An interview with TrapMoneyBiggie, the Dutch producer behind the hottest DMV Street Rap

There are a lot of European producers working with American rappers now. What was your sound like before the DMV era?

I feel like I was one of the first producers to work with Americans, to be honest. Back in the day, I was more focused on Atlanta, working with artists like 10K Dunkin and Slimesito. I was really into the Lil B and Soulja Boy era, so when I was a teenager I was doing stuff with AGoffand even put me on the SGod team. Then Keef came along and I imitated it. I was really just copying what they did in America.

So what was your entry into the DMV as an artist?

I fell in love with how their music was dirty but still fun. That's how I grew up: I saw dark things but always had fun. So in the beginning, in 2018 or 2019, I was emailing rappers who were big at the time, like Q da Fool and Baby Fifty, but they never responded. So I didn't take it seriously until years later when I followed YoungFootSolider and he followed me back. He wasn't big yet, but I DMed him, “yo,” and he said, “yo” back, and I was telling my friends, “Oh shit, that DMV nigga texted me.” My friends told me to call him and he was in the studio like “Send beats”, so I did. He rapped on one of them and I used it to show other rappers. After that came JG Wardy's “Hurry Ya Hoe Ass Up” and then “SkinoSmack Em.” So I started uploading type beats to my YouTube. Then everything went up.

All this lead to Slimegetem's 'Mashallah I Cooked Him'? This is probably your signature song so far, right?

This song really manifested. He talked to me everyday before he blew himself up. He was telling me to make a Slimegetem-type beat, but I couldn't understand why he didn't have anything out. But he was telling me all the time, “When I get out of jail, I'm going to pick up your pace, bro.” Then he got out of jail and actually did it. I really like this song because it gave me the strength to believe in myself. I feel that now, in Holland, they respect me more. They take me more seriously. It is not a delusional belief.

I feel like you have a drum pattern in most of your DMV tracks. Is this repetition boring to you?

No, I try to be consistent with my sound. Because before I did everything, UK drill, New York drill, afrobeats, but once you find something that works, you might as well stick with it. If you listen to everyone's favorite producers like Southside or Zaytoven, they always have the same drums on their beats. I think this is the fact that you are a successful producer, recognizing immediately.

Does it feel surreal to be able to go on YouTube everyday and have a new song by a DMV rapper on your beat?

I won't lie, bro. It's not even real because I've never been to America. I still live the same life I did before. I am in the process of getting a visa right now but it is difficult.

What is the hardest part?

It's the whole process. they want a lot of proof that you're someone special to the American community, so I'm trying to prove it. Normally, you can get an ESTA [visa waiver] and you can travel to America for 90 days but this has been rejected. Now I'm trying to get an artist visa, so maybe once you write this article I can show it to the US Embassy. Then I can finally go to the DMV.