Tubbcity “Now Entering Tubb City” Interview

Rising artist, Tubb City is based out of Miami, FL.  Nearly two years ago he linked up with two Puerto Rican twin producers from New Jersey. The three had a natural chemistry and started making music in their studio called, “The Slop-Shop.” Naturally the brother producers adopted the name Twinz Beatz.  Tubb, which is a childhood nickname of the artist, then came up with his rap alias Tubb City.  Consolidating their talents they established a musical genre they like to call “Slop-Hop”. “We make relateable, beliveable, feel good music, that come from insane beats from the Twinz.” says Tubb City. “I’m not talking about killing because everybody is not a killa or drug-dealer. People wanna have fun now-bob there head, not fight in the club anymore.

Listen/Get: Tubbcity-Slop Shop

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How did the term Slop Hop come about?

 

Slop hop came about from the minds of the Twinz Beatz and me, myself Tubb City. When we started doing music we were in a area that didn’t seem to belong anywhere in Hip hop. We aint gangsta’s but we aint backpackers and we aint super lyrical so we decided to build our own highway instead of just making our own lane. There beats are insane and my style widespread because of my musical influences. So instead of sounding like a typical region of music whether it be the south or east coast or west we invented our own genre. Hip Hop with a Twinz Beatz influence and Tubb City flow. Cats in Miami don’t even think we from Miami we so out there.

Miami is a city well know for its diversity as far as culture & music, you came up with the sub genre slop hop, how diverse is slop shop when compared to “Traditional” Hip Hop?

Slop hop is kinda bringing back the old school theme about having fun, but the beats in slop hop are from Twinz Beatz and that means the beats are like from pluto or mars or something. Like no sound is off limits no pattern is off limits. no style of hook is off limits. With slop hop you might not like our style but I guarantee your going to bob your head. If you aint a got a Twinz Beat then why bother. Not every rapper can come into our studio and lay down a verse, you gotta be able to really flow to get into a Twinz beat. And yes we have our own studio, Rappers. Big shout out to my moms Lynne Boo.

When people look at the artist that have came out of FL the majority of them rap “Hard Core”, what type of artist out of the Sunshine state haven’t we been introduced to yet that don’t fit into that category?

I’m not saying that there aren’t any but in Florida there hasn’t really been a rapper to be considered as an up lifter of people. They also don’t consider us down here as lyrical. But we have all that because the way that cats rap down here the people understand them and there words are uplifting. Its just how you look at it. Florida has it all but the only thing they see is the hardcore cats. we get it in, in every category in hip hop we just aint getting our dues in certain areas. Big shout out to 730 starting five, Newbawn and Seba. Let them say Florida aint lyrical and I got a cat that lyricalize anybody. Seba the monster down here in the 3 0 fizzing. Big shout out to my brother Chu Chu.

 As an indie artist what is your everyday grind like?

Networking, networking, networking… Everybody trying to get in that door so you gotta develop good relationships with people so that when the time comes they can call you off the bench. And you gotta be ready to hit that shot. Just doing shows, promoting and going out to hear what the people like and throw that vibe into slop hop. And my first networking started with my man Izy at Sobe live on South Beach. He got me my first show and a couple more. He one of the biggest names on the beach. If you know somebody on the beach then that somebody knows Izy. Big shout to Izy, Udo, Shawn and Monica at Sobe Live. Any rap cat that’s been to Miami done been to Sobe live. That’s what I mean about good relationships. Then good people and they helped me alot. Big shout out to the Curtis Family

How hard is it to break you music in MIA, being that certain mainstream artist only work with a circle of people and don’t really let outsiders in?

Its hard to break your music anywhere. So you got two options. you try to get into one of those circles and make the situation work for you without getting ya money took. Or you build your own squad and gilly grind harder. Tubb City got Twinz Beatz and there stuff is ridic. Tubb City got my dawgs DJ M Dot from Artist related. M Dot co signs me. M Dot is signed under DJ Irie’s company. Got my dawgs Chris Jackson who used to be with Trackmasters and Death Row. Chris mind is sick with this music thing. And Tubb City got Izy who we already talked about. Ask around bout about Izy the silver back Gorilla. And yes Izy does have his own production and Management company so you cant who wanna get in the door of music holla at my man Izy at Sobe live. Big shout out to Rob Mitchell

Every since you started grinding with your music how many places have you performed at ?

The Twinz and Tubb City do a couple shows. We started out at Sobe Live on south beach because of who, yea you guessed it Izy. We was there a couple times. A club in the Coconut Grove, FL, called Oxygen. Big shout out to my gee chi’s in the grove. Purple City all day and all day the City is Purple. We opened up for the legendary Scarface. He rocked by his self no hype man or nothing. We done did shows in Tampa. We went to Wichita and opened for Devin the Dude. Fort Lauderdale and other places in Miami. We trying to get it in. If anybody needs us to perform get at me Tubbcity@yahoo.com or Myspace.com/tubbcity

Who are some of the producers and artist that you choose to work with & why?

I aint really out there searching to work with nobody right now. I’m not really hurting for a famous artist or producer to get Tubb City out. I’m good with my dawgs right now. Between Chris Jackson and Twinz beatz, we got a sqaud. We got 4 starters we just need one more so we have a starting five and we golden. And yes Rapper I can ball and the twinz can too. So anybody that wanna put they budget money up for a game to 15 we can get it in.

 When it comes to picking a producer do you look at someone who caters to your sound or do you listen to what instrumentals they have and see what you can do with it?

I choose, Twinz Beatz, Twinz Beatz, Twinz Beatz, Twinz Beatz. All day long. Slop hop is what it is……. Did I say I choose Twinz Beatz. Big shout out to my aunt Moopie may

Tubbcity, That’s somewhat a flamboyant name, how did you come up with it?

 

[Laughs] My natural nickname is Tubb, from when I was a kid, ladies don’t get it twisted. I’m in the gym check out my show pictures on myspace page. http://www.myspace.com/tubbcity And if you didn’t know I am “Ya Girls Favorite Rapper” Rappers. Well back to the question. My dawgs from New York whose name is Rock, He would come to town and when we would go ball he would always say in a real loud voice. TUBB CITY. So from that I became Tubb City “Ya Girls Favorite Rapper” The ladies love me and I love them back. Big shout out to Rock

A lot of people have hopes of getting in this industry but it don’t always work out the way that they would like, Even if you didn’t get a record deal would you still want to work in the music industry some way or form?

Mos Def. Before I was a rapper I always wrote. So my writing will never leave. I’m nice with the pen. So if anybody needs a ghostwriter or a hook holla at me. And no Rappers I wont tell your boys you aint write you own stuff. [Laughs] hit me tubbcity@yahoo.com That goes for male and female rappers or R&B singers too. We do it all. The Twinz is looking for new talent. You too can be apart of history and be one of the pioneers of Slop hop. Big shout to my people in Bossier City

Music is and evolution, forever evolving. What is it that Tubbcity can do to add to the evolution?

Tubb City is going to break the rules of music break stereotypes of music and perception of people and in the process the music is gonna be hot and change lives. Matter of fact go to I-tunes right now and get Tubb City new single with my man A-Game. The song is called “Its Hot” and while you there change your life and get the other single out called ” 40 Cal” The remix is on the way. Change your life people, get some Slop hop in ya life. And rappers change your life and get a Twinz Beat. Did I say big shout to my mama Lynne boo. VOTE FOR OBAMA

How often do you record, what is your writing process like?

There have been times we work daily and there have been time we work in spurts. We have our own studio so we work when ever the Slop Hop gods give us inspiration. And writing I write constanly. So if you wanna a hot album steal my phone. Your guaranteed gold rappers. Big shout out to Tubb City “Ya Girls Favorite Rapper” Ep out on I-tunes now. Change your life. And ladies hide my records from ya man cause he will get jealous then I’ll have to report him to the Tubbcityhatingthathisgirl-lovesme Police. Thats a real department [Laughs]

When was it that you discovered that you wanted to make music?

When the Twinz brain washed me to come to the studio and do this song. It was a remake to the song off of rocky. We cant release it because of copyrights and all that other bull. The Twinz started a worldwide battle using the beat. it got a huge response. Just go to youtube.com and put in sloppishizzle rocky battle. My dawgs surgeon general killed it. big shout to all them digital gangstas and youtube mafia members. My basically I was brain washed…. Tubb City on I-tunes

So far what has been your biggest struggle when it comes to getting out there, with music etc?

I would say people are scared of change and our music is an evolving of a genre. People are scared to put two Puerto Ricans and a unknown rapper on a stage in front of people cause they think the crowd wont relate to them. They’re scared to put music that is positive, has humor, and has good content on a radio because were not in a specific circle or genre. There scared to invest there money in something that sounds like nothing else because executives aren’t able to compare it to nothing. They would rather rent a thug and sell out a small club instead of looking at the big picture which is selling out a concert overseas. We have appeal. We have done something that has never been done before. With no promotion on I-tunes we’ve sold albums in Australia, England, China and Japan. That’s by word of mouth from people that don’t know us. So if they don’t know us that must mean I music is worth while world wide. Now you tell me were not marketable. The problem is that were different. But were are going to change hip hop for the good. Big Shout Out to my producers Twinz Beatz and Big shout out to Me, Myself, Tubb City “Ya Girls Favorite Rapper” Change ya life. Go to I-tunes now. And oh yea, to my mama Lynne boo, I love you.

 

Written By: Mikeya “O’sH” Pickett

 

 

~ by M.I.H on September 15, 2008.