements and making the craziest tune we could make. That was our main goal.

THA TRICKAZ: The main inspiration for this track was to share and throw ideas that we don't usually do on our own and that's the cool thing about a collab! As soon as we started working on "Supa Hot Fire," we ended up head banging and dancing our own studio. It's a good sign!

Do you think about what fans want when you're in the studio, or do you stay true to your artistic vision and hope your fans get on board?

ETC!ETC!: There was a point where all I would do is worry if anyone would play my stuff--if it would go off in clubs, festivals. If fans would dig it. Then I got stuck for over half a year not being proud of what i was making. Then I just did what I hear in my head, and put all worries aside. Mainly because I started making music for me. Because it's what what I love; always have loved but I feel I got too lost into it. Got out of that funk recently and feels good to be back doing me: what I see and hear.

THA TRICKAZ: We could start to read and do what fans want of us, but it would be boring and too predictable for everyone! Our real artistic vision evolves after each track we make, and that's the exciting part!

ETC!ETC!: This track is about being in the moment - how you feel when you hear something you like, when you see something you like. I'm sure you know the feeling. When you taste something thats bomb, hear a sick ass song, and you're like "damn, that shit's fire. I think that's the feeling we had when we were making it--so wanted to give the feeling back.


Tags: DubstepHip HopTrap