The latest addition to the extended Soul Clap family tells us about coveting Slick Rick’s gold chains and why his music is your new best friend.
Who are you?
Hey young world! My name is Nick Monaco (yes, that’s my real name). I reside in San Francisco, California. WESTSIDE! I began DJing at house parties, now I rock clubs all over the world. I’ve been a hard-working DJ/producer since I was 15. I recently found my new home with the Soul Clap and Wolf + Lamb family. Crew Love <3
What do you sound like?
My sound is like your best friend. You can laugh with them, cry with them, have a heart to heart with them, and ultimately trust them. My sound is very personal. I’m not just making house music any more. Each song I make now is very personal and unique in its own way.
Why should we listen to you?
Because your mom’s been listening to me… and mother knows best.
What have you released so far? What else have you got coming out in the near future?
I just released my proudest work. It’s an EP called Naked is My Nature on Soul Clap Records. There’s a lot of music with a lot of range. It has bonus beats, dubs, and even a locked groove on the 12″. I’ve also put some music out on Dirtybird. I’ve got a bunch of remixes, one for Soul Clap and No Regular Play, and an EP on Airdrop Records.
What song sums you up? Why?
‘Hey Young World’ – Slick Rick. If you work hard and stay humble, one day you can own as many gold chains as Slick Rick!
What or who is your biggest influence and why?
Deee-Lite is a big influence for me. Everyone only really knows them for ‘Groove is in the Heart’. I loved how experimental they were without really going over people’s heads. That’s what it’s all about for me – push in new directions without losing people. Also worth mentioning are Warren G, DJ Quik, and the all the G-funk pioneers. They were big influences for me growing up.
Where can we hear your music?
Seek and you will find. You can grab my new EP Naked Is My Nature on Beatport.
Where will you be in five years’ time?
By then I’ll be 27. Hopefully by then I’ll have a beard. I’m finding that so much can happen in one year, so it’s hard to imagine where things will be in five. I would love to start working in different genres with singers and rappers. I hope wherever I am that it will be sunny and sandy and the people I love are nearby.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.
I have three passports. Some say I’m actually a DJ posing as an international spy.
The Naked Is My Nature EP is out now. Find Nick on Facebook, SoundCloud and Twitter.