Haddy Racks releases his second studio album ‘New York Gritty’

Recently, Racks held a private listening party for his second album, New York Gritty, at the Engine room in Manhattan, New York. DJ Kay Slay and A-King hosted the listening party with music by Hot 97’s DJ Spazo. During the listening event, Racks played songs from his latest release while engaging with the room of his supporters.

Congratulations on releasing your second album New York Gritty. Would you say your private listening party was successful?

It was beautiful. We had a great turn out. We had a lot of different blogs come out, and the owner of Ruff Ryders, [Joaquin] Waah Dean came through. It was just a lot of support in there that night. Even Mr. Magic from Hot 97 came through; it was a really great event.

What was your inspiration and creative process for New York Gritty?

I just wanted to have a strong follow up from the Resume project, my first album, because Resume was such a good project. But I just wanted to make sure that New York Gritty didn’t sound like Resume, but just as good, if not better than Resume. So my inspiration with that project was just listening to Resume and making sure that I didn’t do anything to make New York Gritty not as good as Resume.

What’s the message you want your fans to take from New York Gritty?

Just that music with substance is still there. You know it seems like it’s becoming more diverse like you got your down south music, you got your west coast music, and now you got your east coast music. But I feel like east coast hasn’t be as dominant in the music industry in years, so I feel like with the New York Gritty project, it was like you know you still got that gritty New York. It’s still here. I just wanted to hear it and be like “yo, this is the New York sound that I’ve been in love with for so many years.”

How long have you been making music?

I’ve been making music since I was a kid. But as far as taking it serious and creating my own lane and doing everything independently? I’ve been doing it that way for like the past 7 years.

What are some artists that you listen to for inspiration? Who were your influences?

My influences especially when I was working on this project, I was listen to the LOX, DMX, Jay-z, Nas, Big L, Big Pun, just like that golden era music. I would listen to that and then I would try to listen to new producers. So like it’s a golden era sound but I don’t want to have a 90s sound when the production, you know what I’m saying? Basically listening to today’s producers with artists from the 90s I guess you could say.

There are a lot of artists coming out of the Bronx and their making their mark in the music industry, what makes you different?

I guess what makes me different is that I’m just giving you my story. Like I think everyone’s story is unique, it’s their own story and my music is just the Haddy Rack story. I try not to compare myself to too many different artists. I don’t like to get caught into the comparison thing; I just give you my life without having to incriminate myself. But I guess that’s what sets me aside from everyone else is making music that is just my story.

What’s the most difficult thing you have/had to endure trying to be successful in the industry and trying to get your music out there?

Not being afraid of growth. A lot of times we are afraid to evolve because we always wonder how our friends are going to look at us. Like “aw he’s changing”. He’s doing this or he’s doing that. At the end of the day, we have to grow and I think a lot of artists are afraid to grow and they don’t even know it. You move up and some people are meant to be in your life temporarily. If you keep temporary people in your life you can’t grow. So I think the hardest part for me was letting go of temporary people. As artists we forget that the music industry is an actual business. A lot of times artists like myself have a hard time separating the streets from the actual business.

Are there any artists that you’d like to work with currently or in the future?

I like Meek Millz, I like Drake, I like Nicki Minaj, and I like a lot of the music that’s out right now. I wouldn’t mind working with anybody that’s putting out good music and that the people love.

What if it’s a new artist and they want a feature, would you collaborate with them?

Oh I don’t mind doing that. I always do that. If you follow my instagram, what I did before I dropped the New York Gritty album, basically there are a lot of artists and upcoming artists I feel that people are sleeping on so what I did was I would go back to the different boroughs and I would grab like someone from Harlem that I thought was hot and he just wasn’t giving the recognition, or an artist from Queens or Brooklyn and I just did it like that so that way so that everyone was getting the same attention. Like yo, I’m always down to help other artists, I feel like that’s what we should be doing anyways helping each other out.

What do you hope to accomplish throughout your music career? What are some of your music career goals?

My number one goal is just for people to hear my story and use music as a gateway to take me to a new level of my life. I really want to accomplish all the years and all the hard work and all the time invested and all the money invested. Everything that I put into it, I just want to feel like I didn’t waste my time doing any of it. I didn’t waste my time spending hours in the studio. I didn’t waste my money paying for this or paying for that and videos. Basically I want to feel like everything I believe I can to do, I accomplished it. And I want to prove to the people that believe in me that they put their faith in the right person.

Do you have any upcoming shows or performances where your fans can see you live?

I have a few shows coming up. I have a bunch of videos coming out and a bunch of interviews so people could just go to my website HaddyRacks.com and it’ll keep them updated with everything that’s going on.

Do you have any future projects that you’re working on that your fans can anticipate?

Yeah. I just finished a project with producer J Hash, he has a production company called Producer Huddle and we’ve been working on a project. We actually just concluded that. I have another project that I’m almost done with. I’m like 75% into the project with Vinny Idol. And then we’re going to work on the Racked Up compilation towards the end of the year. We also have an artist Ran Christian on my label and he has a mixtape out right now called Made in Harlem.

What are your predictions for New York Gritty? How do you think your fans will perceive it?

Oh we’re getting a great response to New York Gritty project. I wake up everyday to so many different reposts and people talking about the album. Right now we just running through all the clubs getting the records played. Hot 97 have been helping us out. We got 2 records playing. DJ Kay Slay playing Burning Furry and DJ So Juicy playing Relationship Goals. So Over all I’m just excited about the project.

For more information on his latest album and features, visit his website HaddyRacks.com.

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