Q&A: 0800

Auckland based alt hip-hop super-collective 0800 just called, and they’re here to take the industry by storm with their addictive tracks you’ll want to blast your speakers with. Since their first single “DONDE” blew up, the 7-piece have released their powerful debut EP “ATTENTION FOR A SECOND” bringing us mind-blowing hooks, refreshing production and a reality check all in one. 0800 member Josh Strand chats to us about how the group formed, and everything about their music and journey so far.

We’d love to know a little bit about your musical journey so far from when you first started making music together!

We’re an alternative hip-hop group made up of rappers, producers and visual artists. The group consists of Matt, Tino, Johann, Pierre, Daniel, James and myself (Josh). Tino, Dan and I had been working together for a couple of years on a project until one night, in 2018, we went into the studio, linked up with the rest of the guys and wrote our debut single “DONDE”. We had no intentions going into the session, but there was a strong energy in the room. Since then, we have been releasing music and playing shows as a collective. We just finished our first co-headline NZ tour with our mates No Comply, and last month we dropped our debut EP titled “ATTENTION FOR A SECOND”.

How did you land on the name 0800?

We had a few other potential group names in the mix, but to be honest they all sucked. We landed on 0800, being the NZ free phone line, as we want our music to connect with listeners - they are integral to the reception of the music. Shortly after, we came up with the 8 ball logo design, which we thought was simple and engaging. An 8 ball represents both good and bad luck which mirrors our fateful first session that brought us together. 

Congrats on your latest incredible EP “ATTENTION FOR A SECOND” - absolutely world-class hip-hop! Can you tell us about the concept of this EP?

Thanks! It’s been in the works for about two years now and we’re stoked to finally wrap it up and put it out to the world. We really liked the message behind our song “INSTANT STIMULATION” of being caught up in the rat race, that it made sense to push this concept further. This EP is our perspective on the world and the way we consume. The title also touches on the consumption of music in the modern world. We only hold your attention for a second, until the song finishes and you move on to the next thing. We are over-stimulating our brains, constantly.

One of our fave tracks of yours “DONDE” is nearly at 1.5M streams on Spotify alone - such an amazing accomplishment! Can you tell us about the meaning of this track and the inspiration behind it, and were you surprised with the incredible reception it received?

Yeah, we definitely didn’t expect it to blow up like it did. Pierre and Dan started building the beat and we all felt this infectious energy in the room. We didn’t overthink anything, every section was written in the moment and it all fell in to place. It’s really just a feel good party track with everyone coming together to be present in the moment. One of my favourite lines from that song is “here for a good time, not a long time” and that kind of sums it up.

“COUPE” is also insanely good, accompanied by such a dope music video! What was the writing process like for this one, and what did you enjoy the most about filming the epic video?

“COUPE” was written on our writing retreat to Muriwai in late 2020. It was the last night of the trip and we had the beat down and a few rough ideas, but it wasn’t until Pierre wrote the hook that it started to make sense. It’s a bit of a complicated love song, in the sense of wanting to give everything you’ve got but feeling stuck and uncertain about where it will go. My verse was written a few weeks after the trip when we came back to finish the song. I was mentally taking myself back to the start of a relationship and had to re-live the feeling of wanting to confront your feelings and get the thoughts off your chest. The music video was a super quick process. We had a chat with Connor Pritchard about the song, pulled some ideas together and then went straight into production. We shot the whole thing in one night, from like 3pm until 5am the next morning. We really enjoyed working with Connor and his team - they worked their asses off to make it work. The rain scene was definitely the coolest moment.

What were some of your highlights working on the EP?

Honestly just becoming really tight with the guys. Our friendship grew into a brotherhood over the last two years. Creatively, we have been able to draw inspiration from each others influences and experiment with the sound. It’s starting to sound more authentic to us. That’s always been really important, creating a sound that feels unique and genuine to who we are as people.

Who would you say are your biggest inspirations in music?

There’s seven of us in the group which makes for a lot of influences. To name a few … A$AP Mob, Odd Future, Wu Tang, Tyler, The Creator, Outkast, Pharrell Williams, Young Thug, Don Toliver, Frank Ocean, Smino and Gorillaz.

Who are some of your favourite NZ artists right now?

Our homies No Comply and Balu Brigada for sure, might be a bit biased though. We’re also digging WHO SHOT SCOTT, CHAII, MELODOWNZ, Dera Meelan, Church & AP, Rhys Rich, Matthew Young and Jess B. There’s so many incredible artists in NZ right now, the scene is truly on and popping.

What do you love most about living in New Zealand? Do you have any favourite places to travel to or local spots to visit?

Aotearoa is dope as fuck. The beaches, community and people are really cool. It feels like such a small community, most people are kind and genuine. Recently we’ve loved doing writing trips in different towns and we plan to do a whole lot more of that. It’s super inspiring to get out of the studio and put yourself into a new environment with some scenery. Muriwai, Mount Maunganui and Coromandel are some of our favourites. Dominion Road is fire for food, shout out to Spicy House for keeping us fed.

What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt in your career so far and what advice do you have for new artists out there?

Be yourself, perfect your craft and don’t take yourself too seriously. I think it’s too easy to get caught up in what’s popular. Spend more time on developing your own sound and in the end you’ll have something that feels authentic and honest to you. Enjoy every accomplishment - there will be heaps of disappointments along the way. It’s a long journey and you never stop learning. I mean, we’re just getting started, we haven’t even cracked it yet.

Lastly, if you could say one thing to every person in the world, what would it be?

Buy crypto and stream “ATTENTION FOR A SECOND” – also stop scrolling through social media, you’re addicted.

Love it! Thanks so much 0800 - make sure to keep up with them on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify or Apple Music.