In Room C of an undisclosed studio on a treelined Brooklyn block, Judah Weston stands front and center, surrounded by his brother and producer IsoKeys, an assortment of managers, assistants, other artists, and weed rolling buddies from his Lower East Side neighborhood, making sex noises as loud as possible into the mic.
Iso is tasked as DJ and engineer today, adjusting the mixer as best he can, but the moans are clipping from the speakers. Judah, at 18 years young, is celebrating his first summer without a return to school lurking in the fall. The brothers are preparing for the biggest week of their budding professional lives. Their debut album, Why So Much Hate, is out in two days and their first solo headlining show at the famed Baby’s All Right venue is in five.
Before Judah secured his high school diploma, some money—“but not rapper money”—hit his account via a deal with the Johnny Shipes-run GoodTalk label. He’d run up millions of views on TikTok posting song snippets every day, perform alongside A Boogie Wit Tha Hoodie in front of 10,000 people, and hit another 700k views on the Lyrical Lemonade produced video for the infectious, nonsensical heater, “Ra Ta Dia.” Iso has been alongside his little brother every step of the way, on the edge of those viral videos, scoring every scene.
The clipping and feedback from his grunts has finally stopped, and Judah celebrates by making a squishing noise with his tongue, creating new soundsystem issues. Eventually it evolves into roasting the adults in the room—so much cursing a rep from the FCC began gnawing on the building’s electrical wiring—and Shipes attempting to teach the kids why walking in front of a live speaker with two microphones is causing loud noises. The crass, class-clown charisma Judah wields through soundcheck tracks with the energy of his catalog.
Why So Much Hate is particularly brash and mischievous for a debut, a whirlwind of teen debauchery fit to soundtrack a Superbad reboot. There’s crack dealing, his best friends are “30 year-old convicted felons,” he’s painting “love stains on the carpet,” and manifesting what he believes in his soul to be true; that he’s one day going to be bigger than Freddie Mercury.
ADHD is whooping his ass song to song, luring him into off topic rants and breaking musical meters. Iso’s production is full of glitzy dance synths and negative space for Judah to slosh around unbound. In that way he reminds me of N.O.R.E. without the Five Percenter teachings or late-career Fat Joe in need of a Ritalin dosage. But by pharmaceutically muting his erratic distractions and the locker room humor, how much of the thoughtful core moments go with it? What happens to a deep cut like “Family Feud,” an anxiety riddled tavern song hinting at familial trauma and a want to escape it all? The origins story breakdown on “Creative Geniuses”? Or “I Promise,” a Valentine’s Day card full of pride and puppy love?
For as unserious as 95 percent of soundcheck has been, once the backing tracks kick on the boys flip a switch, channeling their energy into entertaining. IsoKeys puffs a vape to keep himself awake while testing laser noises and bomb effects. Judah and his teenage hype man Lil Mak (who very well may be ten years old with a drawn-on mustache) run down the records, weaving between one another as they plan to do on show night. They’ve memorized the setlist so well they’re already sick of it, adding and deleting songs from the show in real time while scheming out the transitional skits they have planned.
After about 40 minutes of practice, before running off to a late night studio session and Italian catering, I was able to speak with Judah and Iso about their career to date; whether being professional musicians has met their wildest dreams, their plot on global stardom, and living as New York’s hottest young artists.
Who was the first to get into music of you two?
Judah: Iso.
Iso: Yeah, me. I’ve been making music my whole life.
Did you have a musical family?
Iso: My dad is very musical. He’s a drummer and taught me how to play when I was very young.
I’d read that you two making music together was a spur of the moment choice, what made you finally start getting involved with your brother’s music?
Judah: I wanted to be a criminal when I was younger… wait, that’s un-brand friendly. Really the superstar image was really appealing to me. All the girls, the nice cars, nice jewelry, nice clothes. I always wanted it. Now I think about it different, and look at the actors. They got the white t-shirt on but it might be one that costs $1,000. So now I think actors and businessmen impress me more. Back then though the from the outside looking in it was chains, the watches, the girls, the cars. It makes you want that as a kid. But then I realized I have a real talent for it.
Who were some of the first artists you saw that made you want that?
Judah: DMX. The chains and shit was cool but the aura is all DMX. I was six or seven years old, just wowed. His presence was definitely different from the day-to-day person.
Watching you practice showed me you have a lot of tricks and chops you want to showcase. What makes you want to be a showman in that way?
Judah: Cause I want to be a stadium artist. That’s where the money’s at. You can’t just walk around that stage. Right now I don’t really know what to do. I don’t have background dancers. But I want it, the big shows. I want it to look like the theater and climb down some big staircase.
What was your first show like?
Judah: My first real show was at the Temple Arena. Like 10,000 people.
How did you get set up for such a big situation so early?
Judah: I was opening for A Boogie.
Iso, your production leaves a lot of space for Judah to play within. Is that a conscious choice more tailored for him or is that what you like to make?
Iso: Not conscious, honestly. It depends though. Some are very simple, but others I make have a lot going on. Honestly it just make makes sense. Whatever frequencies I’m using don’t occupy his space and vice versa.
Who were the artists you looked up to when you started producing?
Iso: Back then Timbaland, Scott Storch, Pharrell, all the 2000s people. Now for this music my biggest inspiration is more ‘80s New Wave, Beach Boys, Michael Jackson. It’s not directly influenced by rap. My drums are the most rap thing about our music.
Are you choosing beats you think are best for him to rap on or is he asking you for different types of sounds?
Iso: Neither, really. I just make beats and he chooses what he wants.
In making this album did you choose the best songs from a batch or was it a more intentional process?
Iso: Kind of a mix of both. We picked the best songs we had, and kinda tailored them into an album, adding interludes, and eventually the intro. “WTMD” wasn’t there when we first made it. We added skits. When we were making the music though we knew it was good enough to be for an album.
Judah, you were still in high school while you started releasing music and gaining traction online. Did you notice people start acting differently around you?
Judah: Nah. I’ve always been pretty ahead of my time. People always kinda looked up to me in my high school. It was actually pretty calm because everyone knew me before. People don’t really act starstruck. Like even down on the Lower East Side people don’t act starstruck because they all know me on a personal level.
That’s comforting. To still be a person and avoid the horror stories of not being able to leave the house in their hometown or people being awkward and weird around you guys.
Iso: For me it’s so not awkward. I think I’m the right level of famous where it’s not crazy yet. When people recognize me it’s more a “I fuck with what you’re doing” and they don’t even really ask for pictures. I think that’s also a New York thing though. They don’t care about famous people. They understand celebrities are just people.
Have you guys started working with artists outside of your circle or had bigger names reach out?
Iso: Recently Lil Yachty and Brent Faiyaz hit me up which was really cool. Nothing official yet though.
Judah: Everybody.
I saw you post up photos of you talking to Ferg, obviously the A Boogie connection. A lot of people tapped in.
Judah: I think I might be like the “New Young Artist” people like. I get cosigned a lot. Shoutout Skrilla, Jorjiana, A Boogie obviously is like my big bro.
Does that make you nervous, having all these people come around so suddenly?
Judah: Nah. They’re a lot more normal than people think.
Do you feel comfortable in a sound after seeing “Ra Ta Dia” take off or are you still searching for something?
Judah: I’m just feeling it out. I definitely don’t want to stick to one sound. I’ll probably never use that sound again.
Have you always been the DJ opening and backing his live shows?
Iso: Some show’s I’ll do it. A lot of venues have problems with producers playing their own music for some reason. I’ve tried to exert some power and tell them “No, you’re gonna let me play it” but it depends. A lot of them will just hit me with a no and I’ll have to accept that, others will come around. But I’d like to, it’s fun. I literally learned how to DJ the night before a Nike show because I’d never done it before.
What do you produce in?
Iso: Ableton. I tried FL but couldn’t do it, that’s the only one I’ve tried. Maybe I did GarageBand for like a week.
What’s your favorite song on the album?
Iso: Probably “Love” or “Toe On The Gas.”
Judah: I like “I’m Sellin’ Crack Momma.” It’s like, have you ever been in trouble with your mom? And just be sad and want to tell her everything? That song is almost like a cry for help and I like it.
The honesty is really powerful. That and “Family Feud” have that, which is my favorite song.
Judah: Thank you. I love that, too. That’s one of my favorites actually.
Iso: “Family Feud” is a very distinct song. It’s its own little thing.
How has your family adjusted to you guys doing music as opposed to worrying about you getting in trouble on the streets? Or are they still worried?
Judah: Nah they don’t worry. I’m on a super good path. I got super blessed by the big man and I don’t want to let him down. I’m only doing positive things and want to better the world, not make it worse.
Do you think this album is gonna be big?
I don’t know. I can never tell what’s going to be big and connect, but I can tell how serious someone takes their craft by their album.
Judah: Do you think we take it serious?
It sounds like it. There’s chunks that sound serious, but it’s also very loose and chaotic. Which, after seeing you in person, that’s your personality and it’s infectious. I think it’s sick you could catch that. A lot of people take it too seriously, but you’re taking it the right amount of serious where you’re still having fun. I’ve been in rooms like this and people are so tight to which it isn’t fun for them anymore.
Judah: You gotta make it fun, we only live one time in our whole lives. Don’t ever forget that.
Does it ever surprise you how early it’s all started going well, being this young?
Judah: I been doing it though. I been all in the strip clubs, all that before. It’s not that freaky. The biggest thing is how adults treat you. Adults treat me a lot different than other kids which is good in some ways but in some way it’s like… I’m still 18. I just turned 18. I’m buying my own apartment…wait when is this coming out?
Iso: Are you wearing my shoes?
Judah: Nah these are mine.
Iso: Cap.
Judah: We both got these.
Iso: Why are you wearing my laces though?
Judah: We both got these laces.
Iso: You put those laces on the shoes? They look a lot like mine.
Judah: No.
Iso: You’re capping. You’re lying to me.
Judah: Let me hit that. *Iso passes his vape* But basically by the time this comes out I’m gonna have my own apartment. My own car. Pay my own gas.
What’s the first thing you bought with the money you got?
Judah: I haven’t gotten any rapper money. We got enough rapper money to get food.
Iso: We don’t get paid.
Judah: But I have an AMG off my little fake rapper money. But now we did just get our first big lump sum of rapper money. It’s not buy a house money though.
Is it what you thought it would be?
Judah: No. I thought rappers could do whatever they want. You still gotta get it [passes the vape].
Your TikToks started hitting me a couple weeks ago and I saw how many you’ve done the last few months, it’s wild. Do you feel people take you less seriously than you like because TikTok is what got your name out?
Iso: [Trying to take a hit of the vape] Awww it’s fucking dead bro.
Judah: [Laughs] I don’t think I’m a TikTok artist.
Iso: Is there such thing as not being a TikTok rapper anymore? I feel like it’s rare. Not like being a “TikTok Rapper” but not having to be super actor on there? I don’t know, I feel like the music gets taken seriously. All the comments and interactions are about the music. I think it’s music first. For a little bit it wasn’t but it is now.
What makes you say that?
Iso: I think before “Ra Ta Dia”... just because before “Ra Ta Dia” the Instagram following was more active than the amount of people streaming our music. And then “Ra Ta Dia” pushed it.
Was there anything different about making that song than the others?
Iso: To me it was just another song. We didn’t do anything different. We always go in to make a hit but we weren’t extra on it that day.
Judah: Just taking more time and going back in after we record.
Iso: But we didn’t really go back on that one like that?
Judah: Eh, yeah, I don’t know. But that one was also done by MixedByAli. Shoutout Ali.
Iso: All the songs on the album were done by Ali.
Judah: I also think all the songs on the album are as good as that.
What’s next after this show?
Judah: We got offered some tours, but I don’t really want to be an opener. We’ll probably wait until we can do our own tour.
From the back row of their Baby’s All Right Show three things struck me about Judah and Iso’s set. One, this is the best air conditioning of any venue I’ve ever been in.
Second, Judah’s rapscallion energy makes him the perfect showman. Unable to sit still for even a blink he zips side-to-side on stage, dapping people in the crowd, performing within the crowd, cracking jokes all the while. When it’s time to pass the pre-rolls out he threatens anyone that blows smoke near his little cousins in the crowd. He’s taking requests from audience members, giving them moments to rap alongside him on stage. Even with lesser known records the head nodding and participation never falters. It’s more dynamic than practice led it to be, but it’s the kind of informal chaos he relishes being the center of.
Third, and most crucial, a short rant Judah gave towards the end of the night, right before he called all of the Lower East Side to join him on stage for multiple performances of “Ra Ta Dia”; “I told Iso I wanted Polo G-type beats and he said no, fuck you, I’m not making Polo G-type beats we’re gonna find our own sound. And I’m so happy he never gave me Polo G-type beats.”
In one go it’s an appreciation of he and his brother’s bond on and off record, one that allowed a headstrong Judah to trust his brother and wait for a bigger payoff, allowing a moment this pure to come to life. It’s an admission of the hard work that many older fans discount when they see a teen on TikTok star getting buzz, not understanding the grind and drive needed for daily content creation no matter how frivolous it appears in the 15 seconds blips they’re served. It’s also a hard reset; we’ve got something, and we worked too damn hard to ever lose it.
