I remember when I first aligned with the frequencies of J.I. Hudson. He’d been making music for a while, but I just happened upon his talent around the release of ‘Ip Man‘, a personal favorite. Akin to much of the music I prefer, propogated by the industry-surpassing beats provided by Alpha Douglas, Hudson was dropping bangers seemingly every month. His foot was on our necks, and I couldn’t get enough air just to tell him I fucked with the vision.
Hudson eventually eased up, and I did get to speak with him not too long after discovering his artistry. I continued to appreciate release after release, including the post-punk / hip-hop number, ‘Do You Mind‘. In retrospect, I shouldn’t be surprised at how Hudson’s style has shaped out, noting his dip into such a fusion of genres, and how well he executed, in my opinion.
In 2020, listeners witnessed the convergence of Hudson and his bud, Tim Perdoch, whose sound I was already familiar with from our college years. Together, Hudson and Perdoch conceived Letsgokiiid!, the amalgamation of that grungey hip-hop sound that Hudson offers, and a more soft-rock approach from Perdoch. Septermber 2020 brought the duo’s first (and only, thusfar) multi-track project together, “No Future”. I couldn’t have asked for a more refreshing sound at the time. Primarily listening to the radio could convince anyone that today’s mainstream, industry-backed artists are stuck in a loop of passing around the same sound that generates revenue. Hudson and Perdoch, individually, truly respect the craft of making music from the heart, and it showed on their inaugural collaborative project. When you give it a listen, you’ll know what I mean.
We are mid-way through 2022, and Hudson is in his bag again. On April 15, 2022, he released his latest EP, “Huddy Vol. 1” — four tracks that showcase just how far he’s come since his days of posting to SoundCloud, and evidence of his unparalleled sound.
You know how, sometimes, an artist proclaims an EP to be “Volume 1” of however many, then abandon the series completely? That’s not the case here. Hudson already has parts 2 and 3 on the counter waiting to be served. But nowadays, Hudson is strategically placing his sounds, syncing with the larger game being played.
At my slice of heaven in Brooklyn, I tapped in with Hudson while he’s based in Los Angeles via Zoom. We talk about each track on the album, the project in general, and I go under the hood to understand more about the current state of the mind behind “Huddy”.
TIME STAMPS
- 0:32 – J.I. in L.A.
- 2:53 – The Los Angeles Lifestyle
- 5:48 – Manifesting dreams in the City of Angels
- 7:23 – Refining his sound
- 10:44 – Hudson on relationships
- 12:43 – Influences in music-making
- 13:55 – Album? No thanks. Three EPs? Yes, Yes, Yes!
- 16:01 – Making Spotify work for him
- 18:24 – Organizing the styles of production
- 19:34 – Letsgokiiid! news and updates
- 21:48 – When in Los Angeles…
- 25:29 – Shoutout to the folks
- 27:40 – ‘Three Strikes’ music video in the works
By now, I’m sure you know what’s coming next, besides Hudson’s “Huddy Vol. 2”. Before you even think about riding the wave (or not, fuck it, be a fan), consider taking an evening to explore the days before Huddy. Hudson’s achieved so many different sounds before settling into his own, and it’s truly a marvel to experience. His SoundCloud is the key to the hidden gems, while his Spotify is the real money-maker. And don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube so you can catch his upcoming music videos. I shouldn’t even be telling you to follow him on Instagram, you know this. With that, it’s time for “Huddy”, honey.