Exclusive Interview: Getting to Know Audio Push

Towards the end of March, Audio Push dropped their latest mixtape, Truth Be Told. The Inland Empire (IE) duo, who first came into the industry with “Teach Me How to Jerk“ in 2009, are a bit older and are trying to move past the stigmas of one-hit dance rappers. With a new record deal in the works, the two took the time out to talk with RESPECT. about their latest project, their close relationship with Hit-Boy and what they hope to accomplish in the coming years.

How’d you guys first link up?

Price Tag: Well, we’ve known each other since I was 12. He was 13. We met in middle school playing basketball and then we found out both of us rapped and both danced at the same time. It just clicked. We’ve been thuggin ever since.

Did you guys go to the same high school?

Oktane: Same middle school, and we were just both bouncing around high schools. We still kicked it throughout high school.

You guys are from Inland Empire, Ca. What is that like?

Price Tag: It’s more of like a valley feel. It’s just got its own culture, it’s huge. There’s Paid Dues and Coachella and shit. Those things are out in the IE. It’s dope. Parties, chicks…it’s Cali, you just gotta come.

Are there any other artists in the hip-hop scene that are from there?

Oktane: The biggest people putting on for IE are Hit-Boy and T. Mills.

Now, you guys’ name was originally PUSH. Where did that come from?

Price Tag: It stood for Pray Until Something Happens. When we were about to do our deal with Interscope in ’08 or ’07, everyone was going nuts and they were like, “One thing, though, you guys gotta change your name.” I didn’t know at the time that we didn’t have a name. We had a record called “Audio Kiss.” And our producer said, “what do you think about Audio Push?” And were like, “it’s dope.” We just ran with it.

What didn’t they like about PUSH?

Oktane: It was already copy-written from some other foundation or something. We would have to spend some crazy amount of money for us to buy it out.

Could you talk about the deal with Interscope and how that ended up happening?

Price Tag: The power of the Internet. There was a time were our local radio stations were poppin’. We were performing and doing shows with radio stations and stuff like that. And we did this one high school show where the radio station from out where we stay, came and went crazy. They started playing the record on the radio which flared up the labels. And that’s what put the bidding war on us.

What’s it like to be pursued like that?

Price Tag: It was dope, man. It was exciting, but it’s really not cut up to be like what it is, if you don’t have the work ethic. If you ain’t getting it on your own, then a lot of people will get fired or get dropped the second they get signed and stop working. That’s not the case with us, we’re always working. It was dope, but we had to part ways [with Interscope].

Oktane: We were on Interscope and were signed to a production company there. The deal was going through with production company. And we had two records that were getting 300 spins a week on radio and we still didn’t get that push that we needed. So our manager made the move to where we get off without no overrides on the money and at the time we had left our production company. Now that we did the deal with Hit-Boy, now it’s like getting resurfaced. So there’s a new major situation coming up.

So you guys are with Hit-Boy exclusively for now?

Both: Yeah.

Do you have any idea about the timeline?

Price Tag: Well the deal is getting negotiated now.

Oh, so is that the reason why you guys are here in New York?

Price Tag: [Laughs] No. We’re going to eat with the team and gonna meet different people. It’s gonna be crazy, trust me.

How did you guys link up with Hit-Boy originally?

Oktane: Hit-Boy has known us ever since before we were even a group. I was one of the first people to ever rap over on a Hit-Boy beat. The first week he started making beats was the first week I met him. So he’s known us since we were way young. And he as the person who actually suggested that we be a group. So it made all the sense in the world when the situations were right. We had to make it happen.

Now Price Tag – you said, “[since] when did doing a dance make you ineligible to rap?” Do you guys feel like you have to prove yourselves, now that you’re back on the scene and you’re trying to say that you’re not only dance rappers?

Price Tag: I feel like we had to work out to get out of the whole Jerkin’ phase and being trapped in that movement. But as far as having to work harder – we all have to work harder to make a stamp. Getting out of the whole Jerkin’ thing and people who are trying to trap us in a box, as we go and do more projects, they’re seeing that we really rap. We really do this. But we still dance, that’s what we do, that’s what we love to do.

How much criticism/backlash have you guys gotten relating to people not wanting to listen to your records because “they’re those Jerkin’ dudes”?

Price Tag: Plenty. There’s plenty of retarded people on Earth. But there’s people who aren’t messing with us for what we did five years ago and that song. But the people who are pressing play aren’t complaining. We’re at 150%. Every person that’s heard our new stuff say that it’s greatness.

What would you say you guys have learned since you signed your own official deal?

Oktane: Never stop working. Even when you think of stopping, you gotta have your next steps ready, because labels are only playing catch-up. They only gonna catch what’s already hot and take it to where you can’t. You gotta take it from 0 to 60. And they’re gonna take it from 60 to 100. That’s pretty much what we learned. You gotta keep working and build your own foundation. We’re always working. If you see something that’s 60 to 100 from us, then you better know that there’s probably four other things that are at 30, 40 and 50, about to go in.

For the new deal that’s in the works, are you guys are trying to look for something specific to change?

Price Tag: Everything’s changing. We’re making sure that we have more control and a team that really believes and wants to push it. There should be a real marketing push, a real radio buzz, real TV/broadcast budget and we’re trying to make sure that it all works out. The team is different anyways, so it’s a whole different situation.

Out of the handful of hip-hop duos that exist — Eric B. and Rakim, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, OutKast, Black Sheep, etc. — which would you say have influenced you the most?

Okatane: OutKast.

Price Tag: Hands down. OutKast is just so next level. They were just a stamp in quality music. They weren’t scared to make the music they wanted to make. OutKast is the best duo ever in life.

What gap would you say you fill in hip-hop?

Oktane: The young gap that people think is missing. They think that no young people have substance in music or how there’s only a few entertaining young people. We’re gonna be that group that’s most entertaining, and with the most substance. We’re gonna have the whole package. We’re gonna be the group that you can listen to in albums and mixtapes and then when an award show comes on, you can’t wait to see us perform because you know we’re gonna do something crazy.

How has the reception been for the latest mixtape?

Price Tag: We’ve been getting postings by websites and hipsters that we never messed with us before. It’s like they’re beginning to really respect the music, now. We’re still gradually growing, but that’s just love. We’ve been on all the sites that matter.

Has there been any foundation laid for the studio album yet?

Price Tag: Yeah. We’re gonna get creative and starting going on in and that as soon as possible. We’re just waiting for this deal to be fully finalized and we can make the big announcement. It should be around February, March….about this time next year.

Now, you guys write and produce outside of your own music?

Both: Yeah.

Could you go into details about what sounds you typically produce and write?

Oktane: I produce. I can do all the work, depending on which artist. I made this beat playing right now (“Wide Open”). It really depends on who the artist is and what they’re looking for. The production element is the easy part. Musically, we just got it. And writing is real easy. If I go into the studio with someone, it just starts off with “what do you wanna talk about?” And we just do it the best way I know how.

Does it come easy to you guys?

Oktane: Yeah, definitely. It’s music, and it’s what we love to do. So whether it’s writing, rapping, producing, whatever, all of it comes so easy because it’s our passion. From writing R&B records to straight hip-hop to alternative, we literally do it all.

Would you say you have an artist that you really wanna work with behind the boards?

Price Tag: Andree 300 for me.

Oktane: And Missy Elliot.

How would you guys describe your fans?

Oktane: Amazing.

Price Tag: it’s gonna be crazy when we tour and stuff. How Drake was like “them hipsters going to have to get along with them hood niggas,” that’s real. It’s gonna be hipsters, party-ers, ratchets…all in one show. The concert that we just did, we just sold out the Troubadour and it was filled with all that. Hip-hop heads, ratchet girls, beautiful, classy girls, hood dudes. We got the best fans, man.

What was it like when it got around the time where most people are going to college? Did you guys ever see yourself going to college?

Oktane: I got out of high school early, just so I could be done with school. I knew I wanted to do music. My whole senior year was basically getting my craft together so I could graduate and start fully working on music. And I had an extra year, so it’s like I had a year early to do what I wanted to do. So we just went hard on music.

J. Cole talked about how when his album dropped he was 27. And the same goes for Kanye and Jay-Z’s debut albums. Being that you’re super young, what do you guys hope to accomplish once you get to 27?

Price Tag: I’m 21 now. I need to be able to retire by 27. We’ve been working so hard.

Oktane: I wanna be working by choice. By choice because I want to, not because I have to. I need to be able to kick up my feet and say I’m done with this.