Warning: Infamous Society uses explicit lyrics in their music, so please be mindful of this before listening.
Formation
The newly formed rap duo of South juniors Patrick Walsh and Gus Richter released its first song, “BAT14”, a little over a month ago. Today, the song has already racked up over 170 plays, and the students are happy with the results.
The idea to create a rap group came from Walsh’s love of music. He views music as an emotional outlet, a way to escape, and both listening to and writing music helps take his mind off things. Walsh was inspired to rap due to the cultural changes that hip-hop has undergone. “I don’t like the way that hip-hop is trending right now, so I wanted to try and influence it myself,” Walsh said.
Walsh then proposed the group to Richter. “Patrick [Walsh] asked me if I’d be interested in starting [a group]. I’ve always worked on making music but never released anything on my own,” Richter said. Richter had been working his musical craft for over eight years, but now he finally had the opportunity to create something for the public. “Most of my time is spent listening or playing music, and hip-hop is my favorite genre,” Richter added.
Tireless Efforts
Some artists think they can make it in the rap world, but many don’t have the dedication that it takes to succeed. Walsh said that he’s worked hard to make his lyrics stand out, even going so far as reading Book of Rhymes: Poetry of Hip-hop to give himself an edge. “I want to focus on the lyrical aspects of hip-hop, not just making stuff that sounds that good, but that actually means something,” Walsh said.
Richter feels that, without practice, it’s impossible to become truly good at rapping and composing. “Practice and listen. Practice doesn’t make perfect but gets you pretty close,” Richter said. He also stressed that a composition doesn’t always have to translate into a song; just working on beats that you never intend to use can help make your final products better.
Experience over equipment
Not all music produced comes from big labels with thousands of dollars spent on recording equipment. In fact, the Infamous Society often uses an iPad to create large portions of songs. “I use Garageband on my iPad, and Gus [Richter] uses Logic (a digital audio workspace developed by Apple) to make our songs,” Walsh said.
The practice of using phones and tablets for producing music, even for professional rappers, is more common than one might think. On his most recent album, DAMN., acclaimed rapper Kendrick Lamar used an iPhone to create the song “Pride.” The producer on the track, Grammy nominee Steve Lacy, uses an iPhone for all of the music he makes, believing that it’s more about the music you create than than the tools you use to create it. Walsh shares a similar sentiment, adding that, “you can’t really wait until you have the fancy equipment: you just have to get experience.”
Respecting the Influences
Both Walsh and Richter have a variety of influences that inspire them musically. The two are particularly fond of New York rapper Jay-Z, even paying homage to him in the title of their first song,“BAT14”. The Black Album is the title of Jay-Z’s 2003 release, and track 14 on the album is titled “My First Song.” Walsh and Richter made this decision because “Jay-Z was one of the first rappers I ever got into; he made me like hip-hop,” Walsh said.
Richter has his own influences, like Big Sean and XXXTentacion, but growing up, he was deeply rooted in rock music. Bands like The Beatles initially inspired Richter to pick up music, and it wasn’t until freshman year that he discovered his love for hip-hop. Richter says that he’s always trying to gather new ideas and techniques from other artists. “I make an effort to listen to every big song that comes out,” Richter said.
The duo is focused on the future, working to expand their discography and their fanbase. If you want to check out Infamous Society’s music, click this link to visit their Soundcloud: https://m.soundcloud.com/user-673918298-922337774
