EDITOR’S LETTER
I am a broken woman. B.r.o.k.e.n. I had my first experience of a proper, actual festival this month in the form of Glastonbury. I’d never been before, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect; thankfully, the mud-free fest made for an incredible weekend of too much fun in the sun. However, it also left me flat-out dead for about four days after, leaving me little time to recover before heading to Wakestock with the G-Shock family. Cue two days of amazing megalolz and amazing mega music, but days and days of mega pain! You can read all about it inside, and for those that haven’t been to a festival, I can’t recommend it highly enough. The other big event this month was of course the World Cup. Lets not dwell too much on England’s shambolic performance, instead we’ll concentrate on our cover star, Messi. The Barcelona midfielder represented hard for his homeland of Argentina this year, and so we’re quite honoured that Lionel spared us some time to talk to us about his incredible year. Another man it was a privilege to talk to was the almighty Eminem. Arguably one of the best rhymers to ever do it, I found Em to be a candid, charming dude, full of insight and, as you might expect, pretty funny. See what he has to say about his first session with Dre, recovering from depression and addiction and his thoughts on the future. We’re also joined by old friends SB.TV, Ed Sheeran, Mark Ronson, Kyla and Donaeo and Mistajam New talent is saluted in the form of Hesta Prynn, Royal Palms, The Millionaires, Two Door Cinema Club, The Wanted, Eastenders Preeya Kalidas, Big Brother’s Aisleyne and dubstep maestro Reso. Ok, I’m off to take some serious Berocca, milk thistle, iron tablets and litres of water. Wish me luck in my Recovery... See what I did there? Eminem? Ahhh, forget it!
RWD TEAM Editor Deputy Editor Senior Staff Writer Staff Writers
Hattie Collins Danny Walker Rajveer Kathwadia Jerry Gadiano, Emmanuel Ezugwu, Hayley Joyes, Nardene Scott Contributing Editors Semtex, Chantelle Fiddy Contributors Alex Johnson Tenny Ten, Luke Monaghan, Waine James, Liam Tootill, Sian Anderson Art Director Dacre J. Bracey Fashion Editors Nasrin Jean-Baptiste, Richard Shoyemi, Denise Brown, Luke Miley llustrators Art Jaz, Jiro Bevis, Rachel Goslin Style Pages Editor Irene Asanji Jnr. Designer Chidi Ubani Photographers James Pearson-Howes, Kevin Joseph & Jake Green @ Response, Andres Reynega, Carnegie & Conway, Odi Caspi, Muir Vidler, Sara Nouman, Adrian Nettleship, Ekua King Publisher Sales Manager Snr. Sales Exec Thanks
Nigel Wells Matthew Richards Paul Le Fevre, Bob Austin, Anne, T
RWD Magazine, BDP Media Group, Aldwych House, 81 Aldwych, London WC2B 4HN Tel: 020 7492 6969 Email: staff@rwdmag.com RWD Magazine is published monthly All material copyright (c). All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of the publishers.
Hattie gets her VIP passes on at Glasto
CONTRIBUTOR OF THE MONTH: Jodie Hyams Make-up whizz Jodie Hyams, 23, has lent her artistic excellence to shoots with Tinie Tempah, Adam Deacon, Jodie Connor and Scorcher. “They’re so talented; I really enjoyed working with them,” says the swimming and water aerobics fan. Jodie, whose top make-up tip is “Don’t forget about your eyebrowsthey finish the face, and bring out the eyes” has high hopes for the future. “I’d like to do more with RWD and also become a successful, busy and booked up make-up artist for the stars!” Check Jodiehyams.com or Jodiehyams.makeup@gmail.com
RWD Magazine: 25p where sold Disclaimer: While every effort is made to ensure the information in this magazine is correct, changes can occur which affect the accuracy of copy, for which RWD holds no responsibility. The opinions of the contributors do not necessarily bear a relation to those of RWD Magazine or it’s staff and we disclaims liability for those impressions. Distributed nationally RWD is a member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations
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CONTENTS REGULARS
6-8 INBOX 10 NEWS 12 ENOUGH ALREADY: VUVUZELAS 14-16 ckIN2U PRESENTS ONE TO WATCH: THE ROYAL PALMS, JAYMO & ANDY GEORGE, THE MIDDLE EAST, THE WANTED, DOMINIQUE UNIQUE 18-20 ABOUT TO BLOW: ED SHEERAN 26-27 GADGET GUIDE: PHONE SPECIAL 28-33 STYLE GUIDE: T-SHIRTS 34 STYLE GUIDE: ROYAL ELASTICS 48-57 FASHION SKY’S THE LIMIT 48-49 STYLE GUIDE: ADIADAS F50 ADIZERO 84 GIG GUIDE 86-95 UNWIND: MISTAJAM 94-96 CHARTS & REVIEWS 98 LAST WORD: AISLEYNE
FEATURES 20-22 MARK RONSON 24-25 G-SHOCK: WAKESTOCK 44-47 LIONEL MESSI 50-53 FAST & FURIOUS 54-57 EMINEM 58-59 TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB 60-61 RESO 62-65 SB.TV 66 DONAEO 68 KYLA 70-71 MILLIONAIRES 72 LEWISHAM COLLEGE 74-76 PREEYA KALIDAS 79-80 INCISIVE 80 E.N.V 82 HESTA PRYNN 4 / RWDMAG.COM
INBOX
We love opening up the staff@rwdmag.com Inbox and sifting through the madness that you lot send us. We also care for your crazy snail mail. This month crazy Geoff is well worthy of the win and grabs himself this T from ETO Jeans. Get yours from ETOjeans.co.uk...
Send all your letters to: Attn. Editor, RWD Magazine, Aldwych House, 81 Aldwych, London WC2B 4HN or staff@rwdmag.com
LETTER OF THE MONTH
[The following has been written in what seems to be ball point pen, however, it could be blood]
6 / RWDMAG.COM
Abstract electronic music here for you. Independent London label in its 3rd year. CDs shipping worldwide over next 2 months, digital release to follow in August. Let us know if you can review or help us out with a feature. Hey Geoff [at least we think that is your name], thank you for your CD, press release and handwritten letter. Unfortunately instead of inspiring the RWD team to immediately put on your music and rejoice in what you call a ‘Psychedelic long-player deeper than most oceans’ we instead, ‘left it unopened fearing it was cursed’. Never has an item of post attracted such a negative response. ‘Is he some sort of magician?’ was only the tip of the iceberg. Stop.
Hi there! I just found out about your STAR WARS double cover issue - please tell me, how can I place a backorder for the mags! I seriously need them for my collection! Thanks for your help! Kind regards Bernd@starwarsmags Wow, Bernd you’re a massive Star Wars magazine geek fan aren’t you. Glad you used the force to find our covers, send us your address and we’ll try and dig out a couple of copies. Hi Am contacting you from watch brand Dilligaf [Does It Look Like I Give A F**k] frOm Sweden. I would really like to get our collection featured in the fashion section of our website. I am more than happy to come to UK and meet you to show you the products. At the moment we are pushing ‘Are you a Dilligafer?’ campaign in Sweden, Norway and Denmark and would like to bring this to UK too. Please check out the website dilligaf.se Hopefully here from you soon. Regards KristianT Thanks for your email Kristian; believe it or not this is a brand name we’ve come across before. Three years ago you may have even seen a few t-shirts in RWD sporting ‘DILLIGAF’. It wasn’t cool then and it’s not cool now.
HAVE YOUR SAY: TENNY TEN
The rapper explains why it’s important to support your community… “It’s imperative that we as artists support our own communities because these kids look up to us and want to be like us. It grieves me to see 14/15 year-old kids from the ends getting sent to detention centres. If you are in the spotlight and kids are buying your music, it’s your duty to make sure they are not misunderstanding the messages you’re delivering. I try to let them know it’s just music and instead of trying to live the pictures we paint, become the artist who paints the picture. We should set up talent competitions where kids rehearse and give them the opportunity to perform and showcase their talent with an incentive for the winners, they are giving back to the community. Swaggnificent is out now. Twitter.com/tennyten
INBOX
RWDMAG.COM/MAG QUICK QUESTION:
Tim says: “Simply rubbish, They’re just not good when playing together and it doesn’t help that half the team don’t like each other!”
RWDMAG.COM USERS CAST THEIR VOTE
Each month we give you the chance to answer our Quick Question. This month: Where did the England football team go wrong?
Fabio killed us (11%)
Other (0%)
Too many Premier League games (11%)
Simply rubbish (33%)
Lungzie says: “Big egos small talent, overpaid overhyped no shows. When are these players gonna do it on the world stage, shockin!”
Big egos small talent (44%)
The WAGs got in the way (0%)
TOP 5’S
> NEWS •FIFA 2011 vs. PES 2011 [E3 IMAGES] •FIFA World Cup 2010 – England vs. USA [IN PICTURES] •Timbaland: “I Ceated Dubstep” •50 Cent Starts Beef With P. Diddy •Nude Ke$ha Pics Leaked On The Internet > AUDIO • Tinchy Stryder In My System •Skream - Freeizm Vol. 1 •Dr. Dre - Under Pressure Ft. Jay-Z •Eminem - Ridaz •Game - Phantom Ft. Robin Thicke >VIDEO •Skepta - Oynama Sikidim Sikidim •Baby Blue - Run Ft. Wretch 32 •Ultra - Fearless Ft. Dappy •J. Cole - Who Dat •Jammer - 10 Man Roll Ft. Boy Better Know >FASHION •Kanye West’s New Jewellery Line •adidas x Star Wars Han Solo SL 72 Edition •A Bathing Ape Autumn 2010 Look Book •adidas x Disney x Toy Story Trainers •RWD Take on Kano, Roll Deep and Co. At The adidas adicup
RWD TV REVIEW: WAYNE REVIEWS BENGA’S BALTIMORE CLAP: “Could someone tell me what is going on during the 3.41 minutes of this crazy video? Love it though. Dubstep king Benga has joined forces with animator and director Kristofer Ström to make one of the best vids I’ve seen all year. These little chaps are getting their hands ripped off to the venomous sound of Benga’s infectious production. Not so sure about the one getting his bum slapped whilst bending over, but the rest is as sweet as candy. Can’t wait for an album or at least the next video, maybe the ‘story’ will carry on? Hope so as it’s nice to see something different.”
Online Charts ONLINE CHARTS TOP TWEETS BY @RWDMAG:
1.Just landed in Scotland for T In The Park and it’s greyer than my old school uniform up here! 2.We’re here, we’re excited and we’re wet! The excitement and wetness are nothing to do with each other!! 3.You might not be able to see it but we’re bottom of our “#adicup” #adicup group.
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TOP TWEETS @RWDMAG:
1.@matweller @RajKathwadia good to see the Sailor cap out in force at Wireless @rwdmag 2.@its_Yasmin Forget the cover of @RWDMag, have you seen @ JamieHowardHaha on pages 24-26? Phwoaaaaaar... 3.@AnthonyDIAGRAM @RWDmag Thanks for writing such a great article BIG UP RWD !!!
NEWS
SHOCK-ING OUT What to do if you don’t have a ‘crazy-dumb’ G-Shock collection like Tinie Tempah? Well, for those living in London, or those planning on a shopping trip to the Big Smoke soon, simply head east to Brick Lane to stock up on supplies of the world’s toughest timepiece. Based on Dray Walk in the Old Truman Brewery, the shop, which was opened by Hadouken!, stocks the latest in G-Shocks and Baby-G’s, in addition to displaying installations from emerging artists and designers. In true G-Shock tradition, the store is a hub for creative talent. As well as the place to cop the latest colourways, there are limited edition ranges from a variety of designers, and exclusive t-shirts designed in partnership with Collect London. All you need to do now is Shock Till You Drop! Check G-shock.co.uk for more, or head down to the store from 11am - 7pm, Monday to Sunday
FIDDY’S WORLD OF WHATEVER... Seeking some self-improvement in her life, journo, consultant, blogger and mentor, Chantelle Fiddy (tries to) find a life. This month: Festival Fever As I write this I’m wondering what I’ve done to deserve my third bout of tonsillitis in two months. Having trekked to the ‘burbs to purchase a tent, sleeping bag and such, to awake on the morning of Glastonbury departure unable to swallow was enough to make a girl contemplate DIY surgery. While I’d been looking forward to hanging out in the Orange Lounge and catching the likes of Tinie Tempah, Giggs and Snoop, it soon became apparent that BBC coverage was going to be me. Thankfully, another of the festival draws, Riz MC’s new MICroscopic show, was something I’d managed to witness a week prior, at Fabric. For a long time the industry has been looking for new ways to sell music and it looks like Riz’s innovative offering is signaling potential for a new hybrid of theatre, cinema and concert experience. Amazingly, despite the show’s complex nature, it’s under a year ago that 27 year-old Riz Ahmed, more famed for his roles in Shifty, Three Lions, Britz and Road To Guantanamo, begun to develop the idea. Realising that his music was relatively niche and therefore less likely to be picked up by a major label, while I sat there scratching my head as to what he might do to get his music out there without changing his sound, he was ahead of the game, looking to combine the various elements of his multi-faceted career into an conceptual interactive live set-up. As the official blurb explains: “Rather than perform his album live... the audience become part of the show itself. The music will indeed be played but through a themed storyline complete with actors/musicians – the only way to understand this highly psychological experience is to experience it for oneself.” And that’s in no way an exaggeration. Imagine ‘ravers’ around the room hooked up to oxygen tanks, an audience wearing dust masks, agents trying to find ‘sonic viruses’ being planted in music and adverts by the government and your mind’s surely boggling? Set to tour at the end of 2010, having also being tested on the crowds at Latitude, the question in my mind is whatever next? A cure for tonsillitis would be nice. The album ‘MICroscopic’ is out 13 September. MySpace.com/rizmc for tour dates. Twitter.com/chantellefiddy/ Chantellefiddy.com
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ENOUGH ALREADY: Vuvuzelas
The World Cup may be over – we didn’t want to win it anyway, terrible tournament... FIFA, you can keep your stupid stars and get some new linesmen while you’re at it – we might not be able to remember any moments of magnificence, any seconds of splendour or extracts of English excellent but one thing that will stain our minds forever is that bloody vuvuzela noise... protest by Danny Walker image by Lilly Wade
I
absolutely love the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’. Love it. If the tournament were a dessert I’d eat it with a rusty spoon, use my tongue to clean the bowl and then lick my fingers of any World Cup residue, knowing full well that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy seconds for another FOUR years. There is something about the competition that makes not just our nation but the globe stand still and even though England is pretty poor at it - except for 1966 of course, less we forget 1966 - it glues millions to their seats to soak up, what I call, its ‘WorldCupliness’. However, there is always one thing that poops on the party. In America in 1994 it was dizzy Diana Ross, as well as miming the life out of the abysmal, over-the-top, joke of an opening ceremony; she couldn’t score from three yards... even Emile Heskey would have put that away...well, actually. In Germany in 2006 the legend that it is Zinedine Zidane thought he was playing Street Fighter and Hadoukened Marco Materazzi, and this year... those little plastic pars with their satanic sound. During the opening game of South Africa and Mexico the 12 / RWDMAG.COM
nasty noise from the voodoozelas was instantly irritating. I respect the culture and really wanted to ‘enjoy everything that’s South African’ Archbishop Tutu, but I didn’t want my eardrums to be assaulted in the process. If I wanted to be assaulted I simply would have driven a nice car through Johannesburg!!! Not only did Fabio Capello’s crap formation ruin my experience but so did those booboozelas. Let’s not focus on how poor England were or the fact that zee German’s beat us... again; let’s just make sure those horrible horns don’t make it to any stadiums this season. A Premier League spokesman has already stated, “Nothing in our rules specifically prohibits musical instruments from being brought into grounds as such matters are dealt with at club level. It will be down to stadium managers, in consultation with supporter groups, to determine what is appropriate.” In that case I’ll start such a group right now, the ‘You can stick your vuvuzelas up you’re a***’ fan club. We at YCSYVUYA are herby sworn to one rule, if we see such a deafening device we’ll indeed insert that thing where the sun don’t shine!!!
PRESENTS ONES TO WATCH
ROCK THE BOAT
What do you know about Yacht Rock?!? Yeah we were pretty clueless as well, so Rajveer Kathwadia spoke to The Royal Palms to find out why they’re bringing back the ultra-smooth, soulful soft rock sound...
To celebrate the new look One To Watch section with ckIN2U, we’re giving away sets of the ckIN2U to three lucky winners. email iwannawin @rwdmag.com Subject: ckIN2U
“Push the smooth fader up on that...” the fairer half of pop duo The Royal Palms Alex laughs, as she mimics a catchphrase from online mockumentary series Yacht Rock. The show pokes fun at the incestuous musical relationships of soft rock pop stars from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s such as Hall & Oates and The Doobie Brothers, and it’s this laid back, soulful movement that Alex, along with partner Peter, are aiming to revive when they anonymously sent out an email of their tracks titled “YACHT ROCK IS BACK!” “Pete and I have been listening to music like this since the moment we met and secretly dancing to it in the morning,” virtuoso viola player Alex reveals of their mutual love of the sound, before former Palladium member Peter adds, “Well not that secretly, we did play it pretty loud!” The pair began working on the material when they found themselves in the studio together after other projects they were a part of came to a natural end and for their next step decided to ‘do something that both love.’ Queue a busy week writing and recording in the studio and their first recordings Hot Air and High Class Lady were born. Renowned music blog Popjustice immediately jumped on the pair heralding them in Kanye-like caps as “both HIGHLY LISTENABLE AND AMAZING.” We can concur and their follow-up Echoes is pretty brilliant as well, transporting us from our dreary office to some sort of secluded tropical paradise, all via our RWD standard issue Sennheisers. “That’s why we called ourselves that,” Pete explains of why they named themselves the Google-unfriendly The Royal Palms. “It sounded like a three star hotel in Miami and we thought that was cool... it’s a little slice of escapism.” The songs that are floating about online were the first forays into making an album, which the pair (who are also married) hope to perform very soon with their ‘different’ live show. “We’re hoping to have neon palm trees, fairy lights, cocktails... like a proper beach party,” says an animated Alex, before Peter asks us to be their live MD after we suggest releasing a flock of live flamingos in to the audience. With a remix already wrapped for Eliza Doolittle, one on the way for the highly rated New Yorker, Penguin Prison and writing credits for VV Brown (“nothing came of a session we did for Joe McElderry” they announce with relief), as well as DJ sets, these guy’s ship has well and truly set sail for the neon limelight. MySpace.com/theroyalpalmsmusic and Twitter.com/theroyalpalms
Jaymo & Andy George
Since starting their club night, Moda back in 2005 in Lincoln, Jaymo and Andy became the youngest DJ’s ever to record an essential live mix for Kissy Sell Out. Fast forward a few years and the duo have got their own show on Radio 1; what began as a small club night has grown into warehouse raves across Europe, along with a residency at Pete Tong’s epic Ibiza Wonderland event. Known for supporting the best in new electronic music, the Beataucue, Aeroplane and Flight Facilities fans, have also remixed the likes of Fenech-Soler, Miike Snow and Wiley. Now through their own record label, Moda Music they are set to release their debut EP; the first single, Hold Me Back samples indie, dancehall and bhangra and features J2K with remixes by Subskrpt, it’s anything but commercial. Twitter.com/itsandygeorge and Twitter.com/itsjaymo (NS) 14 / RWDMAG.COM
The Middle East You wouldn’t expect songs titled Blood and The Darkest Side by a band named The Middle East to sound so unwarlike. But the standout tracks from this Australian folk band have had an army of online musical enthusiasts raving about their beautiful, sparkly, twinkly sounds. Formed in 2005 and based in Queensland, the collective released the album The Recordings Of The Middle East locally before splitting up in 2008. Thankfully the seven-person strong group soon came to their senses and reformed before re-releasing an abridged version of the debut album as an EP. Queue an upsurge in interest on a global scale, as well as support dates for Mumford & Sons and Grizzly Bear and and sets at SXSW. Expect the crew to ‘blow up’ when they release next year. The EP is out now. Themiddleeastmusic.com (RK) 15
PRESENTS ONE TO WATCH
Highs & Lows
There’s a fresh, alternate boy band on the block, a bit indie, a bit alternative, and most certainly pop. Liam Tootill sheds some light on the relatively unknown five-piece The Wanted...
“We’re happy for people to call us whatever they want at the end of the day. I don’t mind being called a boyband because that’s what we are. But we can play as well; we just do what we do.” Call them a lad-band, a boy-band, or just The Wanted, the five-strong male collective comprising of Nathan, Jay, Max, Tom and Siva are starting to cause a stir with their debut single All Time Low, a rather nice slice of indie-pop. The group were formed last year after the lads battled through the rigours of massive nationwide auditions, which began in February 2009 and finished in late October. They signed a record deal to Universal and since then have been living together in a London-based home. Now signed to the same management as The Saturdays, since February this year they have been putting down tracks in the studio. “Our first album is finished and All Time Low, our first single is obviously going to be on the album which will be out late October/early November,” says 21 year-old Manchester born Max of the album that the group have written over half of, alongside some impressive collaborators including Taio Cruz, Guy Chambers (Robbie, Kylie) and Wayne Hector (Britney, JLS). “One of us will come up with a concept for a song and then we’ll each start coming up with melodies and eventually work with a producer and put a track down,” says Max of the songwriting process. Inspired by everything from Oasis to Luther Vandross, in the past few months they have gigged regularly with The Saturdays, supporting the girls on nationwide tours. It sounds like life is full-on right now? “Ah yeah, it’s been pretty hectic,” grins Max. “We’ve been doing like three gigs a day, but it’s wicked though, we’re loving every second of it!” All Time Low is out now. Thewantedmusic.com
Dominique Unique This 18 year-old Florida based rapper has been bubbling under the radar for a while; rapping since the age of twelve under the wing of Tampa’s Yo Majesty, she’s been working the underground scene hard amidst the haters in the troubled Robles Park district. Voted as one of MTV’s five freshman of the summer amongst the likes of The Drums, her free mixtape Domination produced by Brit and Yo Majesty in-house producer David Alexander sees Dominique spit her unique rhymes over warped ‘80s electro tinged beats as well as Dirty South basslines. Dominique is going to be hitting up festivals this summer throughout Europe, everywhere from Scotland and Barcelona to The Netherlands and France - but if you don’t manage to catch her at any of those spots then make sure you download her free mixtape: MySpace.com/dominiqueyoungunique (NS) 16 / RWDMAG.COM
Ed SHeERaN
With the most viewed A64 on SB.TV, and fans in the form of Pixie Lott and Jamie Foxx, we think it’s merely a matter of time before Ed Sheeran becomes this decade’s standout singer/ songwriter... Words by Hattie Collins Images by Adrian Nettleship
“I never really thought I was good at music until I left home. But when I moved to London, I had to take it to the next level because I was 16 and competing with people who were 25 to 30, and I had to be in their league,” contemplates Ed Sheeran, surrounded by guitars in Gibson’s London showroom. “I had to start thinking not that I am good but that I have to be good.” Luckily for the singer from a small farming town outside of Ipswich, he’s way better than your average. Join the other 90,000 viewers on YouTube who have checked out the 19 year-old’s acoustic performance on SB.TV and you’ll see how talented this Damien Rice, Eminem, Dizzee and Foy Vance fan is. Recorded in February of this year, Ed performs the incredible You Need Me, I Don’t Need You, with its “I didn’t go to the Brits school” asides and In Da Club interpolations. He might not be the first to do it, but Sheeran spits as much as he sings. “Alex from the Arctic Monkeys is obviously into rap music; you can tell the way he writes his lyrics with punchlines and metaphors,” says the former roadie for Nizlopi of his style. “So, yeah, people have done it before, but I want to be seen as a bridge between acoustic and rap.” Bought up around the sounds of Bob Dylan and Van Morrison by his art exhibitor parents, it was during family road trips from Halifax to London that Ed, who also designs his own album artwork and t-shirts, first fell in love with music. A self-confessed geek at school, it was a desire to fit in that saw the then 11 year-old turn to writing. “I didn’t have loads of friends at primary school, so I figured making music might be a way to be cool; it worked, by the age of 12 I had my own band,” he remembers. He was destined to go solo though, and since doing his own thing at the age of 14, Ed’s released four EP’s, which have so far sold over 10,000 copies. Meeting producer Jake Gosling (Wiley, Wretch) when he moved to the Big Smoke at 16, the pair created single The City, featuring Scorcher, followed by a spot on Ruff Sqwad’s Without You. Over the last two years, Sheeran has played over 300 gigs, becoming a fixture on the acoustic scene, and 18 / RWDMAG.COM
landing tour slots with Nizlopi, Just Jack, and, more recently, Example. It was after he hooked up with SB though, that Sheeran started making noise in the UK rap scene, when numerous tastemakers and artists caught sight of the teenage strum-singing wonder doing You Need Me, and, more recently A64. The songwriter, who is inspired by everything from news reports, to badminton, to breaking up with his longterm girlfriend now counts fans in the form of Wiley, Pixie Lott and Elton John. It was while in LA in March that Ed found another follower in Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx. After blagging a spot at Foxx’s Open-Mic night, The Fox Hole, and impressing the Blame It star’s manager Marcus King, Sheeran was invited to perform on Foxx’s radio show. “There was me, this white boy in the corner, being all nervous and everyone else is bussing jokes,” recalls Ed of the experience. “But I get on to play, Jamie loved it and I ended up hanging out at his house for about two weeks! He’s one of the nicest, most normal blokes I’ve met.” Now the subject of serious label attention, Sheeran is biding his time before signing on the dotted line. There’s the Example tour in October with Devlin and DJ Yasmin, followed by an album, produced entirely by Gosling, but before that, a mixtape featuring the likes of Wiley, Sway and JME. “I’m probably doing the same thing that some people are doing, but not a whole lot of people,” says Sheeran slowly of why RWD readers should check him out. “My dream is to sell out Shepherds Bush. I look at people like Plan B. His albums will be listened to in a decade and that’s what I want; respect.” Ed is wearing a Royal Elastics T shirt and will be performing alongside Tinie Tempah at RWD’s invite-only 100th birthday, in association with Royal Elastics. See RWDmag.com/2010/05/Party100 for details. Twitter.com/edsheeran and YouTube.com/user/ EdSheeran
“I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT I WAS GOOD AT MUSIC UNTIL I LEFT HOME. BUT WHEN I MOVED TO LONDON, I HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL I HAD TO START THINKING NOT THAT I AM GOOD BUT THAT I HAVE TO BE GOOD.”
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Anybody who has the cahoots to get Simon le Bon and Wiley in the same room together, let alone on the same song is a legend in our eyes. Mark Ronson goes on ‘record’ with Rajveer Kathwadia about his new album, getting D’Angelo back in a recording studio and working with his ol’ mucker Any Winehouse again...
hop pop song. But there is definitely a French i Mark. It’s reassuring to see that you’ve got influence on the record cos of the sound of the clothes on cos last time I saw you, it was on synths, although it came more directly out of stage at Brixton Academy and David Walliams working on a Duran Duran album last summer. had pulled your trousers and your pants down. There’s also a very famous song called Popcorn I literally saw right through you... by [French composer], Hot Butter that goes Ahhh no, that was not like the most fun night [Mark beeps his way though an impression]... of my life, no. I think I was kind of stupid cos Oh yeah we know that... I was a fan of Little Britain and I was thinking Yeah the ringtone’s everywhere. So there like ‘Oh it’s fine and I think the show is funny.’ is like a heavy French influence. On my last If I’d been smart enough to do any research album, Version it was very much the sound of whatsoever and looked at what he does every rediscovering some UK roots that I had and time he does that sketch... covering songs by bands like The Jam, The You would have worn tighter trousers? Yeah I’ve seen him a couple of times since then and we’re totally cool, but it’s just not anything I wanna relive. Well, if it’s any consolation, you’re always looking quite dapper in your suits. Smiths and Radiohead. If this one has to belong Especially in this current spate of heat we’re to any country sonically it’s probably the enjoying. American hip hop side of things that I grew up It’s hotter than this in New York. This is nothing. with the French synths and stuff like that. This is like a picnic So in some sense you’ve come full circle to Do you live your life constantly hoping that your first album Here Comes The Fuzz? wherever you’re gonna be that day has some There’s some obvious parallels cos I’ve worked sort of air-conditioning system? with Q-Tip and Ghostface on both records and I do, but do you know what, my girlfriend there’s certainly more hip hop features on it. is French and I spend so much time in her But with Here Comes The Fuzz I was just really apartment and they’ve never heard of air learning how to incorporate live instruments conditioning in certain parts of central Europe, with samples and beats, and this is all played. so you just have to carry on. you definitely grow. Does she have anything to do with the French You’ve definitely thrown a curve-ball; this lyrics on your new single Bang Bang Bang? record is more synth-based rather than the Not really cos I didn’t have anything to do with trademark horns that you’re known for... writing the lyrics on that song. MNDR wrote I think I knew I just had to change it up. And I them all and they’re really clever lyrics. I love remember when we were in the studio and we how she managed to incorporate a French just started working and I didn’t really know children’s nursery rhyme into the hook of a hip
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what I was going to do, I just knew that this another angle and say ‘Hey this is all superficial wasn’t gonna be a covers record obviously. bulls**t,’ and Wiley has a great line where he says While I was working on the Duran Duran album ‘Disgusted by all the flashness, they think I‘m a I was f**cking around with a load of synths don... My two needs are a pillow and a mattress, and while we were recording all the keys with one so I can fill up the space with a famous actress,’ Nick Rhodes, I learnt a lot about it. I grew up and he’s just saying ‘I don’t need any of this s**t to as a huge Duran Duran fan so some of that be a G’. I think Wiley is an OG and he makes f**king texture’s quite familiar and I was really drawn amazing music and he is probably my favourite to it. I went in the studio with four or five of my British MC out there. I like Giggs a lot, and he has a favourite musicians; a couple of the guys from certain track and tempo that he owns, but for this The Dap-Kings, a couple of guys from Antibalas track I think it was all about Wiley. and we just started writing and that’s what You’ve also got D’Angelo on a track... started coming out. And I think that there was We used to have the same manager and a time when I was working on a new song for eleven years ago before Voodoo came out I Amy [Winehouse] about six weeks ago and it’s made this mixtape for it and I DJ’d the album a song for a Quincy Jones tribute collection launch. About a year ago I got a call from his where everyone’s doing songs that he wrote. A&R and he just said ‘I spoke to D’Angelo and We’re doing It’s My Party by Leslie Gore, which I was asking who he’d wanna collaborate with was like his first hit and it felt like such a guilty if anyone on the new album and he said you regression to suddenly be doing this cover and Cee-Lo.’ I was shocked cos D’Angelo’s a with horns all over it after doing this record of one man miracle machine; he can pretty much really progressive music coming out. But then play everything and do anything he wants I realised that that was just a progression I had so you’re always surprised. As flattered as I to make for myself. It’s not that I now need to was, the thought of going into the studio with apply that to everyone’s album. If I work with someone like that was pretty intimidating. Amy on another record, it’s not like I’m gonna The day he showed up to the studio was quite force her to be covered in analogue rolling funny cos all the musicians that I work with synth lines. It’s just like something I decided like The Dap-King guys who pretty much don’t for myself that worked and it’s nice. give a s**t about anything new, but that night One of the tracks we’re really excited about that D’Angelo came over they were like ‘When’s is the title-track, which has got Simon Le Bon he coming? Shall we fix the lighting? Shall we and Wiley on it. How did you manage that? have soft drinks lying out? Is everything cool?’ Yeah it’s quite random. We were going out on tour It’s like a joke. He came and I played him this two years ago opening for Jay-Z and I was friendly song that I wrote the music for with my friend with Wiley and I asked him ‘Do you wanna come Anthony Rossomando, who used to be in The on this tour with us ‘and we just stayed in touch. Libertines and the Dirty Pretty Things. He’s from So when I was doing this song called [Record a completely different side of music and I felt like Collection] I wrote with Nick from the Kaiser Chiefs, the track didn’t necessarily sound like anything it was all very much just this playful thing about I could imagine D’Angelo doing or having done this glossy DJ jet-set life that I was definitely before. But I thought if he did write something making fun of. I wanted someone to come at it from over it and it was great it could truly >>
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voices. So it’s kind of daunting, but I played Amy a few songs on the album and the one where I was singing was kind of her favourite one and she was like ‘I’m so relieved that you sound so English when you sing, that’s so cool.’ She said something quite eccentric like ‘This song sound like a big British flag blowing in the wind at a festival’ and I can only take that as a compliment... I think! Has Amy managed to slip onto the record? << be some original brand new s**t that no No, I didn’t really have any repeat offenders one had ever heard before. I can’t believe I did on this album. I think Version was great and a song with D’Angelo cos he’s almost become Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen hadn’t put out this illusive mythical figure. We’re going in in their big albums yet and Santigold and Daniel August to work a little bit on his new album Merriweather had never even put out a song, too, so I’m looking forward to that. but I think that’s cool and it showed that I didn’t You’re singing for the first time too, right? have to do that again – it would just look a bit Yeah, I’m singing on a couple of songs on the like a cheap shot you know? album. One of them I wrote is called Lose It Have you attempted to make anything that’s In The End, with Ghostface Killah and I wrote as anthemic as Valerie was? this song with John [Pierce] who’s in The I wasn’t even trying to do anything anthemic Drums and as they started to blow up I was when I did Valerie the first time cos I’d never like ‘F**k do they really want another song heard it before. I asked Amy if there were any on the album where I can’t perform it live cos songs that were like from the indie side of the singer’s never around?’ I’ve been talking things that she wanted to cover and she was vocal lessons for six months, in the back of like ‘I know this song Valerie’. I thought it was my head thinking I’m maybe gonna sing a good, but cos I didn’t know the original it wasn’t song on the album knowing full well I was like I felt its potential, so it’s funny that it gonna punk out and find a way to not do it cos ended up being the biggest hit. I don’t think this it was scary. But that song had to go on the album will be as successful as Version, it’s just album somehow and I figured no matter what different but I’m proud of it and I like it. you think about my vocals at least you’ve got Your press-release describes you as a ‘midGhostface on it. I sung it probably 15-20 times Atlantic maestro’. Have you got an island in the ‘till I got a good one, then I doubled it and I middle of the Atlantic we don’t know about? had Alex Greenwald who’s a good friend of It would sound that way. I wish I did then I mine, someone that I trust, produce the vocal. would just live there and just Skype everyone. If I worked with a bunch of bulls**t pop star Bermuda’s an island in the middle of the singers I’d probably be more inclined to think Atlantic, but I sold that years ago. ‘Oh singing I could do that’, but I don’t, I work with people like Adele, Daniel Merriweather The album Record Collection is out 27 and Amy Winehouse who have truly brilliant September. Markronson.co.uk 22 / RWDMAG.COM
Hattie Collins grabs her Triple A pass, a Casio Exilim camera, some friends from G-Shock and heads off for a weekend in Wales at Wakestock...
This time last year I was a festival virgin. Not anymore though. With Wakestock 2009 and Glasto 2010 behind me, I was more than prepared to take on the wakeboardingbased, Wales-located fun fest that is Wakestock 2010. This time though, there would be no camping, no brown sleeping bags, no lugging of backpacks. This year, we had an actual cottage! With a roof and walls and everything! Even better, after a quick check of the weather forecast I realised there would be no rain. It literally gets no better, to be honest. After a mammoth seven-hour drive from London (blame the tractors in Pwhelli for slowing us down!), we pull up to our big pimpin’ cottage. A quick supermarket sweep at the local Spar and we’re sorted for food and that all important festival must-have, alcohol. “Actually, I’ve got nowhere to stay tonight,” ponders Wiley, who has just pulled up outside the G-Shock bus at the Wakestock site, brandishing a bottle of wine. “It might be a tent-crash thing.” Needless to say, Will didn’t go homeless; after an incredible set featuring Electric Boogaloo and Good Times, the Godfather heads home. “I love festivals; seeing all those people going crazy is an amazing feeling,” says D&B legend DJ Zinc, shortly after stepping offstage with Dynamite MC. “The mud doesn’t bother me,” he shrugs of that dirty disaster that conspires to kill festivals at will. “It’s par for the course.” It’s a par, that much we do know! We head to the Misadventures tent for Mr. Hudson’s set. “I’m gonna play a new song; it’s a bit dubsteppy,” announces The Ben, before a crash and a pause. “F**k, I think I’ve broken my ankle,” he groans. Luckily, twas but a sprain, but artists, beware of crowd-surfing; Hudson learnt the hard way. “Wakestock was raging,” exclaims Ben afterwards, before being led away to get his foot looked at. “Not sure how I’m going to do Wireless tomorrow, mind...” 24 / RWDMAG. COM
Seems Hudson isn’t the only one having an off-day; “We drove six hours and missed our show,” groans Mz. Bratt, who, along with J2K arrived too late for their spot with Roll Deep. The day is saved by Toddla T, who invites the pair onto his set at the Relentless stage. “The success of Roll Deep has been nice,” reflects J2K of the crew’s recent Good Times. “When you’re an underground artist, you don’t get taken seriously. Me, Tinchy and Titch did a festival years ago and the bouncers roughed us up because they thought we’d snuck in! One of them put me in a headlock, Wiley was getting chased...” “Arrrrggghhh,” laughs Tulisa before all but diving on RWD with excitement after an amazing set from N-Dubz. “I’ve got a chest infection, but I think I pulled it off ok,” T reveals, before admitting “a little” brandy and coke helped her through the set. “Where we off to next? Who knows, we just jump on the tour bus and wake up wherever we need to be,” she laughs. Thank God for Casio’s Exilim EX-H5, with its retouching mode. After a long, hard night based around alcohol back at the cottage, we’re not looking quite as fresh-faced as normal. Luckily the wide-angle lensed wonder makes us look like we’ve had 12 hours kip while being intravenously fed water and vitamins. Good work! After an amazing afternoon drinking Pimms and playing rounders, we head back to Wakestock, only to bump into a certain exuberant young MC. “It’s a next hype,” shouts Tempa T of his festival experience, which he later kills on an incredible Chase & Status set. “I’m on their single Hype Is Hype. I’ve been into every floor of Universal, but I don’t want to say too much,” he says of his signing options. “I’m not in a rush - I just want to do me.” Getting our rawwwwk on, we meet some of the boys from Maximo Park. “The worst festival we played was a Slovakian heavy metal festival. It didn’t go down well but we didn’t get bottled,” they grin. We don’t stop long though, as Tinie Tempah, followed by Chase and Status are headlining Misadventures. “I’m always very critical about my set; today there was a couple of glitches that no one else would probably notice. But the way [manager] Dumi has nurtured me, I don’t think I’m ever content with anything,” says a tough T, shortly after an incredible performance that saw 2000 people go bonkers. It’s time to turn in for some; RWD has to be up in five hours to make it back to London for the almighty Jigga at Hyde Park. Wakestock, you did us proud. See you next year, same time, same place, oh, and same cottage please. #itsneveraboutaboutatent! To see more images, and to find out more about the Exilim, go to Gshock.co.uk and Makeupmodecamera.co.uk 25
GADGET GUIDE Phone Special
With the launch of Apple’s new iPhone 4 everyone and their pet turtle probably wants one. But is Steve Jobs’ little multitasker just another device for the followers or is it a device for the future? Words by Jerry Gadiano and Rajveer Kathwadia
BLACKBERRY PEARL 9105
(BlackBerry.co.uk, £From Free) The BlackBerry clan gets bigger and so does the App Store. We’re only mentioning the apps because that is all iPhone users go on about, ‘Ooooh, how many apps does the BB have?’ Even if it only had BBM, what an amazing bit of software it is. Anyway, the new Pearl 9105 is the first to have a traditional keypad but utilises SureType and soon learns important words like ‘Running,’ ‘Late,’ and ‘Again.’ Buyability: Opens the device up to an even younger audience. Longevity: Will last about a year before being
MOTOROLA MILESTONE
(Motorola.com, £From Free) Remember how everyone used to cuss-off Motorola when they came out with the ‘Brick Phone’ waaaaay back when mobiles were still revolutionary? Yeah, that doesn’t happen now. Motorola have stepped up their phone game with the Milestone living up to its name with DVD recording quality for videos, 3G, Wi-Fi, multiple windows, the latest Android 2.0 OS and a 5MP camera. If you don’t want to smudge your screen then just slide out a fancy QWERTY. Buyability: Superfast and superthin. Nice phone. Longevity: Long enough... J Factor: Your non-iPhone 4 owning mates will be jealous. 26 / RWDMAG.COM
SONY ERICSSON XPERIA X10 MINI
(SonyEricsson.com, £From Free) What phone do you know that plays crisp videos, takes hi-res pics on a 5MP cam, can surf the net, master Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and YouTube and is only 16mm wide and 88g in weight? The X10 Mini that’s what. This phone is pretty cool and with Timescape all of your social networking updates are stacked for your perusal. A nice touch. Buyability: Not the brightest of the bunch but definitely packs a killer punch. Longevity: Tons of apps, tons to do, tons of fun. The J Factor: There will be a lot envious looks with this bad boy... Get it on the right contract and you’re laughing.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: IPHONE 4 SPECIAL
THE GOOD, THE SWAG AND THE LOVELY: App some of that!
Harry Potter has his wand, and now we have our iPhone 4... Queuing, paying and playing by Rajveer Kathwadia
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his changes everything. Again.” Apple’s promo smugly boasts like some sort of annoying geek, who knows that no matter how hard everyone else has revised their dirty little pants off, they’ll never beat his class-topping grades. It’s not “This changes communication” or “This changes take-away ordering” or even “This changes regrettable drunk text messages to your ex”, but... This. Changes. EVERYTHING! And does it? Well the thousands of people who queued up for hours to leave all Apple stocking stores like the queue for Alton Towers’ latest skid-mark inducing ride certainly thought so... but this was sort of countered by the equally expansive masses who stopped in bemusement at the gathered iWhores wondering what all the kafuffle was about. We can’t talk though. We pitted ourselves against the elements of Walthamstow’s delightful The Mall shopping centre for three hours at the launch to get our multi-touch fingers on Steve Job’s fourth generation device as well. And what do we think? It was love “5 MEGA-PIXEL CAMERA WITH LED FLASH AND at first sight. It’s by far the HD VIDEO RECORDING, ALL POWERED BY THE most advanced AWESOME APPLE A4 PROCESSOR, WHICH JUST communication ADDS TO THE OVERALL BRILLIANCE OF THE THING. device on the market, and it’s so much more than just a phone and a MP3 player sloshed together in a sexy glass and steel case. The infinite variety of apps that range from the ever useful Docs To Go, to the who-the-hell-would-download-this iFart all now look sharper than an Ozwald Boateng suit thanks to the detailed 960x640 resolution screen. The fact that the video calling takes places over Wi-Fi is both a pro and a con in the sense that it’s connected over the wireless service so it’s free of any charges, but then again you do actually need Wi-Fi at both ends to get the fricking thing going. Blackberry users have turned their noses up at the ‘new’ multi-tasking feature claiming they’ve had it for ages, but then again someone should call trade-descriptions cos in comparison to this ‘remote control to the future’, the BB’s apps, commands and features can hardly be classed as ‘multi’ in capacity. There’s also some other lovely little neat additions such as the organisational folders and improved auto-correct options, as well as the 5 mega-pixel camera with LED flash and HD video recording, all powered by the awesome Apple A4 Processor, which just adds to the overall brilliance of the thing. So has anything changed? Only the whole flipping world! That and our knickers once we wet ourselves with excitement at finally owning this beautiful (and very necessary in your lives) piece of kit. The iPhone is available offline from £499 (16GB), £599 (32GB) or free on a contract. Network prices may vary
GOOD: Sky News (BSkyB, Free) Live streaming? Good news all round.
SWAG: Vuvuzela 2010 (maal4.nl, Free) Anyone who downloads this should have their Jabulanis removed.
LOVELY: iMovie (Apple Inc., £2.99) 720p Video exporting makes this a must-have for the iPhone4.
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STYLE GUIDE
concept by DJB photography by Kevin Joseph styled by Irene Asanji thanks to Coffin On Cake PR
ADIDAS adidas.com/originals, £40
ADIDAS adidas.com/originals, £40 28 / RWDMAG.COM
DRUNKN MUNKY drunknmunky.eu, £25
THE DUFFER OF ST. GEORGE thedufferofstgeorge.com, £19.99
CROOKS & CASTLES threadsaddiction.com, £30
RINGSPUN asos.com, £35
PULL IN pull-in.com, £30
STREETZ CLOTHING streetzclothing.com, £20
MORETVICAR moreTvicar.com, £18
KING APPAREL king-apparel.com, £24.99 29
STYLE GUIDE
TRAPSTAR iamatrapstar.com, £30
JEEPNEY 020 8993 1010, £25
BENCH shop.bench.co.uk, £10
SUPRA supralondon.com, £25 30 / RWDMAG.COM
BILLIONAIRES BOYS CLUB bbcicecream.com, £80
BENJART benjartclothing.com, £20
PXL PXLclothing.com, £25
AUTO PILOT autopilotclothing.com, £35
REBEL 8 chemical-records.co.uk, £17.99
TITS chemical-records.co.uk, £25.19
A-IN-T wholesomelondon.com, £30
NICKELSON nickelson.co.uk, £20 31
STYLE GUIDE
ROYAL ELASTICS royalelastics.com, £25
LUKE luke1977.com, £30
NEW ERA neweracap.co.uk, sale price £10
DC dcshoes.com, £24 32 / RWDMAG.COM
NIKE nikesportswear.com, £22
MARSHAL ARTIST threadsaddiction.com, £30
ETO JEANS etojeans.co.uk, £20
ALPINESTARS alpinstars.com, £25
PXL PXLclothing.com, £25
AMPLIFIED amplifiedclothing.com, £30
FLY53 fly53store.com , £25
BOXFRESH boxfresh.co.uk, £15 33
STYLE GUIDE
Fit For A KING
They’re helping us put on our 100th issue celebrations, so we thought we might as well have a look at Royal Elastics’ shoes purely out of courtesy, but once we actually got our hands on the goods (and our feet in ‘em!), we realised that we actually really bloody like them! So here’s a selection of some our faves and a little bit (but not a lot) about them...
BROTHER BASIL Royal Elastics tell us that Brother Basil is also the name of a monk at their all-boys high school, though this RWD office favourite is not actually named after him. They took the de-constructed chukka boot concept (exciting stuff), and added an elastic lacing system and plastic toggle inspired by triathalon tunners.
PRINCE ALBERT No, no, no no, no, no, no...just no! Discard any apprehension you may have when hearing the former Prince Consort’s name, we’re talking about Royal Elastics’ simple, clean look shoe, NOT about having R2D2’s spare parts pinned through your dangly bits. Unlike its namesake; this Prince Albert is comfortable, easy to slip on and off and most importantly will not set off metal detectors at airports!
KNIGHT We don’t know about you, but we think these shoes
KING We’re pretty sure that this Royal Elastics classic has not been inspired by a T.I. album and instead probably has more to do with regal links to their brand name. The Royal Elastics goons themselves have described the shoe as the cat’s pyjama’s, but we’re not really sure what that is. Perhaps it’s an American way of saying that this slip-on shoe with stylistic details gives the King a casual, on-the-go personality and the molded footbed which allows you to comfortably wear the King, all day is actually the mutt’s nuts. Just a thought. 34 / RWDMAG.COM
are perfect for legging it after a one knight stand... get it? No? Fine, forget it. Let’s be boring and just talk about the shoe then yeah? These skinny jeans complimenting sneakers feature a wide elastic closure over the instep for a comfortable and even fit, the lightweight windowed bottom unit prominently displays the internal EVA midsole unit that provides outstanding comfort and shock absorption. Check out RWDmag.com/2010/05/Party100 to be in with a chance of winning tickets to our exclusive invite only music event with Tinie Tempah. Royalelastics.com For UK brand enquiries contact steve@royalelastics.com
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Singlehandedly crushing Premiership giants Arsenal with a ruthless quartet of quality goals totally justified Lionel Messi’s victory over Cristano Ronaldo and Xavi as FIFA World Player of the Year. Not only did he make a mockery of the Gunners - gallivanting through our defence like a hot South American knife through butter - but he shot down many teams in La Liga last season helping the defending Champions, Barcelona, lift their 20th title. With Maradona’s Argentina gearing up to face Nigeria, Korea Republic and Greece, it was the perfect time to speak to one of the tournament’s heavy hitters... We know South American teams work really hard before major tournaments, how are Argentina preparations going? [Translated from Spanish] I think that this time we can improve things, little details can make us better at the World Cup and I think we will be prepared and try to improve to be ready. Every time you play, you seem to light up and be heavily involved in the team’s performance. How important is confidence at the World Cup? I think confidence is very important for each player and for the team. It is fundamental for a player to be confident, it makes you play better, and everything you try to do goes well. What are the differences between the way you play with Barcelona and the way you play with the Argentina national team? We play very differently. At Barça, we have been working for a long time; we do a type of football which you rarely see anywhere else. We have known each other for a long time, we train together every day. With the national team, we are building a team together, we are searching for our way of playing, we are searching for a team and we don’t have something solid like at Barça, where we work at every day. He’s had a tough time over the years, how would you describe Maradona as a manager? I think he is a manager who is very close to his players, he is like one of us and he gives a lot of confidence to all his players. Many say you’re one of the greatest Argentinean footballers, do you feel like the new Maradona? No, not at all. I feel flattered but, as I have always said, there is only one Maradona, there is not going to be another one like him. I try to keep on growing, to keep on learning, but I know I am far away from that. I play my career without thinking of any comparisons with Diego. What does Diego expect from you in the Argentina team? What does he expect from you as a player? To be honest, he lets me be quite free to play and the same goes for Barcelona. He wants me to take part and touch the ball as much as possible in the game. Do you see yourself as a manager one day? I don’t know, I’ve just turned 22. I hope, I think, I have a long career ahead and I still haven’t thought about what I’ll do when I finish. I think about doing things in football, in winning many more titles and, well, I am still a long way from retiring. What do you know about South Africa and what do you expect of the World Cup with your national team? The truth is that I know very little about South Africa, practically nothing. And I hope it is a great World Cup for us. I think we are getting ready in the best possible way. I think Argentina 46 / RWDMAG.COM
has many good players who are very eager; they are very illusioned about getting as far as possible. Argentina had problems qualifying for World Cup; will this make you more dangerous? I don’t know. The truth is that we have come out stronger of the qualifying stage because it was very tough, very complicated for us. We lived through very difficult moments because of everything that was said, what people from the outside talked about. We know that the World Cup is going to be completely different. Because of this we are really eager. What does it mean to you to win the FIFA World Player award? It’s something special. I have said before that for me the most important thing is to win at group level, at team level. But to be able to receive this recognition, such an important prize, after being very close for two years, to be able to win it at the third opportunity is very important for me. Which players could have won this trophy? As I said earlier, many of my colleagues like Xavi, Iniesta, Ibra, Kaka, Cristiano. They are fantastic players. Any of them could win it. What qualities have you improved on this year? I don’t know, I think the quality, the will to keep on learning, the will to keep on working to achieve more things, to be a more allround [player] and always to want more. And I have learned this from my team mates, my manager, throughout the year. And lastly, why do you think this trophy is important? This recognition is very important because it is voted by football people, and to be recognised by them is very important as well. For more check facebook.com/adidasfootball IS IT THE BOOTS??? A closer look at the adidas adizero F50. Lionel Messi may not have scored any goals in this year’s World Cup but he sure did show lightning pace, skill and multiple reasons why he’ll be in the running for the 2010 FIFA World Player of the Year. We ask him about his role in creating these speedy boots and exactly what they can bring to your game... RWD Magazine has had the pleasure of checking out, wearing and testing out the adidas adizero F50 boots. How will the lighter boots help you? I think that in little moments, little seconds you can make a difference. In football nowadays it is hard and difficult and I think to be able to be able to go a little bit faster then the other players helps. What part did you play in the light boot development? At the beginning the most important was the weight of the boot, how light it was, and this was the most important thing and I like the result. Then we make little changes and we improved the boot.
MESSI-EST GOALS 1. (Vs. Getafe, April 2007) Like alcohol through Lindsay Lohan’s liver, like Lionel Messi through near enough the whole Getafe team on this mazy run from miles away. 2. (Vs. Arsenal, April 2010) Wenger’s 11 became Leo’s personal whipping boys in this season’s Champions League quarter final. 3. (Vs. Manchester United, May 2009) Messi was amazing in this game and went onto score Barca’s second clean off his forehead.
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STYLE GUIDE
A closer look at Lionel Messi’s adidas F50 adizero…
Concept by DJB image by Kevin Joseph retouching by Kieran Halil Do you remember when your boots used to weigh down your kit bag and you were embarrassed to take them out? Well those days are a thing of the past with the new super quick adidas F50 adizero football boots putting the competition to shame. At just 165g they’re lightning fast and the revolutionary SprintSkin upper is designed for just that... sprinting. Coupled with the dynamic design and the confidenceinspiring construction the F50 adizero is perfect for the pitch. In fact, these are the lightest and the fastest boots on the planet. With the likes of Messi wearing them, maybe some of his sick skills will come in the box? For more check facebook.com/adidasfootball
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As you know the adidas F50 adizero football boots, as worn by our cover star Lionel Messi in the 2010 World Cup, are the lightest and the most creative boots in the world. So who better to try them out than the UK’s heaviest up-and-coming talent in the form of music artists Kayne, Maxsta, Reece and Koder... For a video exclusive of these artists playing football, trying out the boots and much more check RWDmag.com Directed by DJB images by imageandcommerce.co.uk make-up by Jodi Hyams
Age: 16 Location: East London Profession: Hip hop artist On the pitch: I used to play for Charlton but I gave it all up for music. I love music. I used to play as a striker. On the music: I used to bang in the goals but now I bang in the hits. Right now I’m working on finishing my album that I want everyone to buy - old people and young people. I’ve got one more track to go. In the meantime I’m just doing all of my shows. I’ve got a couple of festivals coming up, including one with N-Dubz, and in August I’ve got the Butlins tour. Loads of girls are on Twitter saying that they’re coming so it’s gonna be mad. I wanna big up Steph as she is my biggest stalker. On the boots: They look fresh. I’m liking the boots a lot; I think I might have to take them! MySpace.com/kayne_r and Twitter.com/kayne_r 50 / RWDMAG.COM
Age: 19 Location: South east London Profession: Grime artist On the pitch: I used to try and play right wing but the manager always put me as a striker. Last season I probably got about 20 goals. On the music: Basically on the football pitch I do my right midfielders job (although I always do my stepovers and that [laughs]); I always get a game but I’m an artist, that is where my heart is. I enjoy sitting in the studio making music. I’ve actually got a booth now, I remember being in my room but now I’ve got leg room. At the moment I’ve got the mixtape Space Shuttle Business, I’ve just done a few videos - one with Maxsta and a few other MCs called I’m A Star - and my Picture Perfect movement. It’s a good look man. On the boots: These are like I’m playing with my socks, I’m gone!! MySpace.com/koderkid
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Age: 18 Location: East Ham Profession: Grime artist On the pitch: Obviously I play midfield. Right-mid, centre-mid, wherever. I stopped because of music. When I was on the pitch, I’d like to think I was a bit of a Beckham. In fact, Beckham is lucky that I stopped otherwise I would have taken his spot - you get me! On the music: I’d like to say that music is the thing that I do best. I’d love to say they were equal, like I’m nang at both [laughs] I could have been in the Premiership, I could have given Jack Wilshire a run for his money... but I’m doing the music. I’ve just done the Maxtape and that was well received and now I feel I’ve grown since it came out. I’ve listened to the positive feedback and the negative to visualise what I feel I should be doing. I’ve met a few people now and feel the doors are open for me. On the boots: They’re the ting right now, you get me!!! MySpace.com/themaxsta Twitter.com/Maxsta_Music
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Age: 18 Location: South east London Profession: Pop/ R&B artist On the pitch: I’m a striker and I bang in goals like Torres!!! When I play I like a good technical game. I like it when a game is full of passing. On the music: In the studio I like to flow on the beat, it’s the same with football; I like a good flow. My favourite song of mine so far is called, Let You Go and it’s coming out this summer. I’ve just played Wireless Festival and I will be giving the crowd what they want. I’ll get on that stage, enjoy myself and interact with them as much as I can. I just want everyone to have a good time during my gigs. Next up for me I’ve got a song called Wishing On Stars and it is a bit more underground than Let You Go. On the boots: I’m sure they made me faster?!?! MySpace.com/termzymusic Twitter.com/reecerobertson 53
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Hailed as a modern-day Shakespeare, Eminem has gone from a trailer-park in Detroit to a cultural icon whose impact is felt across the globe. Hattie Collins talks to one of the world’s greatest rhymers about Recovery, the early days and why Relapse was such a disappointment to him... Lets start with a little Em history for those that don’t know. Take us back to the days of battling at Detroit’s Hip Hop Shop. How important was that time for you as an MC? The Hip Hop Shop was actually essential, vital to my career because that’s where I gained all my confidence from. Being able to battle and being thrown to the wolves? Proof would push me and say ‘Yo, you need to do this’ and I’d be like ‘Aight’. He would throw me to the wolves and it would be a kill or be killed mentality; you’d either slaughter somebody or they’d slaughter you, so... Shortly after that you released Infinite; what state of mind you were in back then, what hopes did you have for your rap career? That was monumental for me in my life at that time. Even though it was a ‘local’ album or whatever, I’d never really been in a recording studio where I had a contract with two producers. The Bass Brothers [Infinite’s producers] got me in a studio and we made an album, so that was like a huge landmark in my career. It was one of the most exciting times in my life. I remember thinking ‘Somebody’s going to pick it up, I’m going to get a record deal.’ Back then, I had that naive mentality of ‘Once I get a record deal, I’ve made it’, which certainly is not the case. You can get a record deal and not make it. But making that album was fun; Mr. Porter (Kon Artis from D12) made that whole record with me. I remember being in the studio, doing late hours all through the night and Proof coming in and changing like drum sounds and programming and giving his opinion. A lot of other rappers from the local hip hop community in Detroit at that time would also come by and be like ‘You should try this or do that.’ It was a really fun time but it was also... I had a baby on the way, Hailie was on the way at that time, so it was a very emotional time in my life then for me too and I think the record reflects that. It took a couple of years, but you eventually got signed to Dr. Dre at Interscope/ Aftermath. Can you remember that first session?
Yeah I can. I went to his house, he had a studio in his house, and I remember we did three songs that day, in less than six hours. And that was another landmark in my life; I remember Dre was pretty vocal about it, like, ‘We did three songs pretty much from scratch!’ A couple of beats he already had, I
so I still wasn’t really paying attention to what was going on in the rap game. I would get little bits and pieces and people would show me things off the Internet or whatever, but I wasn’t really paying too much attention to what was going on in the game. So for me to come back with a single like [Relapse’s]
already had some rhymes pre-written, but a couple of things I ended up writing on the spot. One of the songs that came out of that first session was My Name Is..., one was called Hell Freezes Over, it was to this slow, hard beat with these hard drums, and the other one was called Ghost Stories. They’re all on the Internet, but I’m not sure they have titles to them. I don’t know if people realise what they are, but they came out of that first session. What makes you and Dre work so well? Well, one, I think we get along very well, our personalities are very similar; we’re very alike in many ways. And two, he’s an incredible producer and I love incredible beats... so there you have it! Back to 2010; why did you decide to return with Not Afraid. It’s the first time you’ve haven’t done the comedy, parody, pop-culture led single. I definitely didn’t want to do that; I realised I’d stuck to that formula for a long time. I had been away for so long, and in my addiction I wasn’t even keeping up what was going in the rap game to even realise... Once I got sober, I jumped right in the studio, and I was learning how to write and rap again,
We Made You and try to do the same formula, I guess I couldn’t see that that record wasn’t going to fall on its face. So why do you think Relapse was so ‘ehhh’? I kept recording for Relapse:2, and as I was recording I was trying to figure out why a lot of my newer songs didn’t sound like my old ones. Meaning the feel of the lot of the records that I used to make around The Marshall Mathers LP or The Eminem Show or even a lot of songs on Encore. So I started going back and listening to a lot of them and trying to figure out... like basically remembering ‘Oh, this is how I used to rap.’ I’d go back and listen to The Way I Am, Criminal, Mockingbird, Toy Soldier, whatever, just to figure out and try and see. My newer material that I had for what was supposed to be Relapse 2, it didn’t feel the same. When I got sober and the fog and the haze lifted, I had a lot of memory lapses. There’s a lot of holes in my memory. As I started relearning how to rap again I forgot who I was - if that makes sense? I had to figure out how to put the emotion back into my records because that was what Relapse was lacking for the most of >> 55
<< that record. There were a couple of songs like Déjà Vu or Beautiful where I touched on emotion. Beautiful, I had written the first verse in rehab, without a beat, so to me it didn’t count - not as a record - but I couldn’t include it in my new material. Out of my new material, Déjà Vu was the closest that I came to evoking any kind of emotion on Relapse. On Talking To Myself you admit you were going to diss Wayne. How did you get through that cloud and return to confident Em? As I started writing more, and the more I came along in my sobriety and got more comfortable just with being me again... I think it was kind of a growing process. As I recorded these records, my confidence is coming back, I’m getting excited about the material I’m writing, I’m getting excited about the new beats I’m getting from producers and the excitement is back, which puts the passion back in my music. I’ve always been passionate about music, but with this album in particular, I was excited to get that passion back. I think the more songs I made, the confidence began to grow. What’s the album artwork about? And also the significance of you being in the middle of Detroit? Obviously I include Detroit in most 56 / RWDMAG.COM
of the things I do, whether it’s music or videos or pictures in magazines... whatever it might be, filming the movie [8 Mile) here. I’m always trying to do something that represents the city. The glass box has a couple of different meanings; one is the boy in the bubble mentality. This is my living room right in the middle of everything and everyone’s able to watch. But at the same time, I think it kind of represents how I had to seal myself off from the world in order to get to the place that I’m at now. How do you feel about fame now? I’m definitely in a good place right now. The fame thing is always a weird thing to me because I still don’t know if I’ve fully grasped it yet. Obviously, the position I’m in right now, I’m blessed. I’m certainly doing a hell of a lot better now than I would be had I still been a cook at Gilbert’s Lodge, and I’ve learnt to deal with the fame and not complain about it so much and be a bit more comfortable and settled in with it. But it still doesn’t mean I fully understand it. What else inspired Recovery? Other then watching what was going on in the game, and other than my own records, my older records... I was a sponge and watching and seeing where hip hop was going, I wanted to take it in my own direction. I think for the most part though, I was going back to my own records and studying those. Trying to figure out how to say something and make it up-to-date, but with the feel of these older records. Lets talk about some of the lyrics. The ‘queef’ one for a start... I knew you were going to say that...! To me it’s funny, but how do you respond to people who say you’re music is offensive or violent? I don’t feel the need to defend it. This is my art. I don’t know if Picasso had to explain his paintings. It is what it is. Certainly people will listen to some of those lines and say ‘That’s f**ked up that he would say that.’ But a lot of times that comes from being an underground MC and my underground roots. I think I draw more attention because I am who I am, so when I say f**ked up s**t it draws more attention. You have MCs right now in the underground who go hard at each other, but they’re not cast out in the spotlight so it doesn’t draw as much attention. Do you still find inspiration on the toilet? On the s**tter? Not so much anymore. As
I’m going throughout my day, I just get random thoughts in my head and I write them down as I get them. What have you’ve contributed to rap? That’s a tough question because in hip hop, I think every artist take bits and pieces from other artists and makes it their own. Not saying biting by any means, but artists get inspired by other artists in trying to do things differently. As far as lyrically, I’ve always tried to challenge myself to stretch words and bend them; it’s fun for me to try and do that. I take words that don’t rhyme and try to stretch them and bend them. I think one of the first people that I ever heard do that was Redman, and Redman did it incredibly. I studied him, and hanging out with Tha Outsidaz back in the day and being influenced by different crews, I kind of saw what everybody else is doing and I said ‘Ok, I see what you’re doing, I want to take this and take it even further.’ The key to a lot of it is enunciating the words a certain way; they rhyme but they won’t look like the rhyme on paper. Where do you see yourself in the hip hop canon? Top 5? Top 3? No. 1? I don’t know. I would say that I don’t really rap to be the greatest, but everybody raps to be the greatest. That’s why you rap. Every MC, every rapper, that’s what hip hop is about; to brag and to boast and to try and be the best at what you do. But, I don’t really see myself as far as any place in the game. I’m certainly competitive, but I’m competitive more with myself than with anybody else. When I make records, I always want to try and out-do the last one that I did. You’ve made films, had a clothing line, won Grammy’s and Oscars, sold over 90 million albums, toured the world, had No.1’s... what else is left? Hmm, what else is left? I don’t know. I love music and I love hip hop and I’m happy to be inspired again and I’m happy to be passionate about it again, more so than ever, so in terms of what my future holds, or what my career holds, I don’t know. I’m just going to keep doing what I do and that’s it. Including, according to your Twitter, playing a lot of Donkey Kong?!? I play a mean game of Donkey Kong don’t get it twisted! Recovery is out now. Twitter.com/eminem
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As Seen On Screen
Northern Irish trio Two Door Cinema Club are an eccentric combination of indie, pop and club sounds. Hattie Collins meets school-friends Kevin, Sam and Alex at the HL Jeans Co Store in Carnaby Street where they got gifted to their eyeballs. Oh to be a popstar, eh... images by Adrian Nettleship.
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irstly, how would you describe your music? Are you indie, dance, pop...? Kev: I wouldn’t say we were just indie. Alex: In terms of the fact that we’re an independent band, then yeah. We’re on an independent label and we do everything ourselves. We’re very much a DIY band, so in that sense we’re an indie band. But I think when you think of indie music you think more of jangly guitars... Kev: And Britpop. Alex: I think there’s a lot more dance and electronica in there too - along with our jangly guitars! We try and combine as many types of sounds as we can because we love all kinds of music. What music were you into as teenagers? Kev: When we were like 15, we came from a very strong rock background. We were listening to stuff like Mars Volta, Biffy Clyro and At The Drive-in, so I think that was what bonded us. We still liked bands like Daft Punk, Death Cab For Cutie and I guess as we grew older our tastes broadened. In the last four or so years we’ve moved into more of a dance influence, but we still listen to everything and love rock, folk, pop... Was it difficult breaking as a band, being from Northern Ireland? Sam: It was actually a benefit, I think. Alex: It could have been a problem and it is for a lot of bands, but we saw it almost as an opportunity to be detached from 58 / RWDMAG.COM
the rest of the UK music scene. It was a chance for us to develop and hone our sound. It was good to be cut off cos you have time to develop. Kev: I think we like being the outsiders, we’re never been a part of the London ‘scene’, which is a scene that’s very enclosed. You’re signed to French label Kitsuné and work with Philippe Zdar of Cassius fame. Is there a French feel to Two Door? Alex: You could say that, but what we’ve often been told is that you can’t define where our music is from. It has more of an international vibe. Sam: I think we’re personally influenced by Paris because none of us had been outside of the UK until we met with Kitsuné. So it’s a really special place for us because it’s where we signed and did some recording and did so many great shows. It’s definitely a special place for us. Kev: I’d say we have more of a French or mainland European style in terms of fashion and things like that. I don’t think we dress like we’re from east London or anything. We like to be smart; it’s nice to make an effort as opposed to jeans and a t-shirt. At the same time we don’t wear like big earrings or crazy haircuts, but we have our own sense of what we think of as cool. Who are your style icons? Kev: It’s hard to say, we don’t really look at celebrities like that. We like nice shoes, nice shirts and nice blazers.
Alex: I quite like the nautical vibe. I like stripes. Kev: At the same time we’re not centered around fashion; we’re not a ‘fashion’ band. Alex: The music comes first but we’re definitely interested in it. Your album is called Tourist History. Explain please. Alex: We grew up in a small town called Bangor, which is a coastal town, and in the ‘50s and ‘60s it was a tourist attraction in Northern Ireland. So we were growing up in the shadow of this reverence with this tourist town of yesteryear. In terms of the songs, they’re a bit all over the place because they were written over three years. It’s our first record so we put any songs we thought were good on it. There’s a couple about relationships, but a lot of them are about experiences that the three of us had trying to get the band off the ground. Meeting different people and starting to get involved in the industry. According to Wikipedia... Alex: It’s not true...! So you didn’t meet at school when Kev tried it on with a girl you knew? Alex: Girls. Kev: Like I say, Wikipedia is not true. Sam: We had some female friends, Kev liked them and... Kev: That wasn’t the only reason. I thought you were cool and wanted some new friends. Anyway, I was unsuccessful with
each and every girl, so... Are you glad you didn’t end up going to uni but decided to form the band instead? [All]: Yes! Kev: You’re asking that to three guys who have just gone to HL Jeans Co and gotten free clothes, who get flown around to do festivals, ‘Do you wish you’d gone to university?’ No! Any interesting or weird facts we should know about you? Alex: I like a good game of Solitaire. Sam: We love movies and TV shows. Do you like True Blood? It’s amazing! Kev: I like a good history book; centered around early/ modern history, 17th, 18th century. I’m a bit of a loser! If Two Door were a film, what film would you be? Kev: I don’t think we’d be a blockbuster and I don’t think we really want to be. Sam: I think we’d be some kind of surreal movie that no one would quite get. Kev: It would be quite low-budget too, which is basically what we do everyday, live quite low-budget. Alex: I think it would be an interesting watch... Twodoorcinemaclub.com. Tourist History is out now. For the new HL Jeans Co collection, go to henrilloyd.com/hl-jeans 59
RESO RECTION Welcome to the future of dubstep; though he’s been on tastemaker’s radars for a while, it looks like Reso, with a little help from the BACARDI Pioneers Project is about to be 2010’s biggest bass-based star...
“I
’ll be hard pressed to have a bad time, won’t I?” grins 27 year-old Alex Melia. The producer and DJ known as Reso is currently contemplating a forthcoming trip to Puerto Rico as part of BACARDI’s Pioneers Project; Reso, Dalston club collective Disco Bloodbath and dub-heads Untold will be heading to the home of Fat Joe, Jim Jones, J.Lo and Luis Vega to create their own version of the original rumba, with guidance from the legendary music guru that is Norman Jay. BACARDI has always been known for pioneering cocktails such as the Cuba Libre and Mojito, but also has a rich heritage in music. This project is aimed at supporting pioneering new artists and and bringing to life BACARDI’s Latin roots. “I’m looking forward to walking around the streets; I’ve always liked playing Latin music and I love playing Latin beats on the drums, so to be able to go and meet the sick street musicians who are really doing it is a great opportunity,” he decides. The London born and bred beat-maker, who began life as a drummer before becoming a teenage bedroom producer, was chosen over 60 other ascending artists to take part in the project. His skills as a sonic-creator have not only been recognised by BACARDI; Reso, who
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has worked with Burial, has fans in the form of Mary Anne Hobbs, Benga and N-Type, all of whom are drawn to Reso’s technically jaw-dropping abilities with beats, bass and dub. “I like to think that I’m not just making dubstep; I’ve got a broad range of influences,” says the Noisia, Mogwai and Dilla fan who also travels the world as a DJ. “There are some people that seem to rinse and repeat their formula, but I think that I do a few different things and hopefully do them well,” he points out of his lush, liquid productions that encompass a symphony of sounds. “I’ll try and incorporate an idea from a random rock tune, a piece of classical music or an old jazz tune; hopefully that sets me apart while still sounding like me. How can you just make one thing?” he wonders rhetorically. “There’s a difference between making tunes and being a producer - if you’re a producer you should be able to do a few different things really well. Variety! That’s me. That’s what I like.” For more details on the BACARDI Pioneers head to facebook.com/bacardirum. Reso’s In The Mix is out now. MySpace.com/reso Enjoy BACARDI rum Responsibly. For the facts, drinkaware.co.uk
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Eighteen months ago, Jamal ‘SB.TV’ Edwards, who turns 20 this month, had an already impressive three million YouTube hits on his Smokeybarz channel and was still at college. After a whirlwind year and a half, his CV now boasts an official YouTube partnership, a staggering fifteen and a half million views (and rapidly rising), a highly respected F64 series, an assistant producer job at the Beeb and a research role with Tiger Aspect productions. Liam Tootill recently went and spent some rare downtime with SB at his west London home. here is a determined and assured aura that surrounds the young man behind SB.TV. He has put a lot of hard work in and made serious progress from the early days, but still knows there’s a long way to go if he is to fulfil his ultimate, long-term visions. The legacy he hopes to create includes getting knighted for services to the entertainment industry and being one of the most well-known entrepreneurs in the world with a billionaire empire when he retires. Not one to aim too high then! As Jamal puts it, “I’ll be the contemporary version of Rupert Murdoch.” It is this drive to succeed at the very highest level that motivates SB. The man behind the F64 series tells us how he never could have
imagined it ‘popping off’ in the way that it did. “I just thought it was a little thing, I never thought it was gonna be as big as it did. And then the impact on everyone was just mad. Every Sunday I used to release them and it was always a trending topic in the UK and London, and it got interest from everyone, I got Talib Kweli on it, Souls of Mischief - people from other countries were even sending it - Classified from Canada sent me his F64 too. I had other international ones as well. Chiddy Bang came over and on the same day I done their F64, totally off the top of the dome, they signed with Parlophone. He was spitting pure freestyle, it was sick! Then I got on 1Xtra to do a Top Ten thing and that was another big thing.” What started out as some fun filming friends (and foxes!!) on and around his
west London estate, has progressed and evolved into something quite extraordinary. Jamal received his first handy cam off his mum for Christmas 2006, and never imagined at that point he’d go on and achieve the success he has done to date. SB didn’t ask for the camera and hadn’t planned to go out and start shooting footage of amateur spitters from around his ends. Jamal explains, “In the beginning I was filming foxes in my garden because they were making so much noise. That’s when I first started filming stuff, and I put it on YouTube and I got like 1,000 hits,” he laughs. “That’s a RWD exclusive, no-one else knows that people that have been following me from the beginning knew I uploaded a dark video with bare foxes screamin’ and s**t.” In the intervening three and a half years Jamal has become one of the leading figures in online media
broadcasting. SB remembers the early days and how he was always looking to improve himself as a cameraman, and his channel, in terms of content. “My first video was just raw, there wasn’t any colour grading, no fading. It was rubbish quality – no sound control and shaking hands,” he remembers. “That was my first video and soon after I started learning fade-in, fade-out and how to control the sound. I wouldn’t go in windy places and was conscious of the sun facing from the back making silhouettes out of people I was filming. I would face people around the other way – stuff like that.” Jamal points to ‘Quality control’ as another key factor in his progression and success. “I think that’s a good thing, I used to put any next guy on my channel. I used to just do it for the fun, I used to do it for the passion but I’ve realised recently I’m doing this to showcase the best of the best, the crème de la crème.“ The more acts he filmed, the more access he gained to bigger and better artists to put on his channel and with this his workload increased. “With the bigger, more mainstream interviews like Trey Songz, Kelly Rowland, Sean Kingston all of that – it grows and grows every time I do it. For example if I wanted to get Beyoncé, because I’ve already filmed a lot of people and I’ve got that on my showreel, artists are more inclined to do it, they’re more willing than they would if I hadn’t done it. So that’s progression in a way.” For the first two and a half years of SB.TV, Jamal worked solo and laid strong foundations. Today he has a crew that work alongside him. “I’ve got a team working around me. I knew myself I couldn’t do it independently forever even though I thought I could,” he explains. “I get Jordan Acrez to make a nice little motion graphics intro to make it appealing to the eyes and I’ve got Georgia Anderson to present it instead of me, like I used to talk behind the camera, but this way it’s more professional.” Another element of the new ‘professional’ set-up is the links SB.TV has been making with labels and PR companies. Jamal describes how these connections came about. “I’ve got good relationships with loads of labels and PR companies, they see that I’ve got a platform, where if they’ve got a new artist or someone’s over here doing press then they’ll be like, ‘Yeah, get SB.TV, because he’s got like the UK’s biggest youth lifestyle channel’ and they may want to
appeal to that demographic that I’ve got. So they’ll holla at me and then if they’ve got new artists they want to showcase to people, they’ll holla at me as well. It creates a good working relationship.” When it comes to inspiration Jamal looks to the very best. He admires Stephen Spielberg and classes him as his favourite director. “He’s just a legend. I’ve watched bare of his movies - Jurassic Park was just amazing. He’s done so many high quality films and I always say, SB ‘SpielBerg’. Even though Spielberg is one word I still do ‘Spiel’ first, then Berg, SB. It’s just another alias.” Regarding music and his top grime MCs, Jamal had to deliberate for a while before settling on Little Nasty and D Double E as his two stand out choices. “Little Nasty’s just good, he’s
always grime, grime, and then D Double E is just a legend, from day. I just love it. His delivery, his flow, his lyrics, his passion. Little Nasty is just one of my favourite MCs, still.” The future looks bright then for SB.TV and Jamal has aspirations to turn his project into a fully blown media enterprise. “SB.TV. That’s the brand, I just want to push it all forward. I’m trying to make it the biggest in the world. With an incredible work ethic, constant progression and a strong belief in what he does, perhaps the outlandish aspirations of a knighthood and media empire aren’t so crazy after all. Don’t watch me, watch SB.TV. You might be witnessing a ‘Sir’ in the making. Sbtv.co.uk Youtube.com/smokeybarz Twitter.com/sbtvonline
Superfly After the party it’s the afterparty and for Donaeo that’s stints on stage at Glasto and T4 with his new single I’m Fly. Nardene Scott speaks to the African Warrior about working with Sway, his second album and staying fly...
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ow’s it going? I know you’ve been crazy busy hitting up the festivals recently. How did your T4 and Glastonbury performances go? It was heavy. They were really into the performances. I couldn’t do reloads like I do in clubs - it’s a sing the whole song type of performance type thing, which I had to get used to. But the crowd are really up for listening to new music, which makes it easier for me to perform. I was surprised that people knew my music at the festivals and it just goes to show that what I’m doing is gradually spreading out to more and more listeners ‘ya dig.’ The new single I’m Fly has been creating a lot of hype, but I’m sure when we spoke to you in March you were releasing another track called Check My Swagger Out. What made you decide on the current single? Well Swagger... was a main single and we really wanted to bring out a taster, bring out something that will gradually get people into my new project instead of going in head first. So when I made I’m Fly we all thought that it would be a the perfect introduction; Reggie, Shy FX, Sai the whole team. Shy and Breakage even took time out of their schedule to mix and add extra production to the track and Reggie had to come up with a whole new game plan in a short space of time. So sorry guys for changing my mind so late in the day [laughs]. Who came up with the idea for the video? The video idea was created by me, Reggie and Luke Vanboom who has done all of my videos from Devil In A Blue Dress to Party Hard. I have always wanted to do a black and white video and I’m Fly has always sounded greyish every time I hear the track. We hear Sway has laid down some verses for I’m Fly. Has anyone else been getting at you to do a remix? 66 / RWDMAG.COM
Yeah he did. Shouts out to Sway. And also Redlight has done a remix of the track and that was at short notice as well, and he absolutely smashed the remix to pieces! This will definitely give the track a new breath of life. You’ve said you didn’t really find yourself until someone introduced you to house music, does that mean that we’re not going to see you venturing into any other genres? No, what I said is that I found myself while the funky house movement became popular. I have always made different styles of music but I decided to take my music seriously and accept my responsibilities as a musician around the same time that house was being noticed in my scene. So, no, I will always make different types of music; we released a breakbeat track with DSB called Riot Music that I produced and Speechless which is a dubstep track produced by Breakage. Is the second album finished now and what can we expect from the next single? Yes the second album is finished and that would be telling... What makes Donaeo so fly then? My passion for my music. Any Last Words? Zadoop za za zadoop. I’m Fly is out 26 July. Check donaeo.com and Twitter.com/donaeo
PRESS PLAY
With her new single Don’t Play With My Heart, UK songstress Kyla showcases a different sound from the funky vocalist. Nardene Scott talks to her about her world, her house and drunk trampolining?!?...
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ow was shooting the video for your new single Don’t Play With My Heart with Coldsteps? As a previous drama student, is there any chance of you stepping into the acting world? I really enjoyed the shoot. It was so funny knocking Coldsteps about - he didn’t know what he had let himself in for! I would love to step into the acting world one day. I really enjoy acting and I have had a few offers, but I’m looking for something that feels right for me. What else can we expect from you this year? You can expect two albums coming from me. I have an R&B album coming real soon called Kyla’s World. I have been working with a lot of talented producers and singers, such as Slademan, Mumzy Stranger, Bradley McIntosh and many more. I also have a house album coming soon as well called Kyla’s House. On that I have worked with some talented producers abroad such as Reelsoul, Kentphonic and Phil Asher. But right now I’m just concentrating on releasing my single Don’t Play With My Heart, which will come from my R&B album that I’m excited about. How did you feel about The xx covering your hit Do You Mind? Would you be interested in working with some artists outside of the urban scene? I am chuffed to bits, I think The xx are very talented and bring a completely different flavour to the track. As a songwriter too I just feel blessed that they chose that track and performed it at Glastonbury. I’m definitely interested in working with an 68 / RWDMAG.COM
artist outside of the urban scene, cos I really don’t want to stick to one genre. That is why I find Madonna so amazing every album she has brought out, she has switched up and reached to a different market of people. I really want to do that in my career. Can we expect a tour or any shows coming up in the UK anytime soon? Yes, we are talking about tours with some people at the moment but to find out where I’m gonna be in the UK, check out Reverbnation.com/ukkyla or follow me at Twitter.com/kylauk. We hear you’re going to be starting your own jewellery line... I have noticed a lot of artists come with a clothing line, but I wanted to do something a little different. So I thought about a jewellery line, as not many people are doing it and I have a big passion for jewellery. Your songs are pretty much made for the club. When’s the last time you had a really crazy night out and where did you go? Ok, I had a recent crazy night out on my sister’s birthday. I can’t remember what club I went to, but when I got home, I’d had way too much to drink and we thought it would be funny to jump on the trampoline, but I fell off and really hurt myself... well I didn’t feel anything until the next day, but it was jokes though (laughs)! Don’t Play With My Heart is out 5 September MySpace.com/UKKyla
Sisters Melissa and Allison, and their friend Dani are known as the alcohol loving, boy crazy Millionaires. Hattie Collins catches up with the Orange County pop/ club/ party trio to talk disliking Ke$ha, douching and strip clubs. No, really...
$ecret Millionaires “YOU GUYS DON’T GO TO STRIP CLUBS OUT HERE, DO YOU? WE USUALLY GO TO GET FREE DRINKS COS THE GUYS ARE ALL LONELY AND WANT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME, SO THEY BUY YOU DRINKS.”
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ow’s it going? Allison: Pretty well. We’re a little hungover actually [reaches for her Berocca drinks). Melissa: We went to the movies in London, and cos we can’t drink in movie theatres in America, we went all out. We got two bottles of wine each and got drunk watching Sex And The City. How come you signed here in the UK, rather than the States? Melissa: We just decided to try it over here first. We had our own underground following over there, but we wanted to see how we would do over here. You say underground, but you’ve had a ton of hits online? Dani: It’s a big underground over there! Allison: People were very confused at first because of the way we look and 70 / RWDMAG.COM
what we say is very edgy so they don’t know what to think about us. Dani: People are thrown off and not sure whether to think we’re a pop band, or electro... Melissa: If we’re rappers... So what are you? Melissa: We’re everything. A little sugar and spice makes everything nice! It’s evolved over time. We started off about three years ago, producing ourselves, but we don’t play instruments so it couldn’t go too far. Once people caught onto what we were trying to do they came in and got involved. We started working with one main producer and now we’re working with Steve Harris (Kaiser Chiefs), Redeye and Toby Gadd (Lily Allen)... So you have a song called Just Got Paid, Lets Get Laid, and the single is
Stay The Night. Lyrically, we’re talking boys, sex, booze, right? Melissa: The whole aesthetic, which we’ve realised as we’ve gone along, is that it’s Girl Power. It’s turning around every situation that a guy would be in and telling it from a girl’s perspective. Dani: Like, the girl in a strip club. You guys don’t go to strip clubs out here do you? It’s fun if you go with your friends. We usually go to get free drinks cos the guys are all lonely and want to have a good time, so they buy you drinks. In the US, kids go to have fun. I don’t think strip clubs here are the same. Allison: It’s about the girl being in charge and the girl is playing the guy. It’s us being on top. Girl Power as in the Spice Girls? Melissa: Yeah but the dirty version. You started when you were all teenagers. What do you parents think? Allison: They understand completely, they’re used to this so it’s nothing new to them. It’s not like one day we just said ‘F**k everything...’ They know we’ve been drinking since... I don’t know. [Gets out iPhone] Here’s some pictures of the RWD crew. If you had to... Greg,
Nardene, Raj or Chidi? All: Greg looks fun; he looks like he has a great personality. Alison: I like Raj’s beard. Dani: Chidi looks like 50 Cent. All: Greg. We like he made a funny face. So you’re not fans of Ke$ha? Melisa: We don’t have a problem with, like, her face or anything but we feel like she tried to steal our thunder. She makes out she’s all original but we’ve been doing this now for three years. She came out a few months ago, so... She’s doing her own thing, we’re doing ours. Dani: We’re the original s**t and everyone needs to know that. Allison: We’re more organic. Melissa: She’s definitely more manmade. Allison: This is us; we’ve looked like this for the last three years, no one has told us how we should be. Melissa: We made ourselves and maybe she’s just going for that whole vibe too, the drunk party girl thing. But we could outdrink her. What’s the most stupid thing you’ve done when drunk? Melissa: Performed!
Dani: Every night of our lives we make that mistake. What’s on your rider? Melissa: We have all types of alcohol so we can choose what we want that night. And then we have douches and glow-inthe-dark condoms. Explain what is a douche please? Melissa: [Pause] It’s a feminine wipe, right? Dani: We’ve never actually used them. Allison: It was just funny to see if people would actually bring us that. Melissa: We like the idea of a guy going to a shop and asking them for a douche. Lets play Snog, Marry, Kill: George Bush, George Clooney or Boy George? Melissa: We’d have to marry George Clooney. But I think it might be antiAmerican to shoot George Bush. True, you might get hung for treason or something. Lets say Avoid instead. All: Ok, we’ll avoid George Bush and kiss Boy George. Zach Ephron, Chase Crawford, R-Patz? Allison: I think Zac is really good looking. Dani: I would marry Robert Pattison. Melissa: Who’s Chase Crawford? Lil Wayne, Lil Jon or Lil Kim?
Dani: I would avoid Lil Kim. She seems sketchy, intense. She seems scary. Melissa: I’d marry Lil Wayne, kiss Lil Kim and avoid Lil Jon. Dani: Lil Jon seems too loud. He’d just ‘yeahhh’ at you all the time. Are you actual millionaires? Melissa: The story about the name isn’t that good, to be honest. We made our first song before we had a name, and when I was putting it up on MySpace it was called I Like Money, and we just made it Millionaires. I do have ‘I love money’ tattooed on my lip though. What can we expect from the album? Dani: I think when you listen to our album you should be in a good mood. Don’t listen to it if you’ve broken up with your boyfriend. Allison: It’s fun, so you need to listen to it on the way to a club, or in the club. Anything else we should know about you crazy kids? Melissa: I was a math major and we’ve all competitively and professionally danced. Oh, and we hula. Stay The Night is out now. MySpace.com/millionaires 71
No Ordinary College For the media lovers in limbo, Lewisham College have just created two perfect solutions for you; a brand new Foundation Degree in Music and Production and a BTEC course in Interactive Media and Games Design. We take a closer look at what’s on offer...
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WD know what it’s like having to choose the right college and we’re well aware of the hard choices that lie ahead; we’ve been there and got the sweat stained t-shirt. So instead of the process being difficult, the good guys over at Lewisham College have made it much clearer for the academics amongst us. They’ve implemented two new creative courses that have the facilities, the know-how and the teaching staff to make everything that little bit easier. We speak to the college to find out a little bit more... On your website and in your literature you state that Lewisham College is ‘no ordinary college.’ Can you explain what you mean by this and how the college is continuously improving? Nothing about Lewisham College is ordinary. Our students don’t have ordinary dreams, and we don’t have ordinary teachers or facilities. That’s why we’ve been rated “outstanding” by the official education inspectors, Ofsted. We’re constantly upping our game by introducing exciting new relevant courses and delivering them in first class facilities. What made you implement the new Foundation Degree in Music and Production and the new BTEC course in Interactive Media and Games Design? How will they benefit the students? It’s our job to turn talent into productive skills and jobs, and our courses directly respond to what employers are looking for: that’s why we’ve introduced these new courses. There’s a real market for skilled professionals in the creative industries and our students are in a great position when they leave us, with just under a third of 72 / RWDMAG.COM
the jobs in the British creative sector being located in London. How have your students benefited from the music courses... How much time have you got? Former music students have gone on to start their own studios, become producers and make their own music. Drew Horley, a former music student now has his own studio, The Lab, based in London and has worked with various artists such as De La Soul, Estelle and Ty. He was nominated for a Mercury Music prize in 2004 for his work on Ty’s album Upwards. Others have gone on to higher education, or to work in technical support roles at MidiMusic Studios, and Capital Sound Hire. The Interactive Media and Games Design course sounds great, what will it involve? This course will allow you to develop techniques and skills in game design, web design, apps design, 2D and 3D animation, interactive media, DVD / Web authoring, sound in interactive media, motion capture, digital graphics and more. We see there is a new state of the art centre for the media students, what technology will they have at their disposal? It’s going to be fantastic, we will have all the top of the range packages and applications, including Autodesk Creation, Maya, Mudbox, Motionbuilder, Animazoo Gypsy 6 Full Body Motion Capture and a chromakey green screen. What do you hope they will get from time at college? Our overall goal is to help students progress into the world of work or onto higher education and have successful futures. For further information and to apply today visit lewisham.ac.uk or call 0800 834 545
SHIMMY
SHIMMY
YA!
After leaving Eastenders to pursue her passion for pop music, Preeya Kalidas sits down with Danny Walker to discuss her debut album with production from the likes of Naughty Boy and Labrinth, attention from men and ‘Lust’ lip gloss!?!?
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ost behind what can only be described as ‘WAG’ shades is the petite and pretty form of Preeya Kalidas. After being handed a fresh pear juice she places her (cracked) iPhone on the table, defurs and greets us with a smile... First of all, how are you today? [Energetic] I’m really good. You seem bubbly and energetic today... I’m always like this Danny. Do people tell you to calm down? I don’t think so, I hope not, I just like to resonate positivity. Ok, yeah... I feel it. Do you feel it? Do you feel it? Cos you were a bit negative when I arrived… [Laughs]. Yeah and now I’m smiling... Yeah, now you’re like exuding... Can you explain the pear juice; is that your drink of choice? Yeah, Dan [Preeya’s PR] knows about my drink. It’s always good to have a nice fresh juice at some point in the day. Is that one of your five a day? That is the first one [laughs]. 74 / RWDMAG.COM
So Amira in Eastenders, people loved you for that... I loved being part of such an amazing show watched by millions. It’s one of my favourite continuing drama TV shows. I’ve watched it since I was a kid - it’s the only British soap I watched - actually I used to watch Neighbours. To have the opportunity to be part of that institution was amazing. And how did you get the part? I was nearly in it when I was 16, but thank God I didn’t because Amira was perfect. Everything happens for a reason. I got called about it and then I went in to see the Executive Producer and the casting director, and he said to me, ‘Yeah, this character’s name is ‘Amira’ which apparently means ‘Princess’’ and I was like, ‘Perfect’ [laughs]. Were you like your character? I think with a show like Eastenders it’s down to the actor to create the character. You get a breakdown of what they’re about, but then it’s down to you to act and bring the essence. That is why it is nerve-wracking because you don’t know how the public are gonna take to your character... but I had fun with it. There was lots to play with and I brought a certain aspect of myself... she was very glamorous [points to her own fur coat as proof and smiles] and I’d say I was very glamorous...
NO. I’M REALLY RESPECTFUL. IF SOMEONE APPROACHES YOU, I THINK THAT TAKES A LOT OF GUTS TO COME UP AND TALK TO YOU WHEN THEY’RE INTERESTED. THERE IS NO NEED TO BE RUDE. With the fur coat... ...and the glasses! I had great fun styling her. Has the transition to music been hard? Yeah, the thing is... because I’ve had a career with my acting I’ve never lost sight of what I really, really want to do. I’ve been working hard. I’ve been working with some great up and coming producers – who have had some great success - like Labrinth and Naughty Boy. We like those guys, tell us about your overall sound? I call it ‘triple-S pop’; sexy, sassy, soulful pop. The three s’s. You got that. I just wanted to emulate what I’ve felt through my music. When working with producers like them, I think they’ve managed to capture that. What I love about the creative process is that there are no rules. You literally go in and I am at my most happiest when I’m in the studio, because you can just play, you can do whatever you want to do. What are your favourite tracks at the moment from your album? [Smiles] Oh, there are a few. Boy Boy – which I did with Labrinth, we had such a great day creating that because I literally sat there and played him a load of stuff that I like from my iPod. I’ve got a big ballad on there called Habit, which is a big, big song and of course [the single] Shimmy. And how did the Mumzy Stranger collab come about? When we got signed we were working in Sweden with Cage productions. We were actually working on another song on the album called It Kills Me and they played me a few songs that Celetia Martin (Leona Lewis) had written with these producers and Shimmy was one of them. I heard it and I was like, ‘I love this, I’d love to record it.’ Whilst I was there we fit in another session and we got it back and everyone was loving it. I said to the management that we need to get a collabo on it, with someone who could bring a bit of male energy onto the track. I’m a huge fan of Mumzy, he is so talented. >> 75
<< Yep, we had him in RWD. IF SOMEONE APPROACHES YOU, I THINK THAT TAKES You’ve got taste [laughs]. We sent him the A LOT OF GUTS TO COME UP AND TALK TO YOU WHEN tracks asking if he’d do something on it and he did. It was amazing, we got it back THEY’RE INTERESTED. THERE IS NO NEED TO BE RUDE. and he loved it. And here we have it. Preeya on Preeya’s Fashion: With all of this stuff is there time for a love life in there? What is your favourite item to wear when you’re out, what is I wish [laughs]. How much more do you want me to do? I the best in your wardrobe? dedicate my time to work. Erm, I’ve got a pair of Kurt Geiger shoes that are my favourite There are always Sundays, what do you do on Sundays? heels right now. Go and see my family. I need to see them. Sounds like you’re addicted to heels... So you’re officially single... Ok, there will be a lot of salivating Well, I’ve got a tune called, In My Heels, what do you think? fans at the sound of that info. What about your favourite make-up item? If you say so [laughs hard]. If you say so. There is a lip gloss from MAC that I always use; it’s the only lip Do you get a lot of attention when you’re out? gloss I use. It’s the only one Amira would use as well. It’s called Erm, yeah I meet people when I’m out but I wouldn’t ‘Lust’. necessarily say it was all guys. There are guys and girls. And lastly, how would you describe yourself in one word? Ok? Extra! [Laughs] No... not like that. A lot of the events I go to are work related and also I’m not very good when it comes to men Shimmy Ft. Mumzy Stranger is out 26 July on Mercury chatting me up or not. Records. Check preeyamusic.com How do you/ would you reject a guy? ‘Oh, I’ve got a call...’ No. I’m really respectful. If someone approaches you, I think that takes a lot of guts to come up and talk to you when they’re interested. There is no need to be rude. 76 / RWDMAG.COM
With his debut album just weeks away, Myish artist Incisive lets us know exactly why he’s Doin It...
ow is it going man? You seem very busy at the moment. What have you been up? Between juggling my 9-5, I’ve been continuing the wind up and promo for my upcoming single and album in August. I had another photo shoot last week and we were just going through some pictures. Who were your early influences? When I started in the early ‘90s there weren’t that many UK rappers around, so my only UK rapping influence was my cousin Big Bliz (Shadow Cabinet) – the old school UK hip hop. Apart from that, it was jungle MCs like Skibbadee, BK, Skitz and them... hip hop wise, I was influenced by American MCs - mainly Snoop. How would you describe your music in one word? Integral. How does your Law degree help you with your music? To be honest, I didn’t do music law, it was General Law so don’t think I know everything in the book. I do know how to read and understand legal texts so I guess with contracts, which you constantly deal with in this industry, I’ve got the upper hand. Are there any rappers out there that you’d like to lay down some laws on? Nah... Hopefully when they hear my music, all laws are laid down! We hear your ‘Operation is tighter than Lady Beyoncé’s Single Ladies leotard,’ explain... [Laughs] That was a metaphor my press officer used in my press release. I guess she was highlighting my self-sufficiency. I learnt a long time ago that if you want something done, you have to do it yourself. I record myself a lot - like I literally press record then run into the booth and start rapping. I engineer, mix and master my own stuff in my home studio, I do my own video editing on my blog, website design, digital photography, I burn and print my own CDs. So, I guess the operation is tighter than Beyoncé’s leotard as I can probably produce a full product from scratch. Eventually, though, I do realise that you do need some help, you just have to make sure that the help is just as ‘tight’. So that is where Myish come in, which is Donae’o’s camp, right? Yeah, me and one of the Myish CEOs have a mutual friend so it was hooked up through that. I approached Myish with two unreleased videos and a demo album. They saw the potential in me, so it’s a good partnership. 78 / RWDMAG.COM
Has Donaeo given you any tips? Whenever I see Donaeo he gives me pointers. He played me his new album the other day and he gave me a tip on making monster hits and almost his formula... obviously, I can’t tell you it though! But when I use it, hopefully it will work as well for me as it does for him. What was it like getting your music on Choice FM and 1Xtra? That was a big step in my career when I first heard my songs on the radio. It took it from bedroom music to music that I could actually live and work making. There’s nothing like randomly tuning in and hearing your song on the radio. Tell us about your latest track, Do It? That was produced by a producer on Myish called Vol. It’s a song about persevering over obstacles the game throws you. Do It wasn’t even on the initial album that I submitted to the team. I remember we needed ‘ONE MORE SINGLE’. At first, I was stubborn like ‘Nah, the album is cool’ and as I’ve got creative control I wanted to just leave the album, but I trust the team and know they know what they are on about. I linked up with Vol, recorded it and they liked it. Tell us about the album, who are you working with and whom would you like to work with? It’s set to be released on the same day as the single Do It, on 2 August. We have decided to go slightly unorthodox with this one; we are trying to achieve something that hasn’t really been done before so we can’t walk down the same old paths. We aren’t looking first week sales, it’s more a steep slope, with more awareness, shows and promo. Hopefully people are drawn to me and can get a readily available album. A lot of the time, people have a hot single but take too long to capitalise by releasing an album too late. I’m working with producer Vol, but mainly TE1 who produced six songs on the album. Nutty P also produced a track on the album which features up and coming artist AKS and Baby Blue. I work a lot with a singer/ songwriter called Shakka who is on a few songs on album. I’d like to work with J2K and Sway again – I did a song with them and Baby Blue called London N.E.W.S a while back. I really respect those artists so I’d definitely like to work with them in the future. For more check MySpace.com/incisive1 and incisive1.blogspot.com
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Green Eyes
After catching up with E.N.V in the May issue we touched on his London Street Dance performance, his sound and his lyrical content. Time to focus on what the future holds for this talented musician...
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e should’ve of asked you this first time we met you but...What the heck does E.N.V stand for? E.N.V is actually a shortened version of ‘Envy’ which was the original name I used
to be known as. So what have you been up to since we last saw you in May? Life’s always manic and you think that would keep me out of trouble, [laughs], but not at all. I’ve been working hard in the studio as well as partying like a rockstar, loads of travelling and performing throughout Europe as well as a few big shows in London town too. At the start of the month, London’s Best Dance Crew winners, Definitives, supported me on the main stage at Gay Pride in Trafalgar Square. Smashed it! Check out my new moves [laughs]. Your style of music is really unique. Who or what inspires your style? Being different and unique I believe is a good thing. I’m trying to experiment with old and new, and to create my own identity in today’s music market. I’m inspired by anything and everything. How do you find the inspiration and the creativity for making good music? What is the creative process like? Making music for me is a way of being able to express and release everything that’s screaming inside of me to get out. You can be opinionated, funny and able to influence others and cause a chemical reaction in people that makes them move, dance, and skank out. The possibilities are endless! My creative process varies; sometimes I produce the beat then write, or vice versa. However when I’m inspired on the spot and rapping randomly in public places, I do get the impression that 80 / RWDMAG.COM
people think I’m crazy. How’s the recording for your album going? Have you got a release date for it? The album is sounding HOTTT! I’ve worked hard alongside my management and production team to come up with material worthy to be up there with today’s top artists. The new single will be released 5 November and between RWD, my management and myself, everyone attending the RWD 100TH Issue Exclusive Party will receive an exclusive preview CD of my new and forthcoming single. I can’t wait for it all to be revealed. Keeping my mouth closed has been harder than I ever thought [laughs]. Do you see yourself heading off to one of the major labels one day? I feel having a major label backing me and working alongside me would elevate my career and this is something I have been working towards. Sony, EMI and Universal could all bring something different to the table; however I feel it’s all about finding the right major that shares the same vision as me and my team. It’s not a race to the end, but about the journey and I feel it’s about to get wild. What artists would you love to work with in the future? Chipmunk, Tinie Tempah, Professor Green, Bashy, Giggs, Wiley, Tinchy , Dappy and Fazer... can’t leave Tulisa out though cos her voice is heavy! Watch out for a few other artists too that I’m already working with; X-Rated, Anonymous Girls, Danusia and Nima. Last time we spoke I also mentioned about wanting to work with Adele and Lady GaGa, so watch this space. For more check MySpace.com/envmusicuk
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Meet Manhattan-dwelling, Wu Tang Clan-loving, horror-movie watching Hesta Prynn. We like her blend of electro-pop-artrock and we think you might too... Words by Hattie Collins
PRYNNCE OF DARKNESS…
F
ollowing on from the fallopian tubes previously travailed by Santigold, Lykki Li, and more recently Miike Snow, New York’s Hesta Prynn is creating some really great music at the moment. In her past life as part of rap trio Northern State, the woman born Julie Potash worked with Pete Rock, AD-Rock (Beastie Boys), The Roots, and got props from Chuck D. And while her newer material is sonically more Santigold than Slim Shady, there’s still a lot of hip hop influences within Prynn’s productions. “I love everything about the Wu Tang Clan,” she points out. “That s**t is so dark and so awesome. I feel like a lot of it has seeped inside my life, just by walking the streets with my headphones on. I come home from working and watch a f**ked up horror movie and this is the record that I made.” The EP to which she refers is Can We Go Wrong, six tracks of cross-genre goodness. “I want it to be dark and scary and gross. My life is intense and then I got really into horror. Horror movies to me seem to be the place where the stories are coming from.” As well as slasher sonics, you’ll also get a little bit of rap in there, but given she’s worked with Chuck Brody (Lykki Li, Ra Ra Riot, J.Lo) and Clown from Slipknot, it’s not all boom bap and bass-y beats. Comparisons have been made to Drake favourite Lykki Li as well as Santi and M.I.A., though there’s resolutely a lot of New York in Hesta’s harmonics. “Chuck worked as an engineer on Wu Tang’s Iron Flag but he also has a pop background, and plays every instrument going, 82 / RWDMAG.COM
so we share an aesthetic,” says the Snoop, Damon Alban, Eurythmics and Nicki Minaj fan. “I think both of us being New York kids and having a love of hip hop really has influenced the sound as far as beats but I wanted to blend genres, and do something progressive that I feel is next level.” Described by critics as electro-pop-art-rock, the lyrics are, she grins, inspired mostly by both hardcore horror films, authors like Stephen King and club culture. “A lot of people describe what I’m doing as artsy, and I think that’s true in terms of how I’m presenting myself, musically, and by incorporating dances like vogueing and wacking.” Currently on a UK tour where she’s found wacking the crowd up a storm, this New Yorker is up on our music too; as a DJ she regularly spins “Professor Green, Chase and Status and Tinie Tempah. I love what those guys are doing,” says the girl that played Doggystyle so much she had to buy a second copy. Given her visual look, love of dance and appetite for horror flicks like Martyrs, Eden Lake and Wolf Creek, what’s in Hesta’s future? Film, writing, fashion design...? “I’d like to be involved in film, so we’ll see how that goes. Right now though, I want people to have fun listening to my music, that’s my main focus,” she decides. “This music reflects who I am and what I’m offering to the world.” Can We Go Wrong is available on iTunes now. MySpace.com/hestaprynn
LISTINGS
GIG GUIDE
GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL
@ PILTON FARM, SOMERSET, JUNE 2010 Given this was RWD’s first Glasto, we had no idea what to expect apart from muddy fields, camping hippies and lots of dodgy indie bands. Thank God then that the sun shone and the line-up amazing ! From Giggs, Kelis, and Plan B in the East Dance tent, to Tinie Tempah joining Snoop on the Pyramid stage and performing in Orange’s Chill ‘n’ Charge tent, the UK urban scene was massively represented. Scorcher, Roll Deep, Donaeo, Dizzee, Tinchy, Example, Professor Green.... the list goes on. Though the Gorillaz were really boring, other acts like Muse, Two Door Cinema Club and The Scissor Sisters were spine-tingly good. The camping side was a massive par (going to bed at 5 to be woken up at 7 by the steaming hot sun is not the one), but thank God to Holly Ferguson from Orange’s Chill ‘n’ Charge tent which provided us with an area to shower, eat, drink and charge phones. Literally a lifesaver. (HC)
AUGUST
1 Wu-Tang Clan @ O2 Academy, Glasgow Underage Festival with M.I.A., Annie Mac, Ellie Goulding, Caspa + more @ Victoria Park, London 4 Wu-Tang Clan @ Brixton Academy, London 5 Stornoway @ Liquid room, Edinburgh 9 Sleigh Bells @ The Lexington, London 84 / RWDMAG.COM
11 Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly! @ Borderline, London
18 Roll Deep @ O2 Academy Islington
Professor Green @ Liquid Room, Edinburgh
12 Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly! @ Rock City, Nottingham
19 Jason Derulo @ O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, London
Mr Hudson @ The Ironworks, Inverness
13 Tinchy Stryder @ HMV Picture House, Edinburgh Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly! @ Electric Circus, Edinburgh 14 Kid British @ Box, Crewe
Razorlight @ Sandown Park Racecourse, Esher Aggro Santos @ Inside Out, Darlington Paolo Nutini @ O2 Academy, Leeds Plan B @ HMV Picture House, Edinburgh
21-22 V Festival @ Chelmsford & Shifnal 24 Jason Derulo @ HMV Picture House, Edinburgh 25-26 M.O.P. @ Jazz Cafe, London
26 Pendulum @ Cornish Corn Exchange, Cambridge Channel AKA and Starz Official Summer Party @ Indigo2, London Dizzee Rascal @ Edinburgh Corn Exchange Limp Bizkit @ O2 Academy, Glasgow 27 Chipmunk @ Blackpool Opera House, Blackpool
UNWIND
When he’s not making JuniorJams – congrats on the baby by the way – MistaJam is one of the best DJs to get advice from. So who better to show us how to UnWind, jump on the Pioneer CDJ-350’s and give new DJs a few tips on how to make it big... interview by Danny Walker
F
irst of all, you were at Glastonbury smashing it up... Yeah, I was there on the East Dance Stage and it went really really well. It was my first Glastonbury experience. They were going absolutely crazy to the dubstep and D&B I was playing. They were going nuts too when Giggs was performing as well... they seemed to just love music. What was the Glastonbury footwear saying? Because the weather was amazing, I had my adidas Luke 86 / RWDMAG.COM
Skywalkers on; they’re very sick limited editions. Let’s talk about the various formats we see/ hear you on... No Hats No Trainers, Radio 1, 1Xtra, your website... you’re kinda everywhere. I’m trying to be. No Hats No Trainers went down really, really well. In terms of ratings we were beating T4, which is kinda unheard of for BBC Switch on that Saturday afternoon. I think the British music scene is in a place where we deserve that mainstream TV exposure. How do you relax? How do you escape the madness?
I go home. I’ve got a great family so I spend a lot of time with my family. I tend to go home and switch off. I’ve got a baby on the way, which is gonna be born end of July so... [Since the interview MistaJam had a baby girl with Mrs. Jam!]. Congrats... Yeah, family for me. That’s how I relax. That’s how I focus. That’s my motivation. What about computer games or gadgets? Yeah, I’m a gadget guy. I’m an absolute gadget freak. How many iPads have you got then? I haven’t. I’m a functional gad-
get guy. I don’t see the function of an iPad. For me that money could have been spent on a MacBook. My MacBook Pro travels everywhere with me... and my BlackBerry too but I think I might defect to the iPhone 4. It’s pretty sick... I’m gonna wait for the bugs to wear off and I’ve got my free upgrade later on in the year so I’m gonna have to. This is the first iPhone - once again, I have to see the purpose, but I can see the purpose in this one. What about your BBM friends, are they gonna miss you? I’ll keep the Berry, though just
HOW TO GET JAM HOT…
Listen up if you wanna be the best DJ...
for BBM probably. How many people have you got on there? Too many but anyone who broadcasts gets deleted, straight away. So what’ next? Where are you taking MistaJam.com? The next thing for me is SpeakerBox - the club brand that I’ve been building up over the past kind of year and a half or so. I’m going to be doing a compilation very soon too; it will be the music that I play in the clubs. I’ve got a big fresher’s tour planned for this season as well and then from that, hopefully we can take it
a bit further with the radio. As long as they want me I’m over the moon to do it. It is literally my dream job. To do what I’m doing across Radio 1, and Radio 1Xtra, I absolutely love that. I just want to be doing what I’m doing at the level that I’m doing, if not a little bigger as I go on. Anything to say to the lucky 100 that are going to RWD’s 100th Issue Party in association with Royal Elastics? It’s gonna be possibly the best magazine party... in the history of magazine parties!!! Mistajam.com
So Pioneer have just launched the CDJ-350s, which are perfect for new DJs. What advice would you give to new upand-coming DJs? PRACTICE!!! There is no better tip, literally. Practice can be being in your bedroom and beat matching and making sure that your beatmatching is tight. Practice can be getting your gigs - even if they’re little youth clubs gigs or community clubs gigs - getting those right is key. And record selection is important too, right? Yeah, figure out what records work with what records and what reactions you get when you play certain records to certain crowds. Practice can be making your own mixtape. How do they get that mixtape out? There are so many online outlets that you can get your mixes out there and get instant feedback. You can upload them to YouTube, put them on SoundCloud, do your own blog. All those things are just absolutely key. Are there any no-nos that you’ve seen DJ’s still trying to get away with? Erm... the big no-nos for me are completely catting someone else’s style and their selection. I’ve been booked to play somewhere and the warm-up DJ decides that they’re gonna play my set?!?! They’ll try and copy cat, what it is I’ve done. If you’re a warm-up DJ DO NOT PLAY BANGERS AT 10.30!!! Can you break that down for the new DJs? Don’t get me wrong, there are good warm-up DJs out there, I still play as a warm-up DJ when I DJ for artists. If you’re playing at 10.30 and play all the big time bangers. It will kill the entire vibe of the club and it will kill the headline DJ’s vibe as well. Leave bangers to the headline DJ. One day you will be the headline. If you’re a warm-up DJ, be a warm-up DJ
UNWIND
FILMS
With the World Cup over – that was fun wasn’t it – it’s time to get out of the pubs and soak up a bit of cinematic culture... words by Danny Walker
ADVANCED PREVIEW SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD Universal Pictures UK Cert TBC
With its computer game meets American Pie appearance, Michael Cera’s (Superbad, Juno) latest film could easily be dismissed as one of those ‘Well if nothing’s on’ pre-summer any-flicks. And we’ve seen plenty of those. However after studying the trailer it may have more potential than it lets on. Despite its peculiar premise - Cera aka Scott Pilgrim has to defeat seven evil exes before he can happily date the latest love of his life, Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Die Hard 4.0, Grindhouse) – we have a feeling that it could be good. With a comic book edge, a sprinkling of one-liners and humorous visual effects let’s just hope it lives up to the hype in which we’ve just installed.
COMPETITION TIME: THREE £80 ROBOT CHICKEN BOXSETS TO GIVEAWAY!!!
THE KARATE KID
We’ve linked up with our friends over at Turner Broadcasting – the good guys who give us the insane brilliance that is [adult swim] – to give away THREE Robot Chicken DVD boxsets (worth £80 each). So if you want to be in the hat to get your hands on series 1-4 of that award-winning goodness drop us an email [subject: Robot Chicken] to iwannawin@rwdmag.com before 24 September 2010. In the meantime check out adultswim. co.uk to watch clips of the various [adult swim] shows...
Cert PG
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Sony Pictures Releasing It seems once again that it isn’t just Will and Jada Pinkett bringing home the bacon in the Smith household as their son, 11 yearold Jaden, teams up with Jackie Chan in this 2010 adaptation of a classic. The last time we watched him was in The Pursuit of Happyness - he has been in other films, but they were rubbish – but this is a standout role. Yes this film is cheesier than an Edam factory during Cheese Week but even the toughest amongst us will leave the cinema wanting to buss-a-move. Wax on!!!
UNWIND
SWIMMING LESSONS
Not only are RWD hooking you up with free [adult swim] stickers (you’re welcome) but we’re also giving you a little guide to all things A.S...
After rising to comedy fame since its inception in 2001, [adult swim] has gone from a Cartoon Network spin-off to worldwide phenomenon in a relatively short space of time - and without compromise. Programmes like Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Metalocalypse, Venture Bros., Superjail and of course Seth Green’s awardwinning Robot Chicken bring satire, insane sketches and ‘I can’t believe they just did that’ humour to an eager audience. When the writers aren’t going where other cartoons/ shows dread, they’re poking fun at popular culture or simply ripping the p**s out of someone/ something. For those who haven’t watched A.S, here is a quick look at some of their funniest/ craziest/ worst/ best/ cleverest sketches... Metalocalypse: Dirty Thoughts You’ve got to love the brawn of Metalocalypse - we can only imagine who the band are based on - and this clip... well, we don’t even know where to start with this one. Murderface from the band Dethklok has to go for a medical and the results are truly horrendous. Let’s just say it’s not whipped cream being sprayed into the doctor’s eye. Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Monster Mish Mash One of [adult swims] funniest strands comes in the form of ATHF. Created by Matt Maiellaro and Dave Willis, these hapless heroes (Master Shake, Frylock, Meatwad and Carl Brutananadilewski) are weird-yet-wonderful. In this clip the 90 / RWDMAG.COM
weirdness hits its peak and the moustached one, Carl, is trying his best to impregnate a TV...“If you don’t like my balls hanging out? You look away!!!” Enough said!!! Robot Chicken: Arkhum Asylum Shawshank Redemption There are always sketches that crack you up and leave you talking about them for a while and when we first saw Batman and Joker in the Shawshank Redemption spoof, we instantly knew we’d found one of those very sketches. When Joker flushes the toilet (on the Caped Crusader’s head) and says; “Forget about the Green Mile, try walking the ‘Brown Mile’!!!” it’s more than a lot. This is too much. Stroker and Hoop: Flash Those Sacks Boys These two LA-based ‘private investigators’ just don’t know when to stop and this sketch is beyond berserk. As well as a dangling display from the two - get onto adultswim. co.uk as soon as you possibly can to see it - they seem in great spirits as their privates are displayed for all to see. Hidden by censored words like “Nutty,” “Great balls of fire!!!” and “Sackramento”, the nightmares of what’s underneath will probably never go away. Robot Chicken: What’s The Point Here we have another ruthless Robot Chicken sketch which involves a crazy doctor, an awkward injection and a certain someone going through the windscreen of a lemon yellow car. This is tactless/ hilarious and ends on the rather random quote, “Oh no Arthur, this shot doesn’t go in your arm, it goes in the tip of
UNWIND
GAMES
E3 has shown us that computer games will eventually rule the world... words by Waine James and Danny Walker
ADVANCE PREVIEW MICROSOFT 360 KINECT VS. PLAYSTATION MOVE Microsoft Xbox 360
Over three years have passed since the release of Nintendo’s Wii, and it seems Microsoft and Sony have belatedly decided that they fancy a piece of the motion-sensing action. This autumn Microsoft release the ‘Kinect’ while Sony adds the ‘Move’ to the PS3’s array of peripherals. For the sake of brevity, I’ll skip the debate on whether these advances were needed and instead focus on what they actually do. The ‘Move’, is probably the easier of the two to describe, appearing to be a Wiimote with a light-bulb attached. The sales-pitch from Sony claims that the motion sensors in the Move controller, coupled with the intensity of the light on the accompanying camera (the PS eye) enables games to track you in three dimensions. At last! All the developers of arm-waggling games for the Wii can now start porting their wares over to the PS3. If that has excited you, you may well wet yourself on hearing news of the Kinect. Formerly known as Project Natal, the Kinect is a movement tracking and shape detecting device that enables you to play motion sensing games, without needing a controller at all! In what is clearly a very exciting piece of technology, Kinect recognises player’s actions (and judging by the videos from E3, it looks reasonably sensitive) and maps them directly into the game. The games that have been announced so far look reasonably exhausting; RWD were luckily enough to be invited to play Ricochet which is part of Kinect Adventures... it was quality and we tasted just a tip of the exciting iceberg. With November fast approaching, we’re looking forward to seeing if our arms will be waving in delight, or slumping in disappointment. (WJ) 92 / RWDMAG.COM
MONTHLY MUST TRY ALL POINTS BULLETIN EA PC
Following on from where Saints Row 2 left off – cautiously tiptoeing in the shadow of Grand Theft Auto, you’d think there wasn’t any more room for an all-driving, all-shooting, all-customising free-roamer... well you’re wrong. Geared for the PC gamer who wants a touch more community and customisation to their time online, APB packs bundles of potential. After downloading the 7.32 GB, getting trigger happy as a ‘Criminal’ (other modes have you upholding the law as an ‘Enforcer’) we soon immersed ourselves in the murky but visually rich world of All Points... EA and developer Real Time Worlds could be on to a winner here, we just need to delve a bit deeper.
SNIPER: GHOST WARRIOR
PARKING MANIA HD
EA Xbox 360, PC
Mobirate
Those looking to lie in the shrubs for three hours and pick people off from three miles away like Bob Lee Swagger in Shooter, this is not for you. Thinking that this is a life-render of Silent Scope will have you running back to Game (other retailers are available) faster than you can say ‘reload’. However if you rent or borrow this title knowing full well that the half-decent graphics/ ai/ and story will occupy your time for seven to 33 minutes, this is the perfect choice for you. Look through that scope, breathe, focus... shoot!!!
iPad
It may seem like a rubbish and frustrating game at first but the HD version of ‘the Mania’ - which now comes nice and crisp to suit the splendid iPad screen - is more addictive than two drags on a funny fag (don’t smoke kids). Anyway, with traffic, obstacles and a few surprises in the later levels this will be on your iPad more than you think. Once you get to grips with the controls and understand your bearings this is a fun pick-up-andplay title, heck it might even help you pass your driving test. 93
REVIEWS WILEY
KLASHNEKOFF Back To The Sagas Abstract Urban
One of the most complex MCs in the game, Klash’s output might not be quite consistent in its release dates (he explains the gaps on Intro) but it’s always quality assured. Who else references Roald Dahl, road life, corruption and the record industry all on one album? Helped out by Wretch, The Thirst’s Mensah and Skriblah, the Hackney Rap Attacker devours drum beats, tearing his way through rewind-worthy rhymes. Like an Eminem, even when he’s on 50%, K-Lash is 100% better than 90% of rappers out there. Track To Check: Intro, Klash Anthem (HC)
The Zip Files
EVERYTHING EVERYTHING
White
Man Alive
After an argument with his manager, Wiley threw a strop and decided to leak 200 - count ‘em - tracks to the Internet for absolutely free. Given his work rate, it’s fair to say that not only is Wiley one of the only MCs that could ever do this, but he’s also the only one able to do it to such high standards. Expect incredible tunes from A-List, Wiley The Elusive and also collabs with up-and-comers like Shifty and Cherri V. Changing the game on some many levels once again, the Godfather of Grime is an undoubted genius and we salute him. Track To Check: There’s 200 - take your pick. (HC)
Geffen
THE COUNT & SINDEN Mega Mega Mega Domino
Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for Hervé and Sinden to release their debut album? The talented two have been behind remixes from Miike Snow to Mark Ronson, though on their debut the duo stick to underground collaborators like Rye Rye, Katy B, Trackademics, and the amazing Mystery Jets on standout track After Dark. Encompassing everything from bleepy B-More to wildwestern-electro and indiegarage-pop, the two manage to make a cohesive album despite an amalgamation of aurals. Very friggin’ mega. Track To Check: After Dark (HC)
The latest graduates from BBC’s Sound Of... list, Everything Everything are another all-male alternative indie synth group. They set themselves apart from the rest of the sweaty mob by delivering some bonafide heartfelt numbers to sit amongst the more quirky guitar, keyboards and yelps of the rest of the disc. They do sometimes stain some brilliant songs with a bit of unnecessary melodic annoyances, but on the whole ‘tis a pleasurable listen. Track To Check: Leave The Engine Room (RK)
MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS
TERROR DANJAH
SKREAM
VARIOUS ARTISTS
The Crystal Axis
Power Grid EP
Outside The Box
Future Balearica
Siberia
Planet Mu
Tempa
Needwant
Another Aussie act, but this time a good one. Similar in feel to Justice and Empire of the Sun, this indie-synth trio specialise in ‘slasherflick-disco’ and ‘deadpan landscape.’ Who knows what that means, but their live, trippy dreamscapes that wander lazily over peculiar pop pastures are certainly addictive on the ears. Quite a, ahem, gem. Track To Check: Lara Versus The Savage Pack (HC)
Looks like Terry ‘CoCK Back’ Danje is staying far away from the world of grime, or post-grime or whatever you call it these days. Instead, the one time Kano soundcreator is concentrating on dubstep, ‘experimental grime’ and minimal R&B. Sparse and oftentimes strange, this instrumental offering definitely won’t be to all tastes, but for standing out from the crowd alone, we applaud the talented Terror. Track To Check: Upton Lane (HC)
We didn’t think he could evolve anymore but Oliver Jones has morphed into a super-producer. We knew he could get ravey with a remix, we knew he could DJ and we knew he could produce (Midnight Request Line, Dutch Flowerz and Kut-Off saw to that). With Outside The Box levels are exactly that, outside the mother-fudging box. Tracks like Where You Should Be, 8 Bit Baby and How Real blend dub, jungle, old skool flavours into a beautiful mess. Grab some speakers and shock-out!!! Track to Check: Where You Should Be/ How Real (DW)
Compiled by production duo FETE, take a metaphorical trip on Easyjet to the Party Capital of the World and get your chilled-out on. Featuring The xx, Animal Collective and Cafe Del Mar’s Cantoma, FETE deliver 18 tracks of sun-soaked, sand-between-your-toes tastiness. Makes me want to drink a Mojito. Or three. Track To Check: Animal Collective Loch Raven (HC)
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KLAXONS Surfing The Void Polydor
LA ROUX Sidetracked Renaissance
The tag-team of Elly Jackson and Ben Langmaid are the latest to compile some of their favourite tracks for the Sidetracked series. It’s no huge surprise that there’s a lot of ‘80s electro nonsense, including Tears For Fears, Heaven 17 and Japan. There are also newer songs from I Blame Coco, Fever Ray, and a special version of La Roux’s Rolling Stone’s cover Under My Thumb. All mixed into 1 hour and 4 minutes, there are enough oddities to elevate this to a better than your average ‘celebrity’ comp. Track To Check: Joyce Sims You’re My All And All (HC)
I’d heard a lot of bad things about the new Klaxons record, so after revelling in the definite brilliance of the first two tracks and marvelling at the awesome artwork that features some sort of astronaut cat (an amazing notion), I assumed that my peers were chatting absolute codswallop. I then heard the rest of the disc and like a total eclipse, my opinion was soon aligned to general professional consensus. They’ve basically done an MGMT and made an album pretty much void of all of the things that people liked about them In the first place. Null and void. Track To Check: The Same Space (RK)
HILLTOP HOODS
VARIOUS ARTISTS
State Of The Ar
A Complete Introduction: Sugar Hill Records
Golden Era
Ok, these kids might be critically acclaimed and stuff, and this might be an ignorant statement, but Australian rap? Harold Bishop gets his hip hop on? Soz mate, but this just ain’t bonzer. Track To Check: Chris Farley (HC)
Sanctuary
Even the youngest amongst us will know tunes like White Lines and Rapper’s Delight. But to get an in-depth understanding into part of hip hop’s true roots, you need to add this 4-CD comp to your collection. The iconic label released a host of early hip hop classics; listen to this and see where the likes of Black Eyed Peas found their electro roots, and where Dizzee sourced some of his samples. Complete with glossy booklet, this is one for rap heads new and old. Track To Check: White Lines (HC)
ALBUM OF THE MONTH
PROFESSOR GREEN Alive Till I’m Dead Virgin
Pro Green has been cultivating his debut album for a long time and on first listen you’ll hear that it’s peppered with undertones of perseverance which greet you at every turn. When he’s not Falling Down - (“just when things start looking up it all goes to s**t again”) he’s asking you to Just Be Good To Green. Lifted by anthems like Jungle, I Need You Tonight and Example featuring Monster the humour, metaphoric madness (“...relax with a glass of milk, apparently Pixie drinks Lotts”) and beat selection keep you coming back for more. Growers like Do For You mix with the deepness of Goodnight to create a brilliant balance. This is the debut we’ve been waiting for. Excellent. Track to Check: Jungle Ft. Maverick Sabre (DW)
RWD’S REWINDS
Florence Cosmic Love (Short Club remix) (Island) Rick Ross Ft. Kayne West L.F.D.Y (Def Jam) Cee Lo Green No One’s Gonna Love You (Warner) Magnetic Man Ft. Angela Hunte I Need Air (Columbia) Sky Ferreira One (EMI) Don P (Footsteps remix) Lets Party (Hitmakers Entertainment) Tinchy Stryder In My System (Island) Wocca Flocca Ft. Gucci Hard In The Paint (remix) (Warner) Labrinth Let The Sunshine (Syco) Lady GaGa You And I (Interscope) Rick Ross Ft. Drake & C. Michelle Aston Martin Music (Def Jam) Bashy Fantasy (GGI) Big Boi Ft. Yellawolf You Ain’t No DJ (Def Jam) Kano Upside (BPM) Asher Roth G.r.i.n.d (Island) M.I.A. Ft. Nicki Minaj Teqkilla (remix) (XL) Shontelle Impossible (SRC) Ed Sheeren U.N.I (White) R.I.O Mr. Unpredictable (Rare Breed) Maxsta East London Is Back (Urban Development) Donaeo I’m Fly (My Ish) KOF Ft Wiley & Chelcee Grimes Fire It Up (KOF) 95
UKG/ GRIME/ DUBSTEP/ BASSLINE CHART BY DJ CHEWY 01 BOGORE BOGORE (B Gore1) This EP seems to have raised the game for Bogore. Without a shadow of a doubt it’s his best collection to date. Nympho is absolutely massive. Sunsets featuring Diplo is yet another killer rhythm. 02 DOCTOR P Badman (Dub Police) Take this as a warning, this tune alone can cause tinnitus if listened to more than six times. Due to our younger audience we can’t swear, so this is very hot excrement indeed. Just as big on the flip is Trolley Snatcha with Slowdown. 03 ILL BLU Roll With Me Ft. SpeShil (Promo) Already well known for delivering some of the best underground funky remixes by far, this super offering features SpeShil whose brilliant voices really compliments this absolute gem of a remix. 04 KODE 9 You Don’t Wash (Martyn Remix) (Hyper Dub) With many a formidable combination in the scene over the years, this final outcome is no different. This remix adds that slight bit of funk where there is usually a garish electronic chord to great effect. 05 NY VS. NAUGHTY Seasick (White) After we all witnessed the unique vocal style of Ny with Willow she has coupled up with yet another pioneer, this time the funky DJ/producer/promoter that is Naughty who is definitely in the premier league of the scene. 06 TES LA ROK Wikidness/ Drunken Master (ST Holdings/ Noppa) Includes the massive Mungo’s Hifi featuring Brother Culture who delivers some killer studio lyrics that sit perfectly on the jungle/ska style of this production. Truthfully though I think that Drunken Master does not fit on here as well as its predecessor. 07 HEADHUNTER & GATEKEEPER Ginneys/ Jellyfish (Transistor 003) Messy. This track deserves this title. I can quite easily imagine myself at FWD>> or Rinse moshing to this ever so dirty riddim. You will know it from the female’s voice reminding you to ‘think twice’... BIG. 08 CRAZY COUSINZ Sonar (Digital Holdings) Already making a splash at all of the summer resorts is this clever little funky instrumental from the Crazy Cousins arsenal. It’s got a catchy submarine sonar sample that elevates the whole track. Gone. 09 MELEKA Miss Me (Promo) If my art director spells any part of my chart wrong there will be worries, especially as the very talented Meleka is within this edition (he spelt her name wrong last time!). You need a copy of this tune if you call your self current. 10 LANDSLIDE Get Loose (Compound One Records) The original was released in June which bombed in comparison to this unbelievable refix. I wonder how you feel when the original gets no love compared to the remix? Are you gutted or relieved? 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 96 / RWDMAG.COM
DONAEO I’m Fly (Myish) ZERO G + MARCUS VISIO Ain’t No Joke (Nu Urban) MELANIE FIONA VS BREAKAGE It Kills Me (Universal) DIGITAL MYSTIKZ Return Li Space (DMZ) RAMADANMAN Fall Short (Ramadanman Records) DJ FRESH Gold Crust (Data Records) CALIBRE Tenopause (Deep Medi Muzik) ENGINE EARZ/ DJ PRIMECUTS Born Inna System/ Struggla (Skitz Records) FLUX PAVILLION Got 2 Know/ Normalise (Circus Records) BENGA Phase One (Tempa)
LAST WORD: Aisleyne
With Big Brother being consigned to Room 101 (Nineteen Eighty-Four readers will know what we did there), Rajveer Kathwadia goes in with one of the reality show’s most popular housemates to talk guns, gangs and glamour...
L
ast time you did an interview for free? This one. I’m a fan of RWD and that’s why I’m doing it for free. You guys are really privileged. Last time you were on Big Brother? Big Brother 7 in 2006. I don’t regret anything, I loved it. It really helped me a lot, both financially and personally, because you get to reflect and see yourself through other people’s eyes. Last time you were upset that Big Brother is ending? Now. I’m devastated. It’s got such a massive following like you wouldn’t believe on the Internet and everywhere. I have fanmail coming in from all over the world and I think it’s a pity that a few bad people have messed it up for everyone. But all good things come to an end don’t they? Last time you were asked to go back into the Big Brother house? If I was I couldn’t tell you now. Even I probably wouldn’t know until the last minute. Davina McCall has announced that during the last two weeks ex-housemates will be going back in, so who knows? Would you wanna go back in? If they pay me loads of money (laughs) Last time you told someone to ‘know yourself!’? I think I said it to some guy who pinched my bum. He thought it was funny. But I love saying it to fans. Last time you were attacked? That was at the Pimp premiere. I thought it was loads of people attacking me, but it was only one opportunist who had a go. He was a proper k**b. It was awful. When it happened I was devastated. Things like that happened to me years ago, but I’m living a different life now. Last time you released a book? May last year and it was called Aisleyn: Surviving Guns, Gangs and Glamour. It’s an autobiography, but it’s not all about Big Brother, but it’s more about my experiences of growing up in London and losing loved ones to street-crime, and then trying to get out of that as well. I feel really privileged that Henry Holland said that it’s the best book ever written! I’m working on my second book at the moment which is a model’s guide on how to become a model in London. It should be done by the end of the year. Last time you had a boob job? Last year when I had my second boob job. I used to have fake nails, fake hair, fake everything, but I can’t stand the fake stuff
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now. Apart from my boob job. They’re amazing. I’m happy with them (laughs). I wouldn’t change them for anything. Last time you were papped with your celebrity mates? Probably with either Amy Winehouse or Mike Tyson. I’ve got a load of celebrity mates, but I love them all equally... maybe Amy a little bit more! She’s doing really, really good at the moment. Last time Mike Tyson proposed to you? In January 2008. Did you say yes? No comment darling. Read my book if you want to know! (Laughs). We’re gonna put an order in for the book right now! Do it! It’s cheap on Amazon! Aisleyn: Surviving Guns, Gangs and Glamour is out now.
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