Local wordsmith Qnc Dayz began writing raps at the early age of 12. Over the course of his teenage years he experimented with writing songs along to beats on YouTube and jumping onto the musical projects of friends.
“We were influenced by artists like Pro Era and Odd Future,” Dayz says. “Seeing that these young kids weren’t showing off money or like anything like that, it seemed tangible.”
After a less than successful attempt to blow up with a solo album on Bandcamp at 13 years old, Dayz decided to give music a break. It wasn’t until 2019 that he took his sound into his own hands and created beats himself.
Dayz considers his first album, 2022’s Outside, to be his baby, but he also thinks of it as elementary. With that in mind he set out to create a more confident and robust sound on his sophomore release. He tapped his longtime friend and musical counterpart Diesel to produce his June album Hardfish.
The opening track “Onetwostep” begins with a lighthearted snippet of a fishing tutorial, before a minimalistic beat begins looping. That supports Dayz’s hypnotic flow, his lyricism direct, highlighting themes of growth and acceptance.
Dayz says it’s about keeping his integrity as an artist during this musical journey—and not allowing potentially damaging things to influence him.
Talking overlays occur on other tracks from the album. On “Samiam,” it’s debatable where the outside anecdote ends and the rap begins, and that blending method smoothly elevates rather than distracts.
“My two inspirations for this were Roc Marciano and Madlib,” Diesel says. “Anything I make is a reflection of what I’m listening to.”
The producer admits he’s envious about Madlib’s seemingly effortless ability to find samples and specific breakdowns for songs—a craft Diesel worked hard on for Hardfish.
The duo used technology to their advantage during the three months it took to write, mix and produce the album. Though they weren’t able to be in a studio, they developed a system that supported their schedules. “The reality is that we are working artists who have different obligations,” Diesel says. “My job was to create instrumentals that he could write songs around.”
Diesel would send his samples to Dayz, who says he would then fully absorb on the beat before beginning to write. Effective communication allowed them to work nonstop despite being apart.
The two Las Vegans’ efforts have paid off, with the album already generating some buzz on the local scene. Visual components that coordinate to specific tracks also add to the overall vibe.
Along with their industry aspirations, Qnc Dayz and Diesel say they hope to collaborate with others in the local music scene. But for now, they’re enjoying their finished project.
“The music I make is meant to be sat with and digested,” Dayz says. “I’d like for people to put more than just their ears to it.”
QNC DAYZ qncdayz.bandcamp.com
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