Playboi Carti, Connor Oberst, Brockhampton, Phil Elverum, Yves Tumor, Radiohead—this isn’t just a list of artists on your favorite Indy member’s Daily Mix. You can somehow find elements of each of these artists and more in every crevice of Quadeca’s 15-song mixtape Scrapyard. The project serves as a home for Quad’s misfit songs that didn’t quite fit his 2022 concept album I Didn’t Mean to Haunt You or his recently announced LP Vanisher: Horizon Scraper, slated for release sometime in late 2024. Quadeca released some of Scrapyard’s songs periodically throughout 2023 before ultimately consolidating them into one LP. As varied as the project sounds, Scrapyard’s potpourri is held together by a common link—Quadeca’s authentic presence.
Born Benjamin Lasky, Quadeca started his creative journey with YouTube gameplay content for the soccer video game FIFA at age 11 before pivoting to music at 14. Quad garnered viral status through his “Styles of Rap” videos, which show him effortlessly imitating famous artists and moving comfortably between countless rap techniques. Yet, Quad faced difficulty translating his chameleon-like style into original music. Onlookers often saw his potential as confined to the fast-rapping, diss-hurling corner of YouTube he initially occupied. Then, Quadeca dropped “Sisyphus,” a spotlight single from his album From Me To You that included elements of electronic, classical, and emo music alike. Quad had reached a peak in his expression through his most eclectic work, showing critics his experimentation was not limited to impersonations.
While he’s welcomed collaborations from practiced musicians like Danny Brown and Swans, Quadeca has also remained true to his self-made roots. Quad almost entirely produced, wrote, and composed IDMTHY and Scrapyard by himself, even learning guitar and other instruments to execute his creative vision personally.
Scrapyard can thus only seem like a victory lap for Quad’s self-expression. Even when shifting from the braggadocious trap raps on “Guess Who” to heartfelt guitar ballads like “Guide Dog,” the project never feels disconnected. Songs like “Texas Blue” and “What’s It To Him?” are hard to even assign to a particular genre, showing Quadeca’s movement beyond typical conventions to express himself. By placing his distinct and varied musical style at the forefront, Quadeca has found success in displaying every scrap of his identity. Listening to Scrapyard may help you find value in your seemingly minor scraps, too, and inspire you to find out-of-the-box ways to embrace them.
Brendan Carroll is a Sophomore in the SFS studying Business and Global Affairs. He aspires to become the jumbo shrimp-eating champion of the world if his ForEx pyramid scheme fails.