A DOCUMENTARY OF POTENTIAL BIG SMOKE SMOKE MAGAZINE MAGAZINE ISSUE ISSUE 05 05 VVOLUME OLUME 22 2008 2008 BIGSMOKEMAGAZINE.COM BIGSMOKEMAGAZINE.COM £3.80 £3.95 BIG
SPecial 10th anniversary edition
UK £3.95 Australia $9.50 USA $6.40 Europe €5.00 Yen 637.1
RZA SINCERE DJ KRUSH SARAH LOVE TB & STYLAH STEVIE HYPER D
NEON NEON MONGREL ASAVIOUR GIGGS
“Things have changed
a lot since then but the quality and commitment still remain the same ”
Special Guest Editor Blak Twang waiting for a Saucy Kipper...
As
04 EDITORIAL
DIRTY’S CHOICE TB, MK Presents The Beast From the East. Back cover star TB teams up with the infamous DJ MK and both bring plenty of unstoppable exquisite lyrics, cuts and rhyming on this mixtape. The Elementz, Crushmode. Refreshing, probably one of the best CDs out at the moment. With a proper raw Hip-Hop sound that encapsulates all of the heavy line up featured. Ramson Badbonez, Welkum 2 the Darksyde. DJ Harry Love presents this release and is set for a proper release. Clever sharp street punch lines and tight bars spat. Definitely one to watch in 2009. Food 4 Da Brain, Second Serving. One busy label with its fourth single and video out now with SkinnyMan and Deadly Hunta. This compilation LP gives you what you want and need. Jon Phonics, Half Past Calm. Another refreshing release which has been out for a minute. Plenty of heavy melodic beats, organic crisp samples and decent raps. More is needed! Wretch 32, Wretchrospective. Ahead of his time. His music works with both scenes grime and Hip-Hop. His debut is pure fire, tracks like Ina Di Ghetto and Wretchrospective are all gravy.
PHOTO BY JAKE GREEN
an artist, you sometimes take quite a lot of things for granted when it comes to how your music and the culture is covered by magazines. This year marks the 10th Anniversary of Big Smoke Magazine which happens to coincide with the release of my latest album Speaking from Xperience, that also happens to be 10 years after my first official foray into the industry with 19 Long time (Live from the Big Smoke). So for a magazine and an artist to still be going strong and be relevant after the turbulent rollercoaster ride that is UK Hip-Hop is an accomplishment. We have seen many changes, the shift from an underground movement to semi-mainstream success and back to deep underground splintered scenes. I’ve seen some (well a handful) of the artists that came up around the same time as myself go on to become household names but sadly quite a lot have fallen by the wayside. I have seen the demise of vinyl, which consequently led to the closing of some of our favourite record shops, shout-out to the ones still going strong, and a big we miss you! to the Deal Reals, Mr Bongos, even Tower Records etc. The emergence of new scenes, new Hip-Hop artists, new media and the rise of the machines has given birth to phenomenal success for some of our favourite rappers, but with that also came overexposure, saturation of the market, less quality control. All this has led to the devaluation of the music. Anyway, with all that said, I look back at the scene with fond memories; all the incredible music, the energy, the excitement, the characters, the drama and coverage of it all by magazines like Big Smoke. I remember the first time I saw this ground breaking magazine in 2001. It was very impressive, from the style of presentation in the form of a record sleeve, to the calibre of the photography and content. It seems like just the other day I was doing a photo shoot with legendary photographer Phil Knott and he decided to take it outside the newly unveiled London Eye at the time. Seeing the contact sheet afterwards, amazingly one of the pictures came out with a spec of sunlight shining on my eye. I thought how coincidental it was that my music is known to reflect London through my eyes and there we were outside the London Eye…hmmm you can draw your own conclusions. How time flies when you’re a recording artist! Another cover that stood out was issue 3 with Fallacy and Skeme and on the back was Big Ted and Shortee Blitz, just because it was the breaking of a new dawn in the capital. Falz and Skeme were finally getting the recognition they deserved, Ted and Shortee had just taken over from Max and Dave at Kiss FM and this fresh magazine with new ideas was capturing something different. Which brings us to the here and now, I’ve just released my fifth studio album, to pretty good reactions. Some people haven’t quite understood the theme, but I put that down to laziness, short attention span and on occasion being blinded by the hype, but real heads seem to get it, just like real heads appreciate the efforts by publications such as Big Smoke in their endeavour to preserve culture and tradition. Things have changed a lot since then but the quality and commitment still remain the same, just as an artist I strive for continued success, creativity and true representation of the music. Big Smoke have continued to accurately cover the scene and continue to shine the spotlight on new and true talent. Big Smoke Magazine has been a monumental part of UK Hip-Hop, long may it continue to help promote new artists while documenting the Xperiences of long standing artists like myself.z Bless, Tony Rotton - SPECIAL GUEST Editor
FEATURES 58
SINCERE DJ MENTAT STYLAH & TB GALLERY ONE
40
42 50
70 80
88
100
GALLERY TWO GALLERY THREE FASHION
DJ KRUSH
Sin City Dial ‘M’ For Mentat The Trouble with Hip-Hop 10 Issues of Front featuring Blak Twang, Taskforce, Fallacy, Est’elle, Killa Kela, Sway, Roots Manuva, Papoose and Wiley. Class Culture Black Skaters Hard Backing with THTC, Yesnomaybe, Kings, Urbanshop, Dilate and Supreme Being. Krushed Styles
PHOTO BY: Gil Reynolds
Photoshoot with Jehst & Lewis Parker for the Issue 4 Back Cover. Check p58 for all front covers.
58 10 ISSUES OF FRONT
This shot of Jehst and Lewis Parker was taken for our fourth Issue by Gil Reynolds. They both were on the back cover and both had released LPs The Return of the Drifter and Its All Happening Now. This particular shot was not used and most of the shots in the gallery did not surface within our previous issues.
bigsmokemagazine.com 07
PHOTO BY: Kieran Halil
Sarah Love takes a break from her schedule for our photoshoot.
REGULARS 04 12 14
22 30 32
34
36 78
95 96 98
102
106
EDITORIAL GRAMMARPHONE SMOKE ALARM BIG SHOTS NEW MIC ORDER OUT THE SMOKE Beats Apart SOCIAL CLUB TAPE TO TAPE FASHION WARDROBE BIG JOKE + REVIEWS BURNERS PLACE
08 CONTENTS
By Blak Twang By Disorda Guilty Simpson, Rhyme Asylum and Dead Residents Asaviour, Giggs, Mongrel and Neon Neon DJ Excalibah DJ Jabbathakut DJ Yoda vs Shlomo Stevie Hyper D The RZA Killa Kela MC Tali, Million Dan, Skandal and Jack Flash DJ Sarah Love Album of the Issue, Singles and LP’s By Mister F®ame$
98 XTRA LOVE Bling Bling. Big Smoke photographer Kieran Halil sets up his lens and waits for the sun to shine to get that perfect shot of the mighty
Sarah Love.
A DOCUMENTARY OF POTENTIAL BIG SMOKE MA G AZINE SPECIAL 10 th ANNIVERSARY EDITION 2009
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Dirty Harry
dirtyharry@bigsmokelive.com +44 (0) 7966 472 051
PICTURE EDITOR: Jake Green jake@bigsmokelive.com John Hooper
Anna Nathanson
Jake Green
Stylah & TB Feature “The Trouble With Hip-Hop”
I shot the story with Stylah and TB after much preparation and conversation with Jake and excellent styling from Miss Molly we set off to recreate stills from 5 memorable films.
Sincere and Frantic Frank.
I’m photo editor, so I’ve had a look at most of the pages with an image on... but the pages I’ve shot are Ex, Krush, and our cover star...
A congestion charge for pedestrians; you’d have to pay £5 to walk up Oxford Street during peak weekend shopping hours. These albums - The P Brothers The Gas, M9 144,000, Jake One White Van Music and DJ Muggs & Planet Asia Pain Language. I try to do my bit with recycling etc although like most people it’s probably not enough.
I think something ridiculous like giving rich people vouchers to park 4x4s cheaply.
Maybe he’ll lift the smoking ban. The Kraftsmen, Soneni Nkomo, Notes to Self, Blak Twang, Million Dan, Klashnekoff & Logic I recycle but I really should start doing more!
3 day weekend... I need that in my life... but I’d probably still end up working! Its not really that crazy when you think about it.
bigsmokelive/ blogspot.com
Laura Marling and/or Vampire Weekend...
Santogold Pretty good, I cycle and recycle, drink tap water, don’t leave things on standby and I always wipe my feet. www.miniclip.com
Green by name, green by nature... I don’t want it to get any hotter. willsmoody.com
oldtothenew. wordpress.com
Front Cover: DJ Mentat Leyton, London 2008 Back Cover: Stylah & TB Epping Forest, London 2008
BIG SMOKE SPECIAL 10th ANNIVERSARY EDITION I would like to thank a lot of people for all their help over the last 9 issues and especially on this momentum 10th issue edition. Thanks to DJ Mentat for the CD, Blak Twang for his editorial words and Jake for his talented photographers eye. All of the contributors for their hard work and time. Thanks to my wife and fam for just understanding. I am really getting my 15 minutes of fame with my size 12’s on the back cover and yes they are all mine and no photoshop needed. Peace 2009. z DIRTY HARRY BIG SMOKE MAGAZINE PUBLISHING EDITOR.
10 CONTRIBUTORS
DEPUTY EDITOR: Bethany Headley
bethany@bigsmokelive.com +44 (0) 7771 863575
DesignerS: Harry Adams & Rus Martin Copy Editor: Nicholas Pritchard ADVERTISING MANAGER: Charlee Gyamfi
charleebrown@bigsmokelive.com +44 (0) 7966 472 051
SPECIAL GUEST EDITOR: Blak Twang WEB EDITOR: Jonathan Adams jon@bigsmokelive.com
BLOG Editor: Anna Nathanson Contributing Photographers: Rinchen Ato, Sanna
Charles, Jake Green, Amy Griffith, Kieran Halil, Duncan Hill, Jesse Holborn, John Hooper, Phil Knott, Adrian Nettleship, Gil Reynolds, Paul H, All repro by Response Photographic. Illustrators & ARTISTS: Duncan Hill, Oushka Duncan, Nick Chaffe and Mister F®ame$. Contributors: Bethany Headley, Ali Raymond, Amy Griffith, Andrew Halls, Anna Nathanson, Blak Twang, ESH, Cronin Shaun, Disorda, J Gadiano, Nathaniel Sobhee, Karen Lawler, Nicholas Pritchard, Rajveer Kathwadia, Russell Martin, Ryan Proctor, Sam Bradshaw, David Kane, Louis Soul, Joe Gamp, Jill Adams, P Heard and Georgina Adams. Special Thanks to: To all of the featured artists, DJ Mentat for the CD. Styling - Miss Molly @ Joy Goodman, Stylists Assistant - Taira Watkins, Michael at Hammer Labs, Cosimo D’Aprano, Gary at Robert White & Sons, Dacre at RWD, Apertureuk.com for the loan of the Nikon Lens, Kevin Joseph, Anna @ABSTRAKT, Andreas@Cromatics, Aslan, Ben@Yesnomaybe, Ben@ Runmusic, Bob@SilentSoundz, Charlee@VisionMusic, Cookie Pryce, Corin@Grindstone, Dom@HipHopVillage, Emrah Emir, Excalibah, Harry@F4DB, Gav@THTC, James & Jamie@BigDada, James@StreetSoul, Joe@ SupremeBeing, Mayor@AssociatedMinds, Mike@ Rap&Soul, Myst@Somanagement, Neil Hannah, Robert Picton, Shyheim Kamal, Suzy Zenouzi, Tait@Dilate, Taner Hassan, Glyn@TheUrban Shop, Keith@Essential, Gnostix, Noah Ashford, Paul & Tim@KingApparel, Darrell Austin & Bionic, David & Ben@Outpost, Andrew@Gameplan, Sonny Jim & Will@YNR. Send music for review to: Big Smoke, PO Box 38799, London, E10 5UZ. www.bigsmokelive.com Published by Big Smoke Projects Ltd 2009 © Est: 2001. Printed by Cambrian using vegetable based inks. Distribution by: W.W.M.D, Comag Nationwide and Worldwide. Stocked in HMV, Zavvi, Borders, Newsagents and Independent music stores. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or part, without the express written permission of the publishers. Disclaimer: No part of Big Smoke Magazine may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Printed on Reycled Paper
ILLUSTRATION OUSHKA DUNCAN
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(Left) Kyza. Watch out for Shots of the Smirnoff mixtape out soon
words DISORDA | photography Sanna Charles
H
ere we are once again, 10th anniversary of smoking big, that’s b.i.g! Certainly a lot of blood, sweat and beers have gone into not only creating this magazine each issue, but across this likkle island of ours every MC, DJ and producer making and creating the music we all love in our lives… So with that in mind, how much longer can we all survive if countless dumb ass blog sites decide to post up albums for free, days after their release, or in some cases before the release?!! Seriously, sorry to start off with a rant, but for fuck’s sake, behind the scenes there’s a lot of hard graft going into albums being made, and I mean A LOT of hard graft. Not just from the artists themselves, but radio DJs, journalists, distributors, retailers, if this shit carries on we’ll all be out of jobs. We’ll be the downfall of the one good thing in life we’ve created, Hip-Hop. So to all those punk ass blog sluts throwing up brand new albums, stop that shit. Please. It’s not big and it’s not clever, your argument is that it’s promoting the music, yeah? Well when the younger generation are growing up bluetoothing music to each other they’ve got for free anyway, not giving a flying fuck about anything going back into the artist’s pocket, not caring about owning any physical product ‘cause it’s for free anyway isn’t it? That’s when it has to stop, we’re killing Hip-Hop. So, having said that, to those people still buying music and supporting their favourite artists, props, please continue to support the physical ‘buying’ of music, and tell your friends to do it too. There is so much good music out there right now, and more coming soon.
12 grammarphone
M9’s debut album 144,000 is out now, seriously ill, beats from Chemo, Jon Phonics and Beat Butcha, guests from his Triple Darkness and 9 Planets family, plus Jehst and Bronze Nazareth. Some dark, yet hard as fuck beats, combined with equally ill written scriptures. YNR Productions are back with the second album from Sir Smurf Lil’, A New Bloodline. Again yet another banger from start to finish with a very impressive array of beats and rhymes. Nottingham’s P Brothers have their debut full length The Gas out there now, shit is so dope. Go grab that, guest MCs Roc Marciano, Milano, Boss Money, Res Connected and $am Hill. It’s been a long time coming but boy was it worth it. Keeping with the US/UK collabos, check for Leicester’s Ed209 and Queensbridge MC Imam THUG on the Karma360 12”, true head bang music. Associated Minds have their white label vinyl release of Mudmowth’s The Circus In The Cemetary EP, 5 big tracks from the Welsh spitter. Great beats and rhymes as you’d expect from this label, don’t forget to check the Metabeats album, and forthcoming Willo Wispa album too. Beer & Rap have the mighty Mystro’s F.D.T. EP out right now, some proper lyrical jousting from Mys over a bangin set from Sundragon, DJ Thor and Earth Hip-Hop. Chester P has his New Mic Order – The Mix Tape coming out at the start of November. Or it could be called Survive Or Die Trying, it’s over US beats and has Chester on fire throughout, no guests, just straight Chessa Ches.
As with the official release of Ramson Badbonez mixtape, finally seeing the light of day and getting a proper release. Watch for a slew of products hitting the stores in ’09 from this badboy MC. Speaking of badboy MCs, check out Cappo & Styly Cee’s new 12” on Son Records, The H-Bomb EP is killer, straight battle raps and hardcore drums with a limited run on wax, so get in there quick. Kyza has a new album dropping early next year and the Shots Of Smirnoff mixtape before it is doing big tings. If you’ve not picked up Jack Flash’s The Union Jack Album on Klinik Records then shame on you. Some ill beats from Apa-Tight and others on this one and the rhymes are so on point, cop dat! Foreign Beggars are working on a new album, looking forward to this one, some different sounds emerging from their studios I can tell ya, a mixture of all sorts. Just check the single Hit That Gash, and select one of the 9 remixes for the juicy gash flavour coming on The United Colours of Beggattron. Check out more fresh product from Dr Syntax and Skrein aka Skreintax, and their collabo album Scene Stealers is really very good, and I’m not being patronising there, guests also include Farma G, Dubbledge (who’s also working on a new album), Smurf, Stig, Verb T (another one working on new products), and more. Um that’s it, I’ve run out of space… Bye bye, and buy buy… 1. z Disorda. Suspect-packages.com Suspect-packages.com/oz Myspace.com/suspectpackagesdotcom
PHOTO BY: PAUL H
Frantic Frank, 21, is a super spitter from South London, who has been making music on the underground for years, building up a loyal following and releasing several mix tapes including the ground breaking “Freedom of Speech”, as well as the album “Frantic Frank ‘An Da Kraftsmen”. He recently released his latest album entitled “The Hard Way”, selling 24,000 copies in the first fortnight. Anna Nathanson caught up with him to ask 7 questions… The England TEAM - They’re all getting paid too much and they’re individual players, they’re not playing as a team. That is the main problem. We’ve got a great group of individual players, but together we’re not working as a team and we’re letting the country down. Nike trainerS - I hate Nike because they cost too much, and they enforce slave labour. Nike is the devil but I still love Air Max 90, and I buy stolen Nikes. A Brixton Summer - Summer time in Brixton is ten times more hectic than winter time in Brixton; the streets are full, the crime rises, you can smell nothing but barbeques, everyone’s out on their mopeds, girls wearing nothing, Brockwell Lido, Brockwell Park. It’s ten times better than winter and is very exciting for someone who hasn’t been there before. It’s just a non-stop buzz. your latest album - The Hard Way album project went like this; I make an album to the best of my ability within the time limit that I have, and then once it’s made, I press as many copies as I think I’m able to sell, and get rid of them as quick as possible by any means necessary, go at it with strategy. I sold 24,000 in a fortnight. AN eighth deadly sin - I think it would be to grab the mic off of me during me spitting a 32. That should be the eighth deadly sin. Change - The one thing we all need to change about ourselves is to stop thinking about ourselves and try to think about someone else for a change. Once we all do that, we’ll get along a lot better and a lot more things will happen, and we’ll all have a more positive life. invisible - I would rob as much money as I can, from as many wealthy banks as I can, and give as much money as I can during that one day, to the poor and people who need it. And I’d fly to America and go to a news conference with George Bush and give him an invisible slap right in the middle of one of his speeches.z Anna Nathanson.
RHYME ASYLUM The trio of rappers that makes up Rhyme Asylum (not to be confused with the group from Detroit of the same name) have been putting in mad work recently, finally putting out an album, State of Lunacy, on London indie Rekabet Records. Having already made their name on the UK underground circuit (particularly Possessed with his battling), they are now set to dominate the domestic scene with quality control rarely seen on these shores. Unlike the majority of homegrown rap, Possessed, Psiklone and Skirmish are staying true to the boom bap sound and draw inspiration from artists like Big L, Canibus and Eminem. The new album features verses from Ohio’s punchline king, Copywrite (‘you couldn’t open up for us if you were locksmiths’) and Diabolic, a hardcore battle MC from New York. They also had Jedi Mind Tricks’ Vinnie Paz on a track but had to drop it from the album because of label complications. Rhyme Asylum’s music is produced by Leatherface and his sound is fresh and tightly produced. The emphasis is on sick lyrical content, delivery, battle rhymes and beats that deliver a hard punch. Stop sleeping and go cop the album…z myspace.com/rhymeasylum ESH
“’Attitude Problem’, ‘Ground Zero’, ‘Holding On’ & ‘Test of Faith’ we are probably the most proud of, as they captured exactly what we were looking to achieve ”
FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE: The Friday Night Live Show on Conspiracy Worldwide Radio is one of Hip-Hop’s most discussed radio shows on the web and was founded by its host and owner Mr. Montana. This show has successfully brought something more than the regular, watered-down ‘we got new Jay Z !’ radio that has come before it. Admittedly run on a shoestring budget, yet still refusing to accept the multiple sponsorship/ad money offers, Montana and Menace defy the industry every Friday at 10pm at onspiracyuk.com or download any of the past shows at conspiracyblog.net. Tune in people! z p HEARD
14 SMOKE ALARM
Dilated Mind State: Win a Dilate Tee and CDs from Dubbledge, Def Tex and Foreign Beggars. Just name three Dilate tees and email the answers to Info@bigsmokelive.com.
BARROW HILL:
GUILTY SIMPSON
I
t is testament to Stones Throw records’ eclecticism that they can release two albums as diverse as Welcome and Ode To The Ghetto within one month of each other. With every release comes the almost inevitable seal of quality that has come to be expected of the West coast label: and these two albums are no exception. Guilty hails from the former Mecca of American industry, Detroit. The city itself might not be the force of old but its musical history, peaking with Motown during the sixties and it’s renaissance through rap – Eminem, Slum Village and J Dilla (all come from ‘The D’) has been a rich and prolific one. Sleepy Spokane on the other hand hasn’t made quite the same impact on American industry or the arts. As James Pants confesses, “I have a love-hate relationship with Spokane, I only live there now because it’s very cheap. But growing up there were no outside pressures or influences creeping in. I think it’s easier to be more original there because I wasn’t going out to the clubs and there wasn’t any scene so to speak.” Welcome is a very loose sounding album, with hints of early rap, R&B and electronic influences surrounded by more progressive and playful themes. Alien wave, fresh beat and forum favourite, ‘quirky retro shit’, are just a few of the new fangled genre labels that have so far failed to stick. “I like everything, so many different styles. Madlib and J Dilla from Hip-Hop, I use to try and produce hip hop but I couldn’t. Other artists I like include Bruce Haack, Cameo, Gary Davis and Gary Wilson. Weirdoes I suppose but I try to live vicariously through the records I like, and the instruments I play. But unfortunately I’m not a great musician so you get this pre-schoolish, kind of fun vibe partly because I use really cheap equipment.” While James may be a relative newcomer, Guilty Simpson has waited in the wings a long time to deliver his first solo album. After working with Stone’s Throw he finally produced Ode To The
16 SMOKE ALARM
Ghetto, a raw and rugged account of his life on the street and a record Peanut Butter Wolf describes as “one of the best Hip-Hop albums I’ve heard in recent times.” Contemplating on the affect his home town has had on his surroundings, Guilty muses: “It’s such a large part of my life, chances are when I get vivid and try to paint a picture, it’s going to be a picture of a Detroit day rather than anywhere else. It’s a reflection of what I see and where I came from.” Despite being a fifteen-year veteran of the HipHop scene, he acknowledges that he could not have done it without the backing of his label. “They saw something in me, who knows where I’d be without them. They have a longevity and credibility in their music so I’m thankful for being able to work with them and anxious to keep building the relationship we have.” No one had more of an impact on his career and his style than the late great J Dilla who took Guilty under his wing while at Stones Throw. Reflecting on his death, he notes: “It made me re-valuate myself and made me understand this situation isn’t promised to people so to always work hard. Dilla actually did it to the death and his heart and soul is in the music. He’s a part of everything I’m ever going to do throughout any music I’m a part of.” That last point is something that is evident throughout his album. Guilty has not just stuck to the aggressive style heard on his older records but has tried to show his fans something different this time round. ‘A lot of people would have expected something a lot more disgrumtled and angry as opposed to something well rounded but I think people that know me for that (aggressive style), only know a small part of who Guilty is. I’ve always been influenced by diverse music. Ode To The Ghetto is my platform and my stage to be able to tell people who I actually am as opposed to who they think I am.” For Hip-Hop fans who were worried that the genre was starting to lose its edge, Stone’s Throw proves that all is not lost.z David Kane & Louis Soul
We all enjoy the latest shoot em up, we definitely enjoy flinging out a couple of combos to zap out you’re opponent, but there are times when we need to chill, get your brain into gear and test that grey matter whilst having a good time, Mystery Mansion aims to bring a dark corner of the gaming world back into the limelight, adventure games or as some dudes call em ‘point and click’ is a much more chilled affair all the while managing to engage your membrane, entertain and sometimes jolt those senses. With a growing stock of new, old and sometimes just plain hard to get games, we’re sure you will find something of interest, even if you’ve never played this type of game before, give it a go, you might be pleasantly surprised; mysterymansion.co.uk Were giving away 2 copies of Barrow Hill for a PC: Just answer the name of the latest James bond? Email the answers to Info@bigsmokelive.com.
About the game: Barrow Hill is a creepy tale, set among the thick woods of a Cornish hillside. The ancient burial mound, known locally as Barrow Hill, has been disturbed. Arriving on the Autumn Equinox, a powerful night in the pagan calendar, you must restore balance to a Celtic world while avoiding the dangers that lurk in the forest around you. Alchemy, puzzle solving, archaeology and adventure await those brave enough to explore Barrow Hill.
Jyager New artists put out by decent UK labels is great to see. North London rapper Jyager drops his debut LP on YNR called Encrypted Scriptures in March/April 2009. The album is entirely produced by YNR co-founder Cee Why and features a number of guest MCs including Kashmere and Foreign Beggars. Even the cover artwork was designed by the mighty Jehst! z ynr-productions.co.uk
MEAL TIME Hydro THumping After releases like For the people, F.T.P – Fight the Power and being voted The UK’s best underground producer. He drops his new Babyfood LP. Baby J, the hard worker and experienced producer has a big track record of work, including producing for the likes of Shabazz the Disciple, MSI & Asylum, Yogi, Mpho Skeef and SkinnyMan, I mean there is no way you could of not have heard of him, he even remixed Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson, big in the game! On his new album Baby J works with the likes of Ashley Walters, Tawiah, R&B star Nathan, Million Dan, Alex Blood, Farma G and indie rock’s The Crimea. Its his best work to date and sounds a lot different from any other past release.z babyj.biz P HEARD
DARK ANGLE DarkAngle is the creative output of East London rappers Thought Thief and Snay-Kai. They have a live set that is comprised of two MCs, live turntables (scratch DJ), often playing with live bass and guitar, accompanied by a German violinist. A selection of their all new sound is available on I-Tunes and Tunetribe under a release by producer Nizzle Hizzle He Who Contols the Spice.They are planning a fresh UK tour of university venues during 09. Their forthcoming Album by DarkAngle entitled Republic of Leyton to be released independently in early 2009. myspace.com/darksparkangle NEILHANNAHPR.CO.UK P HEARD
18 SMOKE ALARM
M
aybe it’s too much to ask for some form of show and prove these days in Hip-Hop, particularly when most MCs aren’t proving, they’re just showing off. But I digress, cause in walks Hydro, Glasgow born with a bonafide NY certified MC skill. With legends like DJ L.E.S, Clinton Sparks and Busta Rhymes vouching for this guy then you know you better dam well come correct, otherwise what would be the point in them giving you the kudos. Having already opened up for the likes of Nas the young MC – and boxing and gym enthusiast, can’t wait to show the world what he’s made off. “Both cities are similar in the way of poverty and violence, however there are cultural differences in terms of Hip-Hop music”, says Hydro “In New York it is a lifestyle but in Glasgow it is something new that is growing”. Picking out the growth of Hip-Hop in his homeland Hydro hopes to bridge that far away gap between NY and Glasgow. As well as picking up the hometown support from Trevor Nelson and Tim ‘drop a bomb’ Westwood, Hydro has been getting plays on BET. With legends such as L.E.S and Clinton Sparks giving the young man and certified thumbs up, it’s not hard to see why Hydro isn’t breaking a sweat or feeling the pressure. With his album debut Crucial about to drop in stores everywhere whatever pressure or anxiety Hydro maybe feeling he’s definitely keeping mum about it. “We are such perfectionists that we visited all the tracks to make them as polished as we have,” he says when talking about his upcoming solo debut “In my opinion this is a classic Hip-Hop album and that is why we spent so much time making the album at that standard hence the title Crucial. I think it is crucial for Hip Hop to have an album of this calibre in the genre to move forward. While most artists put on a some persona when they go into MC mode Hydro insists that when you listen to his music he won’t be putting on no superhero costume, “When you listen to my album you get the true me. I have this creative freedom because I have my own independent label and a love for Hip-Hop that gives me the outlet to give the world my personal diary of my life. I am not a bling or a gangster rapper, I try to appeal from all walks of life”. As well as DJ L.E.S and Clinton Sparks, the Glasgow lyricist enlisted the help of the one and only Busta Rymes which he described as an ‘Incredible’ experience to work with him. “I grew up listening to Busta Rhymes as a child,” he says “his professionalism is inspiring and he is an absolute gentleman as we have established a friendship and he personally walked the record through Aftermath to Dr Dre to gain clearance and that again shows you how down to earth and real Busta is”. With a confidence peaking so high it can knock any other MC out of their own swagger, Hydro is showing no signs failing. With so much hard work that has earned him that respect from the veterans there’s too much at stake and too much confidence from the young lyricist to come up short.z J. Gadiano FOR MORE INFO myspace.com/hydroglasgow.biz
“In New York it is a lifestyle but
in Glasgow it is something new that is growing ”
Live At The Shrine Yo, Yo you pronounce the Kweli… For years Talib Kweli has been the definition of a ‘real’ Hip-Hop MC. Captivating our souls and bombing knowledge on us like our favourite teacher. Managing to stay relevant in a game where being socially conscious isn’t really appealing is an amazing feat. Now for the first time ever the BK MC is releasing a live performance DVD under RSK Entertainment Ltd called Talib Kweli: Live At The Shrine. As well as performing some of his well known classics, such as Get By, he’s joined on stage by Strong Arm Steady, Res and the orginal MC educator KRS-ONE.z talibkweli.com J. Gadiano Win a TALIB KWELI DVD. Please name the title of his first LP? Answers to info@bigsmokelive.com.
TRUE SKOOL BROTHER
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won’t lie, every time I hear the word Essex I usually associate it with something less than nice (think along the lines of blondes, chavs and overall brain cell reduction). Musical talent is the last thing I’d ever associate it with, but lo and behold this young journalist has been proven wrong, which is quite often the case. Straight from the land of boy racers and Burberry wearing goons comes Taner, a young man who’s ready to dispel those less than appropriate attitudes with his soul soothing crooning and tenacious mic skills. Fusing both soulful R&B and Hip-Hop Taner delivers a smooth repertoire that you won’t have felt since the D.A.I.S.Y. Age (nods to De La Soul). His album Back in The Day dropped in August and is a testament to that soul-food Hip-Hop that a lot of us so deeply crave. As a singer he cites the likes of Stevie Wonder and Boyz II Men among his inspirations. “You can imagine me, there I was, sister’s purple hair brush, in the mirror ‘avin it!” jokes Taner in regards to his Boyz II Men confession. “Swing days played a big part, but first time I heard Hip-Hop I was like Yes mate!” he goes onto say, claiming the likes of Slick Rick, Naughty by Nature, Big Pun, and Nas were just some of the artists who had as effect on him when discussing the HipHop side of his inspiration. “I’ve always written music but I think looking back I’d do the music I thought people wanted to hear. I guess I never really sang like the real me. As soon as I accepted myself and what I could offer my true voice appeared. Sounds a bit weird but for me that’s what happened, self-belief. Then I was truly able to sing”. It’s clear as day that Taner is a self-confessed old school dude, his flow on the mic, his lyrics and even his style of singing rings so evidently. The single Back in 94 featuring Jibbarish is a tribute itself to the ‘old school’. “Allure and Nas did a tune called Head Over Heels. Well I forgot about that tune and came across it flicking through some of my mates’ records. Instantly the penny dropped. I found the extra push I needed for my idea of this album.” When discussing the inspiration and style that he wanted for his album, “I wanted proper Hip-Hop beats with harmonic vocals, not just hooks but verses with a Hip-Hop state of mind, meaningful songs. I wanted to bring underground and commercial together, I know that’s a bit controversial and some may disagree but that’s what I bring to the plate, I’m a musician. I just believe you can have credible music in the charts that’s respected by the underground and not always cheesy!” Maybe it’s nostalgia, maybe it’s not wanting to grow up, or maybe it’s because R&B and Hip-Hop today is not what it used to be. He may be stuck in a time warp, reminiscing on when Hip-Hop was good for him, like a lot of us 90s loving backpackers and lyrical rhyme cravers for that matter, but the fact remains that he’s a guy that knows how to make the soul feel good about music again. So never again will I only think that Essex is home to daft blondes, O.G cockneys and Southend-on-Sea, I will now also know it is the home of one of the UKs most soulful and talented singer/rappers, in the form of Taner.z Myspace.com/BACKINTHEDAY2008 J. Gadiano
20 SMOKE ALARM
DEAD RESIDENTS Proper UK Hip-Hop fans will know Dead Residents (Junior Dis & Chud Jackson) from their debut album Keep Britain Tidy which reminded us why Junior Disprol (Fat Club and Fleapit) is one of the heaviest MCs around. Repping Cardiff, they are part of a Welsh scene that is gathering momentum every year. With a totally original and free musical ideology, they are the most surreal interpretation of Hip-Hop I have ever heard, describing their sound as ‘sex with a chainsaw while on mushrooms’. Both members make beats and then collaborate together to come up with insane dopeness that original heads will expect. Junior Disprol’s complex and dense lyrical mayhem (sometimes rapping in Spanish) is back in full effect on their second album Triple Crown, which is too different for me to describe. Not sure why it’s called Triple Crown as Rob Skagg (Optimus Prime) isn’t actually credited as a member. They also feature on the Vee Kay album The Audio Workout which is currently receiving a lot of props. Look out for their new single Scumbongo (in fact youtube the multi million dollar video right now, it’s awesome).z myspace.com/DeadResidents ESH
“ScumBongo had no budget but you don’t need a budget when your shooting in an abandoned bingo hall ”
BREAKING CYCLES Following the success of Process 06, Benji Reid and his company Breaking Cycles have just completed another festival of Hip-Hop theatre master classes. Benji took some time out to tell me about the festival as well as exclusive info on his next new venture… What was the aim of the theatre workshop festival? To present young and up-and-coming artists with the opportunity to learn and develop from the best of the best international Hip-Hop masters. Process 08 covered almost all the elements of Hip-Hop culture, how did you go about choosing the guest speakers? I looked at 3 aspects - am I inspired by them, is the quality of their work at a high standard and have they got the ability to share the knowledge of their art form in a clear and coherent manner. What is the worst/best part of coordinating an event like this? The best part is being excited about the possibilities of the opportunities we are presenting to young people. The hardest is trying to be everything to everyone. Tell me about the new project, Have Box Will Travel and how you became involved? Have Box Will Travel is a rites of passage fable charting Charlie Dark’s rise to prominence as a DJ. I was asked to become director of the project by Birmingham Rep, I thought that this would be an exciting opportunity to explore Hip-Hop theatre through the DJ weaving a web of stories using popular music of its time as pitstops. How did the use of music and dance contribute to the story telling? Music and dance is integral to how I tell a story. Music is my biggest inspiration and dance is my response so I can’t help it informing how I present my shows. It’s a one man show… You and Charlie Dark must get on pretty well, how does your creative relationship work? It works very well, we discuss ideas and we present them on the floor in many ways. It’s very exciting working with someone like Charlie as he is very multi-talented. What would you like the audience to take away with them when they see it? That life offers you many gifts, you just need to be aware when a gift comes along to be able to grasp it with both hands. Wise words… eloquently said. Benji Reid’s Process 08 ran in Manchester this year at Contact Theatre and Martin Harris Centre, Charlie Dark’s Have Box Will Travel directed, by Benji Reid, tours the UK this Autumn, for more information go to birmingham-rep.co.uk z Karen Lawler
DEFCON PROJECTS Defcon workshops is an exciting music project which works with young people to express themselves creatively through music. The project began in 2004 with Natty, Aina and Tom running sessions at the Young People’s Development Programme (YPDP) in Hammersmith and Fulham on the White City Estate. Following their success they went on to create Defcon workshops (an offshoot of Defcon Recordings) dealing solely with the task of delivering workshops to young people in the UK.
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efcon workshops are located at their Office in Brixton, but their service is mobile. Using laptops and other bits of equipment they are able to go to any location and create music. Whether it is beat programming using music software, writing lyrics, teaching vocal/mic techniques or DJ skills, young people all over the UK have been responding positively to their projects. Natty explains that “the workshops are more than just a music lesson. We are actively encouraging participants to use art as a positive way to vent frustrations and express views. We live in a time where young people need to be heard!” Last year Defcon teamed up with the Prince’s Trust to bring Future Youth Workshops to the South East/West of England. One of the outcomes of this project was an exciting and diverse album featuring all of the children involved, spanning across areas such as Devon, Hastings and Kent, working with ethnic minorities such as the Migrant Support Group in Folkestone. Tommy says, “It’s the most positive thing I’ve ever done, the young people love it, they stop me in the street to ask me when we’re coming back!” The Defcon Team are keen to offer ongoing support to the young people they have worked with. Tom says, “We are now offering work experience to any young people that would like to learn more about what we do…. during this time, they have access to music equipment and the opportunity to create”. Aina follows, “It is the responsibility of today’s established artists to be aware of their influence as role models for the younger generations”.
With sponsorship from Red Bull and working with The Prince’s Trust, Defcon workshops will be doing a second run of the Future Youth Workshops this time reaching even more areas and young people. Watch out for them in a youth club near you in areas like London, Devon, Hastings, Folkestone and Ashford. During this project they will be working with The Prince’s Trust to create a portal where Filmmakers and TV producers can source music directly from young people to use for their art. This is a unique platform for young people to gain access to the music industry. Tom, Aina and Natty are also all members of Live Band KAYA, where Tom plays the bass with Natty and Aina on vocals. Please visit: officialkaya.com
Defcon Workshops Are: Natty – Princes Trust Ambassador/Director of Defcon Records/TV Presenter for Extreme Sports. Aina – Singer/Songwriter/ Presenter. Tom – Sound Engineer/Producer Tommy Mista Basista – Producer/Lyricist/ Team Leader of Kent. Other members of the Defcon team include; Fenna Rhodes - Nur Mr. Milk Jamal - Emily Yardley – DJ Chico – Chosen – Ayah – Lester Brooksie – WrehAsha – Kate Kdot Brokhurst – Clara Goldsmith – Diablo – Omar Abidi To find out more about this exciting project please visit; defconworkshops.org.uk. Defcon Workshops are partnered with international Charity Music 4 Children. Music 4 Children do amazing work building orphanages in Nepal and using music as a tool to break young people out of the mental state of poverty. Please visit: music4children.org z Nathaniel Sobhee
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words Ali Raymond
A LOOPED THEORY
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ith the number of artists he’s collaborated with running longer then a train ticket from London to Huddersfield it’s all gone Savvy for northern boy Asaviour. Having worked with mostly everyone in the UK scene from Ghost, Dubbledge, Evil Ed, Verb T to Kyza and Tommy Evans, he is best remembered for breaking ground worldwide on tour as Jehst’s formidable rhyming partner. Asaviour debuted back in 1999 on Jehst’s first release Premonitions and since then has churned out large numbers of solo releases such as Savoir Faire and Money in the Bank features Kyza. Collaborations like Ghost ‘s Seldom Seen Often Heard and Jehst’s 2002 club smash People Under the Weather lead to the eventual release of Asaviour’s fresh solo debut album Borrowed ladder on Low Life Records followed by the Play to Win vol1 and vol2 mixtapes.
22 BIG SHOTS
Asaviour ain’t just a gimmick rapper with an accent, his signature laid back flow, worldly subject matter and poetic humour combined with his on stage antics alongside international greats such as De La Soul, Pete Rock and London Electricity have more then proved a man of considerable clout. Bringing new flavour in your ear, mr ‘So Northern’ is preparing for a big release of the Aloop Theory mixtape and the A-Loop Theory LP. Apart from being free for download the tasty mixtape is a nice warm up to the much anticipated album dropping later this year. Mixed by up and coming Brighton producer Hal 1200 and DJ IQ it contains exclusive material from the album as well as scrumptious unconventional remixes of Flying lotus and dubstep legends Benga and Skream. Produced and cut again by DJ IQ, a partnership that is no doubt set to be a formidable force, The A Loop Theory LP provides guest appearances from many of our favourite artists and with its initial roots in Hip-Hop that branch into other genres like soul, Jazz, Electro, Grime and even rock the new release highlights the progression of Asaviour’s sound and swagger. Go cop!z myspace.com/asaviourmusic
words RAJVEER KATHWADIA | photography JAKE GREEN
INDUSTRY WATCHING
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hen Giggs talks about going for a Walk In The Park the south London spitter does not mean that his life has been easy - far from! What he’s actually trying to say is that he makes this Hip-Hop shit look easy! His lackadaisical flow is far from charismatic, and his subject matter rarely makes any left or right turns on it’s journey from the streets to the clubs, but something in this Peckhamite’s music has captured a sizeably large (and still growing) collective ear. A few steady years of grafting on the mixtape scene did more for Hollowman Giggs’ street cred rather than his musical career as he relayed hood tales on wax so vivid, that it would be hard to imagine that they were works of fiction, but it all changed when Giggs spat a freestyle not too uncommon from his other work, over a Dr. Dre concoction for Stat Quo and the infamous Talking The Hardest… was born. That single track soon became a back-of-the-bus anthem that propelled Giggs into the UK urban spotlight, and the fact that his debut album Walk In The Park sold out in HMV up and down the country in just one day further cemented that. Secret meetings with Russell Simmons and now a BET award in his back pocket would suggest that Giggs-mania is not quite over yet, and only time will tell to see if he enjoys as long and fruitful career as his namesake over at Man Utd.z MYspace.com/trapstargiggs
24 BIG SHOTS
words ALI REYMOND | photography Tom Oxley
MONGREL MUSIC
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ou would be excused to wonder what a couple of Indie heads and a UK rapper have in common. Making an unlikely partnership that breed’s success, Mongrel is a new band that is set to address the world we live in whilst serving as a voice for two genres of music mostly forgotten by the wider media. Both Indie and Hip-Hop in the UK are outlets for opinion and rebellion so the scenes aren’t galaxies apart as the industry might have us think. Mongrel is attempting to merge the two identities and their different cultures under one unique banner, confronting themes that manufactured music wouldn’t dare face. The project is the brainchild of former Arctic Monkeys’ bassist Andy Nicholson and the band includes other members from the Arctic Monkeys, Babyshambles and Reverend and the Makers. Solidifying the joint is UK lyricist Lowkey.
An artist that has been on the scene for more the a minute, as a member of notorious Poisonous Poets he’s been making waves in the UK from smashing the open mic at the infamous Deal Real Record shop aged 17 to performing at Glastonbury and winning the Sunrise Poetry Slam at this years Big Chill Festival. His ripples have been felt all over Europe and seen him become part of international network catch 22, which started by Kool G Rap holds Immortal Technique, DJ Skully and Stylah as its members. As a self-proclaimed political activist, Lowkey isn’t one for shying away from hot topics and speaking his mind, hence a seemly nice choice for this exciting venture. It’s interesting that Andy Nicholson hasn’t started anything under his own name but instead an alias that encompasses the group’s sound and diverse background. The idea that it’s ‘cool to care’ is both refreshing and heavy but at the same time musically very brave. Mongrel promises to be conscious music and rebellious expression whilst still holding the original British flava, ensuring that they aren’t just not another gimmick band jumping on the political wagon but a group well worth lending an ear. Album is out in January and Lowkey’s album Dear Listener is out now including a collaboration with Jon McClure and Faith SFX.z myspace.com/wearemongrel
26 BIG SHOTS
words ALI REYMOND | photography JAKE GREEN
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SUPER STAINLESS
hen a group comes along with the concept of basing an entire album on the tragic but exotic life of 80’s Detroit car manufacturer John Z DeLorean it’s enough to make any music head sit up and lend an ear. Just like the Deloreon DMC 12, the quantum leaping car used in back to the future, Neon Neon have traveled back in time conjuring up an infectious sound that is a fusion of vintage elecro with modern Pop all the more unique. The band is the brainchild of Welshman Rhys Gruff, best remembered as the main man from Super Furry Animals, and LA producer Bryn Hollen aka Boom Bip. The duo first met while Boom Bip supported the Super Furry Animals on tour in Canada and US. After Gruff collaborated on Boom Bips album Blue Eyed in the Red Room the pair formed the special partnership that is Neon Neon. The debut album Stainless Style is an ode to the dope moments of the 80’s, exploring a range of biographical subjects.z myspace.com/neonx2
28 BIG SHOTS
30 NEW MIC ORDER
It’s not often you find an individual who is a pioneer in DJ’ing, journalism and writing for theatre, then again DJ Excalibah is not your everyday individual. words J gadiano | photography jake green
“The money that I made doing that film
I used to buy my first set of turntables ”
E
xcalibah has always been at the forefront of UK Hip-Hop. As a DJ he is ranked among the top elite in the UK Hip-Hop scene, first introduced to the masses on BBC 1Xtra, he’s one of the station’s original alumni before his shock exit back in August 2005 due to what he felt was ‘personal animosity’. “Certain members of staff and myself didn’t make it the most comfortable place to be. “A lot of the 1Xtra staff I got along with and I still get along with them now,” Excalibah maintains, “but a lot of management weren’t happy with me for personal reasons. There was a little bit of a question when I started playing stuff like Kano which I consider to be some of the greatest Hip-Hop to come out of the country, they started questioning whether I was staying true to what I had stated, because my mission statement at the start would be exposing underground UK talent. I was continuing to do that but they were unsure whether Kano was Hip-Hop, or Grime or Garage, but I don’t think it was ever a factor in leaving 1Xtra.” With the 1Xtra drama now behind him Excalibah moved his show to Pyro Radio (PyroRadio.com) and has also turned his sights to Theatre. No stranger to performing arts, he was already part of the Theatre Royal at the age of eleven, earning himself a part in film Tube Tales alongside some of Britain’s creamof-the-crop actors including Ray Winstone, Bob Hoskins and Ewan McGregor. “The money that I made doing that film I used to buy my first set of turntables” Excalibah say’s fondly. In 2003 Excalibah was asked to adapt and musically direct Da Boyz which featured some UK Hip-Hop’s finest such as Rodney P and Blak Twang.
It was Hip-Hop’s version of Roger and Hart’s “The Boys from Syracuse”. Jackie Fletcher from The British Theatre Guide described it as “a celebration of all that is best in urban youth culture”. Last year Excalibah, along with Ultz who helped co-direct Da Boyz, directed The Blacks by the late Jean Genet, a popular a French writer and political activist. It was a modernised adaptation to Genet’s original long-running Broadway production which looked at the very uncomfortable but necessary analysis of racism and oppression. Excalibah’s modernised version held a Hip-Hop orientated theme but still remained true to the original’s key issues and themes. The play received outstanding reviews from Time Out, The Guardian, and The Observer. Tamara Gausi of Time out gave the play 5 out of 6 stars, praising Excalibahs and Ultz’s modernised rendition as a “searing, important work that needs to be seen”. “Musical direction, which is what a lot of my theatre work is, was never ever something I thought I would be able to do or even had an interest in doing” says Excalibah, “but it’s just one those things you end up doing you find and you’re quite good at it, so you push it and further yourself in it”. With many more plays in the pipeline, along with another UK Dubstep compilation and a new night at Herbal with Dan Greenpeace called Take It Back, there’s no final curtain insight for DJ Excalibah. z DJ Excalibah’s top five to look out for in 2009: Mongrel | Shameless | Master Shortie | Bashy | Kidkanevil
bigsmokemagazine.com 31
32 OUT THE SMOKE
ABOVE words Shaun Cronin | photography Kieran Halil
Boom-bap beats and scratching in Bournemouth make for a strange combination but one that makes perfect sense for the in-demand is Jabbathakut.
Having made a name for himself lacing some beats for the finest crews in West coast Hip-Hop (Dilated Peoples, Hieroglyphics) and some of the UK’s finest MC’s with beats and scratches, Jabbathakut was recently lapping up the Californian sunshine while touring the state to help promote Cut Above artist Magishan’s One Big Road album. After releasing an EP on Bare Records, Jabbathakut, Suicyde and Dyversity formed Cut Above Records in 2004. They have since gone from strength to strength with a live line-up consisting of Jabbathakut, Magishan, Dyversity with other members Suicyde, Dubar, Mr Meterz supporting the likes of Lady Sovereign, Sway and Ugly Duckling among many others. JabbathaKut is cut from the same traditional cutting and scratching DJ cloth that has produced a number of talented DJ’s representing the UK from IQ to the Scratch Perverts, who have gone on to regularly win DMC Championships and perform in venues across the world. This tradition may be on the wane because of DJ’s discovering newer more practical technology but some Vinyl junkies cannot completely leave the game as Jabba himself explains. “I didn’t wanna be lugging around flight cases etc on a trip like that (California) so Serato was the perfect solution but whenever I play out I still take my own bits of vinyl man, especially for juggling and cutting up” Up and coming releases include two mix CDs out by Cut Above artists, Durbar with Subtle Reflections, Suicyde with The Lost Mixtape and also Jabbathakut’s Rock the Bells. With DJ’s Excalibah, Rodney P and Skitz spinning their tunes, the future is looking bright for Bournemouth’s finest purveyors of true school Hip-Hop.z myspace.com/jabbathakut
bigsmokemagazine.com 33
Most memorable experience going to the cinema? Shlomo: (Left) Sitting through a “Back to the Future All Nighter� in 2002 with some friends! All three movies non-stop at the Hyde Park Picture House in Leeds - an amazing Edwardian building in danger of closure.
DJ YODA: (Right) Getting to DJ in at the Curzon cinema in Soho, performing my magic cinema show. There was everyone from kids to grandmas there, all eating popcorn, while I scratched DVD clips to music on the screen. Much better than a grotty Hip-Hop club.
photo BY jake green
The Royal Festival Hall London 2008.
34 BEATS APART
words Ali Raymond | photography Jesse Holborn
Throughout history the music game has provided us with great artists, pioneer artists, those whose innovative styles and rebellious ambition to test the stereotype have pushed their music to new levels. On the tenth anniversary of his death Big Smoke caught up with the biggest fans of one such artist, nephew Daryl Hyper D and Bionic (London Posse) to talk about the Original Junglist soldier and the Legacy he created.
S
tevie was a West London kid listening to Jamaican Ragga with a deep rooted passion for emceeing. His greatest loves where Hip-Hop and Reggae which along with his heavy West Indies roots gave birth to his innovative style setting him apart from MC’s popular at the time ‘he would come with a structure, chorus, verse much like a rapper would’. Daryl recollects. But instead of pursuing a Hip-Hop angle he saw an opportunity to do something different in the acid House/ Hardcore scene that was dominating the summers of 88/89 ‘Stevie was about bubbling, he would hold a rave for 5 hours whilst other MCs would have an hour set and pass the mic. The first time I heard Roots Manuva’s Run Come Save Me was how Stevie made me feel. That feeling you get from a great artist.’ In the early days Daryl Hyper D and the rest of Stevie’s entourage would hustle Stevie to the stage, making sure he got the mic. Daryl remembers the early struggle ‘we would have those big raves, Fantasy, Peace-Fest, Stevie was up and coming. If you turned up they’d give you 75 quid, but we had to get to Milton Keynes, Luton or Birmingham. So we used to all chip in and get a mini bus. For 2 years Stevie was doing that and we were behind him we were nobodies. We had to go hustle the mic off these guys who we all new Stevie was 10 times better then.’ ‘The type of person he was and that, didn’t go with that image, he was just too real.’ Bionic remembering their first meeting outside the Lazzer Drum, Peckham in 94 ‘ My bredrin took me to one rave, there were bare gals, and every girl was like Stevie Hyper D! Stevie Hyper D! I heard the name but didn’t know who he was. Girls were all over him. Stevie was like ‘Yo, Bionic man I used to listen to your music’ and all the girls were like who’s Bionic?’ He grins ‘We got all the girls in the car and went to his show in Tottenham. On the way he was telling me how the DJ’s have got it and MC’s just bust’ Bionic and Stevie quickly found common ground ‘His ideas were big! He’s own music, making records. Stevie was on the same level as me, he was future enough to say ok lets make a Drum & Bass version of All I want to do is have some fun. From that minute we had the link.
36 SOCIAL CLUB
Then he brung me to bare raves. I was like fucking hell bare sexy gals everywhere. I thought thisnew music was mad! It was like how Miami bass hit me in America. Then I saw him chat rave after rave and thought mans bad! I’ve replayed that moment back in my head the most. The meeting was the beginning of a new stage of my life. I was an angry bad person and that’s what a lot of people remember me for. He brought me to the enjoyment stage of life where I needed to be.’ Stevie’s ability to hold an arena of happy ravers for hours on end saw him become a pioneer in the Jungle and Drum & Bass scene in the early nineties. His career gave him resident spots at Movement, The Hope, Telepathy, Elevation, Jungle Mania, Innervation to name a few and saw him tour heavily from Canada to Australia, Japan to Europe mostly financed by himself. ‘It felt like he toured every weekend, Germany was like his second home’. Daryl explains. ‘People would see Stevie’s name on the flyer and be like Yeh I’m going to that rave, not cos of the DJ, but the MC, cos you know its gonna be a show.’ Not happy that he was billed to one rave while DJ’s were doing 3 -4 sets a night he began to build a new approach to emceeing, preparing lyrics for dubplates that were currently smashing up and knowing exactly when they’d be dropped by the DJ at the time. ‘He was all about UK music getting recognized, especially MC’s. Stevie would say that next year was gonna be about the MC and that really burnt a lot of DJ’s.’ ‘Hip-Hop is lyrically based.’ adds Bionic. ‘And most of the Drum & Bass DJ’s in the scene didn’t ever want Drum & Bass to be like Hip-Hop. They didn’t want to be the little DJ in the background that everybody didn’t give a fuck about.’ His ability to hold his own as an MC in a scene dominated by the DJ saw him team up with the established Nicky Blackmarket, a partnership that broke new ground. ‘He knew how to make money, to be recognized worldwide you had to cross that barrier, had to do something that’s not the norm. Something that’s not UK Hip-Hop, not Jungle.’f
bigsmokemagazine.com 37
“I like the mystery surrounding his death, there’s so many stories on the internet that he died on stage, it was an overdose. It was like when Jimi Hendrix died ” Stevie had come along way from his days as a teen splitting over 12 inch Reggae rhythms with his ‘5 man army’ crew. At the time of Stevie’s death, he was working twice as much. Signed to Island records he was working on a new album Next Step by Different Levels. It seemed the best was only yet to come. But unfortunately on the 5th of July 1998 music lost one of its greatest performers. Stevie Hyper D died of a heart attack with a history of heart problems running in the family. There was a lot of mystery associated with his death, Daryl explains ‘I like the mystery surrounding his death, there’s so many stories on the internet that he died on stage, it was an overdose. It was like when Jimi Hendrix died. For the past 7-8 years it’s always been patchy. It happened with people close to Stevie but not the family. After smashing a massive rave in Canada with Nicky Blackmarket and Kenny Ken within that week he had been complaining of chest pains. But he was like na man its indigestion. He was worried of course but thought it was a consequence of traveling too much, parties and rich living. His death was a wake up call for a lot of the people in the industry who lived the lifestyle’ ‘On a Thursday or Friday he did a massive rave, one nation or something, he went home with his girl and that’s when I got the call that Stevie was in hospital. No one new what had happened. Stevie was always a joker. I thought he was winding me up. He was more like my brother then my uncle, who took me to my first rave. I couldn’t accept it, he was only 32.’ The scene stopped and paid tribute to a fallen soldier with two raves at the End and Camden Palace with everyone you can name in Drum & Bass wanting to pay homage. Shortly followed the release of Legend with all profits going to Stevie’s mum Aida. The rave was packed’ Bionic remembers ‘I was so hurt that day, I felt it when they started rinsing his tunes, that was a love thing. That was huge. For the next year, bare times I thought I’d seen Stevie, you couldn’t accept it. We said we were gonna make a group, He new we were gonna bang up the world and then he died. That crushed man. For so many years people have tried to bring me back to music. So when he died that’s when I knew I had to come out of the music completely.’ ‘Stevie was a workaholic doing raves from Wednesday to Sunday.’ Daryl adds ‘He lived the lifestyle.
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When he would come of stage it was time for him to get out his big bag of ‘dro and nice bottle of brandy and kick back with what ever woman he had.’ So he was a ladies man. Daryl grins ‘Stevie was a dog man he didn’t have to hide it. Drum & Bass was part of his life. That day twenty different girls ran me asking if it was true. If he had a rave in Bournemouth he had a girl in Bournemouth, know what I mean, It was that lifestyle. When I went to his stone two years ago, there was a girl crying her eyes out, I didn’t know her and asked her if she new him. She said how she lived in Hastings and he used to come she her. I was like ra people 8 years on were still mourning him.’ Bionic continues ‘At the time in America, Hip-Hop was a road ting, when I dropped Money Mad people weren’t on it, Hip-Hop here wasn’t a road ting. America weren’t hearing you if you were British Hip-Hop, we needed our own ting, so when Stevie showed me the flex, I loved the flex. English everything English. When I did shows I was a crowd man, when I saw Stevie I was like yeh, he’s a showman. He was an entertainer, when he went no one else was able to recreate his input.’ Drum & Bass was the voice of Britain’s youth and Stevie took it across the waters making a name for himself state side. ‘When I went back to America after his death, I wanted to hear what was being said. It was nothing but Stevie mate. LA, New Orleans, Canada. The name Stevie Hyper D was everywhere!’ It took Stevie 4 years with Nicky Blackmarket before he got his first MC award in 1997. In 2007 the Drum & Bass scene presented Daryl with the Stevie Hyper D Memorial award, for his lifetime achievement to the cause ‘when my man Stevie picked up his award in 97 it was one category, best MC, now there are 8 categories for MC. I couldn’t believe it. The MC in the Drum & Bass had now got his props.’ On the Ten year anniversary of his death Daryl Hyper D has started Generation Hyper, a project that stems from a new generation raised on Stevie Hyper D which will include rare releases, remixes and a documentary narrated by Bionic. ‘When Stevie died a lot of people said Drum & Bass was dead’ Daryl explains ‘its about ten years later, seeing how music has progressed from Stevie, my man innovated something, he’s not here to see it but he took all the elements of what urban music was, found a template to relay it on and smash it with. What Stevie did was install something bigger then Drum & Bass. He put in place a format that no one has yet been able to recreate.’z
“The scene stopped and paid tribute to a fallen soldier with two raves at the End and Camden Palace with everyone you can name in Drum & Bass wanting to pay homage ”
words ANNA NATHANson | photography Adrian Nettleship
I’m on the set of the video for Sincere’s latest single, Once Upon A Time, a tune that’s “just about being good in this day and age when there’s loads of temptation”, as Sincere himself explains, taking a break from his hectic schedule for a cup of tea and a natter.
M
aking videos is stressful for me especially ‘cos I’m on an independent label which I run and co-own (Young Entrepreneur Records) so there’s a lot of responsibility on me, I’m like the artist as well as the producer for the video so to speak, getting everybody there at the right time, so it is a very stressful time at the same time it’s quite fun as well”. The track, which features Natty, tells a story from Sincere’s youth, for which a makeshift chip shop was actually built on location, at the studios in Highbury, London. “The second scene is what you’d call your bling bling shot, it’s got ‘Sincere’ in flashing lights and stuff like that. And in the third scene you see my whole band, the drummer, the saxophonist, the trumpet, the bass guitar. We’re doing a lot on colourful backdrops and paintings, so it’s a very visual thing”. The single was produced by First Man Productions, who have previously worked with SkinnyMan, Lemar, Blak Twang and Talib Kweli. On Sincere’s forthcoming album, Now or Never, we can also expect production from P-Nut (Dido, Faithless and Amy Winehouse), as well as his DJ God’s Son, who’s worked with Sway. On features and remixes we can look forward to a line up including Sway, SkinnyMan, Natty, John Blood, Chipmunk, Bashy, Scorcher and Wretch 32. What’s one major problem living in Britain? Everything could do with improving and politicians could improve the public school system so that it’s as good as the private school system, because I feel that schooling is everything. We’ve lost a generation and we might lose another one if we don’t improve our schools.
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The politicians need to spend more time helping the youth. The congestion charge and the ferociousness of traffic wardens and parking is very stressful on people’s lives. The £8 congestion charge, the £1 per ten minutes in Westminster…I conduct a lot of my business in central London so it’s quite a headache sometimes. The price of driving is huge. What do you think about the prospect of the first black US president? I think that would be a good look, not just for black people but everyone, because at the end of the day it shows change and that the world is changing, and that the colour barrier between different people is being broken down. I think it would be a good example for America to set, especially after all the wrong they’ve done in Iraq. How do your ends influence your music? I’m from Finsbury Park in North London, same area as SkinnyMan, 5 minutes from Sway, 10 minutes from Akala, and we all grew up very close together. My music’s a reflection of my life and a reflection of me. Finsbury Park is a diverse area. You’ve got Tottenham on one side that is predominantly black, then there’s Angel Islington and Camden which are very diverse and multi-cultural. So I’ve grown up with having best friends who are black and best friends who are white, so that’s moulded me in a special way to make me appreciate a lot of music. Growing up there was definitely a benefit for me, as a person as well as a musician.z myspace.com/sincererap LOOK OUT FOR THE KID BASS SINGLE FEATURING SINCERE OUT ON THE 8th DECEMBER ON EMI RELENTLESS.
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There are three things in life for certain: death, taxes and your issue of Big Smoke being late. Well now there is a fourth: a UK producer being consistently first-class. Some say Hip-Hop is diminishing through a decline in sales, an increase in illegal downloading and a negative portrayal of violence. One man who has the vision, passion and musical magic to direct is Adam Bell AKA DJ Mentat who is in full control. Big Smoke dialed him up‌ words DIRTY HARRY | photography jake green
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The
day started off in bad traffic on the M40. Our photographer Jake had arranged for an early morning start with Adam and myself to do the photo shoot. The traffic and weather were terrible, so at about 10:30 we all finally met at Jake’s studio. To begin I was given the responsibility of ironing a white shirt and Adam was instructed to shave his head and beard for the Alfred Hitchcock feel. We all set off to George White & Son’s Funeral Parlour in Walthamstow (a little depressing maybe but life can be from time to time and the weather wasn’t helping). For a few hours Mentat played the role of a funeral director. Jake and assistant Kieran were setting up and Adam got in place with his arm resting on the coffin. You may be thinking there could have been an actual body inside, you might be right. We briefly glanced at each other, then carried on... When he released his debut 12” single, Mentat brought a refreshing twist to the scene. A new producer from out of nowhere delivered a record of high standard with plenty of soul, energy and passion in his production. Knowing Adam for sometime I could be a little biased with this article but fuck it. His music is high-quality. Who would disagree? OK he has been on the downlow working his magic on various projects, but he has also had successful collaborations with Roots Manuva, SkinnyMan, Durrty Goodz, and The Blacknificent Seven to name a few. But let’s start at the beginning.
Early years, what was your first relationship with music? I got into DJing around 12 years. I remember my first decks were a JVC and some other dodgy Aiwa deck of my dad. It had no pitch control so I got the transformer from my old railway set and plugged it up with a deck to make the pitch control. The pitch was so wide I could mix practically anything, from Techno to Reggae. Even before then I started with tape cassettes. Playing out in some dives was when I realised I really wanted to make music and the first thing I produced on was a PS1 in around 1994/95, I made music on that for ages. You may laugh about the Playstation but believe it or not it was very much like an early MPC. The reasons being that both are 12-bit and have that crunchy sound.
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“Shit like Muggs, Dilla and Rza, to me that’s what Hip-Hop’s about. I’m not saying that’s what Hip-Hop is, but that’s what I got into “ I wasn’t a natural at 15/16 years old. It took me a year to beat match, I just taught myself. I played the guitar and was in bands when I was younger, although I gave up when I got into Garage but it has been easy to pick up since. When I started DJing on pirate stations I didn’t know what I was doing, but when I fell in love with Hip-Hop I was the only DJ around my way so we were testing the water. UK Hip-Hop hadn’t taken a hold yet so we were still playing a lot of American Hip-Hop. When Brand New Second Hand by Roots Manuva hit, thats when I properly dedicated the show to UK Hip-Hop. A lot of people wanted to get into new shit because garage and stuff like that was dying out. Around that time I was poached by Force FM. We started on Wednesday nights as the only Hip-Hop DJs and now we have 5 Hip-Hop DJs on the same night. Releasing the Product? “I didn’t think of it at the time. I just had a bit of luck getting in the studio with Roots [debut 12”], which was very fortunate because I was totally unknown. I didn’t think about what would happen but when I put it out people had their hands tied because certain magazines won’t diss Manuva just because he’s Manuva. It was almost like he had given me a seal of approval.” “Having both singles out within two months of each other set me up for radio. When Zane Lowe got hold of the SkinnyMan tune, thats when it really went mad, the first time he played me on Radio 1 he dropped it twice on one show. That doesn’t happen! It was nuts. I read on one website, ‘I don’t know who this Mentat is but I’m gonna take notice because he knows his shit… He is obviously working with decent people’. If it weren’t for comments like these I wouldn’t have been here now. “The Force FM CD backed it all up. People had something to go and buy. The product was right, released at the right time and with the right backing. The funny one with Durrty Goodz was that you had a grime artist on a HipHop track, even though I rate Goodz as one of our best Hip-Hop artists. He loves Hip-Hop and is so versatile. A lot of his fans were grime fans and not really feeling the Hip-Hop side of it. Some Hip-Hop retailers didn’t even know who he was but if you went into Uptown, Goodz was selling out. It was good for me because I had certain grime artists calling, and I did a tune with Tinchy Stryder. I tried to cater for his market as well as mine so I made three different beats. DJ Mentat on Radio? “I’ve always had good radio play and I try to cater to it. Not by selling out commercially, just so they can play it and back me. If you look back decades ago, thats how artists broke through. Americans are doing so well and the English aren’t because people aren’t backing them on radio. If you don’t hear a tune then you don’t buy it. You hear a tune on radio, you like it and then you buy it. “To be honest, many DJs haven’t got the balls to back an artist even if they believe in him. That why I rate Zane Lowe, he put his own stance into his show, doing his own thing rather than what he was told to do. Back in the day you had Radio Caroline, playing brand new bits and people would blow up because they were heard. “Stations often start as pirates like Kiss and XFM, but then they’re taken and regulated so they all sound like Capital. One thing about Radio 1 is that they do they own thing, they’ve got their own agenda when it comes British music, especially rock and alternative. I notice a lot of grime artists doing tracks with rock stars which is cool but someone’s got to push grime in the same way they do alternative, and airplay can do that. SkinnyMan got listed on Radio 1 and sold a lot of albums which goes to show that it works. If you back someone they sell records.”f
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“Rather than being a clone of the teacher, you are an individual artist, that’s when genius comes out. ” Is the Hip-Hop culture dying? Three or four years ago it was really happening in the UK. It felt like a real buzz, people had albums and singles out. Radio 1 was playing UK tunes within the day and it looked like the industry was flourishing, but then the bottom fell out. Channel U was sold to a big businessman and then they only played what they thought people wanted to hear. You used to get Jehst being played and even Ironbridge. Now you tune in and it’s one sub-genre of music and a few bits and bobs. At Force FM I’ve always believed if you tell someone it’s big then they will perceive it in that way. So when I’m on Force and say this tune is blowing up, people listen to that and think ‘I’m going to get on that because it’s happening now’. So much money is made from Hip-Hop in America, we’re paying American artists from radio airplay. In France and India, stations have to play a certain amount of native music. It just makes sense because the royalties are going back into the French and Indian people’s pockets. What was it like DJing in India on the VH1 Hip-Hop Hustle tour in 2006? “It was different, DJ Nonames hooked it up. We did two gigs in Deli and Bombay. The one in Deli was the most ridiculous club I’ve ever seen, owned by a billionaire. It had silver plated chairs with diamonds in the VIP room. In India they like their own music, it was very hard to play anything apart from the most mainstream tracks. I even got asked to play Blue, of course being a good professional I had some. I tried to play a lot of tunes that had Indian based influences. Someone came over to me and asked me for my tune, which was dope! An English dude said he travelled all the way from another part to see me, I couldn’t believe it. We’d been on VH1’s adverts every half hour so when we got there we were superstars, they built us up to be the biggest thing coming over.” Which artists gave you the most influence when producing? “Have you got all day? Sampling really made me listen to abstract and rare stuff. That’s what really got me into soul. For artists, the 70s and 80s were wicked, especially the 80s for digital music like dance. Hip-Hop really came up in the 80s, such a sick decade for music but 70s is where I get most of my inspiration from. That’s generally down to the arrangement, composition and instruments they used. I’m into rhodes, moogs and early synthesisers. You won’t find that in today’s production unless you’re into jazz or something like that but in soul, the band was the backbone. I got into Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone, Ann Peebles and Willie Mitchell, who produced for Al Greene, and Syl Johnson. Also Leon Ware who produced Marvin Gaye as well. Reggae influences include Peter Tosh, Bob Marley and Ken Boothe’s soulful version of Is it because I’m black which has a lovely horn section. Today in soul or even popular music, you rarely get full brass or string sections. Most of my inspirations are from the 70s, that’s what I try and imitate now. So you don’t miss a thing when listening for samples? When I first started it was all about sampling and now it’s about playing. Normally what happens is, I’ll be listening and something will hit me or I’ll be thinking of something already and then try to find that sample. Using MPCs can restrict you as it’s quite hard work. On Pro Tools, you import the whole tune to chop it up rather than just taking a 6 second sample and looping it. Shit like Muggs, Dilla and Rza, to me that’s what Hip-Hop’s about. I’m not saying that’s what Hip-Hop is, but that’s what I got into, the little 4 bar loops, 2 bars, even the 1 second loops. Some people get too influenced by all their digital equipment, when really it’s about that break, that flavour, not too polished and much more organic. That’s why I love using MPCs rather than tapping it in on a laptop. Like my influences, the equipment I use all roots from the 70’s. What dilemmas have you had along the way with the creative process? I move quickly, I try to make albums in a two to three month slots. With this album, because there so many artists and I’m waiting on people working away, I find it hard to keep focused. That’s one of the worst dilemmas I have; to remain professional, keep the same focus I always had and retain the mindset from when I first started. I’ve remade my Hip-Hop album three times already, I’m constantly battling myself to make it better. I lock myself away for months so it comes out like one album rather than just a collection.
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Describe your outlook to music and which future projects should we look for? I’m always try to progress quickly and naturally, I’m not one of those guys that just says ‘Yeah I cracked it. That’s the formula, I’m going to make 13 albums of this. I can’t do that. I’m constantly moving, learning skills from different people. I want to use my musical ability, playing the guitar, piano, programming brass and strings. I’ve stepped up to make an album with a girl called Holly Ottignon. She’s got a real vintage style, it’s dope. I got 7 or 8 albums sitting on my computer but they haven’t come out because two weeks will pass and I’ll make a better song. Now I feel I’ve developed my craft and it’s time to get it out. The third album is from an artist called Mr Alexander, a sick soul singer/songwriter. He’s a great writer so he makes me write tunes in different genres like rare groove and neon soul. There’s a fourth album too, Instrumentats, which is basically 30 beats I did with my boy Syaman, just banging pads on the MPC for fun. A brief description of your forthcoming Hip-Hop LP? This album has bare people on, there’s unheard tracks by Kool G Rap, Kyza, AZ, Lowkey, Canibus, Joell Ortiz, Syaman, Tor, Stylah, Diabolic and yet more names in the pipeline. In a funny way it was Kool G that built the album, he made everyone jump on because of his verse. He came with the sickest 16. Canibus got in the studio, listened to G’s verse, and that just fired him up. He didn’t want to be on the album, he needed to be on the album! Kool G did much more than just his 16, he became the template of the album. It’s a lyricists’ album, I play a smaller part than him. Death is a major taboo word in this country, has it ever crossed your mind? I smoke too much and it’s always made me think that there’s a big chance of it catching up later on, that’s when I start thinking about death. We’re all going to die; just make the most of life. My dad was ill with cancer for six years and I was looking after him when he was really ill. He looked after me for 25 years, I owed it to him. He was supposed to die within two years but my old man was strong, although in a lot of pain. He died three months after his retirement so I thought fuck working ‘til I’m 65. Fuck working all my life for something and then dying before I can enjoy it. My mum is sitting sweet now because dad was a hard worker. His funeral was actually a happy affair, we weren’t laughing and joking but the way I see it, my old man would have loved it. I’m not going to dwell on it, but if you smoke or drink then you have more of a chance of dying early so make the most of it. I suppose you took positives and focused on your craft at this time? You got to learn your trade, just like a carpenter or plumber, and I’m trying to get mine so crafted people can’t say anything. I wouldn’t swap the two quiet years because they made me reflect. I did music theory and wrote rather than producing. I went from being a DJ at 12, to a producer at 15/16, now I’m doing my own compositions. I feel I can make Hip-Hop ten times better than when I first brought out SkinnyMan’s track. Even making grime, if you do your theory you will be better. I hear so much where I just think ‘if you did that you could make it sound better.’ I want to be able to make classical music when I’m older, full orchestral pieces. I’ve read many books about old producers and their techniques, even Quincy Jones on how he recorded Michael Jackson. I’ve been recording someone and put them on a 10” step. Most people would think ‘that’s not going make any difference’, but if you read your shit about acoustics you’d realise that it makes a massive difference, its about ceiling height and space around you. I find people are too satisfied now while myself I try this, try that, anything to strengthen my work. If you’re self-taught you have your own way of doing it. I scratch differently from everyone else, like Cash Money in the sense that Cash Money scratches like no one else. That comes from teaching yourself. Rather than being a clone of the teacher, you are an individual artist, that’s when genius comes out. People have been waiting for a whole album from DJ Mentat for more than a hot minute so hurry up!z myspace.com/djmentatmusic The Mentat Show on Force FM 106.5 on Wed nights 10:30 until 12..
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words Ryan Proctor | photography JOHN HOOPER
As the late Biggie Smalls once said, things done changed. The UK Hip-Hop game isn’t as simple as it perhaps used to be. Nowadays genuine artists have to navigate their way through a maze before they can even think about connecting with a fanbase. Currently doing their best to ensure they overcome any obstacles London-based lyricists Stylah and TB are confronting some of their Hip-Hop troubles head-on...
“I shifted a lot of units doing the mix-CDs and to be honest it’s not even worth mentioning the numbers as they’re incomprehensible to some people. I tell people what I’ve sold and they’re like, ‘Nah, you couldn’t have done that!’ “A lot of it came down to timing, so if people try to go out now and do what I did, they won’t get the same support because it’s different now. We put in an incredible amount of work with my street team, and myself. The mix-CD game isn’t as easy as people think. A lot of up and coming artists think it’s just about getting on the road and putting your shit out. But you have to have a certain level of quality in your product. The projects we put out weren’t just average mix-CDs. They were on a par with some of the best to ever come out of the UK. People nowadays run around talking about ‘I’m on my grind! I’m putting something out!’ But what are you actually putting out? Is the music actually good enough to come out and have you developed yourself as an artist to a point where you should even be putting something out? Before we put out Crash Course we really sat and thought about everything, from the beats we were using to the design of the CD cover. Nowadays, a lot of the newer artists are just throwing anything out there. “I’ll always give someone the benefit of the doubt when they’re trying to sell me a CD because
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I was in that position myself. But after I’ve put my hand in my pocket, I get the CD home and most of the time it’s crap. People really need to step up their quality control.”
TB ON INTERNET RAPPERS “Back in the day when I was coming up, you had what were known as bedroom rappers and they were confined to their bedrooms until they’d developed their talent. Now those same bedroom rappers have gone worldwide on sites like MySpace. “On one hand, it’s a good thing that people can get that sort of exposure, but on the other hand some of these guys really need to spend more time practising. It just means that there’s more shit for people to sift through online before they can actually find the artists that are good. But that said, for artists in my position, the internet is obviously a great marketing tool, although it’s become a bit of a cliché now to be an up and coming rapper on sites like MySpace because there’s so many out there. “It dilutes the fanbase of the music as well, because those people who should be buying CDs from genuinely talented artists are actually too interested in trying to sell their own music. The game has become over saturated which, I think, has led to some of the real fans losing interest in the music a little because of all the nonsense they have to get through to find the good stuff.”f
Styling Miss Molly @ Joy Goodman | Stylists Assistant Taira Watkins
STYLAH ON THE MIX-CD HUSTLE
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“If more things like the
Bashy remixes happened and people were more on the same page we’d have a much stronger scene here in the UK ” 52 COVER feature
STYLAH ON WORKING ON BASHY’S “BLACK BOYS” REMIXES AND UNITY IN THE UK SCENE “If more things like the Bashy remixes happened and people were more on the same page we’d have a much stronger scene here in the UK. You had such a diversity of artists on those remixes, from an older artist like Ty, to a female emcee like No-Lay, to grime artists like Skepta, and it gave everyone the same forum of exposure. By all those different artists being associated with that one project, it helped introduce everyone involved to new fans, because someone who likes Chipmunk might hear me, or someone who likes Bashy might hear SkinnyMan. “If more artists took the same approach as Bashy and brought people in from outside their own crews, we’d have so much more of a unified scene over here, instead of everyone being put in a box, like ‘He’s just grime’ or ‘He’s just Hip-Hop’. Those Bashy remixes showed that we can all come together and make good music. “I think the way forward for the UK is to create more of a fusion between the different urban scenes. But I think some artists are scared to do that because they don’t want to alienate their original fanbases.”
STYLAH ON HIS NEW ALBUM “TREADING WATER” “People can expect to hear an album that’s on a par with all the top UK Hip-Hop albums. Treading Water deals with the struggles I’ve gone through in life, like me coming from a strict family background, being poor a lot of the time, and having to do a lot of dark things which I’m not proud of. So the album deals with the idea of only just being able to keep afloat in life and not actually being able to move forward. I feel that it’s more a work of art than just a piece of music.”f
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TB ON VIOLENT LYRICS “I try to cool that whole thing down in my lyrics. I’m not really a fan of people talking about guns and knives and just perpetuating bullshit, basically. If you’re really living that life then cool, but if you’re not then there’s really no need for you to talk about violence in your music. “I would never say that it’s only the music that’s having an influence on the kids here in the UK though, as there are a lot of other influences as well, whether that be other forms of entertainment such as films, or social influences like family life or the economy. So I wouldn’t say music is the only reason some of these kids are carrying on the way that they do today. But at the same time, I’m not promoting that kind of bad, violent stereotype of what people think hip-hop is in my own music. I just don’t think as artists we should be feeding into that negativity.”
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STYLAH ON POISONOUS POETS AND DAY-TO-DAY PRESSURES “When there’s a lot of people all involved in one thing, it takes a lot of time to put something together because everyone wants to do it right. Plus, we’re all dealing with real life and you never know when another life situation is gonna pop up. “Personally, I think if there was a lot more financial security in the music, then it would become part of your real life. If you’ve got rent to pay but then you get a nice cheque through for the last tune you put out, then you’re all good. But when you’re not making the right type of paper from the music, sometimes you’ve got to step away from it so you can get everything straight financially. That’s where the Poisonous Poets project is at right now, some people are trying to deal with those real life situations, some of us are bang on the music. But as soon as we see a window where all the real life stuff has been dealt with and everyone can concentrate on the music, that’s when we’ll put the product out.”f
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TB ON FATHERHOOD AND RESPONSIBILITY “It’s very hard to balance the music with my responsibilities. I mean, when my son was born I didn’t do music for three to five months. I didn’t do anything music-related at all, I was just doing my duties as a father. My son’s fifteen months old now and it’s only really since he turned one that I’ve got back into the studio. “I can’t go to half the shows I used to go to now, especially if I’m looking after my son the next day. It’s definitely difficult to get everything done that needs to be done when you have responsibilities like that. But it has put me in my own world to some extent and I’ve written a lot of songs over the last year-and-a-half. It’s not an overstatement to say I’ve written about a hundred tracks. But yeah, having a son and the responsibilities that come with that have definitely changed my perspective on things.”
TB ON HIS NEW CD “THE BEAST FROM THE EAST” “The new CD is presented by DJ MK and he’s all over it mixing and scratching. I wanted The Beast From The East to be a proper Hip-Hop mixtape and not just a mish-mash of tracks. There’s a lot of material on there and it’s just all good music. I’ve got something on there with Mr. Ti2bs, plus other tracks with Shameless, Rukus and Pyrelli. There’s not too many features because I’ve been away for awhile and I wanted to come back strong. I’m just having fun with it on the mix-CD, but there’s always a message in the music.”z
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“I’m just having fun with it on the mix-CD, but there’s always a message in the music ”
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words DIRTY HARRY
This is our special 10th Anniversary issue of Big Smoke. Since the college project in 1997, the magazine has changed size and evolved hugely. These photos of all nine cover artists include Blak Twang, Taskforce, Fallacy, Est’elle, Killa Kela, Sway, Roots Manuva, Papoose and Wiley have themselves helped to capture the essence of what Big Smoke has come to mean to many people. Photos were taken by Phil Knott, Gil Reynolds and Jake Green. Observe and enjoy!
COVER: Mystro Issue: Promo YEAR: 2000 Photo By: Phil Knott “At Battle Royal I can remember I got a nice response, and was like ‘Yeah’. then the next day you feel like raaaah! Its time to start taking it serious then”
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COVER: FALLACY & SKEME Issue: THREE YEAR: 2002 Photo By: Phil Knott
COVER: PAPOOSE Issue: 3 Volume 2 YEAR: 2006 Photo By: PHIL KNOTT A DOCUMENTARY OF POTENTIAL BIG SMOKE MAGAZINE ISSUE 03 VOLUME 2 2006 BIGSMOKEMAGAZINE.COM ÂŁ3.50
“That term “UK Hip-Hop is a pigeonhole and in pigeonholes you find pigeon shit� Fallacy (BIG UP TO SKEME, SOME ONE STOLE YOUR NEGS!)
“COMING UP LISTENING TO KOOL G RAP TO THEN BEING IN A RECORDING STUDIO WITH HIM, THAT WAS CRAZY TO ME�
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COVER: TASKFORCE Issue: TWO YEAR: 2001 Photo By: Phil Knott
COVER: ESTELLE Issue: FOUR YEAR: 2003 Photo By: Gil Reynolds
“Back then it was like ‘yes I wanna be apart of whats going on there’, Duke, Merlin, Demon
“No-one knows you and your product better than yourself. handle the business.”
Boyz, Cookie Crew and all the people that was Jammin’ London posse, they was proper and they stayed proper” - Farma G
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COVER: Killa Kela Issue: FIVE YEAR: 2003 Photo By: Gil Reynolds
COVER: Sway Issue: 1 Volume 2 YEAR: 2005 Photo By: JAKE GREEN
“I try to change the way people think about Hip-Hop, like I have people come up to me and
“I’ve been bought up in religious conflict. I’m not Muslim but if I sway towards any
say ‘you know I hate Hip-Hop but you were great”
religion it’s Islam, but there’s too much that counteracts the society I’m living in at this moment of time. It’s direct conflict being a Muslim doing as I do.”
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COVER: BLak Twang Issue: ONE YEAR: 2000 Photo By: Phil Knott
COVER: WILEY Issue: 4 Volume 2 YEAR: 2007 Photo By: JAKE GREEN A DOCUMENTARY OF POTENTIAL BIG SMOKE MAGAZINE ISSUE 04 V OLUME 2 2007 BIGSMOKEMAGAZINE.COM ÂŁ3.50
â&#x20AC;&#x153; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never been a group. Everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always thought it was a group but its never been a
â&#x20AC;&#x153;FAMILIES ARE THE ONLY THINGS THAT ARE CONSTANT, THEY BICKER BUT THEYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE BLOOD AND THEYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;LL
group. Blak Twang is Blak Twang, Blak Twang is Tony Rotton, Blak Twang is Taipanic.â&#x20AC;?
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COVER: ROOTS MANUVA Issue: 2 Volume 2 YEAR: 2005 Photo By: jake green “I suppose taking the FIrst cheque to the Bank. Going and dropping it at the bank for £22,000. I was thinking “Yeah, I got loads of money”, the next day, you get a tax bill and you got £12,000 left…. But that moment, before the tax bill came it felt really good.”
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words Daljit Khela | photography Rinchen Ato
In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s classrooms most teenagers have to abide by the regulations of a uniform but, in contrast to years gone by, the less disciplined approach in schools means they are now free to personalise it with attitude and adaption, showing what they like and who they are. Youth subcultures have always been defined or distinguished by elements such as fashion interests or beliefs and are often associated with specific musical genres. Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teenage phenomenon of Mods, Rockers and B-boys in the 1960s and 70s laid the foundations for the 90s Ravers and Indie kids which have given way to the Grindies, Emos and Hoodies of today. In this series, photographer Rinchen Ato enlisted a handful of London school kids showcasing their individuality by what they wore on a day-today basis for school. Each picture encapsulates their unique styles and attitudes and portrays an insight into these teenagers and the social groups to which they belong. She found that little had changed from the time she was at school; the paradox between conforming and the desire for individuality seeming as strong as ever.z
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Mitchell Bryan, Age 14
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Anita Arthur, Age 14
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Rani Lewinson, Age 14
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Hannah Goan, Age 16
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Giovanna Southwell, Age 14
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President Opoku, Age 15
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DIGITAL SOUNDZ words J Gadiano | ILLUSTRATION DUNCAN HILL
The Abbott, Bobby Digital, Bobby Steels, Prince Rakeem, call him what you like but there’s not much that you can say about the man born Robert Diggs, or better known to you and me as The RZA, that hasn’t already been said about him or the Wu-Tang Clan.
L
egendary, ballsy, influential, outrageous and talented, it seems like only yesterday since the Wu burst onto the Hip-Hop scene “maybe ‘burst’ is a bit of a understatement, how about ‘kicked in the nuts” and gave New York that raw edge appeal in ’93 with their iconic debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). There’s been debates regarding who is the best in the Wu, some say it’s Ghostface Killah and Raekwon The Chef for their consistent rhyming capabilities and vivid storytelling, others argue it’s Method Man for his unique flow and his commercial appeal, some thought it was the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard for his unusual style and wild personality. Each of the nine clansmen is special and talented in their own right, but without the presence of The RZA there would have been no Wu-Tang Clan to ‘Bring da Ruckus’at all. As much master of chess he is master beatsmith and lyrical swordsman, he constantly pushes boundaries, observing the rules and then breaking them just to prove a point, “It says in the chess books do not get high or drink when you play chess or you will definitely lose,” he tells me in his very distinctive lisp, “I played four games last night totally drunk and high and I won every one of ‘em. So it let’s me know that my mind ain’t fucked up”. Always trying to seek knowledge and apply it to his music the Staten Island native feels that anything and everything can be an influence. “Mathematics applies to my music production and science applies to my lyrics. So that’s why in my lyrics you’ll hear a lot of things that’s like “crack at you like 206 bones”, how many of us know that we got 206 bones in our body?” RZA’s work has gone beyond the realms of Hip-Hop onto film. He has provided music for Ghost Dog: Way of The Samurai, Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2 and stared in Ridley Scott’s American Gangster alongside acting heavyweights Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington, as well as providing roles in Coffee and Cigarettes with fellow clansmen GZA and Derailed alongside Xzibit. More recently he produced the musical score for the highly popular Japanese anime Afro Samurai starring Samuel L Jackson. But even with this body of success RZA still has had to overcome many issues, particularly with those in his own clan. 2004 saw the sudden and tragic passing of Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Not only was it a loss to the Wu and to HipHop but it also left a huge void in his life. Recently there have been public disputes within the Clan over money and creative differences, all of which RZA handles. Ghostface and Raekwon have been the most vocal, voicing their displeasure with RZA’s business practices and the musical direction he was taking the Wu in for their most recent LP 8 Diagrams. Raekwon called RZA a ‘Hip-Hop hippy’ and complained that there wasn’t any ‘punch-you-in-your-face’ music, whilst Ghostface publicly called RZA a ‘dickhead’ in one article. “I think Raekwon’s comments swayed the critics, but at the end of the day I got all press that was written on it sent to me and about 77% of it is all positive” RZA tells me when discussing the issue of Raekwon’s comments on their recent album.
“If I got a hundred people in the room and 77 are saying “Yo I’m with it” I’m a go with them, the other 33 they can go out and leave. Personally, I still play it, I still enjoy it. ‘Cause really if you like Wu-Tang Clan and what we stand for you gotta love 8 Diagrams. The first song says it clear as day, “We must have honesty, courage, faith”. It seems that because of the public disagreements within the Clan, the latest being U-God claiming that RZA still owes him money for their latest album, he just wants to momentarily let go of his role of being ‘The Abbott’. “This is the first year in my life that I felt like I just gotta do myself. You could call it an obligation, not to the fans or the people but to those group of brothers. “We all have to make sacrifices and my personal sacrifice was losing my first family because of Wu-Tang” he stresses, “I remember sending my wife back to Ohio so I could build a studio to make songs and she cried. ”At this point he starts to get a little worked up, maybe it’s because of the sacrifices that he’s made. He tells me about the small house he lived in and the studio he had in the basement. “I remember I didn’t have furniture, all I had was a bedroom, a TV on the floor and a fucking PlayStation and 3DO, not even a car. I stayed in that studio for three fucking years doing Tical, Cuban Linx, Liquid Swords and Ironman. I’m divorcing my wife and my children are living somewhere else, that’s a sacrifice I took and I’m not regretting it. But nowadays how am I gon’ sacrifice myself like that if you’re fucking accusing me and you fucking going against me. It’s not worth it,” he sums up. I’m not gon’ leave my house to help you help feed your family if your fucking shitting on me, that’s how I felt last year with the Wu. I was reading like one article Ghostface called me a ‘dickhead’, how the fuck can Ghostface call me a ‘dickhead’? I know he didn’t mean it, I can say all kind of shit about Ghostface but I’m never gon’ say nothing bad about Ghost. But for him to say that about a nigga, it’s like…yo son and you want me to come and help you make some money?”. Still it’s not all doom and gloom like The RZA makes it out to be, with his latest album Bobby Digital out Digi Snax, he still makes himself relevant within Hip-Hop, despite the culture’s blatant slump. “Hip-Hop has changed ever since we came in but I still love it. It feeds a lot of families, still spread all around the world. It’s stuck creatively in a pit but I’m still enjoying it.” And despite the problems within the Clan, he still maintains he is dedicated to them and he still has the utmost love and respect for all the Wu-Tang Clan warriors including Raekwon and Ghostface. Having survived this long in the game in its genre that is notorious for not respecting elders, The RZA, and the Wu-Tang as a whole for that matter, has definitely made a permanent mark that cannot be erased. To say they set the bar for other crews is an understatement, cause they took that bar, broke it and made an entirely new one so others could attempt to follow in their wake.z myspace.com/rza DRAMA VIDEO OUT NOW
“How the fuck can Ghostface call me a ‘dickhead’? I know he didn’t mean it… I’m never gon’ say nothing bad about Ghost ”
78 TAPE to TAPE
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photography PHIL KNOTT
One New York City summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day, over a thousand skateboarders got together to celebrate their culture. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what Brooklyn-based photographer Phil Knott saw that day.
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words DIRTY HARRY
Hard Backing is a profile on 6 fashion companies that have helped shape and support our magazine over the years. THTC, Dilate, Kings Apparel, Supreme Being, Yesnomaybe and theurbanshop.co.uk which all brands involved can be found at. 1
2
3
4
10
8 7
5
9 6
1) thtc.co.uk City Bass Red Tee £22 - 2) king-apparel.com Black LDN Insignia Tee £24.99 - 3) supremebeingclothing.co.uk Cyan Print Hoody £54.95 4) dilateclothing.com Hieroblade Mummy Tee £30 - 5) dilateclothing.com Limited Edition Warbot Tee £30 - 6) yesnomaybe.co.uk Equaliser-Velcro-Patch £28.90 7) supremebeingclothing.co.uk Conversation Tee £25 - 8) thtc.co.uk Womens Grey Zulu nation UK Hoodie £50 - 9) yesnomaybe.co.uk Watermelon New Era Red on Green £28.90 - 10) king-apparel.com Defy Denim Raw Indigo Jeans £69.99 Defy Tee Black £24.99 Defy Cap Black £26.99
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Kings Apparel Office. Hook me man!
Asaviour & DJ IQ chillin’ with Dilate
KINGS APPAREL
DILATE
king-apparel.com | store@king-apparel.com
dilateclothing.com | ENQUIRIES@dilateclothing.com
Year Started: 2003 Ideology: The truth is that we live what we do. Money is not our motivation, it is moreover the challenge of creating something out of nothing that is genuinely original and credible and that gains the respect of our peers, customers and the street. We retain that credibility and improve what we put out there every season. Style, integrity, quality and innovation - that’s what it’s all about. LATEST Collection: Well, at the date of print we will have several things running concurrently. The range from Spring/Summer 2008 will still be available through our online store, our limited edition LDN (London’s Diverse Natives) range will be freshly dropped, plus the Autumn/ Winter 2008 collection will be literally just arriving in stores and online. Our LDN line is essentially a brand tailored exclusively for discerning street wear connoisseurs. Everything is made in seriously limited numbers and it is only available at our website and at a small selection of stores across the UK. We’ve got hook ups across caps, Tees, shorts, denims and jackets – so hold tight for that because its gonna be big. For AW08, again everything is limited and there are strictly no re-runs. We’ve got some tech pieces in there in the form of real Down jackets, plenty of knitwear,
Year started: Officially August 2005 Ideology Dilate Clothing was officially setup in 2005. Over the past years it has become synonymous with the UK Hip- Hop genre. Dilate has supported up and coming artists and artists who are already established in the UK scene equally. Our designers are very talented graffiti writers and graphic designers who design garments which are tailored for students of the HipHop School. If you practice any of the four elements of Hip-Hop then Dilate Clothing is for you. We also support Skateboarding, BMXing, Parkour and just about anything that keeps the youth off the streets whilst exercising their mind and body. We regularly work with Hip-Hop artists from around the UK, in photo shoots, our Gimme Some Bars section and as clothing sponsors. We would like to thank the following artists for their ongoing support over the years: DJ Vadim, Yarah Bravo, and Blurum13 from Oneself, Chrome of Deftex, Asaviour, Dubbledge, Micall Parknsun, SkinnyMan, DJ IQ, Jehst, Mayor, Ill Inspired, Respek BA, Arkaic, Posdenous, Orifice Vulgatron, DJ Nonames, Shlomo, Dag Nabbit and Metropolis from Foreign Beggars, Kashmere the Iguana man, Phili, Life and DJ Nappa, Southern Suspects, DJ Strike, Truth, Mr. Laws, Ezra and every other MC, DJ, Graffer or Breaker who is rocking a Dilate product.
90 Fashion
new denims, including 13oz Selvedge, tees, caps...the list goes on. There is so much sick stuff in that collection so we are super stoked on getting that out there, so again keep checking the website for updates and exclusive offers on that. Head person in charge: The co-founders: Paul Linton, Tim Hoad although I’d like to add that everyone involved plays a vital role. Funniest moment. Tom’s hair in the morning, Paddy eating his lunch, Dan’s excuses for being late, Aston’s fake plastic leather jacket, anytime someone tries on the 5XL sample DADA tracksuit we have in the office, it can make the most stylish person look like a derk-head! Oh yeah an assistant in a sofa shop exclaiming to Paul ‘Its like meeting Sean John!’ when taking Paul’s details and finding out he owned King!! That made everyone laugh.z
(Explorer Denim Waxed Jeans, Cap & Tracktop )
If you are an artist and would like Dilate to support what you do, then submit us a track, album, mixtape and/or video. We are always looking for new talent to model our UK Hip-Hop clothing and represent the Dilated Mind State. Latest Collection For our latest range we have teamed up with Okarma to bring our most ethical, conscious and well designed collection ever. Every tee is embroidered with a stamp from Dilate and Okarma in the same colour as the cotton and boxed in beautiful recyclable packaging. This range includes our first limited edition tee, the Warbot in white, designed by Epic. Also including various designs from our newly assembled team of seven designers. Head person in charge Tait Pollack Funniest Moment Every time we do a gig, photo shoot or gimme some bars section it always end up being jokes.z
(360 Tee)
Supreme Being looking Bling. Nice 3prong Tee!
Whatever - 4 Way Unisex Tee
SUPREME BEING
YES NO MAYBE
supremebeing.com | unify-shop.com
yesnomaybe.co.uk | Info@yesnomaybe.co.uk
Year Started: Officially 1999, but there were Tees being sold out of a duffel bag before that... life is random, this all began with a few Tee designs! Ideology: We could give you the big spiel about our inherent philosophy and how that’s reflected in our core brand identity, etc, etc, etc... But, shit, we do it because we want to, we do it because nobody told us we couldn’t. The brand is just a reflection of who we’ve been, who we are right now and the clothes we want to wear. Wear it because you like it. That’s the same reason we do it. Our ethos is ‘Created First Amongst Equals’. In other words, just because you have Supremebeing™ written across your chest, it doesn’t mean you think you’re any better than anyone else. But no-one else is any better than you. latest Collection: Street & Sport: For the armchair athletes out there. Bold colours, retro influence and current design using technical and classic fabrics. Military: It’s war on the High Street. Stand out against the fray in minimal DPM patterns used on a selection of cargo shorts, trousers, jackets, hoods and crews. CMYK: Four colours, unlimited possibilities; the CMYK range is made up entirely of the 4 colours of process printing. Life in Process.
Year Started: Yes No Maybe was founded in ‘04 Ideology: Life is a series of decisions, though most of them have actually been made before we ever consciously considered them: by our experiences, our position, our attitude, our understanding. The fact is there are too many decisions to be made, and the options are increasing every day, and making us feel worse when we do make them. Because the choices we make exclude all the alternatives. And worse still, if you choose the wrong thing, then it’s all your fault. All of the options were there for the taking. So the Yes No Maybe brand was born to a Confused guy who was told that anything is possible when you have conviction and heart and skill and determination and a little bit of blooming luck. The brand takes influence from Street culture, sportswear, military wear, graffiti, advertising, packaging, graphic design, record sleeves, and most importantly, influences from within - wants, desires, wild ideas and laughter, working, living. We try to incorporate elements into our designs that are to be tweaked or designed at the last minute, or better still, dynamic and changeable, ‘Cos everything changes over time. We need to put that human, hand touch to our garments that feel that you are wearing something unique, and beautiful, and designed with craft and originality. So, Yes No Maybe is for all
Footwear: Our new mainline footwear collection. The new range continues to innovate in DQ’s unique style. Step correct. Street Chic: Sophisticated and directional, feminine street wear. Strong patterns, classic fabrics and creative pattern cutting. Head people in charge: Supremebeing is run by Dave Newman, Ian Morrissey, Yoc (The Afro X) and Skuff (Skue). Funniest moment. One of us got lost in Innsbruck and woke up without any possessions except a strip club coat ticket, all memory and a months wages missing. Same bloke had no idea where we were staying so just walked around aimlessly shouting our names till we heard him out of our window. Well it was funny at the time!z
(Light Dub Tee)
those people that wish things were more original, ethically produced, have meaning and are part of a wider picture that looks at the world with a wry smile and your head high, actively fighting the paralysis of overwhelming confusion. There is just too much stuff in the world. latest Collection: We have been working with some fantastic artists and designers from all over the world, so our print collection is fresher than ever. John Pound, (the original Garbage Pail Kids stickers Artist), for example. The Etchasketchist, Addfueltothefire, and Paulo Arriano are a few names to drop right about now also. We have a new line of Beanie hats out too, as well as Velcro™ panel bags with changeable embroidered patches. The latest YNM collection of “Velcro™ edition” fitted 59FIFTY caps is now about to drop, produced by New Era and distributed by us exclusively. Base caps in Black, Grey, Red, Blue, Yellow, white and Watermelon. Velcro Patches available in hundreds - no, millions of styles; caps can be mixed and matched to suit any outfit. These caps are versatile - End of story. Head person in charge; Ben Farleigh Funniest moment. Arriving in Nottingham to find I was wearing odd trainers by mistake - one red one blue!z
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THTC models Marico’, ‘Sophie Moss’ and ‘DJ IQ’,
Ambiguous Gambell Jacket
URBANSHOP
THTC
theurbanshop.co.uk | onlineservice@theurbanshop.co.uk
thtc.co.uk | Gav@thtc.co.uk
Started trading: We have been trading online since 1999 when many of these other online shop owners were still pissing themselves. Ideology: I think our latest collaboration says the most about us. It’s a CD/DVD produced and complied by Tricksta of Wolftown Recordings. Tricksta is now an old friend and we stick by each other and help each other out as friends do, the CD/DVD is 100% exclusive to us and all the tracks are UK artists. So firstly we are strongly UK even though we stock non UK brands and putting this together as 100% exclusive shows our determination to do something different and exciting rather than just ripping off and copying others.
Started trading: THTC started trading in Sept 1999. Ideology: THTC was created with a view to converting a new market of proactive customers to give inspiration for becoming eco-warriors. When we started the company the term ‘fairtrade’ was practically unknown, especially within the fashion industry. Global warming was becoming an issue, though there was really not an idea of influencing people’s buying habits to work towards slowing the process down. My brother and I have always been big on political activism, and we wanted to create a line of clothing that we could proudly wear. Many of the brands that we grew up wearing have since been exposed as producing clothes through unethical processes, using chemicals that are not only harmful to the environment but also harmful to those who wear them. It seemed the obvious choice to use Hip-Hop these influences to market the brand, which we set about achieving through close sponsorship of music events and artists, collaborations with labels, bands and graffiti artists and a strong focus on political design. YOUR Collection: The current range consists of screen printed T-shirts, hoodies, sweat pants, crewneck sweaters, polo shirts,
YOUR latest Collection: We play that close, but check the site it changes weekly at least. Head person in charge: Glyn Berrington was there at the beginning in 1999 and now owns, runs and drives TheUrbanShop. Funniest moment: Facing the next day.
92 Fashion
brandS and styles in at the moment: Abuze London, Ambiguous, Nomis, Fly53, Zoo York, Obey. Everything is in right now from minimal styling to all over madness, jeans have gone tighter but not skinny but you will see them getting phat again very soon. What Limited Editions do you have on your site? Obey/Public Enemy Collaboration T-shirts. SeventySeven Patrol jackets there will be some limited edition hoods with Apephones design very soon. Carrot 123klan Black T-shirts exclusive to Theurbanshop. All the Craig Markus is limited in that its hand made here in the UK. Other bits on your website: Auctions, Podcasts, the forum and Blogs. Brands to watch IN 2009? SeventySeven could blow, Acrylick Obey again, Carrot is interesting and Elwood. Your Radio show: Our radio show which is hosted by Tricksta of UKRunnings and Wolftown. You can listen to it any time on Theurbanshop and we run a weekly podcast hosted by whoever really and that goes out Fridays 7-8 on HHBradio.com. special deals: There’s up to 65% off last seasons stock plus FREE shipping worldwide as standard.z
reversible belts, caps, wallets and all garments for men contain 55% hemp and 45% organic cotton, as do most of the ladies’ range. We also work with a recycling company called Good One to turn past season garments into new product. Head person in charge: Gav Lawson Funniest moment: The funniest moment for me would probably have to have been prior to the birth of the company. THTC was born when my brother and 4 friends came to collect me from Paris to go snowboarding. I was working in a restaurant South of Paris at the time. They had been busted at the boarder with some weed and were all jailed for about 10 hours. Dru my brother, was cuffed to the floor of his cell while the cops interviewed each of them separately. The cops were drinking beers, waving guns in their faces and generally intimidating them. Dru was wearing a cap made from hemp, which fell into his lap. All he did for about 8 hours was stare at the label, which ironically said ‘This cap is made from 100% organic cannabis. You can’t smoke this garment’. Needless to say I found the story of the whole experience a lot funnier than he did, but it also inspired the birth of THTC!z (Kurtis Men’s Polo)
WORDS & PHOTOS Amy Griffith
MYCLOTHES.WARB/KILLA KELA
Killa Kela describes himself as competitive, driven, creative, supa dupa, decadent and humble and I could not agree more... except for the fact that he forgot to add ultra talented, polite, professional, funny, and incredibly stylish. I don’t know if it was our mutual sharing of a sun glass fetish that got me or London’s first hot summer’s day, but Killa Kela definitely made an afternoon in the pub far more interesting. If you could be any animal what would it be? A (killer) whale. They dominate the ocean. What’s your favourite city? Melbourne What was your favourite game as a kid? Dungeons and Dragons. Have you ever won anything unrelated to music? Stuff Style’s “Renegade of Style” award in LA. Hearts or stars? Hearts. Check out my tattoos... Don’t mind if I do... Visit the WORLD OF KILLA KELA FOR MORE FROM HIS MOUTH killakela.com - myspace.com/killakela
94 FASHion
For this special issue we asked for a mix of talented individuals Skandal, MC Tali, Jack Flash and Million Dan to represent. Lets bring it on... words DIRTY HARRY | ILLUSTRATION Oushka DUNCAN
Which ingredients would you use in mixing a cocktail together that best describes your personality? S) Right, I call this Domestic violence - 3 parts scotch bonnet (I got a hot head), 2 parts pistachio cause you got to have a pair ain’t ya?, 4 parts Stella Artois (it wouldn’t be a domestic without the wife beater), and 5 cubes of ice to reduce the swelling in time for when the mother in-law pops round for Sunday lunch. T) Appletons Estate Rum and pineapple - smooth and sweet, a little fruity and with a slight kick to it. JF) Passionate, sarcastic, honest, talented, lustful, powerful, inquisitive. MD) If it was a food cocktail, then it would have to be: 1) Black Pepper - I’m from the road where being outspoken and keeping it real is a must. I don’t bullshit people and I don’t mix my words so If I don’t like something, I’ll tell you straight away. People will either love or hate me for that, but one thing’s for sure, you’re going to get the blunt realness! Flip-side to that, if I do like something/somebody etc, in typical Jamaican fashion - I will show you nuff love and endorse and support you. Straight ReaL.. 2) Yam - Solid 3) Dumpling - Solid [Nuff Said!] What would be your most useful and convincing CV Lie? S) I’m on benefits, why do I need to fill out a CV? T) That I respond well to taking orders. JF) Lil Wayne is my nephew. MD) That I was the nephew of the great Nelson Mandela!
96 THE BIG JOKE
I’m sure that would get me in good with the management of any company. I do kinda look like him too! Which next big Hip-Hop artist will take the main stage at Glastonbury in 2009 and why? S) This is the part where I say me yeh? No? Errr OK then. Well I would have to say Nelly. This is because DJ’s allllll around the world play his music and make him popular. Thank you DJ’s. My 2009 Glastonbury will be one to remember :) T) After the drama of this year I doubt they would have any Hip-Hop artists again. But for the sake of this question, I personally would love to see Wu-Tang. All of them, rocking it proper like they used to do, or someone like Mos Def with a full orchestra backing. JF) I think it will be Kanye West, Jay-Z went down extremely well, Kanye is connected and as commercial as his music is some of it is a little left of centre. I think it will be a sure shot and a logical step on from Jigga. MD) That’s simple, it’ll be ya boy Million Dan! My solo debut: Spektrum album has recently been released and is PHENOMENAL. Keep fingers and toes crossed fa ya boy. Glastonbury main stage 2009! You’re conducting a government human experiment, what is the experiment and on which body part? S) Hahahahaha Im not falling for this one. My penis is a healthy size, thank you very much.
T) The brain... investigating Quantuam physics and the power of positive thoughts and frequencies... JF) On the ear, and to see if it’s responsive to the mass public because I swear most of ‘em can’t distinguish the difference between what is wack and dope is nowadays! MD) With the permission of his own Labour Party, I would use Prime Minister Gordon Brown in a GREAT experiment. I would like to tie a rope around his ankles then hang him upside down - from the roof of Big Ben. I would then stick a note on his forehead saying “Fuel prices are on the rise but do British people actually realise that for every single one pound spent on fuel, almost 70 pence goes to the British Government in taxes?? - Food for thought. For the experiment to be a success, Gordon would have to be left hanging there for at least six months - with absolutely no food or water. It’s your wedding day and the speeches are about to begin. Which story would you dread cropping up? S) The time I slept with my fiancee’s sister! T) Nothing. I don’t regret anything, I love how my life has turned out, and besides, my friends aren’t arseholes. Well not the ones that would be invited to my wedding anyway. JF) Damn, probably the one about me sleeping with the bridesmaid an hour before the wedding, that could be kinda crazy.
MD) That would have to be the story that my mum always used to tell at family events. It would be a typical Jamaican gathering where the elders are eating Curry Goat with rice and a glass of Jamaican White Rum in hand. My mum would pick the right moment, then start telling everybody the story about when I was a baby and cried for 3 days and 3 nights straight! Apparently, it was because I was a very naughty baby and very loud! (Are you surprised?!!) On this particular occasion, I didn’t get my own way and I was told ‘No - you can’t have that.’ From that point onwards it was puuure crying for 3 days and nights! She even threatened to lock me in the set of drawers next to the TV! Maybe she did and that was where I learnt to MC?!! Which Hip-Hop hairstyle from over the years has been your favorite? S) The mullet T) The wedge haircut as rocked by Kid & Play, or the Fade cos that still looks hot now. JF) Probably Kane’s high top fade, unfuckwitable! MD) That box hairstyle, I can’t remember the name of it exactly - I think it’s called short, back and sides. It’s basically a big afro cut perfectly flat on top, almost Flat enough to balance a plate on it! The sides are evenly cut short and fade into the big hair on top.z
words Ali Raymond | photography Kieran Halil
Having performed across the globe and collaborated with internationally acclaimed artists, one of the UK’s most respected DJs; Sarah Love has the entire world at her Kicks. Oh and she’ll be on your telly soon, so isn’t it about time to fix up and pay attention…
S
arah has come along way since working at Pete Real’s infamous Deal Real Records and being an integral part of the legendary Kung Fu parties, and although the shop along with a special era has since been boarded up, the London girl has gone from strength to strength. Hosting MTV good look and contributing for shows like Spanking New Music, DJ Takeover, and Trevor Nelson’s The Lick along with the 1Xtra weekend breakfast show have seen her touch down in over 60 countries and four continents, contributing to her becoming one of the illest DJs around. It’s her own ground breaking M1X show on 1Xtra where she best shines, illuminating the airwaves with exclusive cuts from the US and UK. ‘I love radio and I love my show’ she proudly states ‘we are so lucky to have the BBC. It doesn’t have to cower to corporations; it has to answer to the people. That’s very unique and special and allows me to make the show I want for the people.’ A show that has seen her be the first ever woman nominated for Best Club DJ category at this years MOBOs. She commands respect in a mostly male dominated environment, shattering the negative stereotype often unfairly associated with women’s role in the scene. Yet for someone generating such hype Ms Love stays refreshingly grounded, a maturity stemming from a strong musical family background that saw her draw her influences from Hip-Hop to African, Cuban and Jazz music. ‘I was raised to know about real music, my mother would go away on tour and come back and tell stories about Chaka Khan, Prince or Miles Davis’. With her laid back style and uncompromising passion for music its hard not to fall for the charm of the UKs first Lady of Hip-Hop. And with ‘09 seeing the release of her compilation on New York based label High Water Music, tour more internationally as a solo artist and grace our screens as the only female VJ for MTV it seems the best is only yet to come. People we give you Sarah Love. z myspace.com/djsarahlove
“It’s hard for me to get excited about
certain artists that get hyped up, when you’ve sat next to Nina Simone playing your piano in your house ”
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styles words NICHOLAS PRITCHARD | photography jake green
From ‘A to the muthafuckin K!’ to turntablist extraordinaire, DJ Krush is arguably Japan’s most prolific disc jockey. Nicholas Pritchard charts the unstoppable rise of a Samurai.
O
ne of Hip-Hop’s most popular and outspoken opinions is that there has never been a film more influential to the genre than Charlie Ahearn’s Wild Style. This slightly brash statement couldn’t hold any more truth than for Japanese living legend DJ Krush. Born in Tokyo, 1962, Hideaki Ishi claims he owes the inspiration for his entire career to the seminal masterpiece, purchasing his first pair of turntables and dedicating his life to the movement after watching the film at a cinema in the early 80s Prior to his involvement in turntablism, life wasn’t so simple for a young Krush, affiliating with an illegal organisation from an early age - which he decided to leave behind after finding his best friend’s severed finger. Luckily for the aspiring DJ and his digits, his disassociation from the gang turned out to be a wise career move, as soon he began gaining recognition for his talent in Japan, and later on a larger scale in Europe and the States. In 1987, the Krush Posse was formed with members Muro and Go, and was hailed as one of the best Japanese acts at the time. Following the crew’s split in 1992, Krush’s decision was to pursue his own solo career, soon earning the world’s respect for his cutting edge techniques - including being the first DJ to use a turntable as a live instrument and performing on stage alongside other musicians. Renowned for his distinctively original sound, Krush continues to deliver flawless sets using his seemingly effortless skills on the decks. He is also acclaimed for his perfectionist’s ear when producing, with an extensive back catalogue of albums, and numerous remixes and soundtracks for films, TV dramas and advertisements tucked under his belt.
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Krush has collaborated with many different acts from all over the world, including the likes of DJ Shadow, CL Smooth, Mos Def, Boss the MC, Mr. Lif, Black Thought and Sly & Robbie. While his work is normally found in the rap section of major stores, Krush often transcends different styles; blending an atmospheric yet progressive sound, which in turn has attracted the attention of fans of other genres. Despite the US scene’s inevitable influence on his work, he has taken a New York City-born monster and made it his own, injecting an unmistakably Japanese feel into his material – often with the addition of authentic instruments. Mr. Ishi’s latest offering comes in the form of a DVD, Ko-NoMichi, or the way of the drum, looking back through the artist’s life and previous achievements from the mid-1990’s to his 2006 world tour. Two documentaries packed with rare behind-the-scenes, touring and recording footage, as well as a complete catalogue of his music videos provide an insightful glance at one of Japan’s true innovators. From a gang-related start to rap-related stardom, DJ Krush has carved a successful career for himself using the deadliest weapon of all: the 1’s and 2’s. Having played at various festivals over summer, including Dour Festival and closer to home on our royal soil, a show at Koko in Camden, Krush’s live performances are a vivid illustration of the artist’s competence and imagination and serve as a sharp reminder to all those that consider themselves a master on the wheels of steel: DJ’ing is a still martial arts battle, so Krush or be Krushed!z sus81.jp/djkrush
The Danubius Hotel London 2008.
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JACK FLASH Union Jack klinik records
“There’s a lack of a scene, which is a blessing and a curse ”
When ‘You should pledge your allegiance to the union jack/I’m referring to my music not saluting the flag’ drops within the first few bars of opening track, accompanied by dripping piano loops, its clear from the enthusiasm and energy that Huddersfield’s Jack Flash is using words and rhythm as tools. Pre-emptive triggers, a display of his flows away from the constraints of binding social issues such as race, gender and nationalistic ideology. According to the young Flash himself, it’s more about the beats, bars and flows; the continuing evolvement of homegrown Hip-Hop. “The album itself was really based on the scene” contemplates Jack, “it was my own stamp and identity to say ‘I’m repping Hip-Hop in this country’. Not exclusively, but as an identity, a knowledge of my roots. And then it was a pun on Jack…y’know, then Flash. I wanted to do an album that unified everything I’d done in the last six years” he reminisces proudly. “Not just the MC’s though” he says, “but the people who helped with production, people who played session instruments on tracks. That’s the album there – unity. Britain is a multi-cultural hotbed, and it’s a blessing to live here. It keeps the scene alive in so many ways”. And being from a mid-sized Yorkshire town, far from the lure of the big smoke, Jack is adamant that it hasn’t shaped his sound all that much. “It made it easier for me to bring my own style through and not be influenced by others” he sturdily says, “There’s a lack of a scene, which is a blessing and a curse y’know? If you ask how it’s affected my style? Not that greatly I don’t think. The shit that affects my style is what happened in my studio when I was working. I took influence from my surroundings, and I took it from pretty much everywhere!” And as a result of this attitude, a juxtaposition of sound occurs; a blend of conscious, wisdom soaked and often straight talking raps contrasted with the heavy, no-nonsense beats and finely tuned horn samples on ‘living legend’ for example. But does Jack feel that Hip-Hop is in need of a new direction? “I think it needs to reconnect with its roots a little more” he quips.
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If its roots and earthy soul you’re looking for, then you’ve hit the jackpot here. Its not just close friend Apatight laying down heavy beats on the album, with fresh and crisp flamenco guitar licks appearing on ‘refuge’ among others. “My theory is I just think that all artists have a certain structure. But I like to go beyond that and bring in shit from outside factors like a bit of guitar or live bass. I’m not one for creating boundaries for yourself, you can draw good stuff from everywhere!” he holla’s enthusiastically. And according to Flash, and this here humble journalist, Apatight has brought another individual dimension to the album that no other could. “Aww man” laughs Jack, “his beats are just so sick. We met like seven years ago at a community studio, even then I was like ‘ what is this dope shit? But in the end, we had to link together. He grounds the sound down with a tough, bottom end. There’s always a sub and thump behind everything, and that’s what he brings. Pure ruggedness!” The other slickly produced dimension to this album is the clever metaphors and referential lyrics that Flash confidently serves up. On ‘Hip-Hop’, he uses the name as an anagram (how the industry pimps hundreds of people) to slyly critique and show defiance toward the corporate machine. Is this a result of a few bad experiences? “It’s more like a premonition rather than anything’ he says thoughtfully, “anyone can do this shit nowadays and still get fucked without realising It’s like the X-factor man, people get chewed up and spat out. Basically, it’s more like how I don’t want to end up. But my hearts truly there, and I’m on the ball. You won’t catch me slipping up man!” And with an array of guests featuring, such as British heavyweights Verb T, Mical Parkinsun and Jehst all tussling on mic duty, it’s fair to say that Jack’s established position has him well covered. In short this is a piece of music in its purest sense. Devoid of outside factors and distractions, it’s integral sound, finely tuned production and trustworthy view of a man’s surroundings make this an album that you should be checking out as soon as possible. Oh and those beats are making my ears ring with pleasure. Brapples! z Joe Gamp
Taner Back In The Day
Sir Smurf Lil’ A NEW BLOODLINE
Mic:Ctrl Mixed by Blufoot & Wytfang
EVIL ED & CONSPICUOUS THE GET TOGETHER
SWAY THE SIGNATURE LP
BLAK TWANG SPEAKING FROM XPERIENCE
Repping Essex, Taner’s project Back In The Day combines Hip-hop and soulful R&B which creates a commercial old skool sound. The lyrics are all based on real life experiences and Taner has got some good support from the likes of DJ Pager and Jibbarish. If you like Musiq Soulchild and Dwele definitely check this out. I didn’t get a feel of arrogance from Taner’s lyrics, which is rare these days in commercial soul.
After Raiders of the Lost Archives by Kashmere, YNR move up the gears and give us Sir Smurf Lil second full lengh album which is definitely his best work to date. Many related topics covered and inspired by his native Hackney surroundings. Tracks that sparkle are Mosh Music, Nature Bites and Blossom. Loads of passion, realism and powerful truths. Impressive beats from Jehst, ApaTight, Beat Butcha, LG, Conspicuous and Asaviour. P HEARD
After listening to more then 250 tracks sent into UKHH.com they created a playlist full of the sickest UK artists like TY, Asaviour, Dubbledge, Skrein, Stig & Syntax, Mystro, Lazy Habits, Metabeats and Jabba ThaKut. The release has appearances from all 4 corners of the UK. The album as a whole is ridiculous! Damm I can’t big this one up enough, not one track is weak. What a wicked idea UKHH came up with and how sick it worked! Check this one ASAP!
Hosted by Conspicuous, Evil Ed drops a ridiculously tasty new LP. It’s a perfect partnership that best synergises on the soulful joint U & Me and the LP is an ode to the talent gracing our shores. Tracks hold that comforting snare and kick beat complemented by piano and flute loops, producing an infectious, laid back LP your gonna wanna bop your’re head to. Stand out tracks include BBQ and the sick ILL-Out. A Raymond
From the opening track, Sway welcomes us into his epic world of jokes and heartbreak. The production on this opening track is full on, with Sway spitting his usual super speed lyrics. Other album tracks are more commercial, but he manages to pull off very emotional and personal lyrics without it becoming over cheesy. This album ushers in a new era for UK Hip-Hop and it’s hard to disagree when he is blatantly pushing the boundaries both musically and lyrically. ESH
An album of substance, it shows glimpses of the Twangsta back to his best while still providing up-to-date beats and conscious verses. The lengthy instalment sees the maturity of a true veteran with over 10 years of experience. The LP switches between anthems and slow riddims, showcasing the laid back South-of-theriver rhyming. The Soulful track Nu n’uh with Est’elle on and a nice sample from Ain’t done too bad stands out most with other tracks Legends and Raplife. Ali Raymond
FOREIGN BEGGARS VS ROUGE A LEVRES HIT THAT GASH
THE SKUFF & INJA SHOW ITAL/HOLDING OUT
Skreintax SCENE STEALERS
ILLUSTATE THE STUFF
BABY J BABYFOOD
After the first single Breathe featuring vocals of Graziella, the album continues the good work by the pair. 12 tracks deep, which is the a right amount, it features many known artirts like Sir Smurf Lil’, Stig, Farma G, Dubbledge, Verb T and Metropolis. The production is at times smooth and the next boombap paced. Nutty P, Kelakovski, Chemo and DJ Snips handle the boards. Stand out tracks are Mothers, Venus and Reach. P HEARD
A debut album from Illustrate aka ollie bates. He is not a new artist and has been about for a while producing and rapping. It starts with pure Hip-Hop, rapping a whole tune about his hat. Wow! Sick of it and Do What you like says it all and has some nice drums. Other tasty tracks are Broke, Winter Lady and Relax. The production is largely from Illustrate with help from Sloth, DJ Tigerstyle, Rinse Dog and Mike Hostile. A good debut all round. P HEARD
Baby J must be the best networking producer and one of the hardest working. He manages to collaborate with a wide range of international MCs and vocalists from underground favourites like Farma G (Love & Peace), to more mainstream artists like Asher D (Lies). He has moved away from his usual sample based production style and uses live instruments to create a sound which varies between straight R&B and electronic Hip-Hop. ESH
Ill-Sound Recordings
ANDREW HALLS
Vice Con-x-ions
Street Soul Productions Mostly self-produced, Con-x-ions is a project combing styles from around the world with contributors from France to Australia, Canada to Sweden. Routed in are jazzy beats and poetic lyrics that create a chilled after party vibe, the album contains gems like Daydreaming, 5 senses and Worldwide that would appeal to the Ghost and RJD2 fans among us. Vice’s flow might lack strength but the production more than makes up for that. Worth a butchers. A Raymond
104 REVIEWS
YNR
DENTED RECORDS
Hit that, lash that, Lick that. A 10 track single with Dance, Dirt, French and plenty to get your dancing feet moving! With a mixed line up, it has something for everyone. With Kyza and Dubbledge bringing a humorous and bouncy flex. Look for the Chester P and Inja refix, Prinecuts and D-Code mixes. Watch for the next FB album called United Colour of Beggattron which features the likes of Guilty Simpson, PhatKat and Jehst. P HEARD
UKHH.com
Ottomanelf Music
ANDREW HALLS
In Records/School Bully Yeah what what yeah. The first single of the next album, ITAL starts off with both MCs fighting to get in the mic booth. They let of steam with pure fire wordplay raps back to back. The beat backs this up nicely from DJ Nappa, even Jigga could rep on this! This package moves on with a electro 80s chilled out feel with both complementing each other. Look out for the full length LP and more from the Delegates of Culture camp. P HEARD
Dented Records
DCYPHA
Headcount
ABSTRACT URBAN
ABSTRACT URBAN
Dead Residents TRIPLE CROWN DIAL UP RECORDS
TRIPLE DARKNESS PRESENTS M9 144,000
Following from their LP Keep Britain Tidy Dead Residents, made up of Junior Disprol and Chud Jackson drop Scrumbongo taken from this album Triple Crown. The group sound is made up of dusty drum breaks coupled with electronic beats. This is an insight into the duo’s creative diversity, although they work best on particular Number wang. This tune holds weight and has clever scratching and jokes with the use of a Sesame Street sample. Ali Raymond
DARK MATTER RECORDSS
Salvo FEAT Kashmere & Chester P The Info 7”
RHYME ASYLUM STATE OF LUNACY
Last minute records
Its one of those cheeky 7” you come across in a record shop from time to time. Salvo is back and brings the important info. Clever and sharp wordplay from all three contenders with all complementing the beat produced by Salvo himself. You could see this being used in a UK gangstar flick. A militant march rolling drum kicking with a crazy scared women sample. This is out in 2009, also watch for a forthcoming Salvo album. P HEARD
The Triple Darkness MC comes hard on this album, sounding like a British version of Killa Priest. Expect a lot of lyrics about snakes and the new world order as well as biblical and scientific references. He’s got Beat Butcha and Chemo on production so it sounds tough. The featurings include (the ubiquitous) Jehst on Ultramagnetic, as well as Bronze Nazareth and Triple Darkness group members Cyrus Malachi and Masikah. ESH
REKABET
From the front cover artwork and thoughout this package Rhyme Asylum’s debut album smashes it on all levels. Its been out for a minute but all MCs just spit. They are joined by guest MCs Copywrite, Diabolic and Reain. Tracks to check are multiplicity and Unreasonable. Tight production throughout by Leatherface with the cuts performed by DJs Supernatural, Headnod and JFB. A straight up and down real raw album make sure you don’t miss it. P HEARD
ROOTS MANUVA Slime & Reason
MILLION DAN Spektrum Special Edition
Jazz T All CITY Kings
SONNY JIM TRADING STANDARDS
Roots is back and this time he raises the bar-both personally and artistically. After the commercial, offkey splatterings of his dark alter-ego on Awfully Deep, he’s now baring all in this juicy, thumping new LP. Those that fondly remember his bottom heavy beats, welded bass lines and innovative, genre breaking production will not be disappointed as he breaks all generic moulds once more with a defined, ruff biznizz sound. A magic return to form from RM. joE gamp
After being shortlisted for the 2008 Mercury Prize and the success of 07’s Mic Chek and 08’s Scream out a lot of hype has been generated about Million Dan debut album and with the release of his LP Spectrum special edition’ the UK legend proves it isn’t wasted breath. Formerly Mike J from Demon Boyz this Hip-Hop Reggae fest is a spectrum of different songs and styles with riddims as fast as its ragga flows. 20 tracks deep, 3 bonus tracks and a DVD. Ali Raymond
It made a change on being passed this bit of vinyl as everything is CD or MP3 these days. Where do you start on an album like this? It features the likes of Chubby Alcoholic, Diversion Tactics, JZone, HUG, Tim Dog, Percee P and Kashmere. Its a complete musically journey from start to finish with banging beats and heavy cuts from himself Jazz T. The CD version features two extra tracks not found on Vinyl. Jazz T creates good true school Hip-Hop. P HEARD
To Whom It May Concern. This CD is one of the best mixtapes about! Sonny Jim who you should know by now from various freestyle battles, features and releases. The CD bring plenty of original material with some sick versatile flows and concrete production. Tracks like A Dying Breed with Kashmere, Soweto Kinch, Logan and God Complex with Jehst and Cappo makes it what it is, Dope. Other features include English, Verb T, Malik and Stig. P HEARD
MUDMOWTH THE CIRCUS IN THE CEMETERY
F4DB SECOND SERVING
REPS The Saga Of A Peaceful Man
BROTHERMAN the dark and the light
After previous singles and videos with Terrafirma, Virus Syndicate, Shameless and Bruza. F4DB bring the whole package and a line up to wet your pants. We talking mans like Ghetto, M9, Manage, Foreign Beggars, Mr Ti2bs, Ghost and Verb T. It kicks of with MCD and tracks that murk it are Valley of Death and 2nd Hand Contraband. Watch for the next single Ballistic Affairs featuring Skinnyman and Deadly Hunta and has a animated video! P HEARD
This is his debut solo release. He has been perfecting his skills for many years as a member of Brighton crew The Lost Souls and as an integral member of the UK/Polish super group Skillmega along with Dan Fresh and OSTR. Plenty of laughs and punch lines mixed with some bouncy relaxed brighter vibes. Making this ear pleasing music. Look for Get Back featuring Witchdoctor Wise and Out In The Field featuring Nozeeny And Rup. Big up. P HEARD
This a double CD package and download hence the title and is out now. A debut not to be missed. His style comes across warm, accessible and has plenty of substance. Brotherman has good eye for detail and makes him ideal for social commentary pulling inspiations from his laid back consious flow and brings plenty of musical depth. Tracks like The Problem, Hoody With A Heart makes this not to be missed. Silent soundz keeps up the high standards. P HEARD
BIG DADA
Associated Minds
This new EP release is a little bit special. Mudmowth’s package is a big one. A sheik white vinyl with humorous artwork toping it off with 5 manic tracks. His backup features Willo Wispa and Ralph Rip Shit and production by P.L.O., Devize and Sam Rockwell. I’ll set the scene moody, dark, bright, filthy Hip-Hop. Tracks for me to mention are Skullcrackology and Circus in the Cemetery, which are both mental. Pick it up! P HEARD
Million Dappa
PRO MUSIC
Boot
Flash Fry Records
DENTED/Eat good recordS
Silient SoundZ
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A selection of British walls, carefully hand-picked and squeezed especially for Big smoke magazine. As you know, our main aim here at BIG SMOKE is first and foremost to illustrate the range and quality of artists we have here in the UK. More and more foreign mags continue to flood the market and it’s become more apparent, that the UK falls by the wayside when it comes to promoting our writers. The concept behind BURNER’S PLACE has always been to provide documentation from the whole spectrum of the UK scene, as far to much goes by unrecognised and fails too get the attention of its well deserved audience. So this time round we dialled 118-UKGRAFF and got through to the lines manned by some of the UK’s most notorious writers. Trust me, these guys don’t f*#k around when it comes to spreading butter ability burning Halls of Fame up and down the country in heavy rotation. So sit your ass back relax and enjoy some fresh ass productions /// Peace. MR FRAMES.
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106 BURNERS PLACE
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words ESH
In this digital age, the printed word is becoming more of a rarity every year. Where in the past we would wait impatiently for our monthly dose of HHC, these days the internet can instantly provide us with an unlimited supply of articles, interviews and reviews (not to mention porn and places to buy records). For the same reason half the record shops in London have closed, we have also seen the rise and demise of many an independent UK Hip-Hop magazine. In days gone by, you would sometimes come across a different kind of Hip-Hop mag, less inclined to follow mainstream trends and more likely to represent the realness. Amongst your Fatlace’s and Grand Slams there were a few that stood out from the flock. My favourite one came in the format of a record sleeve….
Name: Fatboss IssuE: ONE Editor: Matt C From: London Price: £2.00
Name: Downlow Issue: ONE vol 2 Editor: Matt C From: London Price: £2.00
Name: BIG DADDY Issue: TEN Editor: George Mahood From: Nottingham Price: £3.50
Name: TRUE Issue: SEVEN Editor: Claude Grunitzky From: London Price: £2.50
Name: UNDERCOVER Issue: THIRTY Editor: Nat Illumine From: London Price: £3.25
Name: The Way of the K Monkey Issue: ONE Editor: Stuart Farr From: OXFORD Price: £2.50
Fatboss was one of the better designed mags out there with futuristic Japanese robots, crazy superhero cartoons and articles about David Icke and Martians. It immediately started beef with Fat Lace by using the word ‘fat’ in its name. The industrious Matt C (aka Ckillz) who was on Paddington Green (BBC1) (and apparently wrote a book about ‘if Hip-Hop was a human being’) put together a stylish and essential piece of word-art which was only printed in black and white but received well earned praise for its covers.
Although dope, Downlow used strange illegible fonts and laid out the pages sideways or upside down which meant you sometimes had to read it standing on your head. Add to that a propensity for gibberish and articles about race related issues and it becomes clear why Matt C decided to start again with Fatboss which had a slightly less surreal design but similar content. Matt was later reincarnated as 1Xtra’s Jaguar Skills, and is currently earning props for his mixes and remixes (look for Hip-Hop Odyssey, 800 tracks in 48 minutes).
Where this magazine made the others look like silly billies was in its inclusion of the funk and information for diggers and turntablists. The interviews were more in-depth and the words-per-issue count was high. The free CD always rocked and the writers knew what they were on about, with more of a focus on artists and industry from the Midlands, which drew attention away from the over-dominant London scene. Think Wax Poetics, but reasonably priced and with graff. Bring it back!
Not to be confused with the recent American publication of the same name, True was essentially a cross between Vibe and XXL, like if Touch was more Hip-Hop instead of more R&B. It gave exposure to reggae and Jungle as well as HipHop with well written articles and a good diversity of subject matter. However, as like with many of these sorts of mags, they got confused between clothes and politics; as EPMD once said “that’s not Hip-Hop that’s a fashion show”.
Undercover was almost a contender for No.1 UK Hip-Hop magazine. A series of issues with cover art from seriously underrated graf artist Cry (Crimean) and a free CD which included videos, coupled with the intense editorial madness of that little Scottish guy (‘sup Ewan!) created an atmosphere of ‘anything is possible’. Unfortunately it turns out some of the things that were possible included spelling the cover artists name incorrectly and letting everyone and their dog write the reviews section.
Not quite sure what a K Monkey is (or what its way is) or what this magazine thought it was doing. Entirely black and white, it has the feel of a magazine that you would make as a school project if you went to a really ill school. My mate sent an SAE to one of the adverts in there and he got sent a tape which to this day is the single worst example of Hip-Hop I have ever heard (big ups to Word of Mouth for that!). Having said that, they also featured artists like Souls of Mischief and Undivided Attention and that cant be bad.
108 SHELF LIFE
SPECIAL EDITION MADE IN THE UK PUBLISHED BY BIG SMOKE PROJECTS LTD (C) 2009