NITTI - Bringing Rock To The Rave

NITTI is a genre-bending force in the electronic music world, also known for being one half of the Grammy-nominated duo SIDEPIECE, and is now making waves with his bold new project Alt Rave. After years of grinding in the studio and locking into his craft, he’s found his stride by merging his love for rock, metal, and electronic music into something entirely his own.

In this episode, Nitti shares how he went from church bands to headlining stages, the mindset that keeps him pushing boundaries, and why building the right team has been key to his success. We also dive into the creative freedom he’s found with Alt Rave and his vision for building a community that’s all about passion, quality, and authenticity. If you’re an artist or a fan of next-level music, you won’t want to miss this one.


Follow NITTI here:
https://www.instagram.com/nittimusic
https://www.tiktok.com/@nittimusicoff...

Follow Nik Cherwink here:
https://www.instagram.com/nikcherwink

And visit my site to join the mailing list or book a free coaching call:
https://www.nikcherwink.com

Episode Transcript

Ricky (00:00):
I think there's a mindset in setting yourself up and being

(00:02):
attractive and by attractive, Imean, characteristics and
qualities, like genuine, showingrespect, showing, hard work,
when I meet someone that's likethis, it's attractive in a
sense.
And it makes me want to workwith them.
So I would say that's the key

Nik (00:29):
What's up, everybody.
Welcome to the Headliner MindsetPodcast and Happy New Year.
This is the first episode of theyear, and I'm excited to be
back.
I took the month of December offfrom releasing episodes and took
a nice, much needed break.
Actually, really unplugged, hadsome really good downtime, some
really good family time.
I hope that you guys had achance to unplug and rest and

(00:51):
reset a little bit.
I'll But we're back baby 2025has officially begun so let's
fucking get it Now my guest forthis week is one half of the
Grammy nominated duo Sidepiece.
He's been doing incredibly wellwith that project.
Those guys are touring all overthe world producing huge hits
making incredible house musicHis solo project is something

(01:13):
i'm a huge fan of because if youknow me You know that i'm a big
metal head and he has beenbringing the worlds of metal and
emo music together withelectronic music It's created
this incredible brand called altrave where they've been starting
to throw parties in la And justis up to a lot of really cool
exciting stuff So I hope youenjoyed this episode.

(01:33):
Please be sure to follow orsubscribe if you haven't done so
yet.
We've got new episodes comingout every Monday.
Now without further ado, this isNitty.
what's up, brother?
Welcome to the show.
Stoked to have you here, man.

Ricky (01:45):
Yeah, dude, thanks for having me, man.
Absolutely.

Nik (01:47):
You know, I'd, uh, I'd Briefly met you, ran into you
once or twice backstage, atSidepiece Shows.
I did an awesome interview withyour manager, Corinne.
For anyone that hasn't checkedout that episode, if you guys
want to get a straight up justmasterclass on the music
business, go back and listen tothat episode.
Corinne is a fucking badass.

(02:07):
But you are You know, one halfof the duo side piece, which
we'll talk about.
But you guys just seem likeyou're fucking everywhere.
You guys have been to Austinalready, like a couple times,
multiple times, been able to seeyou out here.
But I just feel like every timeI am somewhere, I'm like, Oh,
you guys are playing here andyou guys are playing here.
Been all over the place.

Ricky (02:25):
Yeah, it's been a busy year, man.
Grateful.
Grateful for that.

Nik (02:29):
were saying you literally just flew back to LA, like just
this morning at five in themorning and are.
Just back at

Ricky (02:36):
Yeah.
Yeah, my, my, uh, my eyes aregiving it away.
But, no, I just had, like, anearly flight.
And, you know, I have to showsometimes you stay up so late
that it's like I had a littlemelatonin, right?
Fell asleep nice and early.
But then I ended up waking upat, like, 2 in the morning.
And had a flight at 7, so Ijust, like Bit went for a run
and then just got to theairport.
So I feel fine I just I know mybody's a little fatigued, but

(02:57):
you know, hey It comes with theuh territory.

Nik (03:01):
right?
Yeah.
Well, you know, before we diveinto all of that, I'm really
curious about, where this allstarted for you, right?
Like, when did you start makingmusic?
Tell me about, like, thebeginning of that journey.
What got you into it?
Let's start from there.
I want to hear a bit about yourstory.

Ricky (03:16):
Yeah, I think uh early on I was always uh picking up Like
a keyboard my dad had a littledinky like I don't even remember
what brand to be honest like oneof those things that I learned
like let it be by the beatlesand then Then a guitar just kind
of picked up every littleinstrument.
I I kind of settled on drumsThat was my favorite instrument
I talked to a lot of producersactually that are drummers for

(03:38):
some reason.
I feel like that's a big, a biginstrument that gets people in.

Nik (03:41):
that's where it started for me too, 10 years old, man, just
fuckin got my first set and wasoff to the races.

Ricky (03:47):
Yeah.
Drums is, we might've eventalked about that, but yeah, I
feel like a lot of people saythat when they make music, like
for some reason, there's a lotof drummers that end up
producing.
Cause I don't know what it is,but, um, yeah.
So eventually I grew up in thechurch and played.
Like in the church, kind of gotsome chops from that.
And then eventually, like,joined some bands.
And then I just got the wholeentrepreneurial side of it, I

(04:08):
guess I would say.
Where you just are like, youknow, I'm outworking, you know,
other people.
And it gets annoying to berelying on four other band
members, this and that.
And I was like, you know, I'mgoing to try producing.
Electronic music has always beensomething I like.
Seems like something I can tryand create.
And Yeah, that kind of just tookme down an entire, you know, the

(04:29):
last 15 years of my life prettymuch For better for worse, but
uh, yeah, I I think honestly anoverall key is just like I I I
always joke like i'm i'm prettysure I probably have some form
of adhd or autism where I canjust hyper focus like genuinely
I I probably you know could bediagnosed but I I use it as a

(04:50):
superpower, I guess and uh, Ican just hyper focus so I I feel
that with producing.
I mean, I guess at this pointalmost anything You know you
need to be good at In yourcareer, you probably need that
type of focus, but specificallyfor music production, that focus
kind of took me from justplaying instruments to like
releasing music, findingmanagers, you know, that, that's
kind of what the whole beginningwas of actually becoming a

(05:12):
producer.
DJ was once I stopped justmaking music and kind of like,
you know, focusing and honing inon sounds and stuff, that's when
it really started to be less ofa hobby and more of a career, I
guess I'd say.

Nik (05:25):
Yeah, when was that moment where you realized that you
really wanted to take itseriously and pursue it
professionally, more than justas a hobby?
Yeah,

Ricky (05:33):
So I dropped out of, uh, Um, it's a, it's a school in
Miami.
And um, I moved there just kindanot really knowing what I was
gonna major in.
Never even picked a major.
Did like, um, two or threesemesters.
And then I asked my parents, Iwas like, hey, like, we can
either spend, you know, 20grand.
On this stupid degree, orprobably more, I don't even

(05:56):
remember.
Like, that's how long it's beenthat I, I know nothing about
college anymore.
But, I think when I went, it wasabout somewhere it was gonna
equal that with the loans andwhatever.
And I was like, there's thisother program that's like 18 or
you know, whatever, however Isold them on it.
And I was like, yeah, it's 18,000, it's the Associates.
Or something with music and i'mnot just going in there thinking

(06:16):
like my degree will get mesomewhere I want to learn and
actually just pursue it.
I don't think it's just aboutthe degree with music I just
need to get in there and meetpeople blah blah and I Kind of
called it and it worked and itwasn't necessarily that the
school was like taught meeverything It's just that I met
somebody I work with till thisday.
Michael Sellers, he's he'spretty much my tour manager, but
he's part of my management teamas well Uh, but he travels me

(06:37):
all the time.
We used to like always jokearound like yeah One day we're
gonna tour and now look at us.
We're just like dead tired fromover touring So it's like it's
funny how like, you know Thatwas that moment where once I
went to that school and I tookit seriously and risked You
know, dropping out of school,that little bit of that moment,
you know, I'm sure you've had itwith doing, you know, something
in the industry where you haveto like quit something normal to

(06:59):
do something.
And that, I think when I tookthat risk, it taught me how to
risk, how to take risks and howto not be, you know, worried,
which granted, like everycreative is always like, how am
I going to, you know, there wasmany years after that where I
was still eating crackers aswell.
As my manager, Cheryl says,where it's like, we weren't, you
know, you know, There's even tothis day, like I tour all time

(07:19):
when we're blessed enough to besome of the, the people that get
paid well to do this.
And there's still times where,you know, you're like, Oh shit,
like I need to really lock in soI can make some money this year
because we spent a lot and, youknow, it's just overhead.
And Yeah.
so it's, it's just always likethat.
But yeah, that, I think going toschool solidified, I was like, I
have to do this for real.
Like I can't, I can't be, youknow, fucking around anymore.

Nik (07:42):
Yeah.
Where'd you go?
What school was that?

Ricky (07:44):
It's called SAE school of audio engineering.
Um, there's one in Miami, Ithink there's one in LA.
Probably New York.

Nik (07:51):
Yeah.
I've heard of them.
Um, I worked at icon for a longtime.
I was, uh, I

Ricky (07:55):
Oh, yeah, yeah.

Nik (07:56):
helped build icon for like seven years.
So that was like where I, yeah,I was there for a long time and
helped a lot with that program.
So I was, yeah, come from theeducation space, I guess you
could say in a way.

Ricky (08:07):
Yeah, it's so cool.
I know so many, you know, Imean, my, my, like, generation
age was, like, the company,Wooly, I remember my, my friend
Adair, like, a bunch of these,like, other dubstep kids coming
up.
They were, like, the second orthird class of, like, you know,
the Nightmares, The Jaws, right?
Yeah, the Couple waves.
I remember them.

Nik (08:25):
sure you know You talked about being really like locked
in with music production beingable to really sit down and
focus which um I honestly thinka lot of people kind of struggle
with and are challenged by youknow like when you're like much
would you say you wereproducing, in those days when
you were coming up?
Like, how many hours were youputting in on a daily or weekly

(08:46):
basis?

Ricky (08:48):
it was, it was a lot, man.
It's, like, I always tellpeople.
And I think some, you couldprobably attest to this, you
know, cause you're literally inthe scene too.
It's like, there's a point whereyou have to overdo it.
You have to really be that per,you know, if you want to, you
know, I watched like the ChrisBumstead stuff.
And he's like, I overdo my bodyand I know it's not good, but

(09:12):
I'm just doing it to win and doit.
And then when he comes off, he'slike, yeah, I know I'm not, this
isn't sustainable.
My body needs to rest now.
And it's like the same thingI've spent, you know, You know,
probably two to three years ofjust almost every day.
Like I didn't have a PlayStationback then.
I didn't, my studio didn't haveinternet in it.
Uh, there's just all thesethings that I secluded myself

(09:35):
and kind of isolated myself in away, just to get to the point
where I could then, you know, goout and people notice and then,
you know, now obviously I'm, I'mengaged and I, you know, I play
video games or, you know,whatever hobby I'm into cars.
And.
You know, I can play with Legosometimes, right?
But, you know, there was a pointwhere even more than, you know,

(09:57):
now that I was just every singlewaking hour that I could
possibly take, You know, I readGoggins.
I'm sure like, you know, a lotof people that are in
competitive spaces have, youknow, read people like that.
And I love when he says, he'slike, motivation is shit.
Cause.
You can be motivated and it'sjust, you know, that's like a
little band aid, but a true 10year process.

(10:21):
You would just understand thisis going to hurt and I'm going
to get through it and that'skind of where I've been a few
times and even actually rightnow recently.
I felt like I kind of reigniteda bit of that which is good
because I but I do think there'ssuch thing as burnout and you
know Taking time to hang outfriends and family and and relax
is is important but people don'tWe'll use that as excuse like

(10:43):
oh, I have to chill now.
It's like no, I I'll be honest Idid have a two to three year
period of maybe even longermaybe even four years to be
honest of like Almost no contacttype of shit.
Like I was just no girlfriend.
No this no that like maybe onceevery two weeks, I would hang
out with people

Nik (10:58):
Yeah.
I like to ask that questionbecause it's such a common story
that I see from artists that arereally at that level where
they're, you know, touring fulltime and, and like really at a
certain stage in their career islike they had to, Put in the
fucking time up front the energyup front when I think back to
The guys that I saw from iconthat killed it I remember, you

(11:20):
know mac jay being in there like10 hours a day Just like in the
corner on his laptop seeing jawsjust doing the same thing like
any of those guys It was likethis relentless obsession With
making music and learning how tomake music and and to be honest
I see a lot of people now that Ithink are kind of Skip that
step.
They're like, Oh, I've beenproducing for like a year or

(11:41):
two, kind of, you know, takingit, you know, seriously in
quotes.
And now I'm like, okay, how do Imake content and how do I get
myself out there?
And it's like, well, are youeven making good shit yet?
You know, and this is somethingI've, I've been really
reflecting on a lot.
It's just like, where's thequality of music in the first
place?
Like, do you actually havesomething that really is good,

(12:02):
you know, and, and, you know,making music, I think is
becoming.
Easier in a lot of ways, youknow, there's a lot of shit that
you can download and now we gotAI tools and things like that
coming out, but it's like, Ithink for In terms of mindset,
you know that for everyone thatI've seen everyone that I know
that really is out there That'sa full time artist that's
actually really killing it inthe game They had that same

(12:25):
phase where it was like two orthree years of like i'm locking
myself in the room and i'llfucking Come out when in in a
couple years when i'm done and Iwon't see you until then like so
I I just really want to yeahreally emphasize that man
because I don't think you get toskip that step.

Ricky (12:40):
It's hard because you get a lot of like instant
gratification.
I mean Even, even my era stillwas a little bit more instant
gratification than say CalvinHarris or, you know, the
Skrillex era where it's like,you know, it we essentially just
got faster and quicker and moveon from artists quicker and
faster so people can suckessentially and have one little

(13:02):
edit blow up and then theyforget the rest of the step
where it's like, oh shit toreally be Solidified in the
scene.
You can't just have one littleedit or one little remix

Nik (13:13):
Yeah, you actually have to be talented.

Ricky (13:15):
for sure you have to have talent, but I also, I think I
agree with more with what yousaid, where it's like, people
don't put that work and frontload enough to be able to ride
out there.
You know, if you want to be ableto coast eventually, and by
coast, I mean, you know,sometimes, like, I don't think
you can ever, well, we're pastthe days where it's like, Legacy
acts.
I don't I mean you have toabsolutely fucking blow To ever

(13:40):
coast again, like we're there'sjust too many people doing it
now Like I don't think thatexists or world.
It probably won't exist anymoreafter you know, whatever the
last 10 years before us Therewas not many legacy acts left.
So it takes even more I think ofyou know, even as a side piece
or as nitty I feel like we'realways reinventing.
We always have to stay hot Wealso have to stay on our toes.
Um, and it doesn't matter if youhave a You Big hit or you know,

(14:03):
you got to have fucking 10 hitsand then after those run out,
you got to do 10 more It's justreally a a crazy thing about the
amount of people we have thatare all talented now.
So

Nik (14:14):
yeah.
So earlier you mentioned havingkind of an entrepreneurial
mindset when it came tosplitting off from being in
bands, which is also such acommon story of like, I gotta
rely on four other people tomake music with me, and then I
discover that I can just do itall on my own, on a laptop,
right?
Did you also have a natural sortof entrepreneurial mindset when

(14:36):
it came to the business side ofbeing an artist, also?
Like, did you really have yoursights set on that?

Ricky (14:42):
i'm, not so much of a straight up like Entrepreneur, I
would say the work ethic iswhere I feel like an
entrepreneur.
I very much rely on my managersand uh, you know Team members
around me or people that I trustYou to handle and deal with
those things.
And I'm, I will say that is onething I'm probably the most

(15:05):
lucky in is that I've had a teamfrom the beginning and I've
never changed that team.
I have literally only addedpeople to the team.
Um, so I've just never had amoment where I'm like, this
person screwed me over and I hadto fire him.
I've just never had that.
And that saved a lot ofheadache.
Uh, so I'd say most of my luckto be completely honest has come
from having good people aroundme.

(15:26):
Um, I mean, in my.
Eyes I viewed kind of I'm I'mmore of a believer So I always
feel like the more that I kindof like surrender like God it
presents me with those The rightpeople or at least presents me
with my own you know mentalfortitude to be you know able to
selectively be like yes, this isthe right person and Um, I think

(15:47):
that's a big big piece of itthat point is just so important
to me about like You know thatis a piece or I do feel bad a
lot of people where it's likebuilding teams because someone
wants to get a Get rich quickscheme and a label offer and
this and that um that I youknow, I mean that's almost you
know Just as important 50besides my musical talent.

(16:09):
That really is the other 50right?
There's the squad the team

Nik (16:12):
And that is part of being an entrepreneur, though, as
well.
Like, NITI is your business atthe end of the day, right?
You do choose who are the peoplethat are working for, you know,
your company, in a sense.
And that's something I'm stilltrying to learn, is like, yeah,
how to, you know, Collaborateand delegate and, you know, pass
stuff off to other people.
Surround yourself with the, withthe right people, you know,

(16:33):
understand that like, I might bepaying this person and, and
investing, you know, money here,but we're going to make more
money if I do that.
I think that's, that's, that'sthe stage of entrepreneurship
for a lot of people.
That's hard of like, all right,I'm going to start.
You know, as they say, you gottaspend money to make money.
Like, I'm still kind ofresistant to that.
I'm like, ooh, I know I need tobe hiring people to do this
shit, but I'm just gonna grindthrough and do it myself when

(16:55):
really, at the end of the day,it's probably way more worth it
to, yeah, start hiring otherpeople.
So,

Ricky (17:00):
Yeah.
No, that, that, type ofleadership.
That's one thing I think I'vegotten learned from is even
though I might not be the onethat's the best with, say, the
physical business and actuallychoosing exactly, you know,
certain business moves is that Ithink like when you're The head
of something or the, you know,the, the artist yourself, like

(17:23):
there's a type of leadershipthat It takes and I think a lot
of times I find it being a loteasier to have a nice balance of
I want to use the word likeSurrender necessarily, but like
when you're able to Show yourown team that you're like, hey,
like i'm not here to boss youaround I'm here to lead and a

(17:44):
lot of The best leaders, youknow, I think lead with the form
of, you know, I'm here doing itwith you and, and it doesn't
take away from delegating andoffering up, but it's like,
there's a piece of it where Ifind getting more respect and
more, appreciation from peoplebe like, wow, he went like, you
know, so I feel like my wholeteam does is where we'll like do

(18:05):
other people's jobs just becausewe know the person's busy and,
you know, say I have to, youknow, obviously I have a set to
prepare and this and that andwhatever, but.
If I can book the peer space totake it off my tms hands or vice
versa if he can actually Load myusb for me, which is technically
my job We're just kind ofwashing each other's hands when
one person's, you know, pantsare down in a sense So it's like

(18:26):
to me that has always Come backto help me the most is when i'm
like us I have a team that willgo above and beyond because I
think they see that I also goabove and beyond and it's like
Very much in you know an equaleffort.

Nik (18:40):
yeah.
I just love that idea of, youknow, something I've been, you
know, Reflecting on a lotlately, just in my own life is
just the idea of playing team,right?
When you have somebody and otherpeople that you're working with,
it's like the goal is for theteam to win.
And so we're all going to dowhatever we possibly can, you
know, by any means necessary tomake sure that That we all win

(19:02):
together.
Um, and, and sometimes we canlose sight of that, you know?
So it's like, especially in, youknow, in like relationships.
Like I always come back to that.
It's just like, Hey, like we're,we're on the same team.
We're having a challenge rightnow.
All right.
It's, it's, it's me and youversus the challenge, you know,
like we're, we're, we're playingteam here.

Ricky (19:18):
it's a relationship, man.
It's legit.
Like, it's, it's interesting.
And then when you get closer,you become like family and then
that has its own issues.
But to me, there's a lot of alot of value in building it a
way where you can have both.
And, you know, I've learned theother way to where you don't
want to get, you never want thatto mess up with the business or

(19:39):
get too deep in there.
So, you know, there's, there'sbalances, but yeah, it's

Nik (19:42):
So let me ask you this because I think there's a lot of
artists out there that aretrying to find their manager,
maybe calling in a manager.
Wanting to build a team.
Were you already having success?
And I know that that's a veryloose term.
Um, before you found yourmanager, like, what was going on

(20:03):
in your career at that time?
And when did you start to kindof see success?

Ricky (20:09):
The last answer kind of also answers this in a sense of
where I feel that I, Idefinitely wasn't popping off in
any way.
I don't even think the music Iwas making was too, uh,
incredible at all.
I wasn't, I haven't, you know,I've done placements for other
artists and it was, it was evenbefore this where I found my
first manager, Cheryl.
And I think it was more of anattitude thing where I think she

(20:30):
just felt or saw in me.
And we kind of saw in eachother, we're like, Oh, this is
someone that will literally makethis work.
There's no option, but we willwork hard enough to make this
work.
And that attitude is what Ithink was valuable.
And even then when we keptbuilding and, and my other
manager, Paul, and then Corinneand Mike and all these other

(20:50):
people on my team, and even mylawyers, my attorneys, like
pretty much every single one hasbeen, I think from attracting
it, not like Like we have timesometimes where we go and we
find, but honestly, like evenhow I found my, my, uh, my
photographer videographer, thatI've been working with the last
like year or two, it's the samething.

(21:11):
It's always been like, I playeda random show, saw him.
He was like, yo, that clip wassick.
I sent to you.
And I saw his work and I waslike, this is dope.
I'm attracted to what you have.
And it was just this like equalthing.
And I've never, I mean, I don'tjust call it lucky though.
I think there's a mindset insetting yourself up and being
attractive and by attractive,you know what I mean?

(21:31):
I mean, characteristics andqualities, like genuine, you
know, showing respect, showing,uh, hard work, showing that, you
know, you're not a psycho or adiva or whatever these, you
know, artist things, or, youknow, even something as simple
as like drinking too muchaddicted to drugs.
Like I mean that with nojudgment.
I, I drank a lot in my careerand I just stopped and it's

(21:52):
like, I, I've noticed thedifference personally where I'm
like, wow, this is even anotherthing I can say when I meet
someone that's like this, it'sattractive in a sense.
And it makes me want to workwith them.
So I would say that's the key ismake yourself.
You know, it's kind of a lifelesson at this point, but it
really works for for musicindustry people because when you
attract The people that aregetting lit and you were lit

(22:13):
when you met them What happenswhen you guys are sober you get
i'm saying like i'm scared ofwaking up the next day and this
guy was like Okay, I don'treally know what i'm doing But I
was on super high on whateverand now I was excited but it's
like, you know, not that yougranted you can 100 Do whatever
you want and I know people thathave fun and they can work hard.
So it's really not even a Ijust, I think a lot of people

(22:37):
present themselves a certain wayand they attract what they
present, but they're notrealizing how they're presenting
themselves.
And I've made myself, I feellike, attractive to the type of
people I wanted around me, andI've never had to change because
from the beginning, I was acertain way, hardworking, this,
that, and that, and then theywere all the same.
And I never had to, to secondguess myself.
I've never had to been like, Oh,I stole someone's manager.

(22:59):
Now, you know, it's kind of likea cheating thing where it's like
if you were the person that wasTaking the person from their
partner one of you is probablygoing to repeat that cycle So,
you know, it's like a lot ofmanagers I see where they're
like they steal an artist andthe artist ditches them or vice
versa the they're like Hey, i'mi'm even better than your artist
and then they go put all theireggs in the other person and
they just do this Switch offbecause of success and they see

(23:20):
all these stuff and like It canwork, it's just a lot of times I
see that stuff fall apartbecause of how you started and
how you attracted them in thefirst place, you know what I
mean,

Nik (23:29):
Totally.
Yeah, no, I love that idea of ofattracting rather than chasing.
You know, a lot of us arechasing.
I'm chasing the relationship.
I'm chasing the label.
I'm chasing, you know, theartist support or whatever.
And when you get So aligned withwho you are, you know Like we
are just to get woo wooeverybody that has been

(23:49):
listening to this show knows Iget fucking woo woo all the time
on here but like not even from awoo woo perspective from a from
a Scientific perspective we knowthat everything is energy,
right?
Like I literally am just made upof energy of a billions of atoms
and that energy is vibrating ata certain Frequency and like we
live energetically, you know Ina certain type of frequency and

(24:13):
that frequency attracts otherfrequencies that are on the same
frequency, right?
So if you're in a certainheadspace, if you're in a
certain energy, you're partyinga lot or whatever it may be
like, Hey, you're going toattract other people that are on
that same kind of tip, you know,but when you are also, uh,
Really grounded, reallyhardworking, you have those
qualities and thosecharacteristics, you got a good
fucking mindset, you're actuallyworking on yourself, taking care

(24:36):
of yourself, you're gonna seethose kind of people show up in
your life.
Almost just magically.
It's like, oh, where did thisperson come from?
Well, we're just magnets, andwe're going to pull things
towards us that are similar tous,

Ricky (24:48):
Yeah.
it's definitely naturalselection, I'd say, of that,
like that, that's, and what'sinteresting is you do want, you
know, both sides of it, likewhen we play, for instance, like
Side Piece, like we like housemusic to be a party on stage,
and, and when we post clips oflike, all of us partying on
stage, we do want to attractthat type of person, right?

(25:08):
But I might as an artist notwant to necessarily attract a
manager that's doing that that'sfine though It's just there's
sections for each type of placeyou're attracting because it's
like, you know I don't want tothrow people off like it's like
I only hang out with people It'slike no we do we have a great
time on stage, but Those peoplearen't necessarily managing us,
you know what I mean?
Those people are having fun.
They're good at having fun andthey probably go home and they

(25:29):
have their own job but that'stheir release versus my people
their release is elsewherebecause you know when they come
to a show it's usually Few andfar in between and we have a
great time But essentiallythey're still working for us the
rest of the time and that'swhere I think People get mixed
up with like, oh I go to showsand I'm gonna connect and I'm
like just pick it Either partythat night or connect that

(25:50):
night, you know what I mean?
Mixing them sometimes isdifficult and it's a You know, I
think, uh, someone I think haslike kind of mentored me away in
a way because I've, I've alwayshad a publishing deal with him
is Diplo.
And he's like, you know, amaster at, you know, slipping in
and out of, cultures and crowdsin, in a, in a genuine way.
And then also not getting caughtup by just getting, you know,

(26:11):
lit with people.
And it's like, there's, there'sa lot of different ways I've
seen, you know, maybe even likea David Guetta or a Tiesto where
like they're older and they knowover time, they're like.
To me, they know that it's like,yeah, it's important to really
be a part of the fun and havefun, but not get sucked into the
fun.
You know what I mean?
It's like there is two sides asan artist or a manager where

(26:31):
it's like, yeah, I'm not sayingnot to have fun, but you know, a
lot of these guys that have donewell for a long time found their
balance.

Nik (26:38):
Yeah, you gotta, you gotta know yourself, you know?
You gotta know yourself andwhere you're at.
I'm the kind of person whereit's like, if I'm partying, I'm
partying, and I'm just gonna bea fucking mess.
And it's like, I'm gonna, I'mgonna be lost in that.
So I'm just like, okay, I know,

Ricky (26:49):
but then you don't go try and do official business while
you're like that, which is,that's what I'm trying to

Nik (26:53):
yeah, totally, totally.
I think it's important to haveyour nights out, you know what I
mean?
Like, you still gotta have fun,whatever that may be, whatever
that looks like for you, youknow?
But it's, it's, there is adifference.
And I remember I got tore up onfucking threads for literally
saying this a while back.
Where I was just like, you gottamake that decision, especially
as an artist.
Again, I've talked to so many ofthem where I'm like, You're

(27:16):
saying you want this dream, butlike you're still going to every
festival and getting fucked upand spending all your money like
still being like a raver, youknow, and it's like, I don't
ever want anyone to lose touchwith that culture.
You should still go have fun,but you also got to get serious.
You know, it took you those twoor three years of making music
every single fucking day toactually like get in and get to

(27:38):
that place, where you are onstage rather than in the crowd.
There's a level of.
Relentless dedication that ittakes and I think a lot of
people are actually kind ofkidding themselves of how
seriously they're taking itEspecially if you're you know,
just going out and partyingevery weekend I think it's great
to go go out every weekend Butlike when you go out shake some
fucking hands meet the promotermeet the talent book You're like

(27:59):
network with the right people,you know and find you know, find
that balance.
It's not it's not black andwhite It's not all or nothing,
but I've met, more than enoughpeople that are Caught up kind
of in the partying scene andLike, not being honest with
themselves about it,

Ricky (28:15):
Yeah, that's really the key I mean you can slot into the
two sides of you know The guythat really enjoys partying and
they have to try put some effortin to be a little bit less and
then there's people I I leanedmore towards the other side.
We're actually really enjoyingmy time at home.
I love my studio I love makingmusic.
I like video games.
I like going on walks Um, youknow when I'm at home but I have

(28:36):
to also make an effort to besocial and like Obviously on
stage, it's really easy for meto have fun.
That's never a problem.
But, you know, say again,bringing up Diplo.
He's really good.
This is like that dude will justgo to any and everyone's party.
And, you know, he invited me tolike Madonna show one time just
cause he enjoys the music.
And I'm like, I really learned.
I was like, you know, it isimportant just to get out there

(28:57):
and experience other people'sthings and not live in your own
little touring world.
and that's where I've actuallyhad to come from that side and,
and pull over into that.

Nik (29:05):
and that it brings up another issue too, which is, you
know, a lot of people lovemaking music and are like studio
people and like that is thething that they want to do the
most and there's this almostnatural idea that like, okay,
well, To make money then I alsogot to be a dj and tour the
world and like that's a wholedifferent fucking ball game As
you know, you're coming home at5 a.

(29:26):
m today on flights, you knowIt's just like that lifestyle
actually isn't for everybody andnot everybody really wants to be
in clubs all the time too andit's important for people to
kind of get serious about likeWhat do you want your career as
a music producer to look like,you know, like djing and
producing music art?
Two separate things and, yeah,it might be that like, you don't

(29:46):
necessarily want to be the one Ihave two, two buddies, good
friends of mine are, uh, in anAfro house project called and
friends.
And one of the guys just tours,he's the face of it.
And, and.
The other guy is like, he's nota ghost producer.
Like he literally is,

Ricky (30:02):
he's just a part

Nik (30:03):
he's a part of it.
He makes, he's, you know, he'sjust at home.
He's got a wife and a kid andhe's making all the music.
He's like, you go out, you tour,you know, we make money doing
that.
I'm, I'm home making music and,and it works out, you know, um,
it's a good, they just figuredout like what actually suits
their lifestyle and what theyboth want, you know,

Ricky (30:19):
That's advice I would, I would, I would fully stand
behind.
It's like if you can kind offind, honestly, what part of it
because now it's not as easy asused to be to just kind of We
talk about this in Psybeast allthe time because that's the
biggest team I'm a part ofbecause it's two, technically
two artists, two managementteams, two, you know, two of
everything because we joinedforces.

(30:40):
And we realize it's, uh, it'sbeen great though to finally
give everybody one job and dothat job really well because so
many people are just so good ateverything that they're niching.
That being the littlerenaissance man is just harder
than ever.
I'm not saying it's notpossible, but it's like, It
takes a Goggins like, unbeatableperson to succeed at that in

(31:03):
this day and age.
Because, most people are justlike, I'm going to be the best
at AfterHouse, I'm going to bethe best at this.
And like, you know, we realizethat, on my team, even just me
as like Niddy.
Like I, I started getting likeeven more and more niche, I
would say, just because I enjoyalternative rock and metal and,
and, and those types of sounds.
And I've always gravitatedtowards them the most.

(31:26):
We, we kind of all sat down.
I was like, Hey, if I'm beinghonest, like, this is what I
really feel I'm best at if I'min the group and we have to
admit what our strength and Iwas like, this is the one I love
the most and best at, and itmade it everything easier.
And now I'm just having, youknow, kind of a blast almost
doing.
Alt rave and and all these typesof Things that are just like

(31:46):
directly up my lane now thanever before because i've been so
kind of all over the place inthe past.
Um, which is also really fun tobe honest, but you know

Nik (31:55):
So let's talk about that because that, that's actually
really why.
I got really fucking pumped tohave you on because I am a huge
metal head and yeah, and then Ijust saw, you know, what you'd
been doing recently.
I'd seen you just kind ofpopping up and I was like, Oh,
this guy's doing some fuckingreally sick, metal electronic
hybrid stuff.
Um, so tell me a little bit moreabout that decision.

(32:18):
Cause that's kind of been morereally in like this last year or
so for you, right.
That you like, kind of reallystarted bringing in some of
those, metal influences and tellme about what that is.
Creative decision was all aboutfor you Yeah,

Ricky (32:31):
i'm just pulling it up like it's gonna be like crappy
quality, but I had this uh Ijust love how it was natural,
but I have this post where likeit's just You A Linkin Park
remix, right?
And like, you know, you caneventually show up, but let me
see.
It's at almost 10 million views,like 500, 000 likes, and not
that I care about likes at all,but it just kind of was this

(32:53):
sense of like, oh wow, there'san entire crowd of people, duh,
that love alternative rock andmetal.
And, granted, I don't even thinkI'm the first person to do it.
Keizo, Sullivan King, Murata,like there's so many dope people
doing it, right?
But just my personal version andstyle was always leaning a
little more towards the Newmetal or emo ish or alternative

(33:16):
whatever.
So that was what I felt for avery long time.
I was like, man I would love tojust Settle into that and after
I put that remix out then Ifollowed it up with like a
slipknot one And I think Iremember I I think we might have
talked about that one, too Ican't remember if the last time
we hung out that that was out ornot Probably not but there's a
couple like just follow ups.
I did and I was like, I waslike, you know what this feels

(33:38):
right?
Like let me really just kind oflike keep trying this and then
the more I um created my ownpersonal Nitty music modeled
after those remixes the betterthe response was and it just
like it just kind of set me freeLike I almost i'm so glad my
journey led me to be able toproduce You know a lot of

(33:59):
different types of music and Istill You know, like I said, my
publishing deal with Diplo isworking on whatever he's working
on and uh, if he's working onYou know, you brought up afro
house.
I worked with him on uh, MajorLazer and Major League DJs and
Major League DJs are like SouthAfrican it's even deeper than
Afro House.
It's like, uh, I'm a piano,which is like dopest, chillest

(34:23):
Afro House ever.
Like that's, to me, some of theroots, like the black coffee
and, and deeper.
And I, I, I mean deeper bysaying like, just, you know, a
little bit more, I think, intothat genre in a good way.
But it's like, Nitty would neverrelease that, right?
So it's always giving theseavenues, and I've been
distracted by them.
And that's just me beingblatantly honest that I, I, I

(34:43):
realize now getting older, I waslike, Oh.
It was an ego thing, you know,where because I could do it It
made me feel, uh, you know, itmade me feel, uh, wanted or
cool.
Whatever the, whatever it is.
It was feeding my ego where Iwas like, I know how to do this.
I'm competitive.
I can produce anything.
Right.
And once I stopped feeding it, Iwas kind of presented with like

(35:06):
opportunities, like the Lincolnpark remix or things that kind
of told me like, this was theright direction because as a
kid, like growing up, listeningto brand new, taking back
Sunday, census fail, uh, A Dayto Remember, Suicide Silence,
you know, All That Remains, justanything from Bring Me the
Horizon all the way up to, youknow, Coldplay, just still rock
and, and heavy, and, I don'tknow, there's just so many bands

(35:29):
where I just was like, man, howcan I turn these genres into,
you know, a DJ able thing, and Ijust did a party called Grave
Rave with the Emo Night guys,and, uh, you know, they were
also another big inspiration,where I saw them just like,
Really having fun up there andyou know, they've also moved
into also playing a good amountof electronic music But they
kind of just started playing emomusic He you know, he said he

(35:50):
misses the days where he wouldthey would literally just drop
dj sets of emo songs They didn'treally care about edits and this
like that, which I think is socool for them And you know now
he's able to do both because youknow, there's a future of
there's a genuine future fordjing alternative metal or rock
With electronic music now, andthat's kind of what I'm, I'm

(36:12):
just most excited about.
And also, you know, being ableto put my own voice on it and
sing and write the lyrics andplay the guitar and write the
drums.
It's just something where I getto do the entire thing again,
and collaborate with other rocksingers, people that can scream
like monster, you know, justthat has just always been
something I've wanted to workwith.
So Finally, I feel like whereI'm supposed to be with, uh,

(36:35):
With that kind of like, youknow, brutal honesty where i'm
like, yeah, I was definitelyjust doing stuff because I could
And I think a lot of people dothat and it's hard for them to
admit it I'm, just finally atthe point where I can admit it
and it makes it easier now nowi'm like, yep I did it.
No problem you can't it doesn'thurt me anymore because You
know, i'm sure I would beworried if people thought that
about me before and i'm like,no, it's not true I I just you

(36:57):
know, but Yeah.
it's true.
No problem.
I moved on

Nik (37:00):
Do you think that having so much success with the side piece
project has kind of granted youthat freedom to be a little bit
more experimental in yourpersonal project and take some
risks and stuff?

Ricky (37:12):
I think to be honest like what happened was that Out of
seemingly nowhere, you know, westill kind of worked on it for
two, two years before on mymind, to be honest, or maybe,
maybe a year and a half.
Um, so it's still seeminglyfast, but, the plan never really
was that it was going toovertake, The touring but

(37:33):
naturally it happened and itjust got bigger and bigger and
more and more fun for us that itactually saved I think in a way
save my nitty I won't say careerbecause like I could have made a
you know Once you do it, you canknow how to make money out of
it.
I wasn't really chasing thatanymore.
I was like, how do I save itfrom being another thing?

(37:55):
I'm not proud of, I guess.
And to me, Sidepiece kind of isa great indicator where it
really was so big.
It made me have to choose, ifI'm going to do this, I have to
love it.
And because I tour so much withSidepiece, when I do spend time,
uh, making Nitty and doing altrave stuff, I'm fully invested
in and in love with it.

(38:16):
And then I can easily drop itand go tour and side piece
because I'm not leaving behindsomething I'm so worried about
and like oh what genre oh, Ican't you know before it was
like overwhelming because of theamount of stress of You know
what genre what's popping now?
What's this?
What's that?
and you know Both of theprojects now are just a little
bit more timeless I would say ina sense where like i'm just not

(38:38):
worried about it moving changingor you know People keep being
like yeah rock is super hotright now.
I'm like, I don't Really care ifrock's coming back right now and
if it's hot for two years andthen it dips I'm not going
anywhere.
I'm i'm in it for a long haullike i've wanted to do this
forever So i'm fully committedto it.
So it's like whether it's hot ornot Same thing with side piece

(39:00):
like if people are like, ohFisher tech house was in 2018
and whatever.
It's like we don't care We lovehouse music for house music and
that evolves so it doesn't soundlike 2018 and we update our
sound and our things obviouslyto keep up but House music will
never go anywhere.
We love how like that'ssomething timeless to me And
that's what I feel like itfinally unlocked that for nitty

(39:20):
where I was like What's thattimeless feeling for me?
It's always been rock and metal.
Um, so it almost saved it I Iwould say even though it
overtook time and you knowtouring but it it helped
actually because it really putin perspective if i'm doing this
It's because I love it becauseif not, I wouldn't make time for

Nik (39:37):
Yeah, so it sounds like you were getting a little lost with
the nitty projects for a whileof just kind of trying to figure
out like, how do I make thisthing successful and put food on
the table with it?

Ricky (39:49):
Yeah, it's also, I would say I get really, that focus is,
you know, a double edged sword.
And if I really want to, and I,again, I really, I try my
hardest every day to get awayfrom my ego these days, but, so
when I say this, I don't mean inan arrogant way, but like, it's
a blessing and a curse that if Ireally put my mind to something,

(40:09):
I can usually make it work.
And that's hard, because, If I,like, you know, when I was, when
Tiktok first started, I was, Iremember I was one of the first
people to post like littleproducer Tiktoks where it's
like, hit the can and do this.
Like, I remember like Tiktok,like reposted me and then
everybody was like, hitting meup like, yo, what's Tiktok,
like, how did you do that?
You know, they were asking meall these questions.

(40:30):
Cause I like went viral and Iwas like, I just had these
homies help me.
And then I figured it out.
And it was just from then I justknew what to do, but that in
turn led down a whole notherpath of just because I figured
it out, it wasn't the rightstuff.
Few words now, five.
How I'm solidified and nitty.
I don't really chase thatVirality and those things and
it's just put into perspective.

(40:51):
I would say a lot of thosethings.
So yeah, it gets hard When you,you, know, as an entrepreneur,
I'm sure like Gary V could saythis where like, or people that
have multiple, styles that theycould do inside of a business.
They're like, yeah, he's like, Icould probably make a business
for selling a lights, you know,Christmas lights or something,
but he doesn't love it.
You know what I mean?
You see what I'm saying?
It's like, that kind of was mewith Tik TOK and music.

(41:13):
I was like, if I really want to,I could probably make some
crappy viral thing.
But I would be so unhappy withit.
To keep that up every day tomake crappy, you know what I
mean?
That's like, to me, that's notenjoyable for sure.
Someone else can do it and loveit, but it was like, I would
always come down and write rockmusic on my guitar.
And I was like, okay, this is,this settles it.
You know?

Nik (41:33):
Well, that's what I always say is the difference between
being a producer and being anartist is as a producer You
understand the math and scienceOf how to produce music, right?
It is just math and science.
And again, it's like now it'slike hey I can make music
there's a formula that you canplug in and there's certain
genres with certain tempos withcertain scales with certain you

(41:54):
know modalities or whatever andit really is an intellectual
process that if you're andthat's great like you need to be
a good producer That's why yougot to sit down for two or three
years and put in fucking 10hours a day and just like all
right I got to figure out theintellectual side of this but
being an artist is when you alsobring in your heart and your
soul and like I bring in my myfucking energy and My passion

(42:15):
and my self expression and andthat part that just lives Deeper
inside of me, right?
There's a real energy there thatI think it's kind of like it's
duality It's like the yin andyang when you can bring both of
those together is when you cancreate your best stuff you know,
I I recently had a kind of a bigbreakthrough around that because
I I have a online coachingprogram that I do for artists

(42:37):
and I've ran it for the lastyear and it's been rad built
such an incredible community forit.
And now I'm really motivated tojust make it better.
And I'm like, I want to takethis thing to the next level.
I want to like bring in, morecontent, more lessons and stuff.
And so I started working withchat GPT.
And I'm like, okay, here's myprogram.
Here's all the lessons.
Here's everything.
And, and chat GPT is amazing.

(42:58):
And we're sitting down andbreaking it down.
We could do these lessons andthese exercises and all this
stuff.
And after I was like, man,something's still missing.
It's just still missing.
And then I realized I'm like,oh, it was, it was taking the
heart and soul out of it for me,which for me, like my energy, my
vibe, my swag, the thing thatNick Cherwin can bring to the
world that nobody else can islike my sort of, you woo woo

(43:19):
side, uh, that likes to go deepand talk about, energy and
manifestation and all this shitthat like chat GPT was just
like, not fucking with it.
It was just like, okay, wellhere's like, here's your
marketing and here's yourbranding lessons.
And here's all this stuff.
And I was like, okay, cool.
I'm going to take a little bitof that.
But it needs to have thatfucking oomph.
It needs to have that, thatfeeling.
Right.
And so I think if we're tryingto really be artists, like we

(43:43):
gotta find that first and like,okay, cool.
Now, let me, now let me add themath and the science and like,
okay, you, like you said, youknow how to make money as an
artist.
Okay, cool.
I know how to, put out tracksand fucking play shows and do
all of that, but that can't bethe thing that we're leading
with.
The thing we gotta lead with islike, alright, what lights you
the fuck up?
Find that, follow that, alright?

(44:03):
And then we can build somestrategy around it.

Ricky (44:06):
Yeah.
A hundred percent.
I think it's like, Someone likea Porter Robinson, right?
When you listen to like world, Imean, even all his stuff, it's
not even like, Oh, old PorterRobinson.
No, pretty much all his music.
Flume is another good examplewhere it's electronic, but those
electronic sounds have heart andsoul.
Like it's a fucking instrument.
And that to me is like a cleardifference of.

(44:28):
You know, maybe some of mycrappier future bass remix
compared to Flume.
I'll admit it, you know, I don'teven have to bring anyone else
under the bus.
My crappy future bass remix ofsomething compared to a Flume or
a Porter Robinson track That'swhere I would say the difference
is there's a heart and soul ofwhat they put in to get The
sweat and tears of that synth orwhatever that weird something
they did that was even morecreative was the difference We

(44:51):
did all the same techniques.
I used a super saw some trapdrums, whatever The real
difference was that heart andsoul like you're talking about
and it's like a lot of peopleget frustrated When they learn
the little techniques And thenthey're like, why isn't it is so
dope and super cool.
And it's like, that's the onepart you can't teach.
It's the literally the one partyou cannot

Nik (45:11):
Well, I think that's cool with you getting into the metal
side of things where it's like,okay, like playing an actual
guitar, getting your hands onthe instrument, right, actually
singing.
Nobody can emulate your voice oryour lyrics, you know, like
that, that, that livemusicianship, I think always has
an advantage because there'sjust a different way of putting

(45:32):
your energy and your heart andsoul into it, which is
different.
Different than just sounddesigning a fucking serum sound
or something, you know

Ricky (45:39):
Yeah.
Yeah.
There's a lot, there's a lot offun to be, uh, to be had.
I mean, I'm, I'm working with anactual, uh, metal producer right
now who he's done so much, likejust bands that I like.
And he was like, Oh yeah, we canget this sounding like, Like the
bands that I produced, like, Idon't, I was like, yeah, I don't
want the drums to sound like anEDM guy.

(46:00):
I was like, I want to legitsound like both worlds are
perfect.
Like I'm really good atelectronic music, but I want
like, and my, it's not that mymetal or my rock is so bad, but
there's just a little level ofpolish that I have more on the
electronic.
And I was like, that's, I waslike, total was like, my goal is
not to like, I mean, you knowwhat I'm talking about?
As a real metal head, you couldhear when you hear like, you

(46:21):
know, Vi Arda's murder.
And then you hear a dubstepperson do that.
There's a difference and it justsounds a little crappier, a
little, you know, computerized alittle bit.
And my goal is like, I tired ofthat.
I was like, we have thetechnology and the talent today
for people to be like this withboth.
Like, that's kind of my goal isto like legitimately, when I

(46:42):
press play on the song, The rockpart slaps live and then the
drop slaps And it's not justlike a shitty edit.
Cause I'm like, I'm tired ofthat.
You know what I mean?
That's kind of where I've beenat, or like, I try to produce my
rock and band and vocal parts ashigh quality as my EDM dance
parts.
And I think that's, what's goingto win over a lot of you, you
hear, you know, cause you're,you're one of the people that

(47:04):
does dance and metal and it paysattention, but you see those old
heads that are like, you can'ttouch the original record and
granted.
I get where they're coming from.
I'm just trying to then do it sogood that they can't even say
anything You know what I meanwhere it's like I think
eventually it will get there Imean, there's some people you'll
never be able to change theirmind and I don't care but

Nik (47:21):
I love, I love, love, love, love hearing you say that,
because I've said this, a verysimilar thing many times, just
as a fan, I haven't yet seenanybody bring those sounds
sonically.
They've brought the stylestogether, but actually getting
the mix to really sit right, youknow, where it's like, it's got

(47:41):
that nice, like, Chunky metalside, you know, but it's it's
like it's either I'll hear stuffthat it's like Maybe a metal
verse into a dubstep drop It'slike this section is metal and
then this section is, you knowBass music or whatever or the
sounds are sitting on top ofeach other, but it just it just
no one's cracked the code yetMan, no one's cracked the code.

(48:03):
Yeah

Ricky (48:03):
i'm like Like balls deep and in this in the process right
now I'm, like that's why I wassaying i'm a little like fired
up again like back in the Studiolike trying to cook it up with
this uh with this guy who'shelping me mix it because like
that's personally what i'venoticed Where when I like the
edit the most it's when it's themost natural sounding so um, I

(48:25):
don't think i've necessarilyfully cracked it, but I that's
kind of my goal with the projectis to Fully merge them in a way
that it's just the highestquality ever.
Um, that's kind of my kind ofgoal.

Nik (48:36):
Good man.
Well, best of luck to you.
I hope that you crack the code.
We need it.
It's a, it's an exciting newspace, man.
Where do you, what are youseeing in it?
Like I've seen, you know, thisgenre being labeled rock tronic,
and electronic music.
Like it's still relativelyunderground.
I mean, you're in LA, you're ina cool place where there

(48:58):
actually is a little bit moreculture perhaps there, but like,
where do you see.
The state of this genre rightnow.
Cause to me it still seems likeit's very, very new and still
very emerging.

Ricky (49:12):
yeah, I think it just lacks a I mean, I kind of where
I'm trying to position myself isto be one of the like Pioneers
of it in a sense and granted Ijust 100 percent I'm not the
first to do it I won't be thelast so I don't want to be like,
yeah, i'm so pioneering No, Ijust mean a clear, you know
version and and that's why i'mtrying to do alt rave is because

(49:34):
similar to like the emo Nightguys and whatever it creates a
community and I don't want it tojust be about me.
I want to influence other peopleto do You Which is like, yo,
let's stop making crappy rockparts or crappy electronic parts
and let's like do this shit forreal.
There's absolutely no reason to,you know, I think that's what,

(49:55):
you know, house in certain,there's a part of house that
when it originated.
It was really shittily, you knowsped up or slowed down samples,
which is a fantastic, you knowI'm, not saying that those are
bad.
There's so many classics thathave that sound Um, so I don't
want to really take away from itnecessarily I just mean what

(50:15):
it's evolved into and cleaned upinto this nice really high
production quality That's whereyou end up with, really classic
dance hits and I think that's agreat thing to aim for I I I I
think some people get afraid ofit, you know, gentrifying it in
a sense or making it mainstreamor, you know,

Nik (50:31):
Yeah.

Ricky (50:31):
I've just been in and out of the industry so many times
on, I've been in underground andI've made pop and I've done
everything few and far betweenthat.
I just am like, no, I just don'teven care.
I just, if I like it, I like it.
So I guess I do want it to kindof be, you know, try and pioneer
it a little bit to be a littlemore mainstream, easier for
people to just like come to ashow and get it.

Nik (50:51):
You know what, though?
This is what's been missing, andI think you're doing it the
right way.
Is it, I think it's beenproducers collaborating with
artists, you know?
It's like, maybe there's like,the metal collab.
But it's like, the electronicproducer has been the one doing
all the production.
And then maybe they bring in Thesinger from the band or some get
some guitar parts, but I thinkit's gotta be that it's the

(51:12):
producers working with theproducers like who are the
actual engineers and the metalproducers not in the band, but
the guys behind the board thatare making that sound so dialed
in.
Those are the guys you reallygotta be working with.
So I think you're heading in theright direction.

Ricky (51:26):
that's i'm literally pretty much today like sending
stems of this, uh of this song Ihave to him for him to re
Produce some of it to like dialit in.
So i'm like this is actually myfirst Attempt at doing that
exact thing.
I'm sending it to a mixingproducer not a An artist
necessarily so.
you're you're spot on.

(51:46):
I mean, we'll see

Nik (51:47):
Tell me more about Alt Rave.
This is a, I saw you just threwa party and this is, this is
like a new brand that you'restarting.
Is there a label that's comingwith it?
What's the vision for Alt Rave?

Ricky (51:58):
It's so young that I don't really feel I guess the
word would be rushed anymore andmaybe the past me would have
been like honed in on like whoaRock's coming back.
I gotta splurge right now and gocrazy and catch the wave.
But the more i've like kind of Ikeep using the word surrender,

(52:18):
but I feel like the more i'vekind of just like Let be the
better the outcome has has beenso Yeah.
of course eventually I want tobe A label collective and an
event.
A hundred percent.
As it stands, I had like kind ofa private event just for the
homies and a few, you know, afew friends of friends, and it
was just a test of concept and Iwas like, damn, we could have

(52:41):
done it bigger.
And, we pulled it off so good.
I was like, shit, we literallycould have sold 250 tickets,
maybe 300 and, and packed thatplace out, but we kind of just.
Kept it safe, you know, wedidn't want to piss off the uh,
the owner of the pure space, youknow It was just like it all
around was nice tidy tidy thing.
So next time we do it.
I'm like, oh I want to scalethis Um, I kind of curated the

(53:02):
lineup with homies that i'veworked with this year.

Nik (53:05):
saw, I saw you had my boy High Society out

Ricky (53:08):
yeah, man,

Nik (53:09):
I think Micah Martin as well, right?
Yeah, dude.
Those guys, those guys are rad.
I saw High Society post uh onhis stories and he was like, he
was showing the party and thenhe was in a jail cell.
It was like, there was, it waslike, what was this?
Like an abandoned jailhouse?
You guys threw this party in

Ricky (53:27):
I've actually done a couple of music videos there.
Like COVID, uh, I went there anddid a music video when it was
just like, that was when it waseasy because nobody was booking
stuff and it was like, if youwent in with a mask, you could
shoot a video for super cheapbecause we were trying to
support and we were all tryingto like keep certain stuff
moving for people.
And I remember I was one oftheir like first customers.
So that was four years ago.

(53:48):
And then I kept, Seeing I waslike, wow, they're crushing it.
People keep booking it.
And then they remodeled and theyadded jail cell.
They added all these rooms.
So then I was like, Hey, like.
Can we test out like a 50 personevent?
Cause I didn't know how theywere going to take it.
And they're like, yeah, we'll,we'll figure it out.
No problem.
And I was like, I'm, I'm aprofessional.
Like I literally tour.
We'll have security.
We'll have people clean upeverything easy.

(54:10):
Um, we didn't sell alcohol.
It was like, you know, wedidn't, no liquor license.
We didn't do anything like tooofficial.
We just were like trying toprove to them.
And it went really well becausetheir spot is sick.
And everybody that was there, Ifeel like we all felt we were
like, Ooh, we could have likeeven gone crazier, but it was
like a safe bet to just kind oflike, Hey, let's just make this
family and friends.
But yeah, man, that's kind ofthe goal is like the event

(54:32):
community part of it is moreimportant.
And even if, yeah, I'm Niddy,the head of Altrave, I think
it's more of like Skrillex andAlcela, like all the other
people on Alcela are just ascool.
Granted Skrillex is the pioneerand the head honcho, whatever.
But like, How he acted and how,you know, Diplo to Matt Deeson,
they, they've always beenwanting to collaborate and

(54:54):
enjoying that collaboration andalso helping the other artists
develop and not just, you know,I think that's kind of a key
I've learned from like, from Wesand probably from seeing like
how Sonny did also where it'slike, they cared about what the
other artists were releasing.
And I mean that in a positiveway.
It wasn't just like, yeah, dowhatever you want.
I'll make money off of you.
It was like, Yo, let's allfucking do this the right way,

(55:15):
you know, and so that's kind ofwhat I view alt rave is like My
way to help influence ageneration to do this shit to
the best of our ability and notjust make half assed Rock metal
edits, you know what I mean?
That's what's making the crowdnot care because we're all half
assing it You know what I mean?
There's a reason why certaingenres of EDM blew up more in

(55:36):
certain time periods.
It's because those producerstook it more seriously and they
literally made the qualitybetter.
So if everybody keeps makingcrappy rock edits, it's never
going to move forward.
We literally need to treat thislike a fucking Grammy nominated
music.
Like we have to put that type ofcare into it.
You know what I mean?
So that's kind of my goal islike the craft part of it, where

(55:58):
it's like, yo, the, uh, Therock, metal, emo part of it,
plus the electronic part of it,are just all 10 out of 10, you
know what I mean?
I don't want any more garbageedits and half done bullshit,
you know what I mean?
That's kind of where, granted,I've done them too, so I'm
saying that like against myself,like I'm holding myself
accountable for sure.

Nik (56:16):
So rad, man.
It's such an exciting vision,and I'm really pumped that you
are putting the energy into it.
I definitely see you, yeah,leading, leading the charge and
creating the space, you know,for, I think, what, what, The
industry needs, there is a wholegeneration of guys like myself
that are fucking metalheads, asequally as we are ravers, and we

(56:39):
love both those worlds, andthere's still a lot of room for
growth there, so, um, yeah,really excited to see you,
leading the charge, and I lookforward to hearing what you do
with Alt Rave, man, that's gonnabe pretty rad.

Ricky (56:52):
thank you, man.
I appreciate you having

Nik (56:53):
hell Yeah, man.
Yeah, dude, thank you so muchfor hopping on.
I'm glad we got to connect andI'm stoked to see what you
create from here, dude.

Ricky (57:00):
All right, dude, appreciate you.