With a catalog that just about resembles a mosaic, and a penchant for dressing the half, it doesn’t matter what that half could be, it may be onerous to anticipate Teezo Landing’s subsequent transfer.
Courtesy of the artist
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Courtesy of the artist
With a catalog that just about resembles a mosaic, and a penchant for dressing the half, it doesn’t matter what that half could be, it may be onerous to anticipate Teezo Landing’s subsequent transfer.
Courtesy of the artist
Earlier than birthing Teezo Landing in 2016, the Beaumont, TX rapper, singer-songwriter and producer Aaron Thomas underwent a few iterations — first, rapping as Aye Tee throughout his senior yr of highschool, after which as Teezo Suave a pair years later, when he started producing, writing and studying the way to shoot music movies himself. He is develop into a mysterious artist since, with so many personas it may be troublesome to evaluate what’s actual about him. In his newest incarnation, he first gained recognition for the best way he regarded: “Teezo Landing’s Nail Hair Is Taking Him To the High,” GQ proclaimed in 2021. However his sound is simply as style-forward and eclectic. The music he makes ranges from snap-era hip-hop to early ’00s pop-punk, a nod to a lifetime spent deejaying and sampling sounds, from humble beginnings taking part in native expertise exhibits in a trailer to hanging across the rapper Trippie Redd in L.A. Nonetheless, many are hung up on the best way he presents himself, most notably, with a head filled with nails and strapped into soccer shoulder pads. Teezo, for his half, is totally conscious of the dissonance his presence creates.
Since 2020, the rapper has garnered a cult-like following, largely due to the spectacle. His collection of self-released, wisecrack-filled singles — like “SUCKA!,” “Robust Buddy” and “Cautious” — have been paired with satirical skits of his alter-egos in entrance of a graffiti-adorned storage. In 2021, he landed on Tyler, The Creator’s Name Me If You Get Misplaced and later joined him on tour. He is solely ascended since, fulfilling the function of Finest Supporting Characteristic to a few of hip-hop’s brightest stars (showing lately on “Trendy Jam” from the Travis Scott album Utopia), all earlier than the discharge of his debut album, How Do You Sleep At Night time? With a catalog that just about resembles a mosaic, infused with sounds traversing genres, and a penchant for dressing the half, it doesn’t matter what that half could be, it may be onerous to anticipate his subsequent transfer.
Regardless of falling outdoors of many spectators’ expectations, Teezo’s 14-track debut is as charming as it’s unconventional. Although it cycles by means of a number of concepts and even mashes some collectively, How Do You Sleep At Night time? maintains a pop attraction that makes for a full of life hear. Drake referred to as it “a few of the greatest music ever,” reaffirming what a lot of his well-known buddies appear to consider. As I speak to him on the eve of the album’s launch, that hype has constructed to a fever pitch and is able to explode. In lieu of letting his thoughts wander down a boundless rabbit-hole of “what if’s?,” Teezo is attempting to remain current; in dialog we speak about debut album statement-making, studying to develop into a collaborator, and embracing the “vogue rapper” tag.
This interview has been edited for size and readability.
NPR: I feel probably the most spectacular issues about you is that no two Teezo songs or options sound alike.
Teezo Landing: I am seeing now, particularly after doing the Utopia factor, when individuals hear that, they’re like, “I wanna take heed to his different music,” and so they type of get let down when it is nothing like that. However I really feel like if I obtained into the studio and created this copy and paste factor that will be a disservice to myself and likewise the listener. I am so early on. I do not wish to discover a sound that works for me and keep it up for all times. I am at all times going to be a pupil. I am at all times going to be studying. And I feel this debut album type of offers me that freedom to develop and let the viewers enable me to nonetheless experiment.
It does appear that rock is essentially the most constant by means of line in your music. I am curious what attracts you to it.
I feel that is simply an extension of hip-hop. Ice-T had a quote that basically caught to me. I feel proper now he is the [only] artist who has a rap Grammy and likewise a metallic Grammy [nomination]. And Questlove requested him about rock, and he was like, “Rock is rap. MCs, we do not R&B the mic, we rock the mic.” Even in case you take a look at the punk scene, like this insurrection, I feel that is also in a relation to hip-hop. Hip-hop and rock are very tight knit. So I do not even actually separate them. Each exhibits have a pit now. They’re just about married.
Had been you deliberately channeling any artists whenever you have been creating this?
I used to be doing my analysis on debut albums—the Future’s Youngster album, Nelly’s album, Prince’s first album. Simply all of those individuals who have actually nice careers, simply seeing what was their first introduction to the world. Checked out Rick James. I checked out Phil Lynott. I positively did Bootsy Collins. Which, I am noticing they’re all bass gamers. However for Phil Lynott and Rick James, I actually love their penmanship. So far as R&B, there’s this Texas artist by the identify of Hyperlink, whose album is named Intercourse Down. I feel it is most likely my favourite R&B album of all-time.
Following pages like Afropunk, I used to be seeing In Dwelling Coloration, this Black rock band the place the entrance man mainly could possibly be a gospel singer if he wished; he could possibly be an R&B singer. That was the primary time I actually noticed this very potent instance of the factor that I am exploring proper now. They are saying you could have your entire life to make your first album. I am going all the best way again to after I was downloading the Billboard Sizzling 100 each weekend and DJing these weddings and graduations and seeing what songs get individuals on the dance ground, and what songs get them off. I used to be at my dad’s work occasion DJing, after all you could have the hits, so Fairly Ricky had “Grind on Me” and “[On the] Hotline,” however my dad obtained the albums each Tuesday, so I might take heed to the entire album and I am like, I actually like this tune, and would attempt to play it on the events and I might discover that songs that individuals do not know [they don’t dance to].
I bear in mind I went to a Trippie Redd present, and he is rocking, he is doing all the hits, rocking it, after which he performed the newer tune that had simply got here out, and the gang wasn’t as… I assume they have been simply processing it, however that is after I see like, oh, it does not matter who you might be, if they do not know the music but, it is only a pure factor that they are taking it in. The primary cease of the tour, Tyler, the Creator got here into the dressing room and mentioned, “If you exit right here persons are gonna simply be standing there and you, however do not take it within the incorrect manner. They’re simply processing you.”
You’ve got been on this enormous function run earlier than even dropping the album. How have these collaborative experiences impacted the best way you created?
What you are listening to is only a show of my humility and the way I am right here to serve. I do not go into these classes like, all proper, it is time to flip it to the Teezo Landing present. So, the very first thing I am asking is, “Yo, how can I assist? What do you hear from me?” Very first thing I say after I get out of the sales space is “How do you prefer it? Do you want me to alter something?” So I have not even zoomed out to even see — once they began placing just like the listing of the songs I did, I do not take a look at this like I am amassing these infinity stones. Each room I get into that is the identical degree of assist and showmanship that I wish to have.
Joseph Hill, the CEO of Not Match Society, the imprint that I am working with, was similar to, yo, it’s important to have enjoyable. I do know you wish to make it so dangerous, however one, have enjoyable, after which, additionally, be extra collaborative. Simply since you produce do not imply you gotta be everywhere in the board, selecting the sounds. When you’re at this degree, you are within the room with people who find themselves simply as gifted as you, so, allow them to shine and let that second occur. That was the shift after I turned far more collaborative and free.
The collaborations are so mild on the album ‘trigger I’ve this concern of asking for issues. I’ve this concern of calling these people who find themselves telling me like, yo, no matter, simply hit me. To me, they’re so large, I am nonetheless a fan. I have been a fan extra years than an artist.
You mentioned that you just have been in search of a life-changing second a few years in the past and that basically caught out to me. I am curious the place you are actually in that course of.
I used to at all times say, both the success or the failure, I would like it to be my fault. I used to have that basically dangerous on tour: “Yo, if the s**** goes down as we speak…” However I actually type of let that go as a result of I heard that this self-sabotaging, self-deprecating factor is type of such as you’re attempting to regulate your individual future. It is like attempting to beat your self to show your self proper or incorrect. So I heard that and it modified my life.
Do you’re feeling this album counters critics who name you a “vogue rapper”?
I might say they don’t seem to be incorrect. If you happen to take a look at my profession, I at all times say in case you ever see me outdoors of the nation, first thank God, then thank Marc Jacobs as a result of I obtained my passport by means of Marc Jacobs. My first tour, I used to be carrying all Telfar as a result of they have been very arms on serving to with my profession. The “I am Only a Fan” video — [Alyx designer] Matthew Williams is the rationale that we now have that out on this planet.
Coming from Beaumont, all I do know is Dillard’s, Macy’s, Ralph Lauren. I am a rustic boy on the finish of the day. I am studying this vogue factor in actual time and I am blessed and I am lucky. I will not let that be simply minimized as this very materialistic factor. After I first got here to L.A. in 2019, I solely got here with my laptop computer, a Hanes tank high and a few denims and I used to be carrying that daily till Trippie was like, “I do know you got here out right here with nothing, so if you wish to go up there and seize one thing” — and all I grabbed was equipment. So I am very, very appreciative of this stuff.
So far as the narrative, it is wonderful to be on the Pitchforks and Complexes, as a result of I’ve a love for one, music, two, movie, three, journalism, and 4, comedy. So to even be written about, I am grateful. I used to put in writing about myself on this journalist persona. So to even have these individuals have these opinions, I am tremendous grateful for that. It is a cool factor to type of throw stones at Teezo Landing, however I feel that’ll positively go as a result of after I posted “I Do not Assume U C Me,” I obtained like loopy quote tweets. We have been just like the quickest to get one million views, most likely off the negativity pushing it like that. However they thought that I used to be Isaiah Rusk. So I used to be like, they are not hating the particular person or the video. They’re simply attacking the identify.
I at all times say my interviews are for the subsequent one that’s developing to have the ability to take a look at and examine. You are going to undergo one, the method of nobody figuring out who you might be. And I might say to that, please do not be jaded. Please do not take it private. Give individuals time to seek out you. Then you are going to hit the extent of when individuals begin to uncover you and everybody’s loving you since you’re new, however when you begin to cross over to that larger market, you are going to get the individuals who simply do not perceive it. I feel when you see that, actually pat your self on the again since you’re breaking into that third step. And I really feel like that is the place I am at proper now. I will have extra on step 4 after I get there.
