Dub Equis

artwork by Reeves

Dub Equis’ sound reaches across many genres of music from electronic to hip hop to reggae. They include elements of jazz, classical and psychedelic rhythms amongst other sounds.

Their creative process starts with producer and songwriter Derek Moorhead creating a beat, bass and synth section on a track. Then violist, Corinne Zappler, and saxophonist Phoenix freestyle jam on it at the studio while recording on a long loop. The final songs are created in post using the recordings as a sample base.

“It’s basically an old school hip-hop style of producing but by creating our own huge sample banks,” said Moorhead.

I sat down with the members of Dub Equis to not only learn how they create their uncommon sound, but how the group itself got started and to find out where it’s going.

In a black box filled with production equipment and draped with a tapestry of albums that have inspired their sound, Dub Equis opened their studio and their hearts to share what makes their group and sound so unique and original.

This story begins with Moorhead, who decided to leave the corporate “soul-sucking” world, and focus his energy on turning his hobby of writing and making beats into a career.

He first linked up with violist Corrine Zappler who would play freely on her strings and Moorhead would begin to produce beats that paired with the sound. The two of them continued like this for the next few years. The sound became truly elevated when he started working with a reggae band called River City Royals, which is how he found vocalist and saxophonist, Phoenix.

“I think she is the best sax player I have ever heard,” said Moorhead. “I went out of my way to court her and recruit her.”

The combination of Phoenix, Corrinne, and Moorhead galvanized what would become the inimitable and potent sound that the group identifies with today. After that, it was a wrap. As the snowball continued to roll, this already eclectic group kept adding more parts to solidify its stage. Next came a drummer, a rapper and it was time to share their makings with the world by finally performing live shows all together.

“We had a badass year and made a whole bunch of progress with all these shows lined up for SXSW,” said Moorhead. “Then COVID hit.”

When the world shut down, the group took that time to reform but never stopped creating. Their sound was experimental from its inception and so they spent their days in quarantine in a constant state of trial-and-error to continue building. They brought on new musicians and in the year 2023 they re-emerged on stage with more strength in their sound and more power in their act. They began performing three to four shows a month and experimenting with their diverse range of music, Dub Equis was back in full swing.

The three additions that brought another layer of originality to their sound was vocalist and rapper Mista Mozes, rapper Ill Sill, and rapper and beatboxer Ben Buck.

Mozes, who grew up exploring his vocal talent in church and studied German opera, brings a soulful dimension to the music that ties in all of Dub Equis’ dimensions together. His multi-faceted approach to his vocals allows the group to do what they do best — explore every sound. Mozes is also a part of The Capitol, a funk band who has made a name for themselves in Texas’ state capitol by headlining many local venues and being named an official SXSW band for several years.

“It's kind of ingrained in me to perform music at this point of my life and now I have a completely different motivation to do it, my son,” said Mozes.

Buck needs little introduction as he has an official day named after him in Austin and was recently named Best Hip Hop/Rap Artist of the Year 2023 by The Austin Chronicle. After contributing to the growth of Austin’s hip hop culture and coming from a family who has had a large influence on Austin’s music scene, the city of Austin named April 13 as “Ben Buck Day.” Buck is honoring his day by creating the first annual Ben Buck Day Music Festival at Far Out Lounge on April 13 this year.

“I've never really heard any other kind of group sound like this,” said Buck. “Derek really is the mastermind of bringing all of these styles together in a way that's cohesive. And, you know, I'm a fan first and a collaborator second, so it's awesome to be a part of it.”

Each member of the group is involved with other projects and bands outside of Dub Equis. The group has created a space where each member feels comfortable bringing their individuality, ideas and creations to the table to share their collective message with the world.

“We're trying to get people to, you know, find the brighter side of life,” said Phoenix. “My biggest hope for a crowd is to convey inspiration and show the beauty of what it is like to do what you love and not give a shit about who's watching.”

The diversity of their sound isn’t the only thing that sets them apart from the rest. Their stage presence and delivery has become unparalleled.

After exhaling her soul into the saxophone, Phoenix jumps on a didgeridoo to display her impressive lung capacity, all the while Zappler pours delicate and electric emotion into her viola strings with the hopes she can inspire people to dance. Mozes enchants the crowd with his showmanship and classically trained vocals, in addition to rapping and riffing with Ill Sill and also Buck, who’s voice in itself exposes several tempos through beatboxing. At the top of it all you have Moorehead dovetailing all the various energies on stage with his mixing board that might as well be an altar where the sound and activity is unified into the Dub Equis experience.

“We try to create a little bit of a party,” said Mozes. “It's like an energy that just keeps going back and forth between the stage and the crowd. The more we give them, the more they give us and it just keeps going all the way up until the show is over.”

Their visual presentation has grown as well as they have also added fire dancers and belly dancers to their regular set.

The group attributes networking and community as being a main part of the reason why they have been able to grow and evolve the project.

Through vending for her jewelry business, Phoenix has been able to expand the group’s network and create opportunities to book more gigs. The group was also named an official SXSW artist this year.

Festivals are one of the most lucrative ways to make money and gain exposure in the music industry, but the goal for the evolution of Dub Equis goes beyond the business aspect. Each member wants to grow and evolve this project because it aligns with their passion, their self-expression and what they are called to do in this world.

“If I could travel the world with this group of people and make music, and get paid to do that, that would be a dream,” said Moorhead.