Artists, fans, and industry professionals – we all seep with the characteristics instilled within us by the place where we choose to call home. Whether it be regional or a much more narrow cultural infliction, each and every one of us posses influences that others do not bare. For HeRobust, it’s a rich understanding of southern rap music – trap muzik for clarification – and a background in rhythmic downtempo.
The 25 year old Atlanta native beasted, some would say “lorded”, the Norva in Norfolk, Va 10 days ago before Big Gigantic took the stage. The dance floor looked, and felt, like something out of 8 mile and the energy in the room was endearing for those who are regulars at the venue.
Hayden was kind enough to sit down and speak with us after his set. On the heels of a new EP totled ‘Busted House’ (featured at the end of this interview), he tells us about getting tracks on AdultSwim, his downtempo roots, and the real trap of Atlanta.
For the fans who aren’t familiar, can you begin by telling us a little about yourself?
My name is Hayden and I produce under the name heRobust. I’m from Atlanta. I’ve been doing dance music for like six months, producing as heRobust for about two years. I spent a long time doing downtempo, like Flying Lotus style shit and just recently started doing dance floor friendly stuff, when things just kind of took off.
What was the moment things just kind of came together for you. That moment that you were like “damn, this is for real now?”
Well, it never really seems like it’s for real. It really doesn’t. Like, to somebody, where I’m at is the dream. And to me, where Dom is at is the dream. (Dom held a bottle of Maker’s just feet away). To Dom, where Skrillex is at is the dream. It just never really feels like anything is realized in the moment. That’s everything, that’s just life dude.
Six months ago, what was your outlook as opposed to what your outlook is now?
I don’t really think music is something you do as a choice. It’s not a choice. You do it because you can’t stop, basically. I don’t think you retire from music. So, I’m just making music because I [naturally] have to. If it works…if I progress then that’s awesome. If it doesn’t [progress] that sucks but I still can’t stop. I’ve always done it. Since I was a kid I was producing.
If you could play one venue where would it be and why?
Man, I know this is stupid but I have to say Terminal West in Atlanta. That’s where I want to play [home crowd] because it’s been so long. It’s just like. Alright, Trap (simultaneously signs hand quotations)…triple quotations ok. Because that’s a ridiculous name. So people give this a name and everybody in Atlanta is like you’re basically bastardizing something that we love and grew up with. Not you personally, but maybe though.
So anyway, in Atlanta you can play the real trap shit. I can go and play Jeezy. There’s little OG ratchet tracks that nobody knows about, except people in Atlanta. When you play them there’s just so much endearment it’s just really cool. It makes me proud that I can play stuff like that in Atlanta.
So would you consider that fact a defining element for you as an artist?
It is to me because it’s in me just as much as it’s in them [Atlanta locals]. I just moved to Miami and somewhere down there a DJ is all about Rihanna house remixes and latin influence. Jokes aside, everybody has who they grew up with and what they love. And it’s awesome when you can play what you love to a crowd who loves what you love. For me that’s Terminal West in Atlanta for those people who are like fam now.
Not to say I progressed but I kind of progressed before I ever got to headline there. So now it’s just something that I feel like a lot of people are waiting for, myself included.
You’re 25 now. Looking back, what would you tell yourself at 18 considering where you are today?
Just be open to everything. Be open to all different kinds of music. Like I said, I’ve been doing heRobust for two years and for the first year and a half I was really closed minded. I was just like, downtempo, hip hop – you know underground hip hop scene. That’s music and everything else is like sellout bs. I wasn’t open to all of it. I did that for a year and a half and it was cool. Got to play with Flying Lotus at Low End Theory. That was a dream. I got some tracks on AdultSwim, that was also a dream. It was good, but really that music isn’t made for the live setting as much as these [dance] genres are. Once I actually realized that you can be creative with all these other genres and still be artistic was really when everything just got awesome.
Last question. Where did heRobust come from? What is the significance?
[Laughs] It means absolutely nothing. I just didn’t want people to be able to judge the name because they’ll do that. You know, I would do that. Just wanted it to be totally nonsensical so they have to hear the music. Judge the music because that’s what they should be doing.
Thanks for taking the time to sit down with us Hayden. Much appreciated.
Of course. Thanks for the support man.
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