By Dylan Deprey
Producer Trellmatic and Rapper APRIME are AUTOMatic. (Photo by Ku Mays)
The chemistry between a rapper and producer duo can generate amazing music. From Eric B. and Rakim to Dr. Dre and Snoop Doog, the brethren bond between the DJ and emcee stems back to the incarnation of Hip-Hop. As the amount of violence radiates from the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee’s own rapper/producer duo aims to take on a more positive spin on life.
AUTOMatic was the result of two hip-hop heads that really loved to make the music they grew up listening to. Both APRIME, which stands for (Armond’s Phenomenal Rhymes Incite Mind Elevation), and Trellmatic enjoyed digging through jazz and soul samples in the record store.
After leaving as the rapper for the group Class:Sick, APRIME decided to link up with Trellmatic in 2007, and have been re-creating the music they grew up listening to ever since.
“We are definitely about making music that feels good, but at the same time is true to us,” APRIME said.
AUTOMatic has three albums, an EP, a mixtape and countless singles under their belt. APRIME released his more storytelling less battle driven side project “3099” earlier this year. While running on the heels of that project the duo felt it was time hit the studio together for another album.
Just as the name pertains, their upcoming fourth album, “Marathon” is about perseverance and keeping on even when the light at the end of the tunnel is farther then it may appear.
“We keep it positive and upbeat for the most part, but it gets deep on some of the other tracks,” Trellmatic said.
Following his solo project, APRIME said through that process he learned a new way of being able to write raps that touched on topics in the community without preaching to his audience.
“Once people feel they are being preached to it is over,” APRIME said. “So the way I write is that I might bring up several topics within the confines of one verse and it is almost like a spoonful of sugar with the medicine.”
Whether it is being caught in a love/hate relationship in there third single “You Don’t Love Me,” or being some of the older guys in a younger ever-growing local music scene in “Speak to Me,”
AUTOMatic touches on it. AUTOMatic’s sound may have that 90’s boom bap feel similar to De La Soul, but producer Trellmatic said each project the duo extends their reach outside of their original sound and at the same time keep it their own.
“We ran into a situation where a label was asking me to make beats that were Wiz Khalifa-ish,” Trellmatic said. “Yeah, a sound might be trendy but what happens when it’s not and you’re stuck scrambling looking to reinvent yourself, I don’t want to be put in that situation.”
Bouncing jazz drums and soul samples are his forte, but on the song “You Don’t Love Me,” Trellmatic added trap drums to the track to give it a new school vibe.
“It might appeal more to a younger audience because that is what is ‘in’ right now, but it just sounded right,” Trellmatic said.
AUTOMatic’s fourth coming album is set to release Nov. 11. The 11-song project includes features by Colin Plant, Vincent Van Great, Stricklin and SigNif as well as cuts from DJ Loveless. The duo is also hosting an album release party on Nov. 11 at the Cactus Club.
“There’s going to be some upbeat feel good stuff, and then there is that stuff that is going to make you think but you don’t need to sitting next to your fireplace reading a book to enjoy the message,” APRIME said.