14 trapdoors – Swerve Skrrt @14Trapdoors
The new single/video from 14 trapdoors “Swerve Skrrt”, this is the third of their monthly release series and offers up some clever camera work by the minds of S’likedat and The Media Music, Inc.
14 Trapdoors have created their own sub-genre of hip hop, one they’ve coined New Trap Boom Bap. The trio from Buffalo, New York featuring members bendyface, Shorty Moscato and WZA cull from a wide range of influences that span Aseop Rock, Big L, El-P, Jay Z and fellow Buffalo artists Westside Gunn and Conway to Pink Floyd, Prince and Led Zeppelin. “People who gravitate toward the golden age ‘90s boom bap feel will fuck with it because we focus on lyricism and new age youngins will fuck with it because we have songs with a more ‘trappy’ vibe,” bendyface says.
A good example of their eclectic brand of hip hop can be heard on their self-produced single “Holy Water” that catches the lyricists trading rhymes bar-for-bar atop of a minimalistic track highlighted with ecohing bass, ticking snares and haunting operatic rock backing ad-libs. “Holy Water” symbolizes their relationship to their music. “Our music and our vibes, that’s our holy water,” Short explains. “That’s what makes us feel clean and pure.”
So far they have released 3 singles to date. They flip samples and 16 pad beats on the punchy horn-sampled “Swerve Skrrrt,”, get sinister on the Lex Luger-helmed banger “Corridorz” featuring Dev11n and trade 8 bars back to back to back on the self-produced, ghostly chants of “Holy Water”.
Playing lots of shows, including opening for Freddie Gibbs, Raekwon, GZA, Lil Brother, Brother Ali Blu, Smokepurpp and Comethazine helped shape & improve their sound. “I want to have songs that are meant to chill in a room with some heads and smoke a blunt to,” WZA explains. “But when you start playing festivals, you’re like, ‘Oh shit, you need turn up songs for those festivals too.’” Their music videos for “Holy Water,” “Corridorz” and “Swerve Skrrt” capture the guys wilding out amid trippy, psychedelic graphics.
The rappers met on the Buffalo hip hop scene and decided to pool their assets during the summer of 2016 when they all happened to release projects at the same time. They are all solo artists and bendyface is also a member of the duo Chronic Collective. WZA mixed and mastered their recordings, resulting in them spending a lot of time together at his studio.
The name 14 Trapdoors pays homage to their hometown. The 14 represents the summation of the digits in their 716 area code and trapdoors is a reference to the city’s DIY scene. “Everybody you know is trapping something out their house, whether it deals with music, art or drugs, and when you are a rapper, you need all three of those things,” WZA says. “So you find yourself walking through many trapdoors.”
They also attribute their sound to Buffalo, a city where one of hip hop’s most respected eras still gets its props. “Our whole stance on music is that It’s all about truly being yourself and being honest with yourself,” WZA says.
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Amanda Goldben, more commonly known as Mz. On Point has always had a love for music, growing up in a household filled with music. Over the years she found herself more involved behind the scenes, then in the spotlight. She realized she wanted to help other obtain their dreams not just live her own. After working in a professional office setting and capacity for over 10 years, it was time to find something new. She wanted to find something that would fully utilized her skills and abilities, while still allowing her to be not only the main provider but also caregiver for her daughter. Almost accidentally discovering her love for music and her business skills could be used together Mz. On Point knew this was she was meant to do and began her research and networking to build not only her business and brand, but also those of the artists and clients she would be helping along the way. In November 2012 she realized that online promotions, public relations, and brand exposure where her “nitch”, all those years of office experience and computer work were showing their true worth and potential became endless. In a few short year she has had the privilege of working with some very influential people within the industry. In January of 2013 she began with DJ Shalamar and became a part of Team Fuego and now handles most of Southern Fuego’s social media & promotions. Attending sometimes dozens of events a month Mz. On Point quickly made a name for her brand throughout Central Florida. Being sure to attend key networking events, and conferences to not only network but more importantly to expand her knowledge of the industry and perfect the services she offers. January 2014 Mz On Point had the privilege of becoming apart of the infamous and world renowned DJ coalition, Team Bigga Rankin & the Cool Running DJs. May 2015 Mz On Point was honored to learn that she had been chosen to receive the Hard Hitta Award at the the 7th Annual SCM Awards which took place in Memphis, Tennessee. While she wasn't able to make the trip to accept the award one of her mentors Bigga Rankin accepted it on her behalf.
