There are echoes of nostalgia embedded in every crackle of vinyl, ghosts of an era where dust-laden grooves dictated the rhythm of the night. In a world constantly in pursuit of auditory perfection, Miami Beat$ stands defiantly in the margins, embracing imperfection as an art form, distortion as a statement, and rawness as the ultimate aesthetic. The collective, spearheaded by Beet WorldWide and Teejay, does not merely seek to resurrect a bygone sound; rather, they breathe new life into the foundation of HipHop-infused club music, carving out a space where MPC grit meets the sweat-drenched floors of underground raves.
What started as an unassuming encounter in an Amsterdam record store has since evolved into a movement, a musical brotherhood of crate-diggers and beat architects with a shared ethos. The Miami Beat$ crew—nine deep and counting—find solace in the swing of 90s drums, the hiss of tape loops, and the undeniable warmth of sampled soul. With a newly launched label and a vision that transcends the constraints of contemporary club culture, their mission is clear: to reintroduce the world to the rugged charm of HipHop-oriented dance music, untouched by over-polished digital tendencies.
Torture the Artist sat down with Beet WorldWide and Teejay to discuss the genesis of their label, their dedication to the craft, and the future of Miami Beat$. Accompanying the interview is the latest art:cast mixed by Beet WorldWide for Miami Beat$, which consists of own material of the crew only.
Torture the Artist: Hello Beet WorldWide, hello TJ, where do we catch up with you guys and what are you doing?
Beet WorldWide: In the studio somewhere in the south of the Netherlands, finishing up some projects for our upcoming releases!
The lack of artwork and information on a vinyl would trigger you to give it a listen.
Beet WorldWide
Torture the Artist: You guys are the driving force behind the Miami Beat$ record label. However, the entire Miami Beat$ crew consists of more people. Can you tell us a little more about the crew behind Miami Beat$ and how you guys actually met? Where are you all located at the moment?
Beet WorldWide: It all started about ten years ago when Tjizza and I met Tyree (O.G.) & Skinny (T) in a record store in Amsterdam. I believe it was Killa Cutz. Tyree & Skinny, who are from Miami, were on a European tour, and we quickly found out that we were digging for the same type of records. We shared the philosophy that the lack of artwork and information on a vinyl would trigger you to give it a listen. If the record was nice, then you had something special. I believe I found a white label with a “’93 – drum mix” on it, which was exactly the sound we were all looking for: HipHop vibes, MPC-sounding drums, stabbing basslines, and dope vocals. The idea for a label with that exact formula was born that day, although it took us quite a while to finally launch it.
Teejay: In the meantime, like-minded friends with a love for HipHop and HipHop-oriented beats started hanging out in our studios and sending us beats. We released a track on Moodwaves under the name Miami Beatz ’93, which is a collective consisting of Uncle Franky, Mitchell LD, Beet WorldWide, and me. The collective eventually expanded into the Miami Beat$ Crew when our boys Sweppesh and Perlito (also 1/2 of Perty Traxx) joined. The MB$ Crew now counts around nine members, all like-minded DJs and/or producers with a love for MPCs, ’90s sounds, and ’90s gear. Every now and then, we come together to rave or make tunes—expect a lot of tunes in the near future!
I’ve always lived in a musical bubble, just listening to House, Techno, and HipHop.
Teejay
Torture the Artist: HipHop/Rap is making a bit of a comeback in House music, meaning Hip-House is returning. Where does your fascination for this genre come from? Were you musically socialized with HipHop?
Beet WorldWide: Was it ever gone? <winks> What I like about HipHop-oriented club beats is that they always immediately set a certain vibe. I’m sure it has something to do with the fact that both HipHop and House originated from the same machines (909s, samplers, etc.) and have the same roots. As for myself, I’ve always been a HipHop-head and can’t even remember when and why I fell in love with the beats. It all started with HipHop for me, and it will probably end with HipHop for me.
Teejay: I’ve always lived in a musical bubble, just listening to House, Techno, and HipHop. The Miami Beat$ idea is over ten years old, so we don’t think it ever really left. I think both genres really connect on the raw vibe they bring to the dancefloor.
Torture the Artist: What are your top three HipHop tracks?
Beet WorldWide: Well, if I have to choose:
- Tribe Called Quest, Jay Dee – “That Shit”
- Lootpack – “Hityawitdat“
- Aceyalone – “I Think I Know Too Much“
Teejay:
- Heather B – “All Glocks Down“
- Nic Wiz – “Hydra Beats 12“
- Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg – “187“
Torture the Artist: As mentioned before, you guys are responsible for the label. What is everybody else’s task in the Miami Beat$ Crew?
Beet WorldWide: Tjizza and I push the label and also do DJ sets where we play our own or other crew members’ tracks. The rest of the crew mainly focuses on producing. Only a small portion of what is produced by our crew will eventually be released. What does get released is always tested on several sound systems and dancefloors.
Teejay: The crew just brings the heat. Most of them focus on HipHop production, while Beet WorldWide and I are pushing dancefloor beats. When we party, we come together. It was great to have a Miami Beat$ army when I played last ADE for Slapfunk. I tested a tune from “MB002” and saw the crew rocking the floor—that’s what we do it for.
The new stuff we mostly hear sounds rather digital and ‘clean’ compared to old-school productions.
Beet WorldWide
Torture the Artist: The first EP, “Welcome To Miami“, just dropped on the label, including three tracks from Miami Beatz ’93 as well as tracks from Beet WorldWide, Schweppes, and Perty Traxx. What was the idea behind kicking off the label with a various artists EP? How would you like to proceed in terms of the label? Are you open to signing music from artists outside the Miami Beat$ circle, or would you rather keep it a family thing?
Beet WorldWide: The aim of the label is to launch a platform for our crew and other like-minded spirits to release the kind of music we think dancefloors need. There isn’t much Hip-House or HipHop-oriented club music being released these days. The new stuff we mostly hear sounds rather digital and ‘clean’ compared to old-school productions. Instead of perfect-sounding and perfectly mastered tracks, the label is not afraid of sampling and re-sampling, tape sounds, tape hiss, and imperfection—club beats made in a HipHop way, with HipHop samplers and instruments. As long as the track has a vibe and a groove, we are open to any artists dropping their demos—although the next few releases are already set!
Teejay: We like to drop various releases with different producers from our crew. It’s a project of all of us together, you know. And yes, we are open to other people’s music as long as the drums are hard and the vibes are juicy.
Torture the Artist: Also, is the label strictly aiming to be a platform for music with a HipHop influence, or what is the concept/vision of the label?
Teejay: Well, that’s the identity of the label—it represents street vibes. We like pumping drums and sampling records, most of which are HipHop, R’n’B, or other instrumentals. As long as the drums hit hard on the dancefloor.
Torture the Artist: What are the next EPs going to be? What can you reveal about the label’s future releases?
Beet WorldWide: Our second EP is mastered, and we will launch 300 limited vinyl copies soon via our Tanzform brothers. The Miami Beat$ Crew also had the honor of providing one side of Truffle 101’s second release, which will be out soon. There are three downtempo tracks on ‘our’ side, and we are very grateful and proud that they gave us half of the record. Next to that, we are working on EP no. 3 and have invited several guest instrumentalists—bass, vocals, and keys. Plus, we have a few side projects coming up, and I’m working on an MPC-only live set—very stoked for all of this!
Teejay: What he said! We are working on the next projects, and due to the overwhelming positive responses and energy we received from our first EP, our crew is very motivated to do more. Soon, we’ll put all the tunes from the crew together and try to compile a fitting release.
People come and go in your life. Love them, but f*ck them too.
Teejay
Torture the Artist: Your mates Tyree O.G. and Skinny T just released their Booty Beats EP, which took quite some time to be out – totally exaggerating here, if I remember correctly it took nearly eight years for this EP to be out. What’s your relationship to the two and are they also part of Miami Beats in the one way or the other?
Beet WorldWide: They are both originators of the idea of the label. I am forever grateful for that, although I miss them very much and haven’t spoke to them in years. We were so stoked to find out that they dropped the “Booty Beats EP“ that we decided to publish it on our own platform as well. I still consider them as friends of ours and crew members, and I’m hoping to get back in contact soon.
Teejay: People come and go in your life. Love them, but f*ck them too.
Torture the Artist: What’s a HipHop sample you would love to use in one of your next productions, and why?
Beet WorldWide: Any clean drum- or percussion loop recorded into my tape player and sampled into my MPC afterwards is the best way to start a studio session. We will see where it goes afterwards. <smiles>
Teejay: Always aiming for a chunky snare. Got a fresh collection of old instrumental vinyls, so hyped for our next studio time together!
We be up to play any beach party in any city in the world!
Teejay
Torture the Artist: If you weren’t welcomed in Miami, what other city would welcome you with open arms?
Beet Worldwide: Amsterdam and/or Berlin!
Teejay; He said it, those cities are close to our hearts, but we be up to play any beach party in any city in the world!
Words by Holger Breuer
Torture the Artist 