Troy Hinson and Jared Piccone of the Black Caviar make a rare breed of music producers that have seen both sides of the music business. Piccone, who was once director of A&R with Casablanca/Republic Records and Hinson, a producer for the Jim Norton & Sam Roberts Show on SiriusXM, now find themselves on the other side of the spectrum- as artists.
Bonding through a chance meeting in Reading, Pennsylvania, the duo’s first attempt at a music career didn’t work out as planned. Not being able to make it big, the duo decided to put aside their music aspirations and began working regular 9-5 jobs.
Unwilling to compromise, the New York City based DJs began dabbling with music again- except this time it worked. Now, the electronic music group Black Caviar has over 50 million streams on Spotify, they’ve landed on the soundtrack for the animated superhero film Spiderman: Spider-Verse, and they’re finally poised for a major break out in 2019!
The “Coco,” “Lady,” and “What’s Up Danger” song producers stopped by the Nexus Lounge during Miami Music Week 2019, to talk about their newest single “El Camino,” “Mr. 305” (Pitbull), loving (and loathing) The Macarena and much more. This is Take5 with Black Caviar
El Camino
Todd Michaels: Nexus Radio Lounge here in Miami Beach and Miami Music Week. Todd Michael here- and I have Black Caviar.
Black Caviar: What’s up? I’m Troy from Black Caviar.
Todd Michaels: Troy.
Black Caviar: I’m Jared.
Todd Michaels: Welcome to Miami Music Week, welcome to our lounge!
Black Caviar: Thank you. Thank you for having us.
Todd Michaels: You are so welcome. What are you currently working on? How’s 2019 looking [like] for Black Caviar?
Black Caviar: Well, we just released a song called El Camino. It’s out now on Casablanca- Republic (Records) and we just have a lot of great music that we’re really excited about “in the can,” getting ready to [release] over the next couple of months. We did a song on the Spider Verse movie (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse). So, we have a couple of possible movie offers again coming up. So, yeah! We’re staying busy- and a lot of shows. I think we maybe played a dozen shows last year and now we’re doing that like every month.
The Past & The Future
Todd Michaels: That’s great!
Black Caviar: This is the first year we’re really spreading our wings touring. So…
Todd Michaels: Did you have like one each month last year? Now….
Black Caviar: Yeah, like we’re just getting started. You know, this is a pretty new project for us […] compared to other projects. This is probably.. What, two or so years old? So, we just got a booking agent, we’re spinning now and […] killing it and we’re playing a lot of good stuff.
Todd Michaels: What were you guys doing before Black Caviar?
Black Caviar: Just being adults, man.
Todd Michaels: You were just having regular caviar?
Black Caviar: Yeah, just having a regular caviar. Now we’ve graduated- we’ve been playing in bands since we were probably 13, 14 years old and we’ve toured the world. We kind of, gave up on the rock-n-roll dream […] and we went and got real jobs. We started goofing around, making some music and putting it online, and somehow it started working. We were like “okay! I guess this is what we’re going to do now.” […] We didn’t really even this seriously til’ last summer cause’ we were just like “oh, really? people care?” You know? So, it’s been kind of cool to see [it finally happening].
Todd Michaels: So, a serious question would be- when you guys came out to your family as DJs and musicians- how did they take it?
Black Caviar: Pretty well […] I (Jared) was a drummer before this, […] so they were kind of used to me being a loser and not making any money- so, this wasn’t any different.
Todd Michaels: [laughs]
Black Caviar: (Troy) my parents know that I am doing everything humanly possible to stay a man-child. You know, just looking for the path of least resistance [which] would be a Deejaying.
Todd Michaels: You’ve done everything else- of course, he’s deejaying now!
Black Caviar: Of course! Yes. I’m trying my hardest not to grow up.
Mr. Worldwide, Mr. 305, Pitbull
Todd Michaels: Who are some of your celebrity crushes or DJ crushes or artist crushes- that you would love to meet some time?
Black Caviar: I think we’ve got to start it off with the hometown here: Mr. 305, Pitbull.
Todd Michaels: There you go.
Black Caviar: That guy is our hero, we like all …he does for his community, and he’s obviously got a ton of hits.
Todd Michaels: He’s the national state animal.
Black Caviar: Really?
Todd Michaels: [laughs] No.
Black Caviar: Oh, fooled us! You had me. I got really excited for a second.
Todd Michaels: You really did [laughs].
Black Caviar: We really did. We’re like “whoa! we’ve got to say that in other interviews.”
Todd Michaels: This is one of those [moments] where like I wish there was video of [this] because “You’re like, wait, what!? No.
Black Caviar: We’re easily convinced [by] silly stuff. But yeah, we love “Mr. Worldwide,” “Mr. 305.” We definitely dissect his music as much as we can, and [try to] figure out rhythmically what’s going on- lyrically. What’s going on? What sunglasses he’s wearing, cause’ he always wears the dopest sunglasses- and we just kind of the model our life after him.
Todd Michaels: Ditto. Is there anybody on your personal Instagram that you are following or a.k.a. stalking?
Black Caviar: (Troy) Well, I recently got obsessed with the show “90-day fiance.”
Todd Michaels: I have not seen this.
Black Caviar: Oh boy! You have no idea what you’re missing.
To hear more about Troy’s obsession with the 90-Day-Fiance, Jared’s Alpaca Farm, their favorite cities to travel to (and one day retire in), and their major disagreement over the 90’s novelty track The Macarena. Listen to the full interview below!
