THRDLBL

XANAXFANCLUB, an upcoming group from San Antonio, Texas recently dropped their newest project, Suicide Doors. The EP provides an uplifting look at life’s struggles, and is highlighted by tracks like Aura and Echo, which all highlight the group’s varying flows and delivery styles. - TheHipHopGuru

[12/5/14] San Antonio, TX.- “We’ve been doing this every Sunday for the past four months,” said John Michael Villanueva aka XANAXFANCLUB, as he sat in front of his Mac computer surrounded by speakers and other members of THRDLBL in their production studio, “We basically just order food, watch interviews to see who artists are listening to and work.”

As the guys waited for pizza, they played bits of music videos form artists that inspire them and songs that they enjoyed at the moment.

Upon finding out that I was new to the San Antonio rap scene, they showed me some local artists rap artists and the sound that they were trying to stray away from as they introduce the San Antonio community and the music community in general the rap world they’ve worked hard to create in that very studio.

Their sound isn’t the traditional San Antonio rap that you may have heard that pays homage to earlier rap styles and beats. These boys have injected adrenaline into that steady vein with beats you can’t help but want to move to, enchanting you into having a good time and personal lyrics that have more meaning, touching on things other than a certain life style that seemed to be a common theme in earlier rap generations that has grown tiresome.

What started off as a graffiti artist pseudonym for Josh Springer, became the name of the collective of 21-23 year old rappers and producers that includes Josh Springer, Jeremy Kingg, Michael McKenzie, John Michael Villanueva aka XANAXFANCLUB, DJ FAMUSZ ( who prefers not to use his real name) and Matt Garcia aka Matalio, in 2007. According to the group, it all started at Black Note Galleria a creative arts center where they all met each other.

“We have completely different views on everything, like we don’t have the same views on anything but it never gets in the way. It’s [more funny] than anything,” joked Villanueva after stating that he wouldn’t enjoy making music as much if it wasn’t with the rest of the THRDLBL crew. “One you get to the level of friendship that we’re on, nothing gets in the way. Sometimes we all hear what we don’t want to but in the end we have to do what’s best for the collective.

What is most impressive about his rap collective is not only their taste and dedication to creating music, it’s their ambition. They re-watch and re-listen to what they have released and analyze it, discussing what song they should do a video for next. There’s no break in their stride, there’s no pause once a project is finished, it’s simply just onto the next one.

“We were tired of waiting for people to come to us, to be put on a bill where there’s 14 other people were performing.” Villanueva stated.

He says the group took the initiative to start putting together their own shows, booking their own events and basically creating their own environment playing on the “if we build it, they will come” approach, which has been working in their favor. They went from playing in front of three people to playing in front of 200 according to rapper Michael McKenzie.

“We felt like we could get so much further if we created the environment. If we curated it, we’re the ones who control it that’s how you know you’re shows isn’t going to suck, because we control the entire scene.” Rapper Jeremy Kingg said touching base on the added pressure of creating that environment saying that their reputations are always on the line.

That type of commitment and hard work over the course of this year has paid off as THRDLBL has been holding many shows at known music venues such as Limelight and Bottom Bracket Social Club.

“We haven’t had a bad show yet, they say it’s going to happen but it hasn’t happened yet.” Rapper Jeremey Kingg said and group collectively agreed.

“Every show is a practice until we’re doing venues like SXSW, there’s no time to let energy go. We’re enjoying ourselves and we know our self-worth.” McKenzie said.

Along with a long string of shows that have created a buzz that hasn’t died down, the collective also released their tape titled BARBADOS this year as well as two music videos.

With every new generation of music and even genre that emerges, a new platform in which they must market themselves does as well.

In the beginning, it was all about who you knew to get your music played on the radio by local DJs, then guerilla street teams emerged that included sticker bombing and other ways to promote music, then social media came to light and it started with Myspace then branched off onto Facebook as has since hit Twitter.

Most of THRDLBL’s steam and rapid influx of fans comes from their strong Twitter presence as the guys work tirelessly promoting any new song, or music video and even show they’re working on.

The group says that their biggest accomplishments thus far are supporting one another and growing together.

“I would say it’s the progression, and seeing everything from what we were three or four years ago to now. As a DJ, I started off just playing in my bedroom and that’s pretty much as far as I could get back then as well as playing parties for friends and just being a name around the neighborhood… Like they mentioned, playing in front of three people to 20, it was definitely a struggle but I feel like throughout the years it was definitely a learning experience so from playing in front of 20 to 200 I feel like the best times are from learning and making a lesson out of all those experiences,” DJ FAMUSZ shared.

So what’s next for THRDLBL now that they’ve got their own ball rolling at such a great speed?

“We have to put out better music than what we’ve put out. The goal should always be to make better music. We’re going to be adding different elements to our live shows, executing that better,” John Michael said.

The group also touched base on the fact that they want to incorporate more out of the ordinary elements such as art installations and even do guerilla promotions.

“We need to finish this year off strong and start out the next year doing everything we’ve been doing this year, but on a different level, like still incorporating all original production, but on another level.” Jeremy Kingg concluded. - La Prensa San Antonio