- Words Blessing Borode
- Photography Joseph Morrison
We chat with Internet Money as they debut their first album as a collective, bringing together some new and familiar faces to showcase their dynamism.
You might not know the name Taz Taylor, but you’ll likely know his beats. One half of the mastermind behind the production collective ‘Internet Money’, Taz created the group after feeling dissatisfied with the way the music industry treated producers.
Rather than take it lying down, Taz decided to bring together a hub of emerging producers from the internet, creating a space where they could share their knowledge of the industry with like-minded creatives, as well as a space for equal opportunities.
Internet Money’s success grew from selling “type beats” online to featuring some of hip hop’s heavyweight artists on their 17-track album, ‘B4 The Storm’.
Although they have already been making waves individually for a few years, the title perhaps foreshadows the ruckus they are yet to create with their first album as a collective. Known for breaking major artists like Trevor Daniel, and co-producing his multi-platinum hit “Falling”, as well as producing Juice Wrld’s breakout hit ‘Lucid Dreams’, Internet Money went on to partner with Elliot Grange’s 10K Projects in 2019 to launch their own label.
Each track on the album is melodically driven, bouncing between rattling percussion-heavy songs to mellow, piano-based instrumentals. Their versatility is what allows them to appeal to the masses. There is not a single song that isn’t executed with skill and careful attention to detail.
Despite what they have achieved so far, it is evident that this is just the beginning for Internet Money. We had the chance to speak to the collective about how they came together, the process of creating the album, and what they feel the industry lacks for producers like themselves.
If you could summarise it, what would be the journey of how Internet Money came together?
Nick Mira: Basically, I met Taz Taylor and DT on the internet back in 2016. We were all making type beats on YouTube and began to build a friendship with both of them. We chatted for hours every single day about music and life. I really felt close to them. Then, after a few months, Taz brought the idea of Internet Money as a collective to us and we were super down. It felt like a good fit for everyone. From there, things have grown a lot and expanded even beyond rap by bringing in some really talented kids like Alec Wigdahl. It’s been a crazy ride so far.
What led you to want to champion the work of other up and coming producers through the collective?
Nick Mira: Nobody else had been doing what we were doing. The industry is pretty tough to navigate as a producer and a lot of them don’t get the cred they deserve. We made Internet Money because we wanted to make ourselves shine brighter than everyone else.
Starting out, what do you think the industry lacked for producers like yourself?
Nick Mira: I think the industry lacked the organic chemistry we built as a team. Internet Money is, first and foremost, a collective and a family. There were other producer groups but they hadn’t really come up off the Internet like we had. We were from all over the globe, connecting together to create amazing things online. I feel like we were one of the first examples of producers getting popular from internet-based collabs, but it’s becoming more and more normal. There was a whole culture of type beats that we were a part of, and now it’s so big. It’s crazy to see how type beats have grown.
What are some of the best parts of being in a collective?
Nick Mira: The best thing about being in a collective is that it feels like a family. To win with people that are just as passionate about music as you are is something not a lot of people are fortunate enough to do.
Where did the concept for the “Lemonade” music video stem from?
Nick Mira: Cole Bennett really took the reigns of the music video and made it his own world. The shoot was crazy. We shot “Lemonade” in the middle of the desert while it was 120 degrees outside. I wasn’t even in the actual video and it was exhausting just because of the heat. It was so worth it though, his whole vision really came together in the end. It was so great to have him work on it with us.
The song also features heavy hitters such as Gunna, Don Toliver and Nas. How did you get them to jump on the track?
Taz Taylor: Originally, the song was written by myself, Johnny Yukon, and Jozzy back in 2017. Then we made a version with Don Toliver on the lead, so we got together and the team and I went to work on the beat. One of our artists, Alec Wigdahl, laid down some guitar on his iPhone, and Nick Mira produced it around that guitar loop. Once the beat was finished it felt natural to have Gunna and NAV jump on it as the verses. The track has been a long time coming.
How do you know/decide which artists are right for a feature?
Taz Taylor: It’s just a feeling process. I never want to just throw names together just because the fan base is huge. When we make these songs, we really want each artist to shine and be celebrated. When we make something, as a group we often get together and go back and forth with each other about who we hear on the song.
“Somebody” featuring A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and Lil Tecca seems to be very popular right now, what stands out to you about this track?
Nick Mira: We released “Somebody” as a one-off single back in 2019, and it was our first release as an artist. It really broke down the doors for us when many didn’t know if a collective of producers could be the artist. “Somebody” let us know as a team that if we wanted to be the main artist then it was possible. “Somebody” made ‘B4 the Storm’ as an album possible for sure
Internet Money has come a long way from selling “type beats” on Youtube to landing big features with artists like Juice Wrld and Trippie Redd. What do you think will come next for the collective?
Nick Mira: We’ve always been put in a box. People have always doubted us, saying “you can’t do this” or “this wouldn’t work.” We have proven every one of those people wrong so far. We are really grateful to be where we are now, but the goal is to keep proving people who think we are “just producers” wrong and keep making good music.