One Love caught up with Mark Hardy and Yung Rudd once again, regarding the upcoming music video release for their new hit single, "Wuz D Scene," which is shot at multiple locations throughout the country, including luxorious cars, exclusive club scenes and gorgeous girls of Trinbagonian soil. Rudd & Hardy are the trendsetting duo of the urban Trinbagonian music scene at the moment and I know you're wondering, how do these two up and coming youngsters manage to consistently pull all of this off!? GET ALL THE DETAILS BELOW!
Marcus Braveboy (Mark Hardy) and Isaac Rudder (Yung Rudd) represent an edgy old-school twist to Trinbagonian culture and music, but with the flare and fearless hype associated with today's youngsters; as seen in their bold music videos and in their clever lyrics. It is lines like, "Rappers who have the skill of 6 to 1, that's us in TT", "Bad men [don't] have time for men who throwing Shade like Bago", and "Rudder & Hardy, we mash up together like barra and channa," that all play on Trinbagonian culture by referencing our beloved Doubles and Tobago's hottest nightclub, The Shade, and make you admire the craftiness of these culturally charged tunes. T&T greats like Shadow, David Rudder, Machel Montano and Bunji Garlin have all done this in one way or another, but the unique twist to this celebration of Trinbagonian culture that Rudd and Hardy bring is their hip use of rap, that ultimately lands them a league of their own. By incorporating these seemingly minute details of T&T culture, Hardy & Rudd ultimately magnify them with the international lens that is music, and spread the exotic warmth of Caribbean music & culture.
ONE LOVE'S Interview with Mark Hardy & Yung Rudd
OL: What inspires you guys to do songs like "Nah Boy" and "Wuz D Scene" that represent Trinbagonian slang and culture? MH: I think we just kind of realised that our generation has a bit of an identity crisis and here are aspects of our culture day to day that isn't really covered in soca; certain topics and slangs are missing from the mainstream forms of music. So, for us we decided to have our own social commentary on life in Trinidad and Tobago as we see it. Americans do it, Jamaicans do it, Europeans do it, so why can't we represent where are from authentically while putting a fun twist to it. YR: For us, we feel like Trinidad and Tobago was slowly losing its identity. Everywhere you look, a new americanised business was opening up, people falling in love with Jamaican or American music outside of carnival. And our memories of our childhood didn't reflect that. The things we generally enjoyed reflected our culture. We want to share that with Trinidad and Tobago and the world, and prove that we as Trinbagonians have something to be majorly proud of. |
"Great energy attracts great energy." - Mark Hardy
OL: How difficult is it to produce your own music videos at various locations throughout the country, as you've done with "Nah Boy" & now, "Wuz De Scene"?
MH: I think we treat our music videos like an event, so we have a team who comes together to make things happen and lots of friends and well wishers who show us that extra support. Everything just kind of comes together organically and we keep attracting more supporters of what we do while in the process of shooting each video. I think great energy attracts great energy and with each music video we keep building our networks and improving the final product. Our video shoots are real fun!
YR: Not difficult at all. As I said before, we have a team of dedicated professionals, and we're giving Trinbagonians something to be proud of, so their participation isn't that difficult to get. The only thing I would say is that we often may have plans for the music vid, and unprofessionalism and disorganization causes our plans to go awry, but it always works out in the end, sometimes even better than our initial ideas.
MH: I think we treat our music videos like an event, so we have a team who comes together to make things happen and lots of friends and well wishers who show us that extra support. Everything just kind of comes together organically and we keep attracting more supporters of what we do while in the process of shooting each video. I think great energy attracts great energy and with each music video we keep building our networks and improving the final product. Our video shoots are real fun!
YR: Not difficult at all. As I said before, we have a team of dedicated professionals, and we're giving Trinbagonians something to be proud of, so their participation isn't that difficult to get. The only thing I would say is that we often may have plans for the music vid, and unprofessionalism and disorganization causes our plans to go awry, but it always works out in the end, sometimes even better than our initial ideas.
"Jamaicans do it, Americans do it, Europeans do it. So why can't we?"
OL: Who would you say is constantly there for you guys, pushing you to do better; be it family or friends?
MH: I would have to say a lot of our friends in and out of the industry show us that special support. I have to make special mention to Giandre Diaz and Tamara Carpette who keep it real with us and give us a little "buff up" here and there but only because they believe we can make it to the top and want us to do our best. The advice and support they give us is priceless. Must also big up to our producer Mevon Soodeen, who always strives for the best product possible during the recording process and even with the marketing process; our photographer Jerome McClean; our dancer boy/mascot Peter St. Clair; and videographers Justyn Meyers and Michael Mooleedhar. Also have to give a special big up to Jevon Jeffrey who was helped us in many ways and is now part of our extended family; Lizzie, Lisa and the whole Xplicit Team!
Must big up Mevon's mom as well for tolerating us making so much old noise in her house where the studio is based!
YR: I think it's different for everyone in the camp, but we have a combination of both family and friends. Now that we're a few hits in, we also gather a lot of support from people we don't know who have a genuine love for what we do. Those people are also a large motivational factor because they have no emotional and sentimental ties to us but love us. That's an amazing feeling and achievement.
MH: I would have to say a lot of our friends in and out of the industry show us that special support. I have to make special mention to Giandre Diaz and Tamara Carpette who keep it real with us and give us a little "buff up" here and there but only because they believe we can make it to the top and want us to do our best. The advice and support they give us is priceless. Must also big up to our producer Mevon Soodeen, who always strives for the best product possible during the recording process and even with the marketing process; our photographer Jerome McClean; our dancer boy/mascot Peter St. Clair; and videographers Justyn Meyers and Michael Mooleedhar. Also have to give a special big up to Jevon Jeffrey who was helped us in many ways and is now part of our extended family; Lizzie, Lisa and the whole Xplicit Team!
Must big up Mevon's mom as well for tolerating us making so much old noise in her house where the studio is based!
YR: I think it's different for everyone in the camp, but we have a combination of both family and friends. Now that we're a few hits in, we also gather a lot of support from people we don't know who have a genuine love for what we do. Those people are also a large motivational factor because they have no emotional and sentimental ties to us but love us. That's an amazing feeling and achievement.
"People we don't know who have a genuine love for [us] - Amazing." - YR
OL: What do you hope the "Wuz D Scene" music video will say to your fans and viewers? MH: I think "Wuz D Scene" music video will definitely show growth in quality in all areas, from styling and make up to locations and props used, to general detail. I think fans would see that alot of thought went in to this video and would have them anxious to see what we will be coming with next! YR: That we are really about this music life. That you can be Trinbagonian and do this successfully, all while having fun. We also hope that we can raise the bar for quality product coming out of Trinbago in the creative field. "We anticipate that the video should drop in the next week! Our videographer and editor is a boss!" |
"That's how we do it in Trini - Rep for the red, white, black!"
OL: What is the vision for the future for yourselves as well as for the T&T music scene? MH: Personally, I would love to be an internationally recognised artist, trendsetter and influencer. I love to see an idea come to life and the thrill of that keeps me going and genuinely makes me happy. In terms of the T&T music scene, I would love to see it develop into an actual industry with structure and different organisations playing their individual roles while coming together at the right times to support the artists, producers and creatives. I would love to see being an artist in Trinidad and Tobago as a respected career and any young person who aspires to be a professional artist or musician can have the carious avenues and channels to assist them on that journey. I would also love to see artists come together more for the greater good and to help build the industry as it will benefit us all. |
YR: Just to continue making great music (both together and as solo artists) and to expand our professional [networks] and fan bases. Also, most of us have other interests in business, so probably open up new companies. I, Yung Rudd, also want to start a philosophy blog, a pro-cannabis blog and write a book. As for the T&T music scene, we want to keep encouraging other artists to follow our blueprint so that kids can truly see music as a viable option for them and businessmen will also take more interest in our creatives.
"I have never felt so proud to be a Trinbagonian in my life." - Yung Rudd
OL: Which song has been the most fun to produce or has meant the most to you personally? MH: I think for me it's "Nah Boy", the energy of that song from when it was just an idea to when it was finished was something special. The first time we posted a clip on Instagram, people started asking about it, and that was in the middle of the Carnival season when everyone was focused on soca. I think the song also means alot do from a patriotic standpoint and was our version of a "I'm a Trini" or "Trini To D Bone" song. | |
YR: For me, "Nah Boy". I have never felt so proud to be a Trinbagonian in my life. It was an anthem, and a great representation of our culture. I hope I can recreate that feeling again.
What do we need to look out for from you guys?
"Our new single "The Beach" just dropped with Kevon Carter. Look out for the music video in October!" AUDIO BELOW!
The dynamic duo is currently in the U.S on a mission to spread their Trinbagonian movement as far as possible!
The dynamic duo is currently in the U.S on a mission to spread their Trinbagonian movement as far as possible!
Check out the audio for
THE BEACH & WUZ D SCENE!
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CONTACT DETAILS
All the best to you both from One Love! |