Nyck Caution Drops New EP 'Friend Of A Family'
Tracks like “Son of Vincenzo” and “Tell The Truth” are sure to be songs of the summer and each track was produced to be performed. In this chapter of life, Nyck is letting go of control a bit and letting himself be free to just create and you can definitely hear that in this EP.
In this exclusive interview with office, Nyck Caution talks about the process of creating, his favorite up and coming artists, and his future plans. Check it out below!
Tell me about “Friend Of The Family.”
So the album I did with an amazing producer, Charlie Heat, he produced on my last album, Anywhere But Here. He did the song me and Denzel Curry. Then after we came out with that, we were just talking, he sent me a bunch of beats, and I did a few of them right away. And then it just organically became like this group project. We already had three, four songs. So we made ten songs and called it a day.
You’ve come from a collaborative background with Pro Era. How did the development of Friend of the Family progress to becoming a joint project and how does it differ from past projects?
The only other joint full album I did, I was in like, the Pro Era or Beast Coast albums, which is like eight people— no seven people. I did Nyck at Knight with Kurt Knight, who's also a producer, but he's a rapper too. So, he made the beats, we made songs together, this one was just all these from a producer. And he's like, into the Italian theme too, he smokes cigars wear suits. So, that was just the theme of the whole stuff, you know, older, more mature and keeping that as like the theme of all the sounds. And he wasn't here, it would have been probably cooler if he was here. And we did it together. But he would just send stuff then I sent them back. And then I went to LA to like, do all the finishing touches. But it was great. I love working with one producer.
Your debut album “Anywhere But Here” was about your father’s passing and dealing with that, I know that helped a lot dealing with the same thing. When it comes to Friend of the Family how do you want your EP to make people feel?
So this one I would say, like, from before my last album, there was like a big gap between me dropping music. And that was for a bunch of reasons, you know, like labels stuff, other projects coming out. But now this is like a year removed from my last one. This one I just wanted to be more like it's not as like emotional, you know, I'm kind of out of that rut. So it's just like, good music. I think it's good raps, great production. And like somebody could just listen to like, you don't have to think too hard, just a good album.
You've been open about your grieving process. Friend of the Family feels much lighter in comparison to your last few projects, was this writing process kind of different for you especially after taking steps towards healing and taking care of your mental health?
I feel like I put everything into that last one, it was like four or five years worth of trauma. And even with that album, I didn't want it to be a full sad album. Like there were moments when I was reflecting and it would be like, "Would my dad like this song?" because he was involved in the whole process. With this one, I think I have a chip on my shoulder. I feel like I have something to prove or something more to show the world. Because for years, you sit on music, like a lot of rappers are similar to me where you just have so much music and then when it's time to drop something, you pick the best but you have all these other songs that never make it. With this album, I didn't want to overthink it. I trust my writing and my decision making and I just wanted to drop a full-length project that’s all good quality shit, you know? And That also comes with Charlie, having a great producer just makes it way easier because you don't have to overthink the if the beats are good? Does this beat match the sonics of the other be like they're all high-level beats. So just not overthinking it.
You’ve worked with your friend Meech before, went on tour with him, and now you have another song out with him on the EP, what’s the thought process like when you’re writing songs and then thinking about who would be a good feature?
It's tough because like, you go through different, you know, people, certain songs. I'll do a verse and a hook, and I just leave it open. And there are a few names I think of but Meech is one of the main ones. I think he is one of the best rappers of the last decade, at least he's one of my favorites. And there's not much of a process like I'll make the song, I’ll think of who would be good for it and I reach out to them and if it happens, it's great. If not, maybe I'll reach out to someone else. And then if no one is biting, I'll just do a second verse myself, because that happens too.
What do you think is the summer anthem for this project?
Probably "Son of Vincenzo", the one with Meech. I just did that video too so, the video should be out when this comes out. I think it's a really good one and I want to perform that song. I just want to perform again too.
Do you think you'll go on tour soon?
I mean, trying. I'm trying to set that up. That's another thing to go with the other stuff like in making this album. I was more mindful of like performance records, like, Anywhere But There was a really good album, but not everything is good for performances.
You worked with Charlie Heat for this project how did this relationship come about and how’s the energy between you two?
I met Charlie through Denzel Curry. That song, I had for like, four years the “Bad Day” song. Me and Charlie always kept in touch. He sent me records here and there but, I never met him. And then after that song came out, we were talking and he sent me like, eight beats. I did three or four of them. And then it was just a natural process. He said that we should maybe do a group tape. I was like, “Yeah, maybe maybe”. And then it just organically happened. We ended up having seven songs so, then I went back to LA to meet with him and finish everything. And then it was just an organic natural process of someone who has amazing beats.
What are some artists you’ve been listening to and becoming inspired by or influenced by lately?
It's crazy. Like now he's popping but I was fucking with Yeat for he's like a guilty pleasure. It's true. But I was on him for four months, and then he kind of just really stuck but and that's the funny thing too. Like, people will look at me as like a lyrical rapper like I don't like that type of music but, I like all types of music. Like I love Young Thug. I like all shit. And I don't know you just something about him. He's just I was just listening to him on the way here. That's funny. Yeah. I like that news. Like Kenny Mason. I like the song “Stick” him and JID, that song is crazy.
What does Friend of the Family mean to you?
It's nothing too deep. I mean, it's a production like he made the album. So he's a friend of the family. I brought him into the family.
What do you think about like state of rap in the New York rap scene right now with drill especially?
I've been dabbling and there's actually a drill. It's not a whole song but it's the second half of a song on the album and it has a drill part. But I like drill. I fuck with drill I think it's very New York. Now it's like because like I guess it came from Chicago then it became this whole UK grime drill thing. The New York drill is very signature with the accents and the way they talk but, I fuck with drill. I just feel like it's very oversaturated but the ones who do good, like, I want to walk around and I want to work out to drill. Drill is crazy. And I like all the sample drill stuff where they take like 2000 like early 2000 samples and flip them. Now the drill is like, I feel like drill was more of a feeling than anything like some people will get mad at them because they always say like, open his mouth that like and I get it but it's like a feeling it's like similar to like to eat like I'm not listening to you. For bars. It's like a feeling drill is like a feeling to me like a friend of the family, okay, it's called the title track.
What are some other projects that you’re working on?
I’ve been working on writing a show called Halfway House. It's funny because when Euphoria came out, it was not the same type of thing. But it's similar where the there are parts that really hit deep like, this girl Rue was having a fucking withdrawal and going crazy in her house but, then she's having fun riding her bike. So, I think those types of shows need to have both sides of it. So Halfway House, for people who don't know, it's when people get out of rehab, but they're not ready to go back to normal life. They put them in a halfway house, which is like, normal life with guidelines. And I think a show about following people that live in a halfway house and their recovery process, really rehabbing. From where I'm from a lot of people go to those places either go to halfway houses, they die or like some people actually recover. When you hear about someone going to a halfway house you think it's over you think they're like gonna be in a halfway house forever. But some people make it out and they live to have a way better life than they did before. So yeah, I have a loose script about it. I'm excited about it. I used to do acting before I even did music. Were you in theater growing up? Yeah, that's how I met Joey. We were both in theatre in college, I did a semester at Brooklyn College. I did take a film and acting class. If music didn't really pan out. I probably would have done something in film or acting.
