Yellow Claw on EDC, Insomniac and the Trap Scene in Exclusive iEDM Interview

EDC was an incredible experience for festival attendees and performers alike. The stages were incredible, the fireworks absolutely phenomenal and the PLUR was alive and well.

I had a chance to sit down and talk to Jim Taihuttu and Nils Rondhuis, the trap duo better known as Yellow Claw. The world famous producers took the stage at cosmicMEADOW on Sunday for a hard and heavy set that delighted fans. We had a chance to sit down and talk about EDC, Insomniac, and the trap scene. 

iEDM: You've been on the festival circuit for quite awhile and you've performed at EDC several times, what brings you back to this particular festival? 

Yellow Claw: This is basically the number one festival in the States, EDC Vegas. It doesn't get better than this, in my opinion. There's a lot of cool festivals but when it comes down to location, production, and even the people that come here, it's really great. It's our fourth time playing actually. 

iEDM: EDC is really a great festival, I know I'm having an amazing time here. What's your favorite thing about EDC specifically? 

Yellow Claw: I think EDC is the best-organized festival out there. So like, everything backstage and the people. 

To me, it's the huge stages. They don't get any bigger. I think last year, it was close to 80,000 people. It's insane. 

And it still feels like the people who organize it are like a small club of people doing a festival they actually like. It doesn't feel like a mass-produced thing. 

iEDM: They're doing something they love, right? It's not just a job. 

Yellow Claw: For Insomniac? Definitely. We were at the office a couple months ago, and it doesn't feel all that corporate. Just a bunch of cool people throwing parties. That's how it feels. On a very professional level of course. 

iEDM: So you guys have collaborated with a ton of artists. Do you have your dream collaboration? Like you have to work with Skrillex or someone. Who's your number one right now? 

Yellow Claw: We actually had a chance to work with Skrillex, so check. He's a huge inspiration. Does it have to be a producer? 

iEDM: No, it can be anyone in the music scene that you would love to produce music with. 

Yellow Claw: I'm still very keen on working with Miguel. 

Or Rihanna. 

iEDM: Yellow Claw and Rihanna? I would definitely listen to that. You have played all over the place, do you have a favorite venue? Or a favorite festival memory? 

Yellow Claw: Maybe the first time we played this festival was one of our favorite moments. Back then, when we were on the stage it was pretty much filled with big room EDM artists and then us. Back then, trap was very special. It was a small scene. 

iEDM: On the topic of how the EDM scene has been changing, and you folks have been in trap for awhile. Where do you see trap going in the next few years? 

Yellow Claw: It's definitely here to stay. It's the thing in between hip-hop and dance music, like a perfect match. And it's reoccurring in different forms and different sub-styles and sub-genres. It's definitely here to stay. It's so much cooler than big room EDM and so much more versatile. And people want that. Like, people finish their school year or had a tough week and they just want to rave out. And our scene, like hardstyle, trap, and dubstep, or bass music in general, it makes you forget everything. That's why it's here to stay. It's like rock music. Rock music never went anywhere. 

Thanks guys for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk to us. If you haven't gotten a chance to listen to Yellow Claw's electric 2017 EDC set, check out the full set HERE. Check out Yellow Claw's SoundCloud to stay up to date with all their newest music, and visit their website for the most up-to-date tour information and their social media links. 

Want to see Yellow Claw for yourself? Make sure you're dressed to impress with our bestselling rave gear.