Safeasfx Interview w/ Dastardly Kids

Origins & Formation

• Tell us the Dastardly Kids origin story. How did this project come together?

  
  

  -DK started 2008 in Ypsilanti, MI. Pat & Sonny met in HS gym class bonding over art and hip hop. The ghetto tech wave comes from the childhood love we each had for the music, hearing elder cousins and uncles bumping DJ Godfather and Assault. The new project is our take on the genre. Santana joined us a few years ago and fits right in with the eclectic vibes.

  
  

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• When did each of you start making music, and what first pulled you into it?

  
  

  -Sonny started rapping at the age of 8 (2000) and began producing and DJing at the age of 15 (2007). Pat began rapping and producing in HS (2007). Santana started rapping in 2018.

  
  
  
  

• How did Champagne Santana,  Sonny Dulphi and  Pat 2 Dope link up?

  
  

  -Sonny & Pat met in HS gym class bonding over South Park jokes and underground music. We met Santana later through our friends Hitech around 2019/2020.

  
  

  

• When did things start to really pop off for the 3 of you?

  
  

  - Things started really moving after we linked up with RAPRAVE out of NY. We had seen more of the world and how people are rocking with our sound and feel, and we’ve been pedal to the floor ever since. I’m happy to say we’re honestly still in the process of popping off. Excited to see where life and our talents take us.

  
  

SHOP SAFEASFX

Projects & World-Building

• Walk us through the creation of Delinquent—how did that album come together?

  
  

  

  
  

  -No sleep fasho. We had a month to make an album so Pat and Sonny charged up our Kamehameha wave of all the teenage era creativity we could muster and made Delinquent. It was a long time coming for sure. It was gonna have a lot of new eyes on us so we vibed out in Pat’s home studio and mixed until the sun came up.

• What inspired the Freak Tape Series, and how did you decide to expand it?

  
  

  -We had developed a relationship with the homies from Carhartt WIP and at the same time me and Pat were unlocking a whole new sound and Santana was joining the group proper, so we had all this new energy.

  
  

  

  
  

  We’re combining freak shit with comedy and lyricism and I think we ended up making something really special.

• For vol. 2 we had forged and sharpened these new dance music weapons. We had developed a new workflow, new synergy. So for vol 2 we just (In the weeds of Bruce Lee) kinda let the fist punch all by itself, and I really feel like we achieved very nice evolution off vol 1 that feels familiar but still like an adventure.

• Give us the backdrop to Dastard, Bloody Dastard—what era or mindset does it represent?

  
  

  -For Dastard Bloody Dastard(a lot of these recording were either from the same time as Delinquent or soon after its release), that was a continuation of Delinquent sonically , but a bit darker as Sonny & Pat had gotten the taste of the industry that slaps the taste out of one’s mouth. So Bloody Dastard has a bit more of an edge to it.

Collabs & Community

• Give us the lowdown on the Hit-Tech Detroit x Dastardly Kids connection.

  
  

  -Pat & Sonny have known King Milo since around 2011. Pat & Sonny met King Milo at one of the early early DK shows at the now defunct Launch skateshop in Ann Arbor. He really messed with our set and was just starting music himself and we all became fast friends and collaborators. Sonny and Milf Melly are blood cousins. Santana and Milo were housemates for quite a while. They’re our family in many ways long story short.

• How did you connect with Amadeezy, and what keeps that working relationship strong?

  
  

  -We linked with Amadezzy through the Raprave connect. He seen us rock in Detroit and locked in with us. One of the all time great human beings him.

• Tell us about your most recent collaboration with DJ Godfather.

  
  

  -That connect is via the European homies. Big Dope P and Moveltraxx out of London/Paris is working with us on some FT vol1 remixes and connected us with the Gawd.

  
  

  

• What’s the story behind the RapRave connection in New York?

  
  

  -Sonny would help Hitech out with bts video and photography from time to time. During Hitech’s first show with Raprave the videographer fell through and I had already pulled up with my camera just off the love. Tech introduced me to Dj from Raprave, turns out we both grew up in Washtenaw County and the rest was history.

Creative Process & Sound

• When you make a track as Dastardly Kids, what does the process usually look like?

  
  

  Can happen all kinds of ways, but IDEALLY,

  
  

  We’re fresh off a mission or some cool shit feeling inspired and the beat flows out Sonny or Pats fingers, Santana already humming some wavy shit. We form up like Voltron.

  
  
  
  

• How do you develop your flows and write your rhymes—what inspires the cadence?

• Sonny: I’m a nerd fasho with rap and the art therein. I’d say my musical element in general is combat. Cadences landing like combos, references and metaphors sharpened to a fine tip. There’s honestly few things I love more than lyricism, it’s a happy place fasho.

• Pat: I’m always moved by my emotions/environment. I produce my beats to reflect my emotions and write like it’s my journal. If I’m moved by the what I’m hearing then i’ll mumble til I got a flow with words attached

  
  

  

  
  

  Santana: I do my best to capture the vibe of the moment on the track. Being born and raised in the heart of Detroit, I have learned to move to the groove of the city. I love the world, but especially Detroit. 

  
  

• What genres are you locked into right now?

  
  

  Never locked in. We’re always seeing what sounds we can bend and invent.

  
  

• We love the range you bring—what kind of sounds can we expect from you in the coming year?

  
  

  Expect the unexpected

Tools, Rituals & Culture

• Any studio rituals or habits you swear by?

  
  

  Tequila and Blunts

  
  

• Studio favourites right now—VSTs, hardware, or setups you’re feeling heavy.

  
  

  MiniMoog synth, Kontakt VST, FL Studio always and forever.

• Favourite TV shows growing up vs. what you’re watching now.

  
  

  -We are children of adult swim and Toonami fasho. As for now anime still and bootlegs.

  
  

• Favourite games you’re playing at the moment (if any).

  
  

  Pat: Fallout 76

  
  

  Sonny: Marvel Rivals

  
  

  Santana: Fortnite

Detroit Energy

• Favourite food joint in Detroit.

  
  

  L. George’s

  
  

• Honourable Detroit mentions—artists, producers, places.

  
  

  DILLA DAWG, DJ Godfather, UR, Stardust, SPRNG4EVR, Groovepill, fullbodydurag, Hitech

  
  

• Any secret spots you wanna shout out? Venues, studios, or low-key spots.

  
  

  Third Street, TV Lounge, Trumbleplex, El Club

  
  
  
  

Advice for Up-and-Comers

• What advice would you give artists just starting out?

  
  

  Remember.. Have fun with it.

  
  

• What’s the biggest mistake you see new artists make?

  
  

  Not start with loving the music.

  
  

• How do you protect your identity while still growing?

  
  

  Check in with yourself and your community.

  
  

  Establish a strong foundation within yourself.

• What matters more early on: output, consistency, or vision?

  
  

  Consistency. 10,000 punches

  
  

• What would you tell your younger selves if you could rewind the clock?

  
  

  Sonny: Be kind to yourself.

  
  

  Pat: Get Money focus on family

  
  

  Santana: Keep going

Rapid Fire

• Blunts, joints, pipe, vape, bong—or none?

  
  

  Blunts

  
  

• Anti-AI, moderate-AI, or pro-AI?

  
  

  Whichever answer doesn’t piss off Skynet.

  
  
  
  

• Kings for a day—what does that actually look like?

  
  

  Free Bottles. Big ass Party at the Castle

  
  

• Pick one: NY / Philly / Baltimore / Cali

  
  

  Good folks in all 4

Questions for Sonny Dulphi/ Matt Hughes 

• How long have you been cartooning, and what originally pulled you toward that medium?

  
  

  

  -I’ve been drawing since I can remember. My dad is an OG comic-book collector d so I got bit by the bug early.

  
  
  
  

  How early did you figure out satire as a language—and when did it really click for you?

  
  

  Both of my parents are very witty people, so I suppose comedy/satire was always the language of our household.

  
  

• You blend humour and critique naturally—do you see cartooning and music as part of the same creative instinct?

  
  

  Most definitely! All of my art flows from the same place for sure. I got one lens whether I’m drawing, doing stand up, or rapping etc..

  
  
  
  

• How long have you been playing instruments, and which ones shaped your ear the most?

  
  

  I started off with guitar. Jimi Hendrix is a big favorite of mine, but I’d say the bass guitar shaped me the most. You just feel bass deeper.

  
  

• When did you start producing music, and what pushed you from player to producer?

  
  

  I started playing guitar maybe a year or two before I started producing. They both really flowed into each other. I’ve always loved music so much it was really like finding a part of myself.

Questions for Pat 2 Dope

• What’s been your favourite show playing with the crew as Dastardly Kids so far?

  
  

  Probably the Bruiser Thanksgiving a few years back or the one at el club with Zack Fox

• How fun was it shooting the video for bu$ the bank—and what was it like filming in Tokyo?

  
  

  It definitely was crossing off a goal we had since highschool and it was surreal to be trill. Everything in Tokyo is so neat and well put together.

• Tell us about the Rick Cordero connection. How did that relationship come together?

  
  

  My friend Dug Sung who ran Duo security was also a skater and would frequent a Skateboard shop in Ann Arbor I used to manage, he introduced me to Rik and been friends for the last decade 

• Favourite kicks you’re rocking right now?

  
  

  Air Max Ishod Wair SB 'Silver Bullet

  
  

• How long have you been writing lyrics and making music, and what kept you locked in early on?

  
  

  I’ve been writing poetry since middle school and I’ve learned the most about myself thru my writing and it’s always been a healthy way to cope for me.

  
  

Questions for Champagne Santana

• When did you first connect with Matt & Pat, and how did the chemistry form?

  
  

I first met these guys through a mutual friend back in I believe 2019. We all we aligned through our common interest in music & the arts.

• Who are your favourite rappers, producers, and singers right now?

  
  

It’s hard for me to have any favorites as I love so many different genres of music. You can catch me listening to Drake or Lil Uzi one day and the next UR or Foster the people. 

• What genres are you most tapped into at the moment? 

  
  

I’m in love with contemporary R&B right now, but Detroit style rap will always be close to heart’ as well as Jersey beats.

• Tell us about the Dastardly Kids x Groove Pill connection—how did that come together?

  
  

I have been friends with and have made music with Groove Pill for years, so once I was invited to be a part of DK it was only natural from me to introduce both parties and since then we have been making crazy music and pushing the boundaries of our creative possibilities.

• How’s the rest of the year shaping up for Champagne Santana? What should people be watching for?

  
  

More music, more solo singles. Continuously pushing the envelope. Excited for the new heights we (Dastardly Kids) will reach. Looking to take hold of the music world and bring the attention to my home.