DROP Magazine issue 1

ISSUE 1 JULY 2011

FULL FORCE ENT Grime special FU-TURE The next generation GOLDIE Creative revolution DUB FREAKS XFIVE DUBS MISTER SIX Dubstep review

SLICK DON Free online quarterly magazine

WHAT’S MY NAME?

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DROP ISSUE 1 DROP MAGAZINE is proud to showcase the UK Underground music scene, which is producing some of the most exciting and forward thinking music in recent times. We aim to bring the best new urban music from Grime to Dubstep, Funky, Bassline, Drum & Bass and Garage. Read, listen and watch, get the full experience as music should be.

CONTENTS FULL FORCE ENT Grime special, we go in the studio with one of the UK top grime teams

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DUB FREAKS At home with Revo and Dantini, two of the core members of the dubstep pioneers

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MISTER SIX Dubstep review, showcasing the best in the scene.

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GOLDIE the legend talks about how to start a creative revolution

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SLICK DON We discuss his latest single “Whats my name”

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X5 DUBZ Audio Interview with one of the best Bassline and Funky producers after DROP Part 4

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FU-TURE Introducing you to the future of the UK underground music scence

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CREATOR AND EDITOR

Steven Williams

CONTACT

Advertising Enquiries Stevenwilliamsdesign@gmail.com

The next issue will be available in October 2011, focusing on the thin line between underground and mainstream artists.

Event & Feature Enquires Facebook Add - Drop wolves Facebook Like - Drop Music Twitter - @DROP_ promotions

SHOUTS

Big up everyone who featured in this issue and every one who is helping promote DROP. Special thanks to Joesph Myers, Nic Megoran and Haobo Chen.

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At Curls studio, based in small block

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of flats, welcomed by the team.

(1). Genos one of the elders of the group. (2). Highquality Breeza (watch out for Highquality the mix tape out now) (3). Sub Zero one of the newest members (4). Spydz one of the leaders, calling the shots behind the scenes (5). Genos and Dwayne reppin WV (6). Tonytouch

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laying down a quick verse (7). AK one of the younger members at 17.

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FULL FORCE ENT In the studio with one of west midlands top Grime teams, talking music, events and the evolution of grime music, going in full force.

Okay cool, so introducing yourselves.

Spydz: Well, we are Full Force ENT previously known as back in full force, we’ve had a few change to the camp. I reckon Full Force ENT actually shows the level of professionalism we’ve stepped up to within the past six months. I’m spydz by the away, Genos one of the senior members and this is Toxic one of the newest members of the crew. We are both from Wolverhampton, Toxic is from Tamworth.

So where everyone from then?

Spydz: Mainly we’re all Midlands based. We are actually all midlands based but saying that we have actually had a new member join today by the name of sub zero. He was original from Wolverhampton but he moved down to London and he flips between both.

It all began when Webster (leader who is not present) came out of Penn, somebody made him a dubplate special and they used the line back in Full Force, said he wanted to run with it. That’s literally where it started from.

Me and him were working together and we discussed ideas about the first tune, what the logo was going to be, what we wanted to do first. We started promoting under 18’s events and it started to go well but there were a few

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hiccups which meant we had to take time out for a little bit. We were still writing, making tunes here and there but we weren’t hitting the studio as much as possible to be honest. Genos: The first dance we did at under 18’s, went off. It was mental.

Spydz: Two weeks promotion. Genos: Only two weeks promotion and it was absolutely cramped.

Spydz: We started on Facebook and then we got flyers the next week. Genos: That’s what I’m saying, it was rammed. And literally, obviously you know how it is on the road side, certain people don’t like to see certain people doing too healthy.

Spydz: Basically, there were rumours of stuff that were supposed to happen at the dance and that’s

can’t put it out there. Okay, when you started, how many was there in the team? Who were the originals? Spydz: Originally we started off with Webster, myself, Spys and Genos, CS, AK. I think that was everyone. That was the bulk of it.

Tell a lie, there were other people involved Full Force back in that time but they weren’t really

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why it couldn’t go ahead. But it was obviously a case of because no-one had touched that market before, they saw that it was profitable for us.

We don’t know who it is but obviously someone thought, you know what..... Genos: We got some ideas. Spydz: Yeah, we got some ideas but it’s obviously conception you know what I mean. We

artists. We had promotion people. Benny Dred, DC One. Obviously we had the producers. The original producer was Bales and PK9. K1 joined eventually and then we’ve got another producer with us now, El-star and Lock-up. They’re doing massive things right now; they’re doing big things for us. From then we took time out up until

Superstar (track). Superstar was a big smash.

When was that? Spydz: That was towards the latter part of last year featuring Webster, Socks and Brutal. (How did it do?) Spydz: To be honest with ya, it’s just been all up and down the country.

Genos: Got bare bookings all over the gaff and that. Spydz: Yeah, we got a fare few bookings

lot of versatility. Spydz: We got some rock/grime coming out. We’re jumping hard on the dubstep as well. Genos: I’ve been dubstep from day one.

Are you guys trying to follow marketable grime or are you trying to be your own thing? Spydz: We’re definitely trying to be our own thing. It’s just a case of, we’re not limiting

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off that. To be fair it did quite good for a grime tune. Especially from ends that we weren’t really focused on back then. So would you guys say that your strictly grime? Spydz: No. Toxic: I do a lot of grime and hip-hop. Spydz:: Well there you go. Personally, I work with electro, bit of RnB. We got a lot of bangers coming out. Genos: A

ourselves. It’s a case of, we’ll do this for the road but if we want to be serious and take it somewhere to a point where we want all the general public to be seeing our stuff then we’ve got to make sure that we make marketable music as well.

So individually, because your all different ages, what was the point for you where you said “I’m gonna do this” or who inspired you?

Spydz: It was when my boy Tony used to bring tapes of Wiley, Dizzee, all the original veterans.

Listening to them on the radio used to make me think, that could be me. I’ve been writing for 11 years and I always though that was unreachable.

The closer it got to home we realised that we could do the same if not better. Genos: When I was younger I was listening to MC Vapour, that made me want to write lyrics. I did a bit at school and I had just started college when I got serious.

What’s been the biggest success of Full Force?

Spydz: Obviously we’re still developing but when we came back from the little kick that we had, we

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came back strong. Genos: We have a 45 minute slot in the O2 academy in November so that’s looking like a big thing. If it all goes well we’re going on a tour.

What do you think will be the big track that solidifies you?

Genos: Everything’s underground at the moment but we’re going to release everything at once and let people decide what’s the best. So we aren’t really at the level where we can say that blew us up the most.

What’s your views on the people like Stay Fresh? Do you see them as competition or someone you’d like to follow in their footsteps?

Spydz: Both. Competitions healthy. You always try to raise the bar.

What’s your opinion on Stay Fresh as a camp?

Toxic: To be honest I’m a fan, I like their music.

We aren’t trying to watch what other people are doing, we’re focussing on what we’re doing

Click image to play video instead of watching others and saying that we’ve got to do what they’re doing. Spydz: They’ve opened doors. They’ve shown people that if you want to make music, you can make music.

Tell me about the structure?

Spydz: Webster was the head but it had always been that I would take his place if he went away for a while, but we all sat down as a camp and decided that if we all couldn’t see eye to eye then we would be the one to make the decisions.

Is there a hierarchy because of the age differences?

Spydz: When we move forward, we move as a camp. Everybody brings their own to the table.

On a final note, what’s on the horizon for Full Force in 2012?

Genos: We’ll have PAs, we’ll be spending a lot of time in the studio. Spydz: There will be mix tapes coming out and I say we’ll have music on the TV.

Catch Full Force ENT performing live on Saturday 22nd July, supporting TRILLA @ Alchemy Wolverhampton. Tickets are available now, check out DROP Wolves Facebook page for more details.

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DUB FR

REAKS

DUB FREAKS For this Dubstep special DROP went to the home of Dubfreaks own Revo, for a discussion with him and Dantini, two of the core members of Dubfreaks.

Who were the original dub freaks, how many were there?

Revo: At the start there were 7. We built up from 2. Len and Nicky came just for DJ’s because the two people that started it, me and my mate Henry, we couldn’t really DJ so we just though we need DJ’s for gigs and stuff. Henry knew Dream so he got involved and then we all started to learn to produce and DJ. Dantini: One thing that was really good about us was some of us were producers and some of us were DJs, so we had a really good blend of talents and it all just kind of seemed to fit together. Revo: We all have different styles too, we all play different styles of music. We all come from different backgrounds too as you can see. Some came from a more rock background, others from grime so it was a real good mix and variety.

What age did you start at?

Revo: I was 16 when I started. Dantini: Everyone else in the group was 16,17,18 and I was 20. So I was the old head of the group.

How long has Dub Freaks been going?

Revo: Just over a year now. A year in december.

Most of us aren’t really artists under Dubfreaks anymore because we just want to be more

individual. So we’re just running it as a management team now. Dantini: It’s more like a collective. There’s a lot of people who aren’t in Dubfreaks but are affiliated.

Describe your sound?

Dantini: When I started off my sound was quite filthy. As I became a better producer my sound has evolved to a more club/melodic sound. I had one tune called Final Escape which went onto UKF. Revo: I’m not sure what my sound is. I’m still trying to figure it out. Because I’ve been listening to a lot more music from my Dj-ing, I’ve gone off all the heavy music and more into melodic so one day I’ll make a heavy tune that still has all the melody to it.

How do the process of making a track done for you?

Revo: It’s different. Sometimes I’ll just put a something together and work around that and other days I’ll just hear something weird in a song and I’ll just put it into my song but in a different way. Other times I’ll just think of something weird in my head and then I’ll record myself making noises, play it back then just make it. Dantini: Sometime I just listen through my samples and I’ll hear something good and use it. Other days I’ll

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just sit there and make nothing. Every song has a different process.

How have you guys become so big?

Revo: I think the main reason why Dub Freaks got so big was because it was different at the time. We just wanted to bring something new to the table. It’s been good for the promotion.

Dantini: The fact that we used social networking definitely helped a lot more. We’re really active on Facebook. In the beginning it was so meteoric how we rose. We didn’t know what to do. We held our first even 2 months after we started. The event sold out. We we’re completely shocked.

Revo: Since then we’ve held three more, the last of which was 18+.

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Where do you want to stand in your career?

Dantini: Myself I’ve had a break from music but I’m just getting back in. Through people that you meet you will get bookings and stuff. I want to progress as far as I can and see how big I can get.

Revo: With me I’ll keep Dub Freaks going for as long as possible but that’s not my main passion.

Since I started DJ-ing I like the feel of performing more than producing. Especially when you play your own tune.

Do you think dubstep will ever be consistently in the charts?

Revo: Yeah because I think there’s a lot more appreciation for it. The dubstep crowd is getting so big so it shows that a lot of people have respect for it. Dantini: You can always tell when people

have a passion for it when you hear the sound.

Do you think dubstep will last 5 or 6 years more or is it a flash in the pan ?

Revo: Yeah I think it will just blend in. I think it will just become like any other genre really. Dantini: There are going to be a group of people that are still going to listen to it in 10-15 years. It might not be the most popular sound but I think that there will still be a big fan base for it.

Would you like to be signed by a big label or become a big label?

Revo: To be honest I’d like to be both. I wouldn’t like to be signed under Dub Freaks but I’d like it to become a label on its own. Dantini: I’d like to be signed to a big label because it means that

you’re doing something right and that you’re getting recognition for it.

What’s going to be that thing that sets you apart from everyone else?

Revo: Just making good tunes to be honest.

Dantini: Last week I threw out an EP that was just remixes of old tunes. That’s been quite popular.

I’ve got a new project that’s like sub heavy sounds, taking it back to old school sounds.

In 2012 who do you think is going to be big?

Dantini: Nero definitely. Chase & Status, Flux Pavilion. Revo: Dream. He’s good, he’s starting to really blow up. Dantini: I think he’s gonna be a big name. There’s so many different good producers out there right now.

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MISTER SIX DUBSTEP REVIEW I’m Joe Myers, also known as Mister Six. I started production several years ago and have already got releases on Code of Arms, 2 Much Bass and Chronos Records. You can find my sounds at soundcloud.com/mister-six!

Kryptic Minds - Just After Sunset ALBUM - Can’t Sleep Kryptic Minds have always been known for their deep and heavy tracks.

They manage to hit the perfect compromise between aggressive and mellow, making their tracks beautiful and dark respectively. They began by releasing drum and bass on labels including Penetration, Renegade Hardware, Tech Freak, Freak Recordings and the infamous Metalheadz.

I remember getting a Defcom records mix CD with knowledge magazine a few years back and playing it to death. The Can’t Sleep album has been out for a little while now on Black Box (since April 2011) but it definitely is still getting a lot of play from me. The whole album contains so much depth that you won’t tire of revisiting it. My favourite track from the album is ‘Just After Sunset’. It is a moody track that contains a classic Kryptic Minds deep bass line ornamented by sharp percussion. A soft synth carries the bass line along and adds a touch of beauty to a deep, dark track.

Koan Sound - Max Out ALBUM Max Out EP I absolutely love this EP. It’s the direction that I believe many dubstep artists will and are following. Although trip hop and 100bpm isn’t a new concept, the way in which Koan Sound pull it off with a dubstep and neurofunk bass line influence is seriously catchy. It was difficult to choose which track to put in from the EP but Max Out is probably my favourite.

The drums contain little fills and ‘boing’ samples that carry the track along nicely. The percussion changes throughout making it constantly exciting. The EP is out on Inspector Dubplate’s new label ‘Inspected’ and is available on itunes now, go and grab a copy!

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Vaccine - Fever (Kito Remix) ALBUM - Kito EP This tune is absolutely beautiful. It’s an amalgamation of electro, dubstep, bleeps and female vocals. It has lots of sounds going on simultaneously but they all work perfectly together. This is a perfect track for the summer. Released at the end of 2010 on Disfigured Dubs.

It is fantastic to see a female artist getting recognition in a genre that seems to be dominated by male producers.

Tek9 - Brutality RELEASE - N/A Tek9 is someone that I have recently started to follow. Neurofunk bass lines are right up my street. Brutality is raw, heavy and reminds me of why I fell in love with drum and bass, but it’s happening for dubstep all over again. The synth that comes in on the second drop reminds me of the synth used by The Prodigy in ‘Omen’- lovely stuff.His remix of ‘Speculate’ by Phear Phace will be on a remixes EP, forthcoming on 2 Much Bass Records later this year. Very excited for this release!

Aufang - Dulceria (Deco Remix) RELEASE - N/A Ok so this is a shameless self promotion of my new project Deco. I decided to go all mellow and wanted to create a track for those summer days that you never want to forget. The original is a fantastic track with so much going on, I would advise you to go and check it out!

Rotek - Deep in the jungle ALBUM THE DESTRUCTION EP For my last track I give to you Rotek. Oh my days does this sound massive in a club! The bass literally screams at you. The track has numerous break downs with filtered drums that build up to giant drops.

This is probably one of the most brutal tracks I have heard in a long time.

Out on Mass Execu7ion records in the near future, I believe it is their first vinyl release too! The other tracks on the EP are huge as well with Vylex, Kasket and Decree adding to the filth.

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GOLDIE Creative revolution

GOLDIE Creative revolution

Goldie is an electronic music artist, disc jockey, visual artist and actor. He first gained widespread public attention for his innovations in the jungle and drum and bass music, having previously gained more limited exposure for his work as a graffiti artist. He has gone on to be in a James Bond Film, conduct an orchestra become obsessed by Yoga and maintain his underground music credibility by djing in the worlds best clubs.

Putting it simply he is a bit of legend. He talks about how to start a creative revolution with Kate Hutchinson. I travelled to the Red Gallery in Old Street to attend the talk held by Diesel School of Island Life.

What does the creative revolution mean to you?

I think in the modern days it’s a bit different. From my perspective I grew up in a society where I was segregated and the revolution means wanting to be different and stand out. For me it was just to be different. To be a rebel and try different things.

How did you get into the street art scene?

For me it was trying to leave my mark, not just do a piece but to do a whole piece like the letters, the background, the character and to try to get back to the basic principles. When I was in care I never had any family. This culture came along that had family bonds because they took

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me under their wings, a crew and you have your place in the crew. You had strength.

So you think that classical music can relate to the younger generation?

I think that music in general has come from that. It’s not about the instruments, it’s about the sounds that come from the resonation that those instruments create and the sound in between. You get two sounds and put them together and it’s about the resonation in between, that’s what I want.

That’swhat I’ve always looked at.

Can you explain why reinforced records was such an inspiration to you?

It was just taking breakbeat from

hip-hop and revolutionising the way you can apply it. We were doing things at 150 bpm and people though that we were being ridiculous and just too fast.

I think that there was just this software revolution and also the way you applied yourself to it. I think if you add the equipment that you have now then, I think it wouldn’t have worked because we were trying to innovate stuff.

We were putting sounds into equipment that wasn’t built for that sound. I think it was great because there was so much happening and I think rap was doing a different thing then, there was the whole old school thing but I think this country was all about this fabric of emotion.

You didn’t say anything verbally but you used the sound.

Why did that have such an impact on you?

I don’t know. I think it’s just because people wanted change. I think today’s society is heading towards another big change. I think 2012 is going to be huge. Massive in fact.

What do you think that change is going to be?

The revolution of music has always happened and it’s always happened by the people that believe in it. Change now is more important for me to revolutionise my own way of thinking.

How can you stop your own personal revolution from being corrupted by the main stream?

The answer is in the question.

You just have to do the best of what you can do. You revolutionise yourself by just being here. For many years I’ve had this light. And if you can make this light prismatic and go through a prism and just push it out in all directions, that’s what I find really interesting about what I create.

Who has inspired you through the years musically?

Musically, Miles Davies is a constant hero in my life. I think Charles Mingus because of what he did. People forget that Mingus was a composer. He

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wasn’t just a bass player, he was a terrific composer.

Do you think that dubstep had a hand in revitalising drum n bass?

I think it’s great because the beautiful thing about it is that we were the bastard child of rave, dubstep was the illegitimate child of drum n bass so there’s sort of a self respect.

Skream, Benga and everyone else later on will laugh about it but it was a really big point about, even with dubstep now, in 5 or 6 years time when the new stuff comes they’ll have to respect dubstep.

You said you were making a new album?

About time really. It’s a hobby for me you see. I’ll just trod along doing little albums and doing what I do because it’s Goldie music, it’s my music it’s what I want to do. But this your I thought, I’m 45, I’m in the best mental and physical shape of my life and I really mean that.

I just want to make that album where I’m celebrating being me.

WHAT’S MY NAME ?

DROP travelled to Birmingham to talk to Slick Don, known for being one of the UKs top bassline Mc’s. We caught up with him to chat about his latest single ‘What’s my name’.

Explain the transition from when you left school or college into doing music?

Well I started when I was in secondary school, my friends used to mc but I weren’t really an mc at the time. But I used to watch them and take it in, and I thought I want to be involved in this, so later on at college I studied music, I don’t know why because it didn’t really help me, I was MCing at the time, I started MCing when I was 14. Yeah I’ve gone from there to this.

So it’s a big leap, so tell us about where you’ve performed before?

To cut along story short, I’ve performed in most cities in the UK, London, Manchester, Leeds, yeah all of them.

What been your favourite one of all?

Ha ha, that is the hardest question ever. Erm I couldn’t just choose one, I’d say my favourite places to perform would be Manchester, Birmingham obviously because that’s where I’m from and Sheffield.

Homegrown from Birmingham, how have you managed to become this star of bassline?

At first I started doing grime music, and I noticed it wasn’t getting me anywhere, but I liked doing that so that’s what I kept on doing. Then I heard bassline come about, this was when I was 16/17, and it’s a 140 tempo with wobbly basslines and it suited my style, and I thought I could jumped on this and do something good on it. So I messaged witty boy from Leeds and I hooked up with him, he was the first producer that I actually did a bassline track with, and then from there things just took off.

Recently I saw your video for Flush Raw and it showed that you can do grime acapella, why then bassline, why not grime, was the opportunity not there for you?

I don’t think I could have done it within grime, because at the time grime weren’t a club music, and police were trying to shut it down. As an artist what a lot of MC’s don’t understand is that sometimes to push yourself out there, you’ve got to make club music, and I’ve noticed when I was doing grime music, some of my tunes where getting around on peoples phones and that. Which was good, but it wasn’t exactly what I wanted out of my music career, and I noticed when I jumped on bassline, that my music started

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getting played in clubs and I started getting noticed all over the UK. How is the feeling of knowing that your are on people’s phones and that people listen to you religiously?

Ha ha, it feels good to be honest, but at the same time that’s what I make music for, so that all people can enjoy it. I make music for people of all age groups and its what I love doing, so I’m glad that people enjoy listening to my music and can relate to what I do.

It’s a good point that you’ve raised, that you make music for all ages, what makes you unique from other MC’s is that your music is generally quite positive, why did you choose to go down that route?

I’m a positive guy in general, I don’t like being or talking negative, to get through life I prefer to be positive. I might do the negative track here and there, but that’s because that’s what I’ve experienced in my past, or what I’m going through, but yeah most of my tracks are positive, as I try to live a positive life.

Where do your inspirations for your songs come from, one of your biggest songs is “I want to take a bum brownin home” where did you get the inspiration for these tracks?

Ha! That inspiration came from, a lot of people do it, they go out to a club weekly and they take girls home, and it just so happens that I happen the majority of the time, I take brownins home.

So ‘ha ha’ that what I spoke about, if it happened that I was taking the majority of black girls home every week then I would have called it (rhymes) I wana take a blackberry home! Ha ha but it was brownins! But I love all girls get me.

How does the process work, when making 27

a track, does it happen on a notepad or in the studio?

There’s different methods, most of the times its when I’m just doing my daily thing and an idea will come to my head, I will note it down on my iphone and then when I get home I will elaborate on that and make it into a track. Then sometime I’m in the studio and a producer will play a beat an ill feel it and then something will just come to my mind, like that’s how my second track in bassline, Oh yess, that’s how I did that track.

What would you say has been your most successful track so far?

Theres 3, theres “Oh yes”, “I wana take a bum brownin home” and “all night long”.

So what’s your personal favorite?

“All night long” but that’s because when I perform it I just get a mad feeling inside of me, a bad adrenalin rush, its one of them tunes that when it gets played you can tell everyone’s feeling it inside. It’s a positive track but when you hear it just makes you want to punch someone up!

You mention in your Flush Raw video that MC’s send for you, can you elaborate on that please?

Its not actually about anyone in particular, my friends have come to me and they’ve said, (laughs) have you heard that mc send for you, I don’t know half these MC’s! You know what I think it is, in music in general I think there are attention seekers, who when I’m shining don’t like it and do silly things like that.

Who promotes your tracks, and enables them to get the high amount of views?

I recently got a management team, but that’s happened in the last month. Everything that everyone would have seen, like the YouTube

tracks, is purely me its no on but me. You learn over the years, I’ve been doing it since I was 14 and you learn as you go along.

How did you get your first videos out then?

I’ve only ever done two official videos, that’s What’s my name and all night long. All night long video came about when the track blew off basically. I though that this would be a good one tune to do a video for. I’m trying to push bassline at the same time you know what I mean.

You say your trying to push bassline music, the fact that bassline is quite reputable but yet it hasn’t made distinct chart success, how is that?

The bassline scene hasn’t really got any structure, and there’s a lot of politics. Like the commercial tracks like T2 with heart broken, that was the only tune that’s got really big success from bassline.

So why the sudden lapse of having a number 1, to not being in the charts again, is it a dying genre or has it not yet hit its peak?

It’s not dying, with all genres in music it’s a circle, no genre ever dies. 2/3 years ago people were saying that grime is dead because it wasn’t getting played in the clubs, but now everyone’s doing grime again. Basslines just going through a ruff patch at the moment, I guaranty that in a year or less then that, bassline will be back again.

At the moment with the upsurge of dubstep, there’s been a cross pollination between genres, certain acts such as p-money, originally a grime artists now jumping on dubstep and creating this whole new breed of music. Is this something that you’d be interested in, as you seem versatile as an artist?

I am very versatile, I’m not just a bassline mc, I never started on bassline, I started on grime, people like p-money doing dubstep, that’s the routes he choose that benefited him and its opened doors for other artists within bassline and grime. I’ve got a lot of tracks that aren’t even bassline stored up, electro, pop that are not released yet.

So when are these coming out?

Yeah the Album is coming out at the end of July, what’s my name is the leading single and in a month or I’m dropping my second single but I can’t reveal what that is just yet.

So tell us about “What’s my name”?

Out now on I-tunes, its being played on radio 1 and 1xtra and many underground stations, it’s the build up for the album, and hopefully gain some more plays on radio, following that it should be on a few music channels.

Don’t you also organize events?

As well as being an artist I also run my own night which happens every few months and that’s called “Just Jam” the next instalment of that is on Friday 24th June @ Sugar Suite & Oh Velvet in Birmingham on Broad Street, I simply do them because I know there’s people like me who like to go out just to purely enjoy themselves on a strictly good vibes thing...the last few “Just Jam’s” have all been sell-outs so yeah man hopefully the next one will follow in there footsteps!

Final note; what your plan for the future?

I’m doing ok right now but theirs still so much within my music career that I want to achieve so yeah it’s all a journey for me and I’m just going with the flow. Just Watch out for the album titled “Everybody hates Slicks”

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X5 DUBZ The funky and bassline scene pioneer

DROP Part 4 was a huge success, playing only the best in urban music, DJs on the night were TRC, Johnny B-line and X5 Dubz. We interviewed x5 dubz and found out about his successful career as one of the UK top Funky and bassline producers. To listen to the interview click the play button above.

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FU -TURE

DROP introduces you to the future of the urban music scene, from Grime, to Dubstep, Drum & Bass, UK Garage, Funky and Bassline. The UK underground music scene is the hub for untrained creative musicians, this pioneering scene has informed mainstream “urban music” for generations. In this article we focus in on a few of the underground finest, covering all based from MC’s to Producers and Dj’s. These are the ones to watch out for, the future is now!

ANTIKZ, 22, Birminham Dubstep producer & DJ Career achievements: Performing @ Hotoneten X Bullettrain Carnival Party in London Alongside Newham Generals, El-B, Yasmin, DJ Cable and more.

Performing @ Filthy Thrills, Hamburg, Germany Singles/ albums produced or released: The Brain Eaters Monsters Path (Original & VIP)MenaceMake A Wish (Noob Dub) So tell us why Dubstep, why did you choose to specialize in this genre? Since discovering Dubstep over 3 to 4 years ago I’ve always knew that I wanted to get musically involved, going raves and seeing some of the big names perform like Skream, Benga, Hatcha, Kromestar, Plastician ect. Also learning the background and the roots of Dubstep just made me want to get involved even more, its always a joy just doing something you love. Dubstep hasn’t been around for long, do you think it will go the distance? Definitely! There’s alot of talented Producers and DJ’s involved in Dubstep and alot of good music being made over the years. Plus there is alot of up and coming producers making there way up the ladder.

With artists like Magnetic Man, Breakage & Distance already breaking through there’s no reason why not! What’s your opinion of the likes of Doctor P and funtcase (circus one) who are becoming household names, is this a good or bad think for dubstep? Well in my opinion, anyone

involved in Dubstep who’s breaking through like them guys are is always a good thing, It might not appeal to everyone, even people in the same scene, but to me its still progress. Dubstep evolved from Drum and base and Dnb evolved from Rave music, what do you think will happen next? People are bringing something new to the table everyday, Eventually something new will evolve but for now lets just make good music and see what happens. How do your react to react to the fast adapting/mutating music genre? When it comes to the music I’m pretty open minded, everyone wants to bring something different, there own style, which in my opinion is a great thing, It brings individuality, which will attract more people to scene. Is finding new music to put out as exciting as making a record of your own? Well I wouldn’t say they were far apart, I love getting new tunes off producers and even discovering new producers, But there is nothing better than creating your own music, with your own style, Then receiving positive feedback from the people taking there time to hear what you’ve got! If dubstep was to be a superhero what would their superpowers be? Well if any of you have ever been Goonies then I’d have to say the power to make man mosh like idiots till about 4 people are k.o’d on stage!... That’s powerful man! ha ha. BIG UP!

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PRODUCERS & DJS

CRT, 17, Wolverhampton Right now I’m working on my first release which will be a 4 track EP, wouldn’t really class it as grime but its all around 140 tempo.

I’m also working with a few MC’s from the Midlands and also a few singers on other projects too. At the moment I’m just focusing on trying to promote my sound and getting as much vocals recorded as possible and just enjoying working with the people I have so far! So tell us why Grime, why did you choose to specialize in this genre? I wouldn’t say I specialize in grime but definitely at working around 140 bpm. Its jus a tempo I work comfortably at and grime artists and DJs seem to like the sound I bring. I listen to a lot of soulful hip hop & RnB for inspiration and like to research the way certain sounds and instruments work and I try to show this through my music. At the moment I’m recording with more singers then MCs and just experimenting with different things to see what works best and see what people want to hear more of! Do you think grime is at its pinnacle now, as artists such as Skepta are hitting the charts and being played a lot on mainstream radio?

Not just yet because I think as a genre its still progressing but I think there’s a lot more to come over the next few years. I think seeing people like Skepta & Chipmunk in the charts is an inspiration really because it shows as long as your willing to put

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time and effort into your music it will pay off eventually. I think with them working with American artists is opening the door for a lot more MCs to come through. I think the radio stations help a lot too with shows dedicated to grime and urban music. Tinchy Strider, Chipmunk …. Sellouts? Is the trend of ever more grime artists becoming commercial weakening grime?

I don’t agree when people say they’re sellouts. I think it’s just progressing in the music industry and they’ve just done the right thing to take them to the next step up. I think them doing this is good for other grime artists though because more record labels are paying attention to grime now. A lot of this subject is down to each artist and where they want to take there music career but I don’t think it’s weakening the grime scene at all. If anything it’s encouraging more artists to try and be successful with what they are doing. Grime has always been very masculine music, how do you feel about the rise of female MCs, producers and DJs? I don’t think it makes much of a difference because good music is good music at the end of the day :). Its good to see that grime is appealing to more people though in terms of female fans. I also think its good that a lot of female singers are getting involved. It’s helping the genre to progress and is helping to build up certain type structure to a lot of songs.

SKITTZ, 17, Wolverhampton At present I have not achieved much but in the near future I wish to be having bookings all over the country by slowly building my reputation up in my home city first. I like to play mainly dubstep and bassline but I can play most genres that we hear in the clubs of today. Currently I don’t have a album or mix cd out there because of the low tech equipment I have but this will happen in time. I my favourite acts at the moment are the likes of doctor p, nero, and pendulum. My favourite tune of the all time must be pendulum tarantula, my tips to myself for 2011 is to get myself out there into the music sense and give it my best shot, I would most like to work along side Tempa T, Doctor p, and Flux pavilion. My main influence at the moment must be doctor p, his music just make me never want to stop listening to the genre of dubstep, I usually check You Tube for the newest dubstep sounds and see what people say about the song to find out if the majority of people enjoy it

K1, 17, Wolverhampton I am a young producer with a love for music and a unique style for mixing Dubstep, Grime and House into 140BPM, I also DJ playing grime, Dubstep and 4x4. I began by messing about with fruity loops at a friends house, who’s elder brother made beats for people, I downloaded reason 4 in March 2009 and taught myself from there and I am still learning now, real self taught producer. I brought decks off DJ Webster in August 2010 and with a little help from Webster I practiced my mixing and developing my own style. I am most proud of ‘Fire in the glass/skittzohead’… for now.. it always gets a good reaction at sets. Hopefully in more clubs DJ’ing and with a few EP’s out there. For 2012 just be yourself and keep up a health work rate, it doesn’t matter how good you are as people will always notice work rate.Influences are Alias, CRT, Averix, Spooky, Tru Omega, Versa & many more.I check P110 media, flushukmedia & mainly twitter (Follow me @K1_MUSIC).

WILKO, 22, Wolverhampton I’m a Dubstep DJ from Wolverhampton. I love listening, playing and producing music. I’ve only been DJing dubstep for just over a year but it has also been one of those genres that I wanted to get into when I started DJing. I started out about 4 years ago playing ‘bassline’. I’d gained quite a reputation especially in my hometown. I was a member of most probably the biggest crew in the bassline scene at that time. In that time I was playing out minimum 3 times a week, all over the country. Everything was going well but I decided I wanted a change. Decided to start playing Dubstep just over a year ago so I basically had to start all over again as Dubstep is a completely different style and crowd of music. Here I am now, bookings are starting to pick up and finally getting back on producing during my summer break away from University. All started about 4/5 years ago when I bought some Soundlab belt driven turntables and started buying vinyl and recording sets.

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MC’s

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ANGRY KID, 22, Birmingham The thing that’s make me unique in music is I’m not trying to be nobody else I do music as an outlet my way of expressing my thoughts and when people here my music they want to no were they can get more, highlight so far has to be the U R A STAR tour I was on with witness and aload of other artist in the Birmingham NIA. What are you? Musical wise I’m a grime mc but now and again I do rap witch I feel I equally good at. How did it start? I started in 2010 I went studio with C4 and we used to challenge each other in written bars and before I new it I had my 1st promo written. Track your most proud of? I do love back on the map because the producer (Coatse) played it and I claimed and that was the 1st rap tune I wrote hand on heart the tune is tuff in its own right. What are you doing next? Right now I’m working on a mix tape called trials and tribulation every

1 want to know a set date but I am not giving one but its nothing like the promo its totally different. What’s in your fridge? I don’t even no uno probably a white light uno dem ardd tymes lol. Key Influences? Anyone in music is a key influence to me I swear up and comers and established singers producers mc’s/ artist. Most like to work with? I would love to work with a load of people but everyone is busy with doing something so I do my thing but if some one so happens to come along it will happen.

Favourite item of clothing? I don’t have 1, everything comes together and complements the hole attire. Tips for 2012? The only tip I’m gonna say is stay focused, you can see were your going no point being lost. Hopes for the future? My hopes for the future are the future looks even brighter for everyone trying to something productive in music.

QUEEN.T, 24, Birmingham I’m just me, there’s no cheesy gimmick or anything I personally think that makes me special. I do what I love and in return I ask for nothing, I make songs n spit about what I see and hear, I never claim to be something I’m not an I wouldn’t lie on a tune.

If I talk about what people do, I say it because I can, I’ve been through enough in life to say I never judge or put people down I just speak sense and truth. Describe your sound? Deep thought out music with a lot of myself put into it, my humour, energy, anger pain and love. When’s the next track/album dropping? At the moment I’m working on my mixtape due late June called “Hear me roar” Top uk acts? K Koke, Nolay, Invasion, Full Force, Benny Banks, Lioness and Maverick Sabre.

What music has influenced you through your career?

Life and all that’s good n bad in the world. Most like to work

with? DVS, English Frank, Mic Righteous and Ed Sheeran.

What’s your heritage? How has this influenced your music? I’m mixed race black dad, white me, but I don’t think that has in no way shape or form influenced my music, I learn from all races, a lot of what I talk about happens in everyday society, so my own personal culture hasn’t really effected me.

Rap/grime has always been very masculine music, how do you feel about the rise of female mcs, producers and djs? I think you shouldn’t watch whether it’s a girl or guy, just listen to what they have to say and maybe the industry wouldn’t be as messed up. Hopes for the future? Just hope everyone hears my music and understands how much it means to me

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MC’s

JINX, 15, Wolverhampton What do you do? I make music that I can enjoy and vibes to.

Personal greatest achievement? Haven’t really had any yet.

What music has influenced you through your career?

Allot of different types. If I like it and I’ve got it on repeat then I’m influenced allot by it. Top uk tune? I can’t really say a in particular tune because their so much good music I’m feeling in UK. But at this moment in time I’m really feeling Chipmunks album “Transition”. What’s your opinion of your peers in your genre? If their doing their thing then I’m behind them and happy for them. How far do you think UK grime come now? A very long way from what it was at the start. I think its

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appealed to a much bigger crowd as theirs different subjects people are rapping about so people can relate to them. One to watch for the future? Me ha ha! Just watch out for the people you see me working with as they will be doing big things for themselves trust me. What’s living the dream to you?

Achieving the goals your worked so hard on getting. But that’s just my rough idea personally. Favourite item of clothing?

Adidas Originals all day everyday without a doubt! Hopes for the future? To get where I want to go and keep moving onwards and upwards!

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