Erick the Architect from Flatbush Zombies is missing his BlackBerry keyboard

Erick the Architect is one of the founding members and lead producer of the legendary Flatbush Zombies. He’s toured the world, performed Kimmel and Fallon hits, played Coachella, and collaborated with everyone from Joey Bada$$ and Raza to James Blake and the band Trash Talk. But perhaps the most unexpected collaboration was with Apple, when Eric appeared after Tim Cook’s final match WWDC supply for Rapping about apps. That was just a prelude to dropping his new disco and reggae single, “No doubt (I’m in love)“.

The new track, produced by Yeti Beats and Federico Vendver, is definitely a shift in tone from the darker, grittier, more buoyant sounds that Eric is known for. But that’s part of what makes it so compelling. Eric still looks forward to experimenting and expanding his palette deep into his career. However, this sense of adventure doesn’t stop it from feeling somewhat nostalgic for actual phone keyboards and the GameCube. It also turned out that Eric was one of the few unfortunate people who spent their hard-earned money on a Nokia N-Gage.

What is your indispensable tool?

Moleskine book and pen.

What was the first app you installed on your new phone or computer?

I usually choose Dropbox first so I can pull out the thousands of files I have stored online somewhere.

What is the one thing you wish you could change about your phone?

I miss typing on my phone using the physical keyboard like I used to do with my BlackBerry.

What sites have you pinned to your tab bar?

ESPN, Behance, MyFonts, Fanatics, Topps, eBay, Discord, UPS, FedEx, Whatnot, Plex

How many tabs do you have open now?

What is your happy place on the Internet?

Uh…the screen that says “Your order has been placed” when you buy something online

What’s your favorite gadget you’ve ever owned?

Which was the most disappointing?

What game do you have the best memories of?

Resident Evil 4 Cube game. I’ve played this game so many times I’ve had my eyes red, and my fondest memory is the huge TV I played on. Televisions at that time were so large that they were actually pieces of furniture. When it came time to move it, I needed four people to lift those large TVs. Anyway, I love this game, and I think I’m probably one of the best people at it!

What’s a tech trend you wish would go away?

I’m not really a fan of VR and I put things over my eyes to augment my reality…sorry to anyone obsessed with that stuff!

What is one thing you wish you had created?

I wish I had created the song “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It’s a silly song in the most beautiful way. I can’t compare it to any other piece of music. If I did that, I would have to go back to a lot of different songs to create this song. I think if I were the creator of it, people would have no idea what song to expect from me, which is pretty cool.

What creation are you most proud of?

If I had a child, my answer would be that – but since I don’t, I have to say that the project I launched in 2011 is called Almost Remembered. It was the catalyst for all the music I eventually learned how to make, and gave me the confidence to continue pursuing being a producer and artist. I considered myself an amateur at the time, but it was the most creative I’d felt yet in terms of trying new sounds.

What are you least proud of?

I wouldn’t want anyone to Google the name of the thing I’m least proud of hahaha

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

My mom told me that everyone has a season, and even though it may not be your season now…you have to keep in mind that when it is, that season may last forever. Be patient and wait it out.

What is your current obsession?

What do you do when you need to focus?

Turn off my phone or pretend I don’t have a phone anymore.

What do you do when you feel stuck?

Again, I turn off my phone or pretend I don’t have a phone anymore.

When was the last time you went somewhere without your phone?

I walk around without my phone all the time, and use a digital audio player that’s not connected to the internet at all. I can fully focus on the music and not be distracted by incoming texts, emails, or social media.

What’s the last piece of physical media you purchased?

I bought a bunch of records at VinylCon! A few months ago, I have been collecting The ultimate Batman and invincible Cartoons.

What do you think is worth spending on?

Food and anything you like to collect.

What will your resume slogan be?

“A man who has a lot on his mind.”

What’s the last GIF or meme you used?