With practically 900 million streams, “Do It To It” has propelled Charlie Duncker, aka ACRAZE, into the digital music stratosphere, cementing his fame as a genre-blending powerhouse. Since his breakout in 2020, Duncker has carved out a definite area within the hip-hop home motion, seamlessly fusing the 2 kinds to breathe new life into the tracks that outlined a era.
Past the decks, he strikes effortlessly between worldwide competition phases and high-fashion runways, all whereas spearheading Paradox—an rising music label with a daring imaginative and prescient to curate immersive occasions and champion the subsequent wave of digital music innovators.
Duncker sat down with EDM Maniac to supply an unique look behind the scenes of his newest music and his relentless pursuit of boundary-pushing creativity outdoors of the studio.
EDM Maniac: You latterly launched a music known as “Rock My World.” You talked about which you can’t keep in mind the final time you had been this excited a couple of music popping out, and that it’s very particular to you. Are you able to inform us just a little extra about that?
ACRAZE: Each time I do one thing within the hip-hop lane and mesh it along with home, it all the time works so effectively for me. Puku is a hip-hop singer, song-writer, vocalist, producer—the man is insanely proficient. We did loads of hip-hop stuff some time again and I advised him I wished to do some extra hip-hop home fashion stuff.
We labored on some stuff within the studio, and by the tip of the session, he’s like, “I obtained some new songs I need to present you.” “Rock My World” was one among them and I keep in mind considering to myself, “Yo, that is loopy.” It was so easy, however as a producer, I may actually envision a climax and a drop taking place.
I ended up truly scrapping all the pieces he did and simply took the vocal and made an entire new factor with piano and bass traces. That’s the story of the way it took place.
Maniac Journal: That’s unimaginable. How was it working with Puku?
ACRAZE: He’s tremendous straightforward to work with and tremendous inspiring, as effectively. I’ll play a loop within the studio and he routinely has concepts. He’s a machine.
Maniac Journal: What’s your historical past with hip-hop?
ACRAZE: From the leap, after I first began making music, I used to be making hip-hop beats. I obtained this program known as FL Studio, and often the very first thing folks do after they get FL Studio is make hip-hop beats and that’s what I did.
As quarantine began to hit, I made “Do It To It” and later down the street realized it was making extra of an influence in my units. That’s after I came upon that this is perhaps a distinct segment for me, as a result of I actually like hip-hop basically and my mother and father grew up on it. It’s all the time one thing I’ve been serious about.
Maniac Journal: Does your inventive course of usually circulation prefer it did with Puku? Do you hear one thing hip-hop and discover a strategy to work it into home?
ACRAZE: You understand, it’s powerful. For individuals who know rappers and the way they act—they don’t actually know dance music. You actually must method it as what they do after which work with it later.
I attempt to take the method of constructing hip-hop stuff with a rapper from scratch and never exhibiting them EDM beats as a result of the pocket is completely different, the rhythmic aspect of issues is completely different. It’s simpler for me to make hip-hop into home as a result of I already know the way I’m going to work it. I can simply inform them that I want a refrain or a loop and put it earlier than or after a drop, or chop it up. I really feel like I actually know how one can direct it. I believe I’m actually beginning to get the grasp of it now, and it reveals, and that’s a very cool feeling.
Maniac Journal: Do you do any artwork outdoors of music?
ACRAZE: No, I’ve tried drawing, however I’m the worst drawer of all time. Nothing outdoors of, like, trend. I believe that is perhaps my subsequent stint. I’ve actually been honing in on design and merch. I’m actually massive into trend, my closet is insane.
Maniac Journal: You’re a very trendy man. What’s your trend inspo?
ACRAZE: Thanks. Most likely streetwear, that’s actually my factor. I actually love streetwear. I really like issues which can be simply completely different, ? If somebody is strolling down the road, and the individual subsequent to me is like, “Ugh, what are they sporting?” I’m most likely like, “Oh, that’s sick!” I really like when folks look an edgy manner.
In January, I went to Paris for the primary time for trend week as a result of I used to be taking part in an occasion, and I obtained to go to some actually prestigious trend reveals, and it opened my eyes to how massive the style world is. I obtained actually impressed and that’s what sort of pushed me to start out Paradox proper now. And hopefully later I’ll do a trend line outdoors of music, stuff that isn’t simply merch.
Maniac Journal: Do you’re feeling like your draw to grunge fashion resonates wherever else in your life outdoors of non-public fashion?
ACRAZE: Yeah, I believe that something I do, actually, I attempt to do outdoors of the field.
Maniac Journal: I see this unimaginable shift in dance music trend changing into extra street-style. Do you see your self ever dipping your toes in underground street-style competition put on?
ACRAZE: Ultimately. I undoubtedly assume there’s a marketplace for it. And one factor I do see, is there’s loads of lady manufacturers however I don’t see loads of man manufacturers. So, possibly I may lean into that. That’s truly a very good thought, now that you simply point out it.
Maniac Journal: There’s loads of area for creativity in rave put on, and I believe folks need to go outdoors of the field and lean into one thing that’s extra street-style than we’ve got beforehand seen.
ACRAZE: The issue with raving, and I’m simply going to talk for myself right here, however after I would go to raves, I might spend all the cash I had that week on a competition ticket. Again in 2015, I keep in mind this particularly, I spent my final $300 on a competition ticket, and I nonetheless had payments to pay.
If I’m going to construct a clothes model, it must be considerably reasonably priced. It must be trendy however reasonably priced. Individuals are penny-pinching to go to festivals, and I don’t need to make folks go broke greater than they already are.
Maniac Journal: Particularly now, greater than ever. Folks need to attend festivals to have enjoyable, however they’re struggling to take action. Let’s discuss tour life. Do you want being on the street?
ACRAZE: Yeah, I really like being on the street. It will get tiring, for certain, however that’s the great thing about it. I get up day-after-day grateful and I wouldn’t need to do the rest. I take into consideration that quite a bit after I’m simply bored, like “What would I be doing proper now if I wasn’t doing music?” And in truth, I don’t know.
It will get tiring, and each DJ will inform you that, however I’m able the place I can encourage lots of people, and that’s one thing I’ve all the time wished.
Maniac Journal: You’ve mentioned earlier than that the important thing to success is ambition and drive. The place does your drive come from?
ACRAZE: Onerous instances and onerous moments. I’ve had loads of moments the place I’ve struggled in my life, and that’s the place loads of my drive comes from. I don’t need to return to that. Once they say your future is in your individual fingers, it truly is. I get up day-after-day and simply attempt to put in as a lot work as I can.
Maniac Journal: What are three issues you possibly can’t go away for a tour with out?
ACRAZE: Wait, maintain on, let me truly look in my bag. Glasses, for certain. I all the time want shades. Nutritional vitamins, I’ve obtained loads of nutritional vitamins. Take your nutritional vitamins, folks! And gum. I get loads of anxiousness, and I don’t all the time know the place it comes from, so gum is a manner that I maintain my thoughts shifting. If you happen to see me chewing gum, I’m most likely nervous.
Maniac Journal: Does acting on stage make you anxious or is that someplace that’s comfy to you?
ACRAZE: It may be nerve-racking at first, however as soon as I play the primary music, all of it goes away. Then I get right into a circulation. I imply, I get nervous quite a bit.
Maniac Journal: Aw, he’s shy.
ACRAZE: [Laughing] Yeah, I suppose I’m only a shy man.
Maniac Journal: It has been a pleasure speaking to you. Something you need the followers to know?
ACRAZE: Stream “Rock My World.” Hit me up on Instagram if you happen to prefer it, I’d love to listen to your ideas!
Featured picture credit score: Taylor Regulski.
