Exclusive Interview with 3rd Borough

Artist Spotlight: 3rd Borough

Emerging from San Diego’s ocean cliffs with a genre-bending sound, 3rd Borough is preparing to unleash their new single "Blood Like Yours" on September 25, 2025, ahead of their full-length album The Human Quest. Backed by a Halloween-themed documentary and vampire-inspired visuals, the track positions the band at the intersection of indie pop rock, hip-hop grit, and cinematic storytelling.

We sat down with 3rd Borough to talk about their creative journey, inspirations, and what’s next.

Outverge: Who are your biggest musical influences?
 
Justin - I have a wide range of influences. Honorable mentions: Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Don McLean, Lionel Richie, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Joe Cocker, Tom Waits, Bill Withers, Joni Mitchell, Radiohead, Soundgarden, The Pixies, Phantogram, Fink, TV On The Radio.

Paul - Well, that changes quite a bit. Right now, I have been listening to Joyner Lucas. I’m constantly looking for new artists and new influences. Outverge: What non-musical influences (books, movies, art, etc.) inspire your work?

Outverge: Is there a particular song or album that has significantly influenced your career?

Justin - The White Album as a whole was a very powerful catalyst that drove me deeper into the world of songwriting and music.
 
Paul - Quite a few albums, but if I had to pick one, it would be Bob Marley‘s greatest hits.

Outverge: What non-musical influences (books, movies, art, etc.) inspire your work?

Justin - My non-musical influences span from my world travels to artists like Van Gogh, Picasso, Andy Warhol, and films like “Loving Vincent” and “Waking Life” to the philosophies of Socrates and Plato’s Cave Allegory. Bruce Lee’s Kung Fu has also always been an inspiration, along with martial arts of all types.

Paul - I think the best way I like to inspire my work is just going out to different countries, different shows, different festivals, and just meeting new people.
 
Outverge: How do your personal experiences shape your music?

Justin - Every significant experience teaches me, humbles me and opens my mind. It adds to the overall message, tone and feeling of the music I create.
 
Paul- I definitely like to gather personal experiences for stories and ammo, so to speak, but I also study wordplay and just the English language in general. I love writing and listening to audiobooks. Even movies that have great writing, for me movies like Reservoir Dogs, Dead Poets Society, etc..

Outverge: Have your influences changed over the years?

Justin - Yes and no. My influences have changed, but still remain. I still listen back on the music of my youth, but have also taken a new appreciation for music I wasn’t interested in back then, as well as newer music of today. It all influences me.
 
Paul - I wouldn’t think my influence has changed that much. Maybe Tech N9ne helped influence me to be more of a fast rapper, but I stick to my roots for the most part.

Outverge: How do you incorporate your cultural background into your music?

Justin - I believe my cultural background is naturally shaped into my sound. I grew up in a pop culture yet have strayed into other worlds like gypsy and obscure indie. I do not consciously incorporate anything. It just comes out the way it does.
 
Paul - Well, I guess I’m kind of been a product of my environment, which went all over the place started off in Illinois, which was a little more country and folk style music and I moved to Arizona, where I got into wrapping  breakdancing and electronic music and then San Diego with the hip-hop and reggae

Outverge: What role does nature or your environment play in your songwriting?

Justin - There is an energy to nature as well as the city or small town. There’s a vibration there that, when I’m synced up with it, co-writes my songs. Even in my dreams.

Paul - Nature has always been a big part of my life, camping and being outdoors, hikes, so for me it’s just a place to rejuvenate, give myself a reset for not only music but everything in life.

Outverge: When did you first realize you wanted to be a musician?

Justin - I was 3 years old when I got my first toy guitar and 5 years old when I started really singing. I believe I always understood that my path here in life is music.
 
Paul - Basically been a music since I can remember. I’ve been singing and dancing my entire life, so it’s just been my calling from the beginning.

Outverge: What was the first song you ever wrote, and what inspired it?

Justin - The first song I wrote was called “Billy Bob”. It was about a man who lost everything and had to learn some hard lessons. I wrote it when I was around 13 or 14 years old. It was inspired by someone in my life.

Paul - Well, I’ve been writing poetry and music for a long time, but I would say one of the first songs I can remember writing was Silent Dreams which was one of my first acoustic guitar songs I’ve ever written.
 
Outverge: How did you get started in the music industry?

Justin - I started in the Subways of Boston, Massachusetts, with my brother Tom. We took our duo Sparin’ Change to the streets of San Diego and the rest is history.

Paul - I would say raves and electronic music with my first introduction to the music scene and industry. That’s where I had my birth into the music scene.