New York born and LA based artist TERROR! makes deep, emotionally charged tracks that resonate with audiences partial to any genre. Taking his torments to create varying pieces, the young vocalist has known hardship; overcoming it to become an artist that deserves to be known in the years coming. He pairs his soft, melodic flows over dark, high stakes productions from allstar producers such as gin$eng, miyamoto, fortwoe, and many others. Describing his sound as ‘dark and futuristic’, the 18 year old artist has taken addiction and pain to create his own narrative; straying from what could have become of his future. We spoke with him to get to know the person behind the artist; revealing who TERROR! truly is.
Who are you? What do you want the world to know about the person you are, and your creation?
TERROR!: I’m TERROR! I feel like the world should know that my music is just my feelings on beat, man.
So really, I feel like if you can connect with my music, then that’s the greatest thing ever, because i’m not alone.
When did you begin creating, and in what mediums? How have you gotten to the point that you are today.
I’ve been making music since I was 13, man. I’m about to be 19 in a few months so that’s like 6 years, but throughout my life I’ve been through some dark shit, so the tone of my music changed. I used to rap battle in school dude [laughs]. My music has always been relatively dark, now it’s like fucking hell on beat ya know? It’s definitely the experience with growing up in New York, always having to watch your back mood that got me here, but it was when I moved to California that I really figured out who I was musically, and personally.. but that realization wouldn’t be without thanks to my friends deathbyromy, miyamoto, and my family at 740 project.
What do you do? What have you achieved thus far? How do you describe the music you make?
I make apocalyptic ass music. I like to think that my music sounds like how it would sound like when the world ends [laughs]. Very futuristic, and dark as fuck. I don’t even know what I’ve achieved to be honest, I’m proud of myself everyday. Everyday I surpass what I saw in myself the day before. I fell in love with the idea of being a mastermind, you know? But my music is a melodic, evil death trap. Seriously.
Photo by: @tokyotaee24k
Where are you from, and where have you been? What influence has your surroundings, either in your upbringing or during your life as an artist, had on your music?
I’m from New York, Queens to be exact, but man I’ve been around. I’ve been living in California since 2016, and I don’t plan to ever leave; unless it’s to like Japan or something. The influences I’ve gained from my surroundings were the gritty areas I would be around in New York, the no love in the heart of the city mentality. Me growing up knowing not to expect much from people got me to this point in my music, also my brother runs a record label (740 project) so growing up bro I had mad music knowledge, like i’m the biggest hip hop head ever. But i can tell you anything about punk, or metal, and shit you know?I used to be on pills a lot, and that shit changes you, so the pain I got from that, I carried on to my music. Fuck drugs though, smoke weed.
Why do you create? What importance does is hold to you, and why do you continue to push yourself.
I create because this is literally all I have. When I come home I record, when I wake up I record, music has taken over me to a point where if I’m without i’ll literally die. It’s not even me to push myself to keep going, it’s everyone around me. Anytime I have second thoughts, my homies are like bro you’re so fucking fire, and that constant motivation is what I live for.i
How do you plan to keep improving in this field, and what are your goals and aspirations for your life as an artist?
I plan to start a whole wave, my flow is so fuckin saucy, and different that I just wanna help lead the lost souls, you know?
My goals are just getting it out the underground, I wanna be known as a fucking legend, like god level musician type shit.
What are you working on?
I’m working on an ep with my favorite producer miyamoto, he produced a couple songs on my soundcloud. We got some drowned out fire shit coming soon, look out for that. This shit probably gonna change shit.
Do you have any special songs that mean particularly a lot to you? What have you released that you’re most proud of?
All my songs are special to me because they all are coincidentally made at important points in my life, whether good points or bad. I have a song dropping this weekend called “blood rush” that means so much to me, because I delivered so much of myself in that song, stuff that I haven’t told anyone, you’ll catch what I mean when you hear it.
I’m most proud of “broken star” with my best friend deathbyromy because literally that was the first song I sung on, and it came out so beautiful.
Anything else we need to know?
I love y’all, Underground Underdogs saving the underground, free Bobby Shmurda, gang shit!