Erick the Architect does not seem particularly interested in slowing down. Even summer failed to provide much of a break, with the music video for No Doubt (I’m In Love) dropping just a couple of weeks ago after a year that has already taken him from performing alongside Nas in Queens to creating Appreciation for Apple’s WWDC26 keynote.
It has not even been a year since we last spoke about Erick , back when he was preparing to join Jamiroquai across their UK and European tour. Since then, he has played London’s O2 Arena, returned home to New York for one of the biggest performances of his year, and kept adding new music to a catalogue that has long moved beyond the hip hop world where many first discovered him.
As a founding member and primary producer of Flatbush Zombies, Erick helped build a catalogue surpassing one billion streams, while his solo path has connected him with James Blake, Jungle, Joey Bada$$, and Kiefer. With more releases already on the way, we caught up with him to talk about falling in love, sharing a stage with Nas, working with Apple, what Flatbush Zombies still means to him, and learning to trust the people around him.
You’ve just released NewLevels NewDevils. How did the collaboration with Kiefer, Tony Stone, and CARRTOONS come together, and is there any story from the studio that might surprise us?
Ironically, I met CARRTOONS through Kountkoal some years back. Kountkoal and I worked on a bunch of records remotely, and then I was kind of introduced to their clique of sick jazz musicians. I linked with Kiefer at his studio, and we actually worked on a completely different song. He sent me a track he said was one of his favourite beats while I was on tour in 2024, and finally he told me he was working on a new album and sent me NewLevels NewDevils, and history was made! Perhaps you guys will hear the other two records we did; they are really good.
You joined Jamiroquai on tour just before Christmas. Looking back, what has stayed with you from that experience?
Honestly, walking into the O2 Arena and walking through the hallway backstage, looking at all of the legendary acts who have graced the stage, was really an experience like no other. London is one of my favourite places in the world, and that night I was there to play some music and have fun with the crowd. Not only was I going to perform for this audience, I was also going to see Jamiroquai perform on this same stage too. This is the kinda shit you really can live your whole life and never experience something quite like this. Sometimes it still shocks me that my job is to make music for a living.
Your new single, No Doubt (I’m In Love), feels playful and full of desire, but there’s also some uncertainty beneath it. Where were you emotionally when you wrote it? You sing, “I wanna bring you close, but the smoke makes my vision cloudy.” Is that line about how difficult it becomes to see clearly when feelings take over?
Yeah, you can say that. It was a double entendre; the smoke could be literal smoke because of the atmosphere of a club, and it can also be anything that poses as a distraction or gets in the way of your real feelings. Any kind of hesitancy that can get in the way when you’re getting to know someone.
You recently performed at the FIFA World Cup 26 Group Stage HQ Opening Concert in Queens alongside Nas and several global artists. How did you experience such a major moment in your own city?
I moved out of New York about seven years ago, so it’s always a great feeling to be able to come back home to be part of important things happening in the city. In 2026, nothing was going to be bigger than the World Cup this summer… It's a hell of an opportunity to cement yourself in history, and I wasn’t going to pass up on a chance to perform!
What did sharing that stage with Nas mean to you personally?
This is one of those kinds of moments you look back on and say, “Man, I really did that.” Not only did I share the stage with Nas, but it was also at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, his hometown. Nas has been such an influence on me throughout my entire career, and it meant a lot to me to have his co-sign like that. I truly gave my best on stage that night.
You also created and performed Appreciation for Apple’s WWDC26 keynote. How did you translate your musical identity into a space with its own very specific language?
I feel like what I did for Apple was something I could only execute the way that I did. Producing a track is one feat, and writing and recording is another. I needed to hold onto my integrity while also delivering what was asked of me, regardless of how huge of a company Apple is. I worked on the song for countless hours, tweaking it so it fulfilled the prompt I was given but also having the moment to digest the song long enough to make sure it still felt like me. I would play it over and over and truly ask myself if this was something that sounded and felt like an Erick the Architect song. I know how funny people can be about judging artists for working with huge companies, ha! I wasn't going to all of a sudden turn into someone else completely different just because I was working with Apple; I was going to be more myself than I ever have.
You produce, write, perform and collaborate across very different worlds. Do you still think about these as separate roles?
I actually think they are different parts of my skill set, and they require a different part of my creativity. Producing for myself has always been like breathing air, while producing for someone else always meant I was going to work on delivering something unique an artist would have to come to specifically for. Performing is a completely different thing entirely. All of the songs I make take such a different shape and meaning once I'm out there on stage. You never really know how you feel about your words until you actually see people saying them back to you; it’s some wild shit. I don't think every recording artist is a good performer either; it takes something else to impress people on stage like that. And lastly, collaborating has always meant that what I add to a song HAS to make the song better; otherwise… why am I doing it at all? It’s your opportunity to showcase your best qualities. I never really understood why some MCs take this as a cash grab and give lazy verses… this may be the first time someone is hearing you; bring your best!
Flatbush Zombies has surpassed one billion streams and built a community that has followed you around the world. After everything you’ve achieved together, what does the group still give you that you cannot find anywhere else?
We have a legacy; we’ve made a mark in history from doing something that people will always refer to. The synergy as a group during our first Coachella performance, or going on tour for the first time, are memories attached to times of my life that really allowed me to become a self-actualised artist. Where else was I going to learn any of this? I can't replace any of those memories.
Has your relationship with success changed since the early Flatbush Zombies days?
My definition of success has always been the same. As long as I can look in the mirror and still see myself as Erick, it doesn’t matter what outside noise is present. Success is individually defined, and I never really looked at what anyone else has to determine what I deserve. I love creating music, and the ability to do it for work is success for me.
You’ve worked with artists including James Blake, Jungle, Joey Bada$$, Alison Wonderland and Kiefer. What tells you that a collaboration has real chemistry?
Honestly, when anyone reaches out to collaborate, I'm either obviously familiar with them, or I have to do a little research. During those first moments of getting to know someone, I can immediately tell if this is going to be a vibe or not. I’m not sure how people can collaborate without doing a vibe check first… Good chemistry means that you have other things in common besides the fact that we both make music. I want to be able to know that you are going to agree or like whatever I add to the song before I even record it.
Your debut solo album, I’ve Never Been Here Before, explored fearlessness, Black resilience and beauty in darkness. When you revisit it now, does it still feel like an accurate portrait of who you are?
It's definitely an accurate portrayal of who I was in 2024. For a debut album, I think it is important to establish what brought you to where you are so you can decide where you want to go with your narrative next. My first album displayed a lot of reflection, and I can always transport myself back to those emotions just by playing it over again.
We understand that new releases are coming over the next few months. What can you tell us about the chapter ahead?
The music I'm making now truly feels like I've grown so much since my last release. None of this progression has happened on my own, though; I've worked tirelessly to build a team of people I can rely on to help make the things that come out of my head make sense. I think I took a lot on in the past alone, and now I've allowed myself to be more trusting in the people I have around me.
