Urban Vault caught up with Brooklyn, New York-based trio Graffiti Royale to ask them some questions about their latest release SWEET LIKE WINE and more…

New York-based band Graffiti Royale present the Timothy Barker Jr-directed music video for their new single, ‘Sweet Like Wine,’ the follow-up to their previous single ‘Feel The Fire‘.

The band was born when vocalist, Bronx-bred Daniel Vasquez (a.k.a. QuezDreamer) began looking for a backup band to perform with during his sets. The search led him to connect with Northern California native Tyler Morrisette (a.k.a. Creature in the Woods), and Alec Green (a.k.a. AG) who hails from Philadelphia.

Graffiti Royale has performed its mix of electronica, 80s Funk, Indie rock and Hip Hop at SOB’s, Mercury Lounge, DROM, The Shrine, Paper Box and SRBs, with recent small tours in California and Philadelphia. They have shared the stage with Oswin Benjamin, Chris Rivers, J.Lately, Adrien Daniels, Jake and Poppa and Year of the OX. They also headline their quarterly show called ‘Graffiti and Friends’ at SOB’s.

They are currently working on their next single and video to be released in the fall. They call their new single,

“An introspective and moody track about giving into your temptations”.

How did you guys get your stage name?

Graffiti isn’t normally looked at as being Royale, so it represents the high and the low. Taking something out of its context. The jester amongst kings. A scrappy hybrid that finds a way to adapt and innovate.

What made you guys decide to become a group?

We started up when Bronx-bred vocalist Daniel Vasquez a.k.a. QuezDreamer began looking for a backup band to perform with during his sets, a search which led him to connect with Northern California native Tyler Morrisette a.k.a. Creature in the Woods and Alec Green a.k.a. AG, who hails from Philadelphia. After a few shows, we all felt like the connection and potential was so strong that it felt natural to start a band. It wasn’t too long after that the name was created and our first single “Let It Go” was released.

What’s the first rap song each of you ever heard? Describe the moment.

Quez: DMX, ‘Ruff Ryder’s Anthem’. I was 10 years old and my brother-in-law took me to the video shoot in my old neighbourhood – Hunts Point. I remember there were hundreds of motorcycles burning rubber and riding around, it showed me the power of music to bring people together. Being there was extremely impactful to me.
Tyler: ‘Change In Speak’ by De La Soul. I was instantly hooked by the funk, the attitude, and the fun they were having.
Alec: ‘Jazz (We’ve Got)’ by A Tribe Called Quest. I remember being really impressed with the blend of genres, it felt effortless. Really fell into the funky groove, crispy drums and all around smooth vocals.

How did ‘Sweet Like Wine’ come together?

‘Sweet Like Wine’ took a few versions to flush out. The idea was originally created by Alec (AG), with some reworking and sampling by Tyler (Creature In The Woods). Quez was going through a breakup during that time and found escape through liquor. It’s about giving into your temptations and dancing with your demons. The boat scenes are supposed to represent the truth – the negative side. And the lightbox dance scenes represent the perceived positive.

What are your thoughts on the year in music so far?

There’s been some amazing stuff coming out…and some junk of course. Anyone can upload anything which makes it hard to find the great stuff, but it’s there – just takes some digging sometimes. Some albums that have been in our rotation are SZA, Hot Flash Heat Wave, and Jay Rock to name a few.

Thank you for your time and may you carry on making dope, fresh music…

Graffiti Royale – Sweet Like Wine via iTunes/Spotify

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