When you come in on Monday, and you’re not feeling real well, does anyone ever say to you, “Sounds like someone has a case of the Mondays?”
While it’s believed you’d get your ass kicked sayin’ something like that, next time that happens, don’t resort to violence. Just throw on TVBOO’s latest EP, Business In The Front, and watch Karen from HR implode at the first bass drop.
Yet despite disrupting office culture with a fury of heavy-hitting bass, TVBOO has had his foot firmly on the gas pedal, well before the EP arrived on July 14, transforming years of steady growth into one of the biggest runs of his career.
Over the past year and a half, the Mississippi-born producer has been on an absolute tear, dropping viral hits like Girlfriend’s Song and Start Your Engines alongside massive collaborations with AHEE, Liquid Stranger, Flozone, Ganja White Night, and more, while relentlessly pushing the boundaries of his artistry.
Now, with Business In The Front, the first chapter of his two-part Business In The Front, Party In The Back series, TVBOO is taking things to another level, delivering some of his most diverse music to date.
But while his sound continues to expand into new territory, he doesn’t see it as some grand reinvention. If anything, he just believes he’s gotten a whole lot better at doing what he’s always done.
“I wouldn’t say I’m stepping into a new era,” TVBOO shared in an interview with The Daily Frequency. “I just feel like I’ve been in my bag for the last year and a half. IDK what it is, I just feel like my production quality and songwriting ability have leveled up. I’ve noticed it, the fans have noticed it, and damn it, it feels good!”
That growth is on full display throughout Business In The Front. Across four tracks, TVBOO stretches beyond the wonky bass he’s become known for, dipping into funk, trap, soul, and other corners of his musical palette without losing the personality that’s always made his music his own.
And while the finished product might be his most versatile project yet, there was never some master plan behind it. Much like everything that came before it, the record started with one simple goal: make some cool shit.
“My intention for this record was the same for every record I make: to just write music that I think is cool as fuck,” he explained. “When making an album, the concept usually comes later after I have a body of work that starts to speak to me. It kinda goes into the last question. When I venture into sounds/styles I normally don’t do, it just makes me a better songwriter, and I couldn’t be more proud of this first half of the record!”
That willingness to fuck around and see what happens has been engraved in TVBOO’s DNA since he started. Long before Business In The Front, tracks like Wook Worm and This Ain’t Dubstep helped put his name on the map by embracing the weird, fun, and downright ridiculous side of bass music.
Now, years later, the tools may have gotten sharper, but the mentality hasn’t changed.
“While my approach has stayed the same, my knowledge and palette have grown and evolved a bit. I still feel like I’m still making those types of tunes, just maybe a little more mature versions,” TVBOO reflected. “Back then I was throwing shit at the wall and hoping it stuck, and I’m still doing that to a certain degree. Those songs seem to be timeless because they’re fun, silly tunes. As long as I stay fun and silly, those types of songs will always come!”
Of course, having the freedom to keep throwing shit at the wall helps when you have the right people in your corner.
For TVBOO, WAKAAN has been firmly in that corner for years. Alongside its founder, Liquid Stranger, the label has given him a home where even his wildest ideas have room to breathe without being squeezed into a particular box.
“Liquid Stranger and the entire WAKAAN family have given me the freedom to really express myself and to just make music that is true to me. I don’t feel pressured to make a certain sound or vibe,” he shared. “Martin has been an amazing friend and mentor over the years, and the label has always had my back and supports whatever silly vision I have.”
But those silly visions are only half the story. Behind the Daisy Dukes mullet, outlandish song titles, and overall debauchery is a side of TVBOO that isn’t always visible online, making Business In The Front, Party In The Back a fitting reflection of the man behind it all.
“One assumption about me that people seem to get wrong, and rightfully so, is that I’m some degenerate party monster. All they see is what I put out online, the ridiculous song names, and wild tour themes. I get it. But I take this shit very seriously. I’m up at 4:30 a.m. every morning, working on music and trying to get better. I love what I do, so I’m constantly working. I also know when it’s time to turn that shit off and have a good time. I feel like I have the perfect balance of work and play.”
That balance between work and play doesn’t stop with the music. From dabbling in stand-up to his podcast, TVLKS with TVBOO, comedy has become just as much a part of the TVBOO experience as the bone-rattling bass.
As he sees it, making people laugh and getting them to dance aren’t all that different.
“Comedy and music are much more similar than most people think. They’re both a grind, they’re both the best time, and they’re both always looking to see how they can push the envelope without crossing a line. Sometimes a song or a joke doesn’t land. Shit happens. Big whoop. Comedy will always be needed. Like music, jokes bring us together,” he explained. “I’ve always said I think you’re having the best time when you’re dancing or laughing. If I can make you do one of those things, that’s a job well done. BUT, if I can make you do both, it’s a night to remember. I’m a silly goose, and I will ALWAYS try to make you laugh or dance.”
And if there’s one place where those two worlds collide, it’s a TVBOO show.
On top of the EP, TVBOO is preparing to take his Business In The Front, Party In The Back concept on the road with a massive nationwide headline tour, which includes his highly anticipated return to Denver’s Mission Ballroom this November.
And, when it comes to what he has planned for the new run of shows, he isn’t interested in overcomplicating things.
“Expect to have fun. I don’t care about anything else but giving you the best time possible. That’s what it’s about, baby!”
It’s that IDGAF mentality that has ultimately shaped TVBOO’s rise into one of the most sought-after acts in bass music. Between the electrifying shows, heavy-hitting tunes, hilarious podcast episodes, and an endless stream of running jokes… cough TVBOO sucks cough,* he’s built a community that doesn’t just understand his sense of humor but sends it right back.
“I feel like I have the silliest fan base in dance music, and I freaking love it. People will walk up to me and just start talking shit. And to me, that’s a love language. People will often say, whether it’s from the podcast, the music, or the content I put online, that they feel like they know me. And because of that, they feel comfortable enough to come up and just bullshit with me. I LOVE that. It’s cultivated a community of folks who are like me and just wanna have a good time. I’m very blessed to have the fans that I have.”
While that connection might be most obvious in the community surrounding TVBOO, it’s also become one of the most meaningful parts of his life behind the microphone.
Through TVLKS with TVBOO, the multifaceted producer has spent years sitting down with artists across the dance music spectrum, holding conversations that go far beyond the surface, creating space for genuine connections.
“This podcast has quite literally changed my life. I’ve gotten to talk to different people from all different walks of life. From different countries, cultures, and backgrounds. People who I probably would’ve never been able to sit down and have a long conversation with. How often do you sit down with someone, let alone a stranger, and talk for hours? Not very often, if ever. I don’t plan a single question, I don’t have an agenda, I just want to get to know the ‘person behind the mask.’”
With every conversation comes a new perspective, and after years behind the microphone, those perspectives have shaped TVBOO in ways he never expected.
“You don’t really know someone until you sit down with them, hear their life story to understand what makes them, them. This podcast has given me so much insight. It’s made me a better listener, a better interviewer, and overall, a better person. While it’s not the most popular thing in dance music, I freaking love it and appreciate everyone for taking the time to share their life story with me and my listeners.”
Ultimately, his natural ability to connect with fellow artists and fans alike reflects the authenticity that has defined his project from the beginning.
Since he first broke onto the scene, he’s never watered himself down to make the TVBOO project easier to digest. Every weird, loud, hilarious, and occasionally questionable side of his personality has been on full display for the world to see, whether people fuck with it or not.
When asked how important that authenticity has been to his success, and what advice he would give to artists still trying to find their own identity, TVBOO’s appreciation for the people around him came through once again as he took a moment to acknowledge us and everyone reading along.
“Before I answer, I wanna say I appreciate y’all taking the time to ask me these things. These questions have been fantastic. I also appreciate everyone reading this!”
Then, fittingly, he brought it all back to the mindset that’s carried him this far.
“I feel like TVBOO didn’t start to get any attention until I started to just be myself and not care what other people think. I know my style and branding isn’t for everyone, but I’m NOT gonna try to be someone I’m not. There’s over 8 billion people in the world, but there’s only 1 YOU. Artists will ask me for advice, and I always tell them the same thing: Work hard, be yourself, and have fun. If you keep doing that, it’s impossible to lose. I did it, you can too.”
