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story by greg gagliardi

Gregory: I first wanted to talk about your project that I just listened to too Broken Kids Club. The first thing I took from it is that this is very vulnerable music. I'm wondering when you are making music in the emo genre, which is dark and deep the feelings people don't want broadcasted to the world what do you feel? What do you feel like when you release it? Do you get nervous or selfconscience that people are going to misinterpret your art?

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Craig: oh yeah, I was terrified man because it’s so vulnerable. I think my aggressive heavier music is my shell, it’s my protection, it’s my safe place, but going into making more vulnerable music and exploring a softer side I knew what it would be. I sense that a lot of people don’t want to feel those feelings. I don’t necessarily blame them. For some people those things don’t resonate, but a lot of responses from certain people have told me you released this because it brought up the emotions that I’ve been dissociating with from a long time, and I really needed to hear this. As much as it was for me it was a release for them. Gregory: That’s real and I say that because I was really fucking with it. It’s different when you feel music, I like to dance, that’s a different style of music. I had to sit down and think when I listened to “Broken Kids Club.”

Craig: Yeah man that’s what I wanted to do man.

Gregory: Well you did a hell of a job man. Is it an album, ep, mixtape, or project? I don’t know what things are called in hip-hop nowadays.

Craig: Yeah so, an album is typically I don’t know how many tracks, but an ep is an extended play. Back in the day originally an ep would revolve around a single, a remix of the song, and one other song. Then we have kind of grown to where, to me, less than 10 songs are an ep. Whenever I see more than 10 songs, I guess that could be considered an album.

Gregory: Today, with some of these albums, I get turned off when I see 17, 18, 19 songs. I want digestible music.

Craig: Absolutely and it is hard when we have been programmed through the media, and how music has changes over time it is so hard to sit through a 22 songs top to bottom and be taken on that journey. I feel like for my full length I’m shooting for 15-16 song with an intro, outro, and interlude that’s an album to me. Gregory: Let me ask you something, who would be your dream producer that no one would think you'd work with? cause when you dropped, I knew the sounds I’d get. I’d get that guitar, and those banging beats that make me want to burn my room down. Would you ever rap on a Kanye soulsample beat?

Q & A

Craig: Absolutely. I’ve just recently really been studying Kanye as a person and creative. I love his older work, “College Dropout”. I would totally be up for that. I really like to work with him and watch the creative process, it would do a lot.

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Gregory: Flying lotus?

Craig: Dude Flylo, Death Grips, I would love to watch a session of Death Grips, and definitely Kanye.

Gregory: That would be sick, I feel you. I would love to be a fly on the wall in a Flying Lotus, Death Grips session. I wouldn’t want to say anything, just study. I feel like that’s important for artists nowadays.

Craig: Exactly I wouldn’t want to interfere with the creative process. I just want to observe.

20212223Gregory: Absolutely my man. It is weird because I’ve heard your music and it is good. You’ve made music with some of the most talented people of our generation, but I still feel like there is a level of mystic to you, which isn’t bad like for instance where are you from?

Craig: I’m from Houston Texas. To the mystic and mysterious, it was intentional it wasn’t a marketing strategy. Over the past year, specifically every year before this past year I was making music with my friends and it was cool. I was making show money, traveling, I didn’t care to be known or want to be known to the masses I just wanted to have friends that felt the same way, and we did experience life and grown together. We would make music and it put it out. If People fucked with it cool, and if they didn’t cool. What changed a year ago was I took into consideration; I looked at the scale to see how many people I

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DM, or people coming to my shows and saying my music inspired and saved them and got them through tough times. Selfishly, I could be content with being comfortable, but so many people need me. They need the service I provide. I am going to intentionally make an attempt to grow and to expand my mind, and the place I've created for people to escape to as an artist.

Gregory: I feel that

Craig: For sure yeah it was a conscience thing. This is my first actual EP that I sat down and put together, dropping visuals there are no visuals out yet.

Gregory: In my opinion music video are just as popular as they were in the 90s, when artists were blowing up off videos. You need those videos to accompany an album are you coming with visuals?

Craig: Yeah, I have a visual for "Run It Back" that's going to be released before summer is over and “Cry Baby Cell 17." Both of those visuals are in the works, they are going to be out before summer is over. I believe that visuals are important for multiple reasons, people can put a face with a name, and it helps them consume the package as a whole. I feel like they can gravitate and feel closer to you when they realize you are a real person, not just an idea. I also feel that as an artist if you are trying to reach more people it's important to have a presence on YouTube because everybody and their mom knows about YouTube. Not everybody knows about Soundcloud.

Gregory: That's actually crazy because I've been on SoundCloud for such a long time, then I realized I'm one of the only people in my area on it.

Craig: A lot of people don't know about the SoundCloud culture where it started. Members Only, Suicide Boys, Pouya that whole culture that I've always been a part of. Gregory: Speaking of that culture have you ever had the chance to meet Bones?

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Craig: It's so crazy you mention that! We've spoken on the phone a few times So, he does exist?!

Craig: He does exist!

Gregory: I didn't believe that he was a real human. I've seen interviews, but I'm still like nope not him.

Craig: I think he prefers his privacy. He just loves to create and perform his music, and be there for his fans sonically and visually. I feel like that's as much as he wants to with the industry. That what I've learned from his music, he didn't want to be a part of the industry or the machine; he perceived it one way and its works for him. I feel like we don't see a lot of Bones because he doesn't want to be seen you what I mean?

Gregory: I'm so jealous of that I wish I would live that. He just makes incredible music. He won, he figured it out. So, speaking of all of that we were on Reddit. What is it like giving an AMA? For me, it was good because I was able to have all the questions concentrated into one spot. In my DM it's tough when people ask questions they will get mixed up. To have everything concentrated in one spot and be able to speak on things that people have been asking me for a while I felt really connected to my fans, and I want new people that are curious to be able to dive in. I gave full-length responses because I care. I care what they had to say. I genuinely wanted to engage with them. I've always been that way with my supporters.

Gregory: How hard is it to respond to every DM?

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Craig: Okay so here it is realized this 7 months ago: I was telling my fans to reach to me if they need someone to talk to. I sat down; I was at Mell's Diner in LA I was responded to every single person that DMed me. I spent 7 hours straight responding, and the only meal I had was at Mell’s. It is physically impossible for me to have a life and respond to everyone fairly, genuinely, and thoroughly and help them deal with what they are going through. I had a realization; I saw a common theme in my DMs and decided I'm going to make a song about it.So, if people tell me they feel alone, depressed, or anxious it is like well 10 out of the past 50 people that hit me have been talking about this, so then I’m going make a song about this. I can help all 10 of those people.

Gregory: I have a question about the SoundCloud scene. How much music is over made on the internet vs. how much is it in person?

Craig: For me there was one song that was made over the internet called “Unmasked” with Denzel Curry. Ski Mask wanted to me get on the song with him and Curry, this was like 3 years ago. I said I’ve never met him, I had never heard anything bad about him, I just didn’t know him. He was a much bigger artist then me at the time. I personally didn’t care. I’m very sensitive with who I work with. I feel the best music is created from an organic place. You know what I mean? Gregory: Absolutely.

Craig: I have a song with Skies and Gnar and that song was made by being in the same place at the same time, catching a vibe sharing ideas. “Run It Back” same thing with all those songs. Maybe 1% of my songs were made over the internet, I prefer to work in person.

Gregory: What is like being around Ski Mask and Lil Peep (Rest in Peace)?

Craig: I’d say Ski has always been fast paced, outgoing, and super goofy. Peep: I had to drag him out the house. Dude, he did not like sunlight. He was like I’m nope; I’m not going outside today. He would only go out if he was really feeling it. I remember one day I dragged him to the beach, he just loved to stay inside, create, and think. He didn’t see a reason to leave. He just wanted to make more music. He would think of new ways to manipulate his self-image, like dying or cutting his hair. He just loved to think inside and express how he felt. He didn’t leave the house much at all.

Gregory: I found out about you though him (Lil Peep) “California World” and that is my shit, who made that beat, it is insane?

Craig: Nedarb!!!

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Gregory: I don’t know if I say it in the past tense because in my mind (Lil Peep) he is still alive.

Craig: Absolutely it’s the same thing with X. I think the last time it hit was when I had a fleeting thought to facetime him and was just that, a fleeting thought. Or on day like June 18th when its all kind in your face and everybody is mourning together that’s when I feel it. Besides that, though I feel like he is still here.

2829Gregory: Something I’m learning is; I’m not getting sad over death. Because it is so sad, it is so fucking sad, so why am I going to feel sad? You make music, carry that legacy. Take what those guys started and run with it. Make sure that stuff eternal.

Craig: Absolutely because I remember when everything happened. I remember seeing how he (X) would react to me in the bed crying. He would tell me to get the fuck up, there is a lot work to be done. I remember him pushing me not wanting me to be sad. Someway with Peep and Ski. All these guys are great people. They motivate their friends to become the best version of themselves. With me knowing Peep and X, and how they were, I know that both would want me to celebrate their lives. Push through and grind and think about the good times. Neither one of them would want me to be sad.

Gregory: That’s a whole lot of facts right there. I saw this on the internet and wasn’t sure if it was correct, were you involved with Schemaposse did you found Schemaposse is that true or not?

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Craig: Yeah! I was in Schemaposse. J Grxxn and Ghostmane were the heads of Schemaposse when they recruited me and then I recruited Peep

Gregory: Holy shit I didn’t know that! Craig: Yeah! Overtime everyone kind of grew apart because some of us were straying away. Because we were all contrived to me one aesthetic and sound, because that’s were in were in life. Schemaposse days were dark. We didn’t have much. Our realities were very dark. As we began to get to better places in our lives different opportunities (tours) would arise. As friends we would never tell somebody don’t go on tour, Schemaposse until you die. So, everyone kind of gradually grew apart. They grew out of their cocoons and became butterflies. Everyone is very happy for everyone. Gregory: It is very nice that you have that appreciation for each other. you named some musicians who have serious talent.