by Kevin Meenan of Epicsauce

As we discussed last Monday, Mighty lined up one of LA's rising electronic stars over the weekend, Nosaj Thing. We had a chance to catch up with the 24-year-old beat maker before his show last week, where we discussed his hip hop fundamentals, LA's infamous DIY venue The Smell, his beta stage visually synced show and much more.

Kevin Meenan: Your 2009 full length debut Drift was one of the year's most unique and compelling records, clearly drawing inspiration from an endless range of genres. At its core, however, I really see Drift as a hip hop record. Was hip hop part of your earliest musical foundation, or was it an influence that came later in life?

Nosaj Thing: I guess it all started when I was in 3rd grade. My parents enrolled me in an after school program at the YMCA, and the bus driver that picked us up always had on the local hip hop stations -- Power 106, or it would be 92.3 The Beat. I would hear that everyday, and when I would get home I would want to listen to it more. I had this clock radio that had recording capability, and I would just record the shows that I liked and from then on just listen to it.