Canal Street Dreams: "Bongos, Jersey Mike's & Tripping Ballz .. MEET THE FCUKERS"

Podcast: Canal Street Dreams
Hosts: Eddie Huang & Natashia Perrotti
Date: February 17, 2026
Guests: The Fuckers (Jackson and unnamed bandmates from NYC’s Lower East Side scene)

Episode Overview

This energetic, deeply local episode brings on The Fuckers, a hotly tipped dance music group with deep roots in New York’s Lower East Side creative and nightlife scene. Eddie and Natashia, as always, keep the conversation unfiltered, roaming from stories of dead-end day jobs, parties gone off-the-rails, formative musical influences, and the artist’s eternal hustle—from grimy dumpling shops to prepping for massive Harry Styles tour dates in Brazil.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Neighborhood Roots and Music Beginnings

• The Fuckers’ members have all lived, worked, and gigged at classic LES fixtures like Pianos, Mogador, and Babies All Right.

• The project was born out of mutual indie rock fatigue and a desire to make dance music “for fun” and without genre boundaries:

  • “When we first met… I was like, I kind of quit my indie band. Kinda want to make dubstep or something … He was like, ‘okay, perfect, well, like, me too — not dubstep, but I made this beat, you want to sing on it?’ I was like, ‘yes, let’s do it.’” (Jackson, 01:06)

• The group’s name was inspired by a thrifted French Connection hoodie—symbolic of their “don’t give a fuck” DIY spirit (02:02–02:45).

2. Influences and the Open Format Ethos

• The Fuckers stress the importance of open format—melding house, reggae, cumbia, dancehall, dub, and more, rather than boxing themselves into a single style (05:26–11:11).
  • “It was the combo of the two of us more than us drawing from one thing. Like, ‘I like house and you like reggae, so let’s throw, like, a dub thing into a house thing.’” (Unnamed Male Musician, 05:55)
• The hosts and guests riff on legendary DJs like Jesse Marco and Ellie Escobar; open-genre NYC parties; and how real neighborhoods, diverse friend groups, and late-night oddball sets breed unexpected, innovative music.
  • “Being one genre is whack, you know, like sticking to one thing is whack. Open format is the way.” (Eddie Huang, 10:39)

3. Gig Stories, Parties, and the Art of Repetition

• Tales of rowdy parties, questionable DJ moves, and drugged-up afters abound, from looped Gorillaz songs on mushrooms (13:36) to epic “Set It Off” marathons:

  • “This dude was DJing and he just played Strafe ‘Set it Off’ three times in a row, back to back. All right, cool, bro.” (Eddie, 11:56)
  • “I’ll listen to the same song 300 times. I love to be at a set where it’s like, let’s just hit this.” (Natashia Perrotti, 12:12)

• The Lower East Side “network” is a recurring subject: indie bands, ball games at P.S. 41, record stores, and being plugged in through unlikely city channels.

4. NYC Nostalgia: Dumplings, Subway, and Scented Streetlife

• The crew shares hardcore local opinions on dumpling spots (Prosperity Dumpling, North Dumpling), and the olfactory horrors of living above a Subway sandwich shop:

  • “Subway really does smell like an airport. It’s like airport bread.” (Eddie, 17:32)

• Hilarious sidebars arise about fast food loyalty, shameful Jersey Mike’s stanning, and bizarre airport food choices (17:47–21:17).

5. Upcoming Tours and International Adventures

• The Fuckers are opening for Harry Styles in Brazil (July), then headlining a U.S. and UK/European tour.
  • Travel hack humor: Eddie advises them to “never fly sitting up” for airline status game (24:10) and the group jokes about heading to Brazil for BBLs.
  • “When we go to Brazil, I’m getting a BBL. We both just come back with like, huge fat asses.” (Jackson, 25:02)

6. Collaborations and Creative Chemistry

• The story of working with Kenny Beats (now sometimes Kenny Bloom), a meeting born of a DM that blossomed unexpectedly into productive sessions and pushed all parties out of their comfort zones:

  • “We just thought we were gonna, like, go have a coffee, say what up and dip. And then…we were like, you guys trying to cook right now? And we were like, I mean, yeah, fuck it.” (Jackson, 26:03)
  • Analogies are made to legendary “genre-switching” producers like Emile Haynie.

• Jackson’s long history with the producer Leon Michels (Diamond Mine, Big Crown Records), foundational LES figure and stealth “secret killer” in the studio:

  • “He taught me so much. He’s such a legend.” (Jackson, 29:40)

7. Living, Parenting, and Creating in NYC

• The guests and hosts discuss balancing parenthood, late nights, and artistry in a city that can feel both nurturing and unrelenting.
  • The desire to hit more shows and re-immerse in the local scene is a recurring theme, alongside the ever-present specter of needing childcare to do it (31:28).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On NYC’s “Open Format” Style:
  “The thing about New York was like, hip hop to house, to rock, to whatever.” (Unnamed Male Musician, 09:27)

• On the Sense of Community:
  “You don’t really got to know nobody else besides like dudes from your basketball run.” (Eddie, 07:26)

• On Going Beyond Genres:
  “You don’t want to be in a band with like, four people who are like, into the same thing almost, because then you’re just going to sound like that thing.” (Unnamed Male Musician, 11:39)

• On Party Chaos:
  “Five minutes later, people are playing bongos. And then I just remember Gorillaz ‘Dare’ was on for at least two hours on loop. And like, everyone was so like out of their minds...” (Unnamed Male Musician, 13:36)

• On Local Grievances:
  “The worst Subway. They’re so rude in there, by the way. I…hate them in there. They’re just mean people.” (Unnamed Female Musician, 16:17)

• On Meeting Kenny Beats / Kenny Bloom:
  “He was like, ‘You guys trying to cook right now?’…And so then we, like, made two songs on the first day, and we’re like, wait, this is fire.” (Jackson, 26:03)

• On Food on the Road:
  “Sometimes I’m like, I go to Miami and I cannot wait to just come back so I can get the food at the airport.” (Unnamed Female Musician, 22:05)

• On BBL Aspirations:
  “When we go to Brazil, I’m getting a BBL. We just come back with, like, huge fat asses.” (Jackson, 25:02)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:21: Artists’ work history and LES roots
• 01:06: The Fuckers’ origin story—post-indie burnout, spontaneous collaboration
• 03:12: The French Connection thrift story, band naming
• 05:26–11:11: Musical influences and the gospel of open format
• 12:08–13:55: Wild party stories (“Set It Off”, Gorillaz “Dare” marathon, tripping in London)
• 16:17: NYC food memories, dumplings, and Subway sandwich-onion trauma
• 19:07–21:17: Fast food discourse—Subway, Jersey Mike's, Panda Express, airport sushi
• 22:39–24:55: Touring plans, travel hacks, Brazil and BBL jokes
• 26:03–28:30: Collaborative chemistry with Kenny Beats/Bloom and Leon Michels
• 29:40–32:18: Leon Michels stories, LES jazz upbringing, hand of God moments in music
• 33:05–34:21: Upcoming shows, DJ sets, Bow House opening
• 34:21–end: Bow House menu plans, closing NYC love

Final Takeaways

• The Fuckers embody a local, honest, no-rules NYC approach: scenes that blend dance music, reggae, house, and unbridled party energy.
• The city’s culture of open format—musically and socially—is at the heart of their vibe and creative process.
• Collaboration, comfort in risk, and drawing from the chaos and warmth of their Lower East Side network is what keeps their sound fresh and genuinely fun.
• Whether it’s the right bodega sandwich or the best dim sum, staying true to place and people is as central to their art as any beat or lyric.

For show dates and more, follow The Fuckers and Canal Street Dreams on Substack and socials.