T-Razor and Filthy Rich team up for ‘Championships’

A collaboration between T-Razor and Filthy Rich seemed inevitable. The duo makes for a solid pairing, between the grimy rhyme style of T-Razor and the gritty beats of producer Filthy Rich. The two travel in similar circles in the city, having worked together last year on the track “Creepin’” from the Good N’ Filthy album Demolition Derby City — which paired Filthy Rich with Skyscraper Stereo emcee Mr. Goodbar — that T-Razor made a guest appearance on.

Filthy Rich produced, recorded and mixed T-Razor’s third full-length studio album, Championships — for which there will be a release show at The New Vintage on Saturday, Dec. 3.

“I think this project represents the local scene in such a way that it will touch a lot of people,” T-Razor said. “I’ve had a ton of people asking about the project who never listened to my music before, and I’m sure, with Filthy, it’s the same way. This is a project that can be played in local barbershops and dive bars, but also at home in your room, when no one else is around, because it’s very personal and introspective. So hopefully the scene embraces it like I think they will.”

The work is split as you might expect, with T-Razor handling the raps and Filthy on the console, but, as with any great collaborative effort, it didn’t stop there.

“I’d just make tracks and present them to Razor. He’d usually say yes, or pass on them pretty quick,” Rich said. “There is one track that had a busy hook as far as the production goes, and he suggested I strip down, and I did it, and it worked perfectly. As a producer, it’s taken years for me to learn to override your own ideas as opposed to the artist you’re working with.”

It’s not his day job, but Filthy Rich keeps his eyes on making the best art possible, nonetheless, creating and collaborating on as many projects as possible.

“Music has always been huge in my life — it’s my getaway,” he said. “At this point it’s a hobby for me, and just because it’s a hobby doesn’t mean I don’t take it seriously. I don’t have kids so my adult responsibility is pretty much paying bills and yard work. Music doesn’t get in the way of that … too much.”

Balancing adult responsibilities and art is always a concern with older heads in the game, juggling the need to get your music out to the world with keeping the lights on. In that, T-Razor admits his good fortunes: “I’m blessed to be a barber and have the ability to create my own schedule. I think it’s hard to balance artistic expression and responsibility, but I do it by staying humble and hungry for more success.”

While T-Razor has aspirations to take his music outside of the city, it’s not tenable for everyone involved in quite the same way.

“As a 39-year-old producer with a mortgage, I have to stick with the job that pays the bills,” Rich explained. “I’d love for Razor to do some shows outside of Louisville.”

Ultimately, both have a humble set of expectations in terms of the impact this record, and their work at large, will have on the local music community.

“I hope people just say Razor killed every verse he touched, and he never compromised his integrity,” T-Razor said. “And maybe I inspired some young artists to be themselves, tell their story and stand up for something, even when it’s hard. I just tried to give my thoughts, love me or hate me.”

“To be known as someone who always took his time to craft good projects with Louisville’s best emcee’s during the time I was active,” Rich added.

Expect a beat-heavy show with a possible appearance from a live band, which T-Razor believes brings a rawness to the set, adding a gravitas and realness to his message. And he hustles to bring that to every set: “If you see me searching for my bourbon on stage, I might be losing my voice, but other than that the show will be on point. I promise you that.”

You can catch them this Saturday at the New Vintage with Dr. Dundiff spinning records, and performances by Bird Zoo, Johnny Spanish, Murff and P Rick of Framehouse. •