Dubai-based hip-hop collective The Recipe have a few projects in the pipeline this year: an untitled EP “recorded and dusted” and ready to go, and their next single, Bandana, which hits the internet next month.
“We explore the concept of these masks that people have to wear in order to be successful at what they do, in order to fit in, in order to satisfy society’s needs for people to fit in certain categories,” MC Kaz Money told tabloid!.
“The sound is difficult to describe — it’s more commercial than what we’ve done so far. But at the same time, it’s a fine balance of the commercial side of hip hop and something that won’t affect our authenticity.”
Money says that writing lyrics that aren’t straightforward and literal is a point of pride for the trio.
“‘OK, I’m in a boat. I’m in a club. Yeah, I’ve got a car.’ It’s fine — I like that stuff too, I enjoy it, too, but that’s not what we try to do,” he said.
In 2015, the trio released the mixtape Throwback To The Future, their first effort after a three-year hiatus. Their follow-up EP will be “very high energy”, touching on the theme of finding home. Though the three live in the UAE, Money, 34, is from Armenia-Syria on his dad’s side, and Italy-Arteria on his mum’s; Swerte, 32, is Indonesian-Swiss; and P. “Perfect” Storm, 30, is from Britain and Hong Kong.
“Also, we’re older guys, none of us are kids anymore — we’re not teenagers — so the music we grew up to is not relevant today, in terms of sound. We’re trying to strike that balance, trying to find where we fit in today’s music.”
Money admits he’s a fan of some of today’s music, but some of it lacks integrity.
“I feel like there are enough people in the world to have different tastes and for other kind of music to be successful,” said Money.
“If you listen to the radio, every song, to me at least, sounds similar. They use similar synths, similar drum patterns, similar approaches to singing or rapping — everybody sort of sound the same. It’s very important for us to come in and not sound like anybody else.”
Between the three of them, they listen to different genres. Swerte listens to rock — specifically Korn — while Money listens to underground hip hop, “stuff that 99 per cent of people wouldn’t be interested in.” Storm, on the other hand, listens to music that Money probably wouldn’t spend his free time jamming out to.
Either way, to Money, it isn’t about emulating the music they listen to, or repeating the cycle of what they hear. It’s about bringing something new to the scene.
“I don’t feel that anybody can be somebody else better. I can’t be a better Eminem or Drake than Drake or Eminem. There’s no chance. I’m not going to compete with them. But I can be the best me.”
The band have a show scheduled early February, though details have not yet been announced. For more information, check out therecipedxb.com.
