Originality in music: behind the scenes of a ruthless and energetic approach, courtesy of New Jersey’s own Subjxct 5.

It was a Wednesday afternoon, and while waiting for Subjxct 5 at our online meet-up, I was listening to his latest release in collaboration with Papo 2oo4.

Replaying Subjxct’s new music for what felt like the hundredth time, I realized how his pursuit of sound exploration and the variety of sonic sources—perfectly suited to the relentless flow of Papo —had become a defining element for the recent productions of the young artist from Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Having followed his work for a few years now, and having initially discovered him not only alongside Papo but also in the company of microphone fiend Wiki (whose post-Ratking records have become underground cult classics for many), I have come to appreciate both his freshness and his innate audacity in avoiding repetition.

He refuses to settle into a “safe” sonic formula or an easily categorized aesthetic.

When he joins the meeting, we break the ice with casual conversation, immediately diving into the distinction between “fresh" e "brand new.”

I explain how authenticity and originality are paramount for our community, and I believe he wholeheartedly agrees. It is no coincidence that our interview begins precisely as transcribed below.

“Back in the day, you had to have some element that set you apart from everybody else. I grew up on different influences—Dipset was different from G-Unit, Ruff Riders were different from Ludacris and the rest of the down South scene. Everyone had their own thing. Today, it should be the same” – Subjxct5

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Enter the world of Subjxct 5 and his quest to push boundaries

Welcome to Stretto Blaster, Sub – would you like to start introducing yourself to our readers?

My name is Subjxct Five. I’m a producer, DJ, and engineer from Elizabeth, New Jersey. I started making beats in high school, around my junior or senior year.

I was in a concert band and a jazz band for most of my school years. As I approached graduation, in 2014, I was listening to artists like Odd Future, A$AP Mob, Pro Era, Chief Keef, and the whole New York wave, as well as TDE on the West Coast.

I just wanted to try and understand how people created these crazy beats, and once I started, I never looked back.

What’s your earliest memory of being drawn to music?

I remember being a little kid, flipping through TV channels, and landing on Rap City, TRL, or 106 & Park. I grew up listening to Hot 97, and Funkmaster Flex, and watching iconic music videos from Ludacris.

Before I even considered making beats, I was captivated by the production side of things. I love lyrics but focus more on sound—how rappers flow over beats. There are a million ways to say something, but delivering it in a clever, cool way while keeping it lyrical is what grabs me.

You mentioned being inspired by collectives like Pro Era, Chief Keef, A$AP Mob, and Raider Klan. How did those groups influence your production style?

Rap was shifting then, especially in the New York and New Jersey scene. The sound was evolving, drawing more influence from the South and the West Coast.

Raider Klan was interesting because they aimed to hit every corner—having New York-style beats, Texas-inspired DJ Screw vibes, and so much more. That variety and experimental approach inspired me to push boundaries in my production.

You might be buggin’ right now, but even Kanye’s Yeezus was a game-changer for me. It made me reconsider sounds I had never thought of using before, like electronic and industrial elements. That shaped the way I make beats today.

Your production style blends different elements—Jersey club, classic rap, electronic and trance influences. How would you describe your sound in your own words?

I like to experiment. One week I might be chopping samples, the next I’m making futuristic beats with synths instead of traditional samples. My sound reflects everything I grew up on but through a modern lens.

For example, I was into electronic music—Benny Benassi’s Satisfaction, DJ Tiësto tracks—but I never made the connection until later that producers like Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, and Pharrell were also pushing futuristic sounds in hip-hop.

I see myself in that lineage—taking what I grew up on and evolving it.

Do you remember the first beat you ever made?

I don’t remember my first-ever beat, but I do remember the first instrumental I released. It’s still on my Bandcamp—I’ll share it with you.

It was this track where I sampled something that might’ve been Hawaiian music, and I flipped it into a trap beat.

I was still figuring things out, but I was inspired by producers like Flying Lotus, who were just dropping beats independently and building a name without working directly with rappers.

Do you have a specific creative process when making beats?

It depends on what I’m listening to at the moment.

I listen to a lot of different music, both old and new – like Bay Area music, Chicago’s drill, or some Texas rappers I follow.

Production-wise, I like to start with a melody—it’s where I put most of my creativity. People often credit me for my drum patterns, and I appreciate that because I always aim to make my drums hit hard.

But for me, crafting a unique melody is where the magic happens, whether I’m chopping samples or creating something from scratch with synths.

What instruments did you play in school?

I played a few. I started with clarinet in fourth grade, then moved to trumpet, then baritone, which I stuck with the longest. I also played bass guitar in a jazz band.

I was really into metal, hardcore, and punk, so I was learning Slayer and Anthrax bass lines back then.

Have you ever incorporated live instruments into your production?

Yeah, I’ve experimented with live bass in beats, especially when I was in Wiki’s studio in New York. Sometimes, just adding a real bassline gives the track a different energy. 

What’s your go-to studio setup right now? Any favorite tools?

Never been a crazy hardware guy. I’m a big Ableton user – they oughta sponsor me! My mom bought me an Akai MPK49 MIDI keyboard in high school, and it came with Ableton Lite.

I used that version for years, all the way until the pandemic. I’ve used an Akai MPD, Roland keyboards, and some Korg keyboards.

Recently I got into the Roland SP-404 but not for making beats, just for tweaking beats, adding some filters and effects and making live sets. But at the end of the day, my setup is simple: laptop, Ableton, and let’s go to work.

Do you still dig for samples?

Hell yeah. Sometimes I dig online to save time, other times I go for vinyl and get as many records as I can. It depends on the vibe.

Any advice received about sampling that stuck with you?

Maybe not advice, but a reminder for myself: there are no rules.

It’s okay to go outside the box. I remind myself of that often because it’s easy to get stuck in routines – but fuck routines. If you want to make beats differently one day—go for it. Especially now, compared to back in the day, you are much freer to experiment. Back then, you had to fit in between the lines in hip-hop, sonically and lyrically. All that now is abandoned. You’re free to go and try new things. The best producers push boundaries.

What’s the most unexpected place you found a sample?

One of the most surprising spots was a record store in Kansas City, Missouri. I knew I would have found something, but I didn’t expect to find so much heat there—records I knew but I’d never see in Jersey or New York. 

If you had to score a video game, what kind of game would it be? 

Damn, man, that’s a good question…an easy one! WWE Smack Up, indeed! I’m a big wrestling nerd, so any WWE game would be a no-brainer to me. Let ‘em know! (Laughs)

If your beats were a movie genre, what would they be? 

I’m a big horror movie fan, so I would definitely wanna score horror movies.

If you had to describe New Jersey’s music right now, in three words, what would they be?

Energetic. Ruthless – in more ways than one…and, well, unique. You’ve got drill here that is different from NY, you got Jersey club shit…You’ve got people like me and Papo, Mach-Hommy, Fatboi Sharif. There is a variety of sounds coming out of Jersey, you can’t even put them all in the same box, you know?

About Papo and the 2oo4 unit – how did you get involved with him in the first place?

Papo and I met through mutual friends and people we had in common in school. I’ve seen them running through Elizabeth, they knew me, and I knew they were rapping and doing their thing, in a cool way. 

At some point, some dudes in Papo’s circle asked me to use a beat I did, off one of my early tapes, so I was curious to see where that would lead. They had a show and were down to meet me, so I went and built up with them, and Papo and I were cool since the beginning. And the rest is history. 

Papo on PEDs is one of our favourite joints of the last few years to this day, you know?

That’s one of my favourite tapes I’ve ever dropped. I feel like I was able to put out the same kind of music I would have listened to when I was growing up, in a new way, so the idea of people fuckin’ with it and relating to it is great. 

What’s next for Subjxct Five?

More music with Papo. We have a strong creative synergy. I’m also working on a project with YL and collaborating with other artists. This year is all about getting more artists on my beats and expanding my sound.

Any advice for young producers trying to find their sound?

Make the music you want to make. Don’t just follow trends. It’s cool to experiment, but always stay true to your creative vision. Also, stay aware of where music is heading—you can take inspiration from trends without losing your originality.