Independent rappers Joey Valence & Brae sit down with Atwood Magazine to discuss video games, album features, deluxe version remixes, and the return of the Y2K aesthetic.

Stream: ‘NO HANDS’ – Joey Valence & Brae

We are all nerds about something.

Meeting as college freshmen in 2021, it didn’t take long for Joseph Bertolino and Braedan Lugue to form an electrifying chemistry.

The duo’s sophomore effort, NO HANDS is a riot of a rap album which bursts at the seams with its one of a kind personality. Spitting bars about Nickelodeon cartoons and disses about their homies’ Goodwill jeans, Joey Valence & Brae’s vibe is maybe best categorized as “cool kids at the back of the bus” hip hop – it’s confident, snarky, and beset with a unique brand of goofy fun.

However, when speaking with Joey Valence & Brae, I was expecting this playful energy to be more present in the conversation. The dudes are very witty and acknowledge the humor in their music, but their demeanor is incredibly calm, humble, and down to earth. “Brae likes cars and fashion. I like video games and Pokémon cards,” says Joey Valence (whose room was adorned with an eye-popping amount of Nintendo and anime collectables). “That’s just what we like to rap about.”

Simple as that. Their act is no comedy routine. They aren’t playing anything up for clicks. JVB are just two creative dudes making the music they want to make, and are having a blast doing it.

This sentiment makes for a crystal clear vision in the duo’s music. NO HANDS  is an album meant to celebrate Joey Valence & Brae’s independence and ingenuity as artists. “We boast all the time that we aren’t on a label,” says Brae, boasting the fact he and Joey write, record, and produce the entirety of their work. As young artists, JVB aren’t bogged down by fleeting trends and superstardom. Even when rapping about Super Mario or ‘ugly ass ‘07 SUVs,’ Joey and Brae take pride in saying whatever they want and are completely confident in themselves.

“We just don’t care,” Joey adds with a smirk, “ it’s just like this big ‘f* you’ [mentality].”

Such a strong level of integrity leaves the boys almost impervious to outside criticism.

However, as is the case with any kind of music, JVB’s vibe is not for everybody, and negativity has unfortunately found its way into the group’s consciousness. Not long after the release of NO HANDS, Joey Valence came across a seethingly negative review of the record online, yet was reportedly unfazed. “I love haters,” Valence claims with a chuckle, “I think it’s awesome.”

Responding to the criticism in true Joey Valence fashion, the rapper proceeded to look the writer up, @ them on X, and publicly challenge them to a 1v1 match of Halo to “settle the beef.”

“If I beat your ass you need to change the score,” Joey challenged, choosing to stream the match online for his fans to witness. Of course Joey trounced the opposition and claimed the ‘W.’

“It was fun! I think he found a newfound respect for our music,” says Joey.

“I think people shouldn’t take [critiques] so closely to heart,” Brae agrees. ”People need to not care as much about people’s reactions to things.”

If a love for a Halo shootout wasn’t any indication, Joey Valence & Brae are heavily influenced by Y2K era media and fashion.

The duo’s music goes as far as to name drop the niche, one-off SpongeBob SquarePants character, Squilliam Tentacles, a hilarious and hyper-specific reference which, as any child of the 2000s would probably know, perfectly paints a picture of the vibe JVB bring to the function on club banger, “THE BADDEST.” While nowadays the duo aren’t the only artists taking inspiration from this aesthetic, JVB show an immense love for the early 2000s time period while still excelling in finding the humor in the more dated aspects of the time. When asked about their approach to humor in their music, Brae had the same, steadfast answer as before: “We just kind of grew up with that stuff.”

The artists are proud to show their wide array of interests in their music. Valence acknowledged the heavy ’90s hip-hop aesthetic from the duo’s previous album, Punk Tactics. Maybe a natural progression, NO HANDS just happened to manifest into more of a Y2K vibe. “People are itching for that authentic and fun style. Not only in the music, but also fashion,” says Brae, stating that the group’s newest album came out at a time where nostalgia for the 2000s is perhaps more relevant than ever before thanks to modern social media algorithms.

Given their personalities and wide array of interests, what is perhaps most impressive about JVB is their ability to maintain their authenticity across a variety of sounds and subject matters. To capture this idea, JVB intentionally tried to make each song on NO HANDS sound  different from one track to the next. “OK” has a slower, “trappy” feel while fielding an old-school hip hop approach. “WHAT U NEED” is a full on house track, and “WHERE U FROM” is a bouncy, melodic Y2K style bop.

“We flow all over the place. We love exciting, energetic music, and we’re inspired from music that we like,” says Joey, who does a large chunk of the group’s production. Valence draws inspiration from 2000s era hip hop, drum & bass music, and classic electronic artists like Daft Punk and Skrillex.

Joey equates the duo’s array of sounds and influences to the idea of an Omnitrix, the title of the album’s closing track and the name of a high tech super watch from the classic Cartoon Network show, Ben 10. It’s a device which allows the show’s main character to transform into several different species of aliens and utilize their specific powers and attributes to fight bad guys (another niche, hyper-specific reference for you 2000s kids).

“[The music] is us putting different versions of ourselves into so many things,” Valence elaborates, claiming that he sought to craft the album’s authenticity through a deeper musical portrayal of his and Brae’s personalities and hobbies. When asked who their favorite Ben 10 alien characters were, JVB enthusiastically listed Diamondhead, XLR8, Four Arms, and Heatblast (if you know, you know).

While Joey Valence & Brae’s incredible energy stands on its own, NO HANDS and its deluxe edition feature guest verses from a handful of top notch collaborators.

The duo intentionally seek out artists they think will match their unique aesthetic, but the guys feel they need to find the perfect spot for a guest verse.

“They have a specific role to fill, but there has to be chemistry,” says Joey. This is the case on “PACKAPUNCH,” which features a killer verse from the infamous Danny Brown, whose nasally delivery and over-the-top wordplay amplify the otherwise stellar JVB track.

“Danny was on a list of dream collaborators,” says Brae, but when asked how he managed to wrangle the album’s features, his response was short: “Just Instagram DMs.”

The duo reached out to legendary rapper Ayesha Erotica for a spot on their club banger “THE BADDEST.” After messaging Ayesha on social media, the rapper was ready to roll, taking no longer than 30 minutes to respond to the guys with a recording of her incredible guest verse. Erotica’s sharp and raunchy delivery is heard on the deluxe edition of NO HANDS (retitled “(BADDER)” with the inclusion of Ayesha), and JVB could not have been more happy with it.

JVB spoke promisingly about the future of their careers.

“We have a lot more we want to talk about and have more to say,” says Joey. Their goal is to make “authentic music that has no boundaries,” Valence emphasizing that JVB will maintain their humor and energetic moments on future projects.

“We are not afraid to evolve at all,” the rapper adds, saying he and Brae are seeking to make the perfect version of “their song,” a highly promising prospect for the group.

While home for a small stint between their sold-out NO HANDS US headline tour and an upcoming European tour, the boys are trying to relax and find time for their hobbies.

Brae is always playing Skate 3 and racing games like Gran Turismo. Joey is playing Rocket League and Halo and trying to find time for more one player games.

Jokes and references aside, there’s a refreshing genuineness to the way Joey Valence & Brae approach their craft. While NO HANDS remains a highly entertaining listening experience, there’s a level of relatability present within the music that garners the group success. With personalities rooted in authenticity and hunger for unhindered creativity, Joey Valence & Brae coast in a lane carved completely on their own, and show no signs of stopping anytime soon.

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:: stream/purchase NO HANDS here ::

:: connect with Joey Valence & Brae here ::

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“NO HANDS” – Joey Valence & Brae

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NO HANDS

an album by Joey Valence & Brae