“It’s hard to find a music partner who can match my energy” Papa Lu interview

Papa Lu’s solo career gained momentum with his 2019 release “Dança” on Savia Park, featuring a deep acid groove. This was followed by “King” in 2020 on Desert Hearts Records and a 2021 track with Music is 4 Lovers. Emerging from the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area, Papa Lu’s musical journey began in the local Hip Hop scene, evolving through organizing events and producing house music, including the notable Night Moves party at Monarch SF.

Having already released several singles and EPs in 2024, Body Rock is the latest of a rich and prolific run of form for Papa Lu.

Body Rock is a moody, deep house cut with an irresistible groove, infectious vocal samples which builds to a subtle yet beautifully effective drop, and further marks Papa Lu’s growing presence within the underground electronic scene.

Your journey began in the Bay Area hip-hop scene. What prompted you to transition from organizing hip-hop events to producing house music?

I would say there were a couple of factors in that transition. One was that we were producing true school-style hip-hop events, hosting artists such as Kool Keith, Guru of Gang Starr, Digable Planets, Digital Underground, etc. The focus in hip-hop was changing a lot with newer artists coming into the scene at the time, making it harder for us to succeed financially. Also, a big factor was that I had become more interested in house music, regularly attending house music events such as “Remedy,” held at DNA Lounge, where we were throwing our hip-hop shows.

You’ve mentioned being inspired by house DJs like Mark Farina and Derrick Carter. How did their styles influence your approach to music production?

I definitely find myself producing tracks with the classic house sound layered with newer vibes. Being exposed to those types of artists first in dance music resulted in that style of house becoming a part of who I am as an artist today.

The learning curve of music production is steep. What specific challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?

Learning all the ins and outs of Ableton was the biggest challenge. Ableton is really complex, and I’m still learning to this day. I have to give huge credit to my good friend Alex Sibley, who taught me a lot of the intricacies of Ableton. The guy is an Ableton wizard. We have a bunch of projects together, and I have definitely learned a lot of what I know today from working on past sessions with Alex.

Your single “Rave” is known for its minimalist tech house vibe. Can you describe your creative process when crafting tracks for late-night dancefloors?

“Rave” started with a cool little vocal that complemented a rave-style beat. A lot of my time spent on this track was focused on the bassline and making it have its own life throughout the track by automating the filter with frequency and resonance moving up and down. The goal was to make a bassline that is gritty, moody, and rave-influenced. I think it worked out.

What can you tell us about the follow-up, “Body Rock”?

“Body Rock” embodies the vibes of 90’s R&B, Louie Vega’s style of drums, and a gritty acid bassline. Capturing three totally different sounds that match well on this track somehow, “Body Rock’s” infectious energy will move a crowd with a variety of tastes.

The Night Moves party at Monarch SF became quite popular. What do you think made this event stand out in the local scene?

I think that because Monarch was really new at the time and people were just discovering what a great venue it is helped a lot. Booking artists like headliner Jimmy Edgar, who was on a hot streak of releasing cool music on great labels such as K7 Records and Warp Records, also helped create a buzz. Jimmy was just one of the artists among a whole list of others that I booked for the series, and they were all making waves with their productions at the time.

Founding The Kazbah at Burning Man was a significant milestone. How has this experience shaped your career and musical style?

I am actually a co-founder. We have a large crew of people involved, but I like to look at myself as one of the music directors for Kazbah. Experiencing music at Burning Man has helped shape my musical style by opening up my ears to a lot of different sounds. Being part of Kazbah events has made it possible for me to play many international gigs. We’ve done Kazbah events in Mexico, Portugal, Spain, London, among others, which has also helped shape my music tastes by traveling and listening to what other countries are into.

Your music spans from disco to techno. How do you balance maintaining your signature sound while exploring diverse genres?

Mixing multiple genres smoothly is a part of my “signature sound.” In production, I mix various sounds, and in my DJ sets, I do the same.

Collaboration is key in the music industry. What was it like working on the “Set in Stone” project, and how did it influence your solo work?

“Set in Stone” was a project I had with a buddy a long time ago. It was my introduction to music production. Looking back, I feel like those tracks were more like edits with some original vocals. I don’t think it necessarily influenced my solo work. My solo work was just inevitable, given my work ethic in making music consistently. It’s hard to find a music partner who can match that energy.

San Francisco’s music scene is incredibly diverse. How do your Bay Area roots continue to influence your music as you evolve as an artist?

It’s hard to say exactly how my Bay Area roots influence my music today because people in other states grew up listening to a lot of the same hip-hop and R&B that I did. However, there was also a vast amount of local hip-hop artists from the Bay Area that have influenced me, and those artists are not as well known in other places. I can assume they have an influence on my music because I find myself sampling bits of their lyrics from time to time.

Looking ahead, what can your fans expect from your upcoming releases and performances?

I plan to keep the releases coming as well as the quality. For upcoming performances, I’m still filling out dates for the summer. But to name a few confirmed gigs that I’m excited about: on June 25th, I have a gig in Tokyo at a venue called HVEN for a party called “Joystick.” On July 31st, I will be headlining a party called “Strut” at F8 in San Francisco. Then on September 8th, my camp, The Kazbah, will be collaborating with All Day All Night events and Dials of 1015 to throw a big outdoor party on Treasure Island, San Francisco.

Body Rock is out now