Treefort Music Festival kicks off today and is bringing a whopping 450+ acts from all over the world to Boise’s downtown. However, for some performers travel distance to the event is just a hop, skip, and jump away. No Prophit is a local DJ who is part of the Boise electronic music community, and Treefort happens to be his favorite week of the year. Not only is he performing at Fatty’s Bar on Thursday night from 8-9 but he’s also an avid attendee of the festival. Here’s what he has to say about Treefort, its effects on the Boise community, and himself.
RIZE Entertainment: Let’s get to know you. Can you tell me about your alias No Prophit?
No Prophit: I believe a name should reflect one’s intentions as an artist. I think the name you choose should have a deeper meaning since you’re giving it to yourself. The meaning No Prophit reflects that monetary gain and social status are not my intentions as a DJ. The meaning of No Prophit comes from the way it is spelled. It is a reminder of humility.
RIZE: What roles do you see yourself playing in society besides the generic label of ‘artist’ or ‘DJ?’
No Prophit: Well first of all I’d say I’m more of a DJ than true artist. Right now I think of myself as a tastemaker. By finding tunes, the dopest tunes, and sharing them. I help people find things they normally wouldn’t find. I spend endless hours going through music. I’m a facilitator. I aspire to be a creator and it’s in the works, but that’s not who I am now. It is important to remember the steps. People jump into making one track, trying to get recognized. An individual voice is important before you dive into that. Sometimes I can be critical and shy which might be why I’ve stuck to DJing thus far. I’ve found myself in the middle ground where I want to express myself through other people’s creations, be a conduit if you will.
RIZE: What do you hope to bring to Treefort?
No Prophit: As an attendee, I really enjoy Treefort. It is my favorite week of the year. Our home is transformed into a wonderful playground of music art and culture, it’s great. Treefort makes Boise feel more like a proper home. Even though I am playing I also volunteer. I like to be involved. I am always trying to escape my comfort zone so as an artist it is humbling and honoring to be a part of Treefort.
RIZE: Treefort has a positive financial effect on the local economy, but what else do you see a festival like Treefort bringing to the Boise community?
No Prophit: It’s the best of both worlds. Financially yeah it’s good, but the cultural benefits are really important. Food-fort, for example, shows how the care of food is large enough here to share it in a new unique way. I’m not strictly focusing on the music schedule but the whole experience, especially new experiences. Like the Kombucha Siason beer I heard about. Things are coming together in Boise. It’s sort of a pinnacle of culture in the northwest. There is so much opportunity for growth here. During Treefort you can see those different spectrums of growth coming together.
RIZE: Can you tell me about some of your influences?
No Prophit: I can speak of particular artists and ideals of who influence me. If there’s one sound that really captivates and moves me beyond the banging beats and programmed glitches, it’s smooth strumming guitars and humming voices. I am influenced by the emotion of music. A few artists who fill that void are Mode Rat, which is a combo of Modselektor and Apparat. They are coming out with a new album in April. Their intricate electronic rhythms and dynamic of emotion speak to me. Outside of the realm of influences, Bjork goes without saying. She’s a goddess. It’s good to maintain interests in different genres. Hip-hop really appeals to a certain part of me. Sample bass production and brainy, heady lyrics are what’s up.
RIZE: Do you play any other instruments?
No Prophit: I took piano and guitar lessons throughout my childhood but I’m not as refined in either as I’d like to be since I didn’t follow through. My dad always told me if I stayed committed to playing, there would be one day I’d be getting payed to play in a fancy bar. Unfortunately, I was young when he told me that and I didn’t stick to it as hard as I could have but nowadays the computer is considered a musical instrument. Programming beats, mixing, mashing, it’s all important today.
https://soundcloud.com/no-prophit/the-mix-that-listens-back
RIZE: Do you incorporate instruments into your performances or foresee yourself doing so in the future?
No Prophit: Oh absolutely. I think a good place to start would be to add my own layers of keys and live beats. I could see eventually even adding live guitar.
RIZE: Do you identify mostly with music or are there other forms of art or culture that inspire you?
No Prophit: One thing that’s great about music is the experience expands so much further than the sound. It’s this complete sensory experience. That’s why I love videos and movies. It’s the combination of the soundtrack and the music that removes me from everyday life and I really enjoy that. I have a hard time getting that experience from visual art alone. Visual art is more momentary. One thing that motivates me is the coming together of different cultures. Not just music and art but music and science. I’d like to understand more about the neuroscience of music and how our brains respond to frequencies. Like, what about the recognition of bass causes people to get low? There’s something collective about it that’s greater than momentary recognition.
Check out No Prophit here and catch him during Treefort on Thursday night at Fatty’s bar from 8-9!