Pigeon Opinion Featuring an Interview with Geese Da Goon

Geese Da Goon’s SNAP CITY EP is a sharp, purpose-built tribute to Washington, D.C.’s roller skating culture. Across four tracks, the project captures the pace, bounce, and communal energy of the skating floor without losing its regional identity. “DJ Prodigy Exclusive,” “Rearranged,” “Rolla México,” and “Let’s Ride” feel less like standalone songs than part of a living scene, shaped by skaters, DJs, and the rhythm of the rink itself. The production draws from hip-hop, dance music, and club sounds, but the EP’s real strength is its focus. It documents a culture while still sounding like something made to move to.

Interview with Geese Da Goon

What was the initial vision behind SNAP CITY EP?

The initial vision for SNAP CITY EP actually started with a song called Let Me Take Y’all to Snap City, which I released a few months ago. The response was good, but as a producer, I always have alternate versions and ideas sitting on the hard drive that I think are just as strong, if not stronger.

Around that time, my little brother, DJ Prodigy, told me he was heading to Mexico to DJ an event called Rolla México. I couldn’t let him make that trip without taking a piece of home with him, so I sent him a few alternate versions of the song, including a fully Spanish version and a Spanish-English version.

The reaction in Mexico was better than I expected. People connected with it, even though it came from a very specific part of Washington, D.C.’s skating culture. That showed me the energy of the music could travel beyond the city.

That’s when the vision expanded from a single song into an EP. I decided to officially release those alternate versions and add two more tracks: one that had been sitting in the vault and another early concept that I just couldn’t shake.

What started as one skate song became a collection of different perspectives on the same movement, culture, and feeling. That’s how SNAP CITY EP was born.

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How did D.C.’s roller skating culture directly shape the sound and structure of the project?

I was born in D.C. and raised in this culture. I’ve been skating since I was three years old, and now I’m old enough to be carbon dated. (laughs)

So naturally, skating culture had a huge influence on this project. But D.C. wasn’t the only place that shaped me. Baltimore, which is only about 45 minutes north, played a major role too, along with Northern Virginia.

You’ll hear subtle nods to Baltimore throughout Takin’ Y’all to Snap City and Snap City: Let’s Ride. Northern Virginia gets its own shoutout on Snap City: Let’s Ride as well.

Those regions helped shape the skating environment I grew up in, so it was important for me to acknowledge them. SNAP CITY EP is rooted in D.C., but it also reflects the broader culture that surrounded and influenced us.

What does the “Snap City” movement represent to you personally and culturally?

Man, there are people in the skating community who will tell you I’m a complete Snap City zealot. To a certain degree, they’re probably right.

I have to thank Mr. Haywood “Woody” Blair (R.I.P.) and Mr. Gerald Chase for helping put that pride in me when I was younger. They taught me the importance of knowing where you come from, respecting the culture, and representing it to the fullest.

To me, Snap City isn’t just a location. Yes, it’s D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia. I specifically say Northern Virginia because that’s the part of Virginia that has historically been connected to our skating culture, our sessions, our rinks, and our community.

But Snap City is bigger than geography. It’s how we interact, how we skate, the music we listen to, the history we carry, the camaraderie, the way we dress, and even the food. It’s a complete culture and a way of life.

For me, it’s part of my DNA.

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At what point did you realize this project needed to function as a skating-floor soundtrack rather than a traditional EP?

Anybody who knows me knows I make music for the skating rink. That’s where I started. I’ve been making skate music for over a decade.

So honestly, a traditional EP would have felt more unusual coming from me than a skating project. Even when I branch out into other styles, skating music is still home base.

With SNAP CITY EP, I wasn’t trying to make something that happened to work in a rink. I was making something specifically designed for the culture that helped shape me.

How do you translate physical movement, like skating, into musical rhythm and production choices?

Music itself is nothing but movement when you break it down.

As a skater, you’re constantly translating music into physical motion. The music tells you where to go, when to move, when to slow down, and when to react.

When I’m producing, I keep that in mind. I ask myself: What would I want to skate to? What would make another skater react? What would make somebody switch up their moves?

I actually enjoy making music that challenges me as a skater. I like records that force me to think, adjust, and find new ways to move. That’s part of the fun.

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What role do DJs and skate sessions play in shaping the energy of your music?

That’s a great question.

DJs play a huge role because they’re responsible for controlling the energy of a session. A great DJ knows when to raise the energy, when to bring it down, and when to create a moment that everybody remembers.

As a producer, I’m always thinking about the skaters first. What would I want to skate to? What would keep people on the floor? What would create a reaction?

The sessions themselves influence me just as much. Spending years in skating rinks teaches you what works and what doesn’t. You begin to recognize certain grooves, rhythms, and transitions that naturally connect with skaters.

A lot of that experience ends up finding its way into the music.

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Each track has its own identity. How did you approach building a four-track narrative for the EP?

The project started with Let Me Take Y’all to Snap City, which I had already released.

From there, I looked at the alternate versions I’d created over time. Two eventually became Spanish-language releases. One is a musical rearrangement of the original, while another comes from an earlier draft that was never intended to leave my personal collection.

Each version highlights a different side of the same idea.

What’s funny is there are even more versions that people haven’t heard. There’s one I call “The Nuclear Option.” It’s packed with so many movements and transitions that it’s almost ridiculous.

I designed that version for special occasions. It’s not something I’d want played every weekend. Honestly, I’d want the DJ to play it once, let everybody experience it, and then delete it from the hard drive afterward. (laughs)

Some songs are meant for constant rotation. That one is meant to be an event.

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“Rolla México” has already been featured in a skating event. How did that moment reflect the project’s purpose?

Man, that right there.

I’ll admit I was nervous about that version. The same thing goes for the DJ Prodigy version.

I had this song translated into Mexican Spanish, and I don’t speak a lick of Spanish. So I was nervous.

My plan was simple: if it worked, I’d release it. If it didn’t, I’d release something else.

My little brother let me sweat it out for about two weeks without telling me anything. Then one day he tagged me in a Rolla México video that was using the song.

I watched the video, saw the reaction, and immediately thought, “Oh yeah, this is definitely getting released.”

Honestly, it would’ve come out even sooner if the release before it hadn’t been delayed by distribution issues and a few professional and personal responsibilities that needed my attention.

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How does it feel to see your music move beyond D.C. and connect with international skating communities?

It feels incredible.

Snap City will always be home, but my music has been reaching beyond D.C. for a while now, and I’m still amazed every time it happens.

No matter how many times I see people from another city, another state, or another country connect with something I created, it never feels normal.

It’s one thing to make music for your own community.

It’s another thing entirely when people who didn’t grow up where you grew up still understand the feeling behind it.

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What makes a track “work” for skaters specifically?

That’s probably the most important question when it comes to skating music.

The skating world is divided into regions, and every region has its own style, traditions, and musical preferences. What works in one city might not work at all somewhere else.

My approach is pretty simple. I make music based on how I’m feeling. I don’t sit down and say, “I’m making this for a specific style.” I focus on creating something authentic.

If skaters connect with it, they’ll let you know.

If they don’t, they’ll let you know that too.

Of course, DJs play a role in what gets heard, but ultimately the floor tells the truth.

If the skaters move, the song works.

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How do hip-hop, dance music, and regional club sounds influence your production style?

I’m from D.C. Go-Go is king here.

I grew up on it. It’s part of the city’s DNA, which means it’s part of mine too.

Beyond that, I grew up around a lot of laid-back groove-based music. Music that lets people settle into a rhythm instead of constantly chasing the next big drop.

That influence shows up in almost everything I create. Even when I’m experimenting with different sounds, groove is usually at the center of it.

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Were these tracks designed in the studio or tested in real skate environments first?

These tracks were created at home.

Most people assume skating music has to be tested in a rink before it’s finished, but for me, years of skating have already built that understanding into my creative process.

I’ve spent so much time in rinks that I can usually tell whether an idea feels right while I’m creating it. The skater and the producer are working together at the same time.

Of course, once the music gets out into the world, the skaters get the final vote.

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What challenges come with making music that must serve both listeners and skaters simultaneously?

The biggest challenge is that listeners and skaters aren’t always listening for the same thing.

A listener might focus on lyrics, melodies, emotion, or production. A skater is listening with their feet. If the groove isn’t right, none of that other stuff matters.

My job is finding the balance between those two worlds. I want somebody sitting in traffic to enjoy the song, but I also want somebody rolling around a rink to connect with it physically.

When you can make both happen at the same time, you’ve done something special.

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How important is repetition and groove in skating-focused music?

It’s everything.

Skating is rhythm. The groove gives skaters something to lock into physically.

The challenge is finding the balance. You want enough repetition for people to settle into the movement, but enough variation to keep things interesting.

That’s where transitions, musical changes, and production details become important. The groove gets people moving. The subtle changes keep them engaged.

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What does community mean within the Snap City movement?

Community is everything.

The skating is important. The music is important. But at the end of the day, it’s really about the people.

It’s the friendships, the rivalries, the stories, the mentorship, the traditions, and the memories that get passed from one generation to the next.

You can travel somewhere else and meet another Snap City skater you’ve never seen before, and there’s already an understanding there.

That’s bigger than skating.

That’s family.

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How do you balance cultural documentation with creative experimentation?

I think both are important.

Part of my responsibility is documenting the culture honestly and preserving pieces of it for future generations.

But I also think culture has to evolve. If everybody only recreates what came before them, nothing ever grows.

So my approach is to respect the foundation while still experimenting creatively. I want people to hear where we came from, but I also want them to hear where we might be going.

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What stories or moments from D.C. skating culture most influenced this EP?

Honestly, years of sessions.

Late nights at the rink. Packed floors. Watching entire groups react when the right song comes on. Seeing different generations skating together. Learning from older skaters and watching younger skaters develop their own styles.

Those moments stay with you.

This EP isn’t based on one specific story. It’s based on years of experiences that all became part of the music.

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How do you see SNAP CITY EP contributing to the preservation of regional skate culture?

I hope it serves as a time capsule.

Every skating region has its own identity, traditions, and sound. The problem is that a lot of those stories never get documented.

Years from now, I hope somebody can listen to this project and get a sense of what this era of Snap City felt like.

Not just how it sounded, but how it felt.

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What do you hope listeners outside the skating world take away from the project?

I hope they realize this culture exists.

A lot of people know roller skating from movies, social media clips, or childhood memories, but they don’t realize how deep the culture really goes.

If somebody listens to this project and becomes curious enough to learn more about skating culture, visit a rink, or talk to the people involved in it, that’s a win for me.

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If SNAP CITY EP is a snapshot of a movement, what era or feeling does it capture most clearly?

Pride.

Pride in where you’re from.

Pride in your style.

Pride in your community.

Pride in carrying something local and realizing it can connect with people halfway around the world.

If I had to sum up SNAP CITY EP in one feeling, that’s what it would be.

Pride.

(•)> That's all, Folks! Check out Geese Da Goon on the Pigeon Opinion Playlist