Flatbush Zombies’ Erick the Architect misses his BlackBerry keyboard
Fresh off a surprise appearance at this year’s WWDC, the Brooklyn-based producer is ready to explore new sounds
byTerrence O’Brien
Jul 4, 2026, 3:00 PM UTC
Flatbush Zombies’ Erick the Architect misses his BlackBerry keyboard
Fresh off a surprise appearance at this year’s WWDC, the Brooklyn-based producer is ready to explore new sounds
byTerrence O’Brien
Jul 4, 2026, 3:00 PM UTC
Terrence O’Brienis the Verge’s weekend editor. He’s covered the tech industry for over 18 years and knows a thing or two about synths.
Erick the Architect is a founding member of, and the primary producer for, the legendary Flatbush Zombies. He’s toured the world, performed on Kimmel and Fallon, played Coachella, and collaborated with everyone from Joey Bada$$ and the Rza to James Blake and hardcore punk band Trash Talk. But perhaps the most unexpected collab was with Apple, when Erick popped up following Tim Cook’s final WWDC presentation to rap about apps. That was just a precursor to him dropping his new disco and reggae-tinged single, “No Doubt (I’m In Love).”
The new track, produced by Yeti Beats and Federico Vindver, is definitely a shift in tone from the darker, grittier, more boom-bap-grounded sounds Erick is known for. But that’s part of what makes it so compelling. Erick is still looking to experiment and expand his palette this deep into his career. That sense of adventure doesn’t stop him from getting a bit nostalgic for physical phone keyboards and the GameCube, though. It also turns out that Erick was one of just a handful of unfortunate souls who spent their hard-earned money on the Nokia N-Gage.
What is your most indispensable tool?
A moleskine book and a pen
What is the first app you install on a new phone or computer?
I usually go for Dropbox first so I can pull up the thousands of files I have stored floating around on the internet somewhere
What is one thing you wish you could change about your phone?
I miss typing on my phone with a physical keyboard like I used to do using a BlackBerry
What sites do you have pinned to your tab bar?
ESPN, Behance, MyFonts, Fanatics, Topps, eBay, Discord, UPS, FedEx, Whatnot, Plex
How many tabs do you have open right now?
What is your happy place online?
Uh… the screen that says “Your order has been placed” when you buy something online
What is your favorite gadget you’ve ever owned?
iPod 4th generation
Which was the most disappointing?
The N-Gage gaming phone
What game do you have the fondest memories of?
Resident Evil 4 for GameCube. I played this game so many times until my eyes were bloodshot red, and my fondest memory was the huge TV that I played it on. The TVs back then were so big they were actually pieces of furniture. When it came time to move it, you needed like four people to lift up those big tube TVs. Anyhow, I love that game, and I think I’m probably one of the best people at it!
Which tech trend do you wish would go away?
I’m not really a fan of virtual reality and putting things over my eyes to augment my reality… sorry to anyone who is obsessed with those things!
What is one thing you wish you had created?
I wish I had created the song “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It’s such a ridiculous song in the most beautiful way. I can’t compare it to any other piece of music. If I did, I’d have to reference a ton of different songs to make this one. I think if I were the creator of it, people would have no idea what song to expect from me, and that’s pretty cool
What creation are you most proud of?
If I had a child, my answer would be that — but since I don’t, I would have to say the project I released in 2011 called “Almost Remembered.” It was the catalyst for all of the music I eventually learned how to create, and it gave me the confidence to continue to pursue being a producer and artist. I considered myself an amateur back then, but it was the most creative I’ve felt to date in terms of experimenting with new sounds
Which are you least proud of?
I don’t want anyone to google the name of the thing I am least proud of hahaha
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
My mom told me that everybody has a season, and although it may not be your season now… You have to consider that when it is, that season may last forever. Be patient and wait on it
What is your current obsession?
Comic books
What do you do when you need to focus?
Turn my phone off or pretend I don’t have one anymore
What do you do when you’re feeling stuck?
Again, turn my phone off or pretend I don’t have one anymore
When was the last time you went somewhere without your phone?
I take walks without my phone all the time, and I use my digital audio player that isn’t connected to the internet whatsoever. I can focus on the music entirely and not be distracted by incoming texts, emails, or social media
What’s the last piece of physical media you bought?
I bought a bunch of records at VinylCon! a couple of months ago, and I’ve been collecting Absolute Batman and Invincible comics
What do you think is worth splurging on?
Food and anything you like to collect
What would the tagline for your biopic be?
“The man with too much on his mind.”
What’s the last GIF or meme you used?
