Archive for ‘Interviews’

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March 27, 2013

Dexplicit talks Grime and Releasing 12 New EP’s [Interview]

Starting off with a strong foundation in hip-hop production, and since moving onto garage, bassline and grime, Dexplict has become a highly respected producer and DJ. He was behind the hit record ‘Pow’ in 2004, a track that despite being banned from the radio and clubs, is now still widely played in both. Whilst his focus at the present is primarily in grime and baseline, he is still bringing his hip-hop and bashment influences to his production, creating a unique and highly recognisable sound and making his music stand out strongly.

“I’d say grime is my favourite. Grime is a bigger scene than the bassline scene. It’s stronger than ever right now I’d say. We’ve got so many people that shout 291dexplicitout grime now. It’s changed the position of everything. I think back in the day there were no millionaire MC’s the scene had a different vibe to it. It was more like a grime scene, not a grime genre”.

Dexplicit is about to do something very different with his next project ‘The Dex Files’. He will be releasing 12 instrumental EP’s over the space of 12 months, with the first released on February 28th.

“This project is to create a new way to release music, as opposed to having one release and putting it out like most people do. Trying to create a different way of doing things. The essence of it is just more interaction with the people that’s actually buying it”.

‘The Dex Files’ is not just a straight forward instrumental release, as Dexplicit has put a twist on it to make it more interesting, allowing his fans to interact with the project, “My whole aim is to try and get the people who support my music to feel like they are part of the releases. When the songs come out with the artists on I want them to feel like it was their choice, they created the release”.

After each EP is released, fans are then invited to vote on what instrumental they want off of it to be vocalled by an MC, by going on the thread on Grime Forum or tweeting #ThatBassLife, “I can see what people actually like, because their picking the tune that they like the most, the one they want to hear vocalled. I’ll have my favourite MC’s”. The track that was voted for and vocalled will then be released as a single along with the next EP, “It’s also about what tunes people like the most on each EP, it’s market research at the same time”. The roster he has is top secret right now, but I think we’ll be in for a few nice surprises.

As a sampler of kind of what to expect Dexplicit has put out a remixed version of Tulisa’s ‘Live It Up’ featuring Big H. He explains the method behind this free download, “That’s not really an example. I did that remix for Tulisa already. H’s studio is around the corner from my house, so he’s local to me and he’s a great MC. That was the only thought process behind getting him on the tune. The rest will be different because I picked this tune”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuDSfTle_6M

To celebrate the release of the ‘The Dex Files’ a competition will be running where one aspiring MC will win 6 hours studio time with Dexplicit and a studio engineer. To enter the MC’s must spit at least 64 bars over a Dexplicit instrumental past or present, with Dex himself choosing the winner.

“If I pick them that means I really like them. I’m a guy that’s very not so much about names; I’m more about skills. I’m about up and comers; they’re the future really. I would have picked them because there heavy so I will do stuff with them. I deal with up and coming MC’s and producers now. I do tutoring in my studio for up and coming producers regularly”.

When talking about the musical influences other than grime that we will be hearing in the instrumentals he says, “There will be a few. Grime is the ethos of the EP but there are influences from dubstep, hip-hop, raga, garage, you’ll know what I’m talking about when they come out. I’m releasing so many, so I’m trying to be experimental to keep them different. There will be lots of different influences even changes in tempo”.

To find out more information about the releases and competition click here

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March 7, 2013

MTV The Wrap Up: DJ Premier [Interview]

Rolling Stone once referred to him as ‘arguably hip-hop’s greatest producer of all time’; along with emcee Guru he was the production half of Gangstarr. His production credits include some of the finest rappers to bless a microphone – Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, The Notorious B.I.G, Kanye West, KRS-One and many, many more. The Wrap Up’s Shireen Fenner and DJ Premier talk through being a great producer, what it takes to work with the best artists on the planet and the current and past state of hip-hop…

“I think what makes a great producer is knowing how to make the artists shine as bright as you can possibly can. Even though I’m older, I’m 46 now, I still make sure I keep in touch with the up-and-comers and I study them. That still applies to any artist that got a new deal and even an old artist that comes from generations before me; you still got to coach them too if they want to be great. I think a producer is always in tune to the past and future.”

Being a sought after producer, I was interested to know who he would want to work with. “Ghostface Killah of the Wu Tang Clan. He’s someone that I’ve always wanted to work with and we’ve talked about it, and hopefully that will go down.

“In the pop world I’m so glad I got to work with Christina Aguilera. I like Maroon 5. I want to work with Cee-Lo again. I’m finally going to work with LL Cool J, which has been a big thing for me. I’d love to work with someone like Aretha Franklin that’s of a different generation, but I’d still be able to bring hits to her career even though she has a zillion of them. Chaka Khan and I have talked about working together… I would make sure I gave her a hot record.”

We move on to talk about what Guru’s thoughts about the current state of hip-hop would be. “He would have the same complaints that he had on the last LP… that a lot of artists are releasing styles, but we own our styles so no one can ever take that away from us. They’re borrowing styles and not being original.

“He would still be complaining lyrically, but he is such an incredible writer he would be destroying cats with his lyrics like he’s always done. Guru is definitely top five to me and not just because he is my partner – he’s one hell of a wordsmith, a performer and a flow master. That stuff that we know is because we live the whole aspect of hip-hop. We live the culture so it’s beyond the music; the music is just one part of what we do in the culture.”

Urban culture has always been important to hip-hop, but some new artists today don’t have any connection to it or understand its origins and the environment that created it. “That’s a very bad place to be in if they don’t know. First of all if you’re in hip-hop culture, you should really want to know who started it, who kicked it off. If you don’t know about DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Jazzy Jay from Zulu Nation and Brucie B… even if you didn’t live that era, you should know that.

“It’s really important because without these people we wouldn’t even have this. If your appreciation for hip-hop isn’t big, I don’t care if you sold one million albums and brought a new Bentley and a million dollar mansion; it’s going to be gone soon. I’ve seen the same story play out with so many artists that acted like they could never lose the riches and the fun that comes along with it… but it’s going to happen.”

We discuss whether hip-hop has transcended its connection to street culture and grown to become a more universal tool of expression, with Premier reflecting: “It will always transcend as long as people like me exist and all the pioneers exist, because we’re still working. When we were coming up you had to search for hip-hop. If you weren’t in the know, you didn’t know what to search. You didn’t know what clubs to go to or where to buy the 12-inch records. With hip-hop you have to be that serious about making sure it never dies – it’s a duty of yours.

“I’m from the days of artist development – we would develop in how to perform, how to interview, how to speak properly and all of that. We were taught how to be artists and present ourselves. Now you just have, ‘Hey I like your record, you’re hot on the street – here’s a deal, here’s some money, go out there, sing, dance, hop around and make your videos and we’ll rape you of all your dough’. There’s no process of teaching them how to do things, so they’re very naïve and they end up doing stupid stuff. Next thing you know, you’re in trouble. You have to have someone in your circle who really gives a f**k about you that’s going to tell you when you’re doing wrong.”

Premier also discussed the all-time battle to be commercial without watering down your music. “Anytime something gets too commercial, the soul goes and you’re not able to do it the way you should be. If the soul is gone, it may still be a form of hip-hop but it’s not the form that keeps it alive. The underground is what keeps it alive, and that’s where I live. I live in the underground forever. Even if I did a Christina Aguilera record or a Justin Bieber record – even a Britney Spears record; it’s not going to take away from how I do my hip-hop.

“I still do a radio show which is catered to breaking artists and everything that I play that is underground is available. If you listened to commercial radio you would never know that these artists exist because there’s no platform for them to be heard, unless again you’re in the underground scene.

“I know how to balance both [the commercial and underground scene] – call me bi musical. I can do both sides, still maintain who I am and still be dope in any avenue of creating good music and having an ear for it.”

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March 6, 2013

Introducing Jim Beanz The US Producer Everyone Wants A Piece Of [Interview]

A lot of US artists have Jim Beanz to be thankful for giving them hit records including Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Shakira, Timbaland, Missy Elliot, Nelly Furtado, Keri Hilson, Jamie Fox, Jennifer Hudson, Ciara, Justin Timberlake, P Diddy and The Pussycat Dolls. Timberland’s protégée is now working his magic on some UK artists including Cheryl Cole who he produced ‘Sexy Den A Mutha’ for and is now in the studio with JLS, Little Mix and Dionne Bromfield.  Shireen had a chat with him about being a 5 star threat, Timbaland and being a producer/vocal producer.

What was it about you and your style that led Timbaland to notice you?

Timbaland noticed me from my vocal production skills but also because I started doing vocals myself on a few of his songs, and a few vocal arrangements I did for Nelly Furtado and things I did for Justin Timberlake. From there he also started to notice that I could produce.

Timbaland invited you to work on Nelly Furtado’s ‘Loose’ album with him. Were you just thrown in or did he give you any pointers?

The first song that we worked on was ‘Man Eater’. I was thrown in (laughs). I guess there are so many people that come in the Timbaland camp that are there one day and gone tomorrow. That was my big shot to show I had the ability and stay in the camp and grow from there.

How was the chemistry between you and Nelly Furtado when you first worked together?

The chemistry was magnetic it was amazing because she was very artisty, and she noticed I was very similar in terms of my ideas when it came to vocal arrangements and doing weird sounds with our voices.

You have been called a ‘5 star threat’, because of the five separate talents you can bring to any project you are working on. Which of the 5 would you class as your main forte?

I would say production, writing and vocal production. Those are the three top. As far as being an artist and a musician, I kind of stray away from the artist side. One day I think I’ll go in the artist direction, but right now I’m enjoying building music from scratch and working with different artists.

For those out there who are unfamiliar with the term, can you break down what a ‘vocal producer’ is, and in what ways does your voice play such an important part in your music productions?

A vocal producer is basically a person who guides the artist. A lot of people think the artist just goes in the booth and sings whatever and they keep that. The vocal producer is the person who directs them and tells them how to sing a song. For example on of the first songs I produced with Timberland where I didn’t have any keyboards or anything. We went in the booth and I did the whole song from scratch with just my voice.

You recently worked on Cheryl Cole’s ‘A Millions Lights’ album. How did you meet and what made you decide to work with her?

I took a train to New York to meet Cheryl, and it was just meant to be a session to see if she liked the vibe, and if she didn’t we wouldn’t go any further. She loved working with me so we went from New York to Los Angeles and finished off in London.

Your over in London for the summer working with some UK acts such as JLS, Dionne Bromfield and Little Mix. Can you give us an insight into what you’re working on with them?

I’ve come in at the end of each artist’s projects except Dionne. They all had their albums pretty much strapped up, much like the Cheryl Cole album was, and they called me down because they were looking for a lead single, a clubby single, that smash song that people just want to hear on the radio and in clubs. I came in and I delivered and we had some great sessions.

Have you noticed any UK artists you would want to work with?

I’m meant to be going in the studio with Professor Green in September. They were telling me that wanted me to go in with an artist called Dappy but I haven’t had a chance to yet. I love Emeli Sande I think she’s amazing. There’s another artist I met years ago, but I lost contact with and I thought she was amazing is Paloma Faith.

You wrote the 2008 winning Eurovision song ‘Believe’ – a great achievement in the eyes of the world, but what would you say has been the crowning pinnacle of your career to date?

‘Sexy Den A Mutha’ song I did with Cheryl Cole. It was sort of like my bridge over to work with more UK acts, because of her a lot of other UK acts have heard my talent and want to work with me.

What made you decide to come over here to work with UK acts?

I’ve been coming over here for a while; I’ve always loved the music in the UK. I was a fan of Jessie J before she even reached this stage and Taio Cruz. Everyone’s sense of enjoyment of music is a lot broader over here, and there so much more open to hearing different sounds.

You have your own label, Millennium Kid Music, and are signing new talent yourself. Is there anyone you have come across that we should look out for?

I just signed two writers in the States, and one producer in the UK his name is Troy Boi. He’s an amazing producer, but even now I’m still looking for writers and producers to add, were constantly growing and getting bigger projects, and I would love to share the success and the ability to get peoples music out there to the world.

What’s next for you?

There’s a guy called Dot JR I’m working with he’s great. Right after I leave him I’ll be back in the States finishing up on Shock Value III with Timbaland, and also helping out on the Missy Elliot album. Justin Timberlake is also in the studio, so I’ll also be helping him out.

 

 

 

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March 6, 2013

Magician Von Majik [Interview]

Von Majik is a young magician who begun at the early age of 12, being inspired by watching David Blaine on TV. He begun to watch his shows over and over again, studying and learning his techniques. Seeing his son’s potential, his dad joined him up to the Magic Circles Youth Initiative, where his skill developed. Before the age of 18, he had already won two awards, and had begun to get booking for events and TV work. Now he is working on a TV pilot for his own show, and has attracted many brands and celebrities.

 

You first developed a taste for magic at the age of 12 with David Blaine being your inspiration. What was the initial fascination with it for you?

When you see magic for the first time, its just like wow, I’ve never seen anything like that before. I’d maybe seen Paul Daniels and big stage stuff on TV, but you think its camera tricks or something. Him doing it on the street and seeing people’s reaction was like wow, and being a spectator myself on the screen was amazing. I took the extra step to learn how to do it, by watching his tape over and over again. My dad hooked me up with a magic club that was in London called the ‘Magic Circle’, I just thought it was amazing and wanted to do the same thing.

When you were studying and learning his techniques, did it come naturally to you, or was it hard, and what was your favourite trick that you first learnt?

My favourite trick was called ‘The rising card’’, David Blaine actually did it on his show; it was my favourite trick out of the whole series. Someone chooses a card, they sign it and he puts it back in the box, and gives the box back to the person to hold. He says just think about your card, the person holds the box, and as their thinking about their card it rises out of the pack. Their reactions are mad, like they’ve seen someone get killed. When you watch magic over and over again, you know what to look for after a while. I guess it came naturally, because I’m still doing it now. You have to be really patient, sometimes you wont get stuff straight away.

How did your parents help and encourage you to make a hobby into a career?

My dad purchased a lot of the effects, because magic is a big market to buy stuff to teach things to each other. The more advanced you get you can come up with your own stuff. My dad and my stepdad brought me a lot of magic, my mum was like ‘what’s all this nonsense your doing, you need to get a real job’. I just kept doing what I wanted to do.

How did being in the Magic Circles youth initiative develop and enhance your skills?

Magic’s all about presentation so without presentation the magic’s not really effective, that goes for 90% of what you do. They taught a lot about presentation to make the magic your own, don’t do stuff that doesn’t look right, do stuff that suits you. I wouldn’t be like pulling rabbits out of hats because it’s not my style; I do something that’s organic to me and true to me. Originality, and just to practice performing, because that’s the only way your going to get better.

At the age of 15 you won the ‘Young Close-Up Magician of the Year’ after only 3 years from starting to learn magic, which seems a very short time! How focused were you on magic at this time, and did it ever interfere with your school and social life?

When I was young I didn’t have much of a social life really. I met my friends at school, so when I got home that was my time to do my homework and watch TV. I’d just be at home doing magic, and it didn’t feel like I was losing out, because it was something that I enjoyed. I would practice for hours. I would get home at 4pm, and then before I knew it, it was 9, I’d just be doing it for hours.

Which of your magic tricks are of your own creation and totally unique to you?

All my presentations are unique to me, with magic it’s hard to come up with something that hasn’t been released already. You can buy magic as a magician, but you can apply it to things that you already do. One effect that I can say is mine, but the method isn’t mine, but the whole trick itself is pretty much mine, is when I have a coin inside a card.

 

A lot of your magic relies on misdirection but your skill and manual dexterity is also a huge part. How have you trained your dexterity to the level you have right now?

I think the dexterity comes with time. Once you have practiced anything over and over again it just becomes second nature. Sometimes I might present something in one way, and it might not go as well if I did it the other way, so I’ll do it the other way and tweak that. Everything’s just experimenting, but the dexterity will always be there, I could not touch any sort of magic for a year, come back to it and it will still be the same.

Which trick of yours has stunned or freaked someone out the most, and can you remember a particular time?

I’ve had people screaming, I’ve had one person kiss me. I was just doing a routine in Covent Garden for a few people, I just changed an object in this women’s hand, she didn’t know what to do so she ran up to me and kissed me on the cheek. Everyone reactions are different, recently I did a wedding and this guy was silent then said ‘mate that was the most amazing thing’. Some people don’t react at all, they’re dead serious.

Have you ever messed up a trick before and how did you salvage it?

You would never know if I messed up because I’m always one step ahead. I would never give away if I’d messed up, I’d sort of link it onto something else, and you would think that was part of the effect, so you would never know.

Which celebrities have you enjoyed performing for the most and why?

James Corden is really nice, I was doing this charity dinner and he was like ‘yeah show me some magic’. I showed him a little thing and he was like ‘Wow that’s amazing’. It makes you feel good a celebrity saying your good. Recently I did Marvin and his family from JLS, at this restaurant, and it was Father’s Day. David Haye was pretty cool as well. I did a show with Tinchy Stryder that came out on ITV2, he’s really cool and down to earth, and I taught him magic for the show. I taught him how to get out of a straight jacket and a few card effects.

What’s the best event or place you have performed at?

HTC Party that was good. I did a gig for Louis Vuitton and the setting was just like WOW, they went all out. I did Lovebox music festival a few years ago that was really good.

Where do you see your magic taking you?

As far as it can. With this TV thing that I’m doing, I was performing at the restaurant where I met Marvin and the person I met was the CEO of Zig Zag productions and he was like ‘yeah your really good’. Because of the success of Dynamo, magic’s more popular on TV now, so they wanted a different image, but the quality of magic to be the same still, and they really liked me. Were taking it further everyday, the sky’s the limit with it.

Von Majik is currently using the HTC One X to capture his journey as an Urban Magician. Follow his journey at #MyHTCUrbanAdventure

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March 6, 2013

Mem Ferda [Interview]

Mem Ferda is a London actor born in Chelsea who became intrigued by acting from a young age. After completing two degrees in BSc Honors Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (M.B.A.) he then went on to pursue acting professionally. He has played many ‘baddie’ roles such as Kamel Hannah (The Devils Double), Vladimir (Ill Manors), Hakeem (The Veteran) and more. In recent film ‘Pusher’ Mem portrays the character of Hakan, though capable of extreme violence he is warm and friendly with aspirations of getting out of the drug game to follow his dreams of owning his own business. 

From a young age you were fascinated by the art of acting, where did the fascination stem from, and what led 

you to take it seriously?

As far back as I can remember I have always been curious and intrigued by other people. I would frequently watch TV, then, mimic what I had just seen the actor do.

At college I studied ‘A’ Level Film Study, which added to my fascination and thirst for Film and Acting. In my teenage years, I worked as a male model part time whilst studying, which eventually resulted in a London Agent signing me up for Television and Film work.

I went on to pursue and fulfill my passion for Acting by doing a Post-Graduate Diploma in Classical acting at LAMDA (The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art). After LAMDA, I was snapped up by a mainstream Acting Agent and many doors opened for me and my career really began.

What led you to have two degrees unrelated to acting even though you knew you wanted to purse acting?

 Both my parents encouraged me to pursue a more ‘stable’ profession. My eldest sister was a solicitor and hence they wanted me to follow in her footsteps. My father was devastated to learn that I had been studying Psychology instead of Law. His influence was overwhelming; I felt I had let him down; he wanted me to take over his businesses, so I decided to do a Masters degree in Business Administration (M.B.A.)

 You’ve had a colorful past being held at gunpoint, being suspected as a drug smuggler at the Serbian border and narrowly avoiding being 

a getaway driver in a real life heist. Were you a bad boy when you were growing up? 

I was rebellious in my teens, hanging out with some unsavory characters and often in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people. I never set out to be a ‘bad boy’ as such, but I seemed to be awestruck by such characters and found their way of life extremely exciting.

Did all these things and witnessing an assassination attempt on your father toughens you up, and helps you understand the roles you played?

These happenings would certainly of had an effect, without a doubt. When developing a character one does draw upon personal experiences, so yes, it has helped me formulate an understanding, having had first hand experience of these situations.

Is it hard being from the UK to get into acting, especially in American films?

It used to be, because there was a clear divide between what constituted as an American production and what is clearly a British production. However, it is now more a collaborative arrangement and the line is now significantly blurred. I do well being based in the UK and working in both ‘British’ and ‘American’ productions.

Do you feel as an actor you can get stereotyped easily into certain roles?

Yes, you can. In fact a vast majority of actors get stereotyped. It’s actually a good thing, as it gives you a voice, an established identity and a niche to grow from. It is exhaustively competitive out there, so to establish yourself an identity to later develop from is vital. Once this is set, you then battle to change industry professional’s perceptions of you, to expand and show your real range and versatility. This is what I’m doing now. I’m being very cautious about every new role I am being offered. Its time to break the chain and make the film-world sit up and take notice!  

How different is acting in TV to film?

In terms of acting technique, or creation of a character, there isn’t any difference for me. However, given the choice of which I prefer as a medium, I’d choose Film over TV. Television is much quicker in terms of the speed at which each scene is shot   and the whole production process in general. It reaches out to a wider audience much quicker. Film however is a lot more controlled, slower, process. Budgets are bigger, and subject matter for films tend to be more creative, which is what I like. Also, films tend to tell a story through the journey of a single strong protagonist with supporting cast, which I prefer, compared to television which tends to have stories consisting of a few lead characters and is more an ensemble cast set up.

To date which role have you enjoyed the most, and which one suited your real character the most?

It is hard for me to single out one specific role as being the one I enjoyed most of all. I find most parts I undertake, do give me a gratifying sense of achievement. The role of Kamel Hannah in ‘The Devil’s Double’ is one, which comes to mind, as it was very challenging and I love a challenge. It was demanding both physically and mentally, I had to go from being euphorically drunk to confused and terrified in an instant.

None of the roles I’ve played to date would be a true refection of my real character. But each role I do play has elements and pockets of my true character embedded within them.

Tell us about the recent film you have been involved in ‘Pusher’?

PUSHER is an English language remake of the original Danish cult movie by Nicholas Winding Refn, which he wrote and directed back in 1996. Set in London instead of Copenhagen, it is about a week in the life of a drug pusher named Frank.

The film is a no-holds-barred, gritty and real, journey into the underworld of the drug pusher. It will be extremely entertaining with flashes of humor, hard-core action, violence and a twisted plot.

What advice would you give to up and coming actors?

They need to be aware that acting requires total unrelenting dedication 24/7. Determination, sacrifice and focus are at the top my list. It is a way of life, not an occupation. There are no guarantees of success, but when it knocks at the door, it is as if you’ve been invigorated by a new life force. Hardest of all is rejection. After 16 years in the industry it is still hard to take, it doesn’t get easier. Also, it is good to have some prior Drama school training. Ultimately, I don’t believe they can teach you how to act. But their usefulness is in helping you channel the talent you may have, to act effectively.

 What’s next for you in the world of acting?

I can next be seen in supernatural horror, feature film, ‘Parallel Hell’, in which    I play a lead role. Other features I have coming up are Gridiron UK, A Place Between, and The Unbeliever.

Anyone who’d like to keep updated on future projects can do so via website www.memferda.com

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February 19, 2013

WRAP UP AND WATCH OUT: SHAKKA [Interview]

Starting off his career with celebrity fans such as Wretch 32, Maverick Sabre and Rita Ora is no surprise once you hear 23-year-old Shakka’s voice. His ability to fuse rock, reggae, hip-hop and r&b is so unique, he calls himself ‘Bob Marley’s and Coldplay’s birthchild’ – which is probably the best way to describe it. Following his online ‘Shakapella’ series and the release of his introductory single ‘Sooner Or Later’, 2013 is set to be a promising year for the London-bred singer and songwriter…

The Wrap Up: Your sound is quite different to anything I’ve heard – a blend of hip-hop, jazz, electronic and rock. How would you describe it and can you explain the reason behind the fusion of sounds?

Shakka: I’ve always been into hip-hop, r&b and reggae because my dad’s a reggae musician. I’d like to say I am Bob Marley and Coldplay’s birthchild – that’s where my current sound is. I definitely have the roots in r&b, hip hop and reggae, but reggae and alternative rock is the fun stuff I’m doing at the moment.

TWU: Your online presence is fantastic. Do you think you will continue the ‘Shakkapella’ series, as it has done really well, or start another conceptual series?

Shakka: I have ideas all the time, but I have one in particular that I want to do… it’s more production orientated, but it’s still in the works. I’m definitely going to continue doing Shakkapella’s because they’re fun and a lot of people like them. It’s something I don’t really have to think about that much; I just literally record and get down – and it’s a good way to speak to the fans.

TWU: You have many celebrity fans. What is the best advice you have got from anyone of them?

Shakka: I was in the studio with Etta Bond one time and she said there was a time where Labrinth felt like it was just a madness with regards to press and all that stuff. He came to the conclusion that it was just about making music, so he said to Etta, ‘just make music, just make good music. Don’t think about how much it will sell, don’t think about numbers, or the business, don’t think about the gossip or the details. Just make good music.’ It’s easy to forget that sometimes.

TWU: ‘Sooner Or Later’ is your introductory single. Can you tell us the message and inspiration behind it?

Shakka: We wanted to explore reggae and alternative rock. Coldplay was quite influential to me with their albums, especially their first album ‘Parachutes’. I was birthed in reggae, so we wanted to see what we could do and make a Rastafarian festival smash. The ideology behind it is pretty much trying to find out where you’re from and thinking about the contrary opinion to where you may be from…

TWU: How have you developed since your first EP ‘Foolishness Vol.1’?

Shakka: With ‘Foolishness’, I went into the studio and wrote, produced and recorded it without really thinking about whether it would sell or not or if people would connect with it. I was just full of ideas at the time and I thought just making them was the main concept. That’s why I called it ‘Foolishness’, because like a child, I pretty much just experimented with the innocence of the music. Since then I’ve gone back to finding out exactly where my parents are from and the culture that I belong to – those things have definitely affected it [his new music].

TWU: Your EP is out this year – can you tell us more about the concepts and tracks on there?

Shakka: ‘Sooner or Later’ will be on there and that’s co-produced by DeanyBoy. The rest is entirely written, produced and performed by myself. There’s a song with a dubstep/indie/reggae tone to it called ‘Strength Of An Ox’ – I’ve performed that a couple of times. There are a few songs dedicated to love, attraction to the opposite sex, and the problems that may occur. It’s a thick bodied piece of a bunch of ideas that have been floating around in my mind. It’s a good transition from the ‘Shakka Crown Affair’, but I do still experiment with hip-hop, r&b and grime.

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February 6, 2013

Interview: DJ Nikki Beatnik [Interview]

DJ Nikki Beatnik is often quoted by others as being ‘The best female DJ In the UK’. Not new to the game, she has been turning heads and spinning music for a long long time and has definitely earned her stripes. She is a woman who a lot of other female DJ’s can look up to, who has helped pave the way for them with her femme fatale status.  Shireen heads to meet her at an event she has curated in Punk, the launch of Relentless Energy Drink’s Apple & Kiwi flavour, where we talk West End parties, being a female DJ, producing and getting to play at the best events in the world.  

How did you get into DJing, as it’s not really a hobby a lot of females take up?

It wasn’t when I did it (laughs). I went to music school from when I was like 6, and I was classically trained. I then really started getting into hip hop and dance music when I was about 11 or 12. By the time I was 14/15 I was already going clubbing, which was very naughty. One of my friends was selling decks and I was about 15/16, and I just saved the money and brought old second hand Technics. I got quite good at it, and after about 6 months I brought Technics 1210 which was industry standard in those days. Then I started playing out doing house parties and parties at college, then I started running my own club nights, and then basically I had about 3 clubs nights in the West End. They were all dominating the circuit at that time.

You started off as a hip hop DJ, how did you get yourself noticed on the circuit?

I had a night at this club called 57 Jermyn Street, and I used to promote it with my best friend, and because of the music and the way we did it everyone used to come. Madonna used to come, Missy Elliot, Eminem, Kelis. Everyone who was anyone in hip hop used to come. We did parties for Guru, Run DMC, Jam Master Jay, all them dudes used to pass through. I then kind of became known as the girl hip hop DJ. From there things spiraled, at one point I was running three clubs nights a week, and they were all rammed. Then it changed in the West End, because they started paying celebrities to come down, we never did that, we never even gave away one free drink ever. People would just come because the music was good, and it was very fashionable.

What do you think about this change in the West End?

That happened around 2003/2004. Competition started getting stiffer, and the people that we used to get for free because we had good relationships with them and the record company, other people would offer them £4,000. Then everyone else started doing it and it became a spiral. I heard crazy fees being talked about just to get someone to walk through, which just means they just have to stay 45 minutes. What happened was it started to deteriorate the nights, because they didn’t care about the music anymore, they didn’t care about the rest of the crowd. It changed the whole landscape of clubbing, especially in the West End. At that point I kind of moved into more eclectic music, mixing 80’s and 90’s and electronic music and drum n bass. I started doing a lot of fashion gigs like, Elle Style Awards and GQ Awards and Cosmo Awards. My career went down a different route, and I just kept it moving. I moved to east London, I moved everything, all my parties towards east because it was more how West End used to be ten years ago.

You are quoted by some as ‘The best female DJ in the UK’ but what female DJ’s would you put in your top 5 and why?

There’s a lot of girl DJ’s, my friend DJ Rashida, who was also on tour with me and Kelis for a long time. She DJ’d for Prince, she’s got a really eclectic style, and she’s a really subtle DJ. DJ Caper is really good. Spinderella the original, she used to DJ for Salt n Pepa back in the day, she’s got skill, she’s wicked. There are a lot of people on the house circuit that I really like. Back in the day I don’t know if anyone would have heard of her, but Princess Julia was amazing. She was similar to me, she did a lot of her own parties, she was so talented and a big inspiration for a generation of DJ’s coming up. There’s Emily who’s DJing here tonight, she plays really eclectic sets, she runs Supa Dupa Fly & Rock The Belles, she’s sort of doing what I did in a way, running her own nights and being an entrepreneur which I really respect. Melody Kane, she’s another one who is making her mark.

You’ve been called the female Mark Ronson, how does this make you feel?

These are the nice comments I guess. Mark Ronson and me were DJing the same things at the same times more or less. He had a club in New York, where all the same artists used to go to when they used to come to my club in London. Everyone would be like “Oh your like Mark Ronson, do you know Mark?” I was like who is this guy, and then he just went through the roof, next level and just started producing records. I really like him, I like his music, and I think he’s a wicked producer.

You’re not just a renowned DJ but a producer too. Is it as hard being a female DJ as it is to be well known in the producer world?

I don’t know about that yet because I haven’t had a No.1, so I guess when I have that, I’ll be like OK yeah. The more successful you get in each field, the easier it gets in some ways, but the harder and more complicated it also gets. It gets more competitive, and there’s more politics and stuff. This statistic always blows my mind but women own 1% of the world’s wealth. I think music and DJing and producing is something where you have to be quite solitary and spend hours on your own, which isn’t necessarily something that attractive for girls. I used to have to cart around 60kg of records every night, and that was hard physically. If you want to have kids, how are you going to do that if your touring all the time, and in nightclubs? It’s a different lifestyle for a girl, that’s why I think its more male dominated.

What tracks have you produced that you are really proud of?

I’ve been working for the last year and a half towards doing an EP and an album. I’ve been working with Terri Walker, XO Man, lots of British artists and some American that are all bubbling under and are really talented and are about to blow. It’s important for me to work with people that don’t need auto tune, that can really sing and really perform. Every tune that I’ve made so far, I’m proud of in some way or another. I’ve been making bits for Kelis’ live show and doing her intros.

Do you think to become a well-known DJ, having a certain image and style helps as well?

I think anyone in music now, style has almost taken from content, which is sad because it should be talent and content above style. I think definitely having a strong sense of identity and image and being interested in fashion helps.

Can you tell us about the event were here for today which you have curated the launch of the Relentless Energy Apple & Kiwi flavour?

Relentless Energy Drink asked me to curate the event; I basically put together DJ’s that I like. I felt it was quite important to get girls; we’ve got one guy DJ. I wanted to bring the other girls in; I get a chance to do so many good things. I’ve got artists performing tracks that I’ve produced, so it’s like a Beatnik sound system basically for Relentless. I’ve got Paige Richardson who we’ve done a track with, with a guy called Thundercat from LA, he’s the No.1 bass player in the world. Natalie May who did ‘Sexy Sexy’, we’ve done a track with her. A girl from Denmark too called Marie, we did a summer house remix of her tune and she’s performing that.

Do you work on many events like this, and do you hope to do more in the future?

If I get asked. It’s nice, it’s really fun. It’s using my skills to do something interesting, and working with bands that I really like. Relentless is good if you’re a DJ because it keeps you up (laughs). That’s what you see everyone drinking DJ’s and MC’s. If you’ve got 3 gigs in one night it’s a good look.

Nikki Beatnik curated the exclusive launch of Relentless Energy Drink’s ‘Apple & Kiwi’ flavour, www.relentlessenergy.com

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February 3, 2013

WRAP UP AND WATCH OUT: RATLIN [Interview]

Ratlin only been on the scene for a tender two years, yet the lyricist’s authentic style and lyrics grabbed the attention of the underground – which saw him pocket an OMA last year, hailing as the ‘Best Newcomer’. With his third mixtape ‘Crown Me’ dropping in December and the ‘Infinite Possibilities’ EP already sorted for 2013, The Wrap Up’s Shireen Fenner speaks to Ratlin about future projects and the idea of getting signed…

The Wrap Up: Hi Ratlin. Let’s take it back in time – your dad was a producer. How did he influence you as a musician?

Ratlin: My dad played a major part of me getting into music. As you said he was a producer; he’s worked around many artists. He did give me that spark to start rapping, but it was more of a self-decision. It was the people I was around – life experiences and what I’ve been through in my short period of time gave me the power to talk. [It also] made a lot of people want to listen.

TWU: Tell us about life after dropping your first mixtape ‘Youngest In Charge’ in 2011.

Ratlin: That was the crucial biting point for me. If I thought the people didn’t like it enough, I don’t think I would have continued making mixtapes to that extent – I maybe would have carried on making music, but not as seriously. ‘Youngest In Charge’… I loved it, everyone loved it, I done a few videos and in no time ‘Summertime In Mexico’ came out. Off that I won the ‘Best Newcomer’ Award at the OMA’s in 2011 – I’m just getting over that, I was happy about that! This December I’m dropping a mixtape called ‘Crown Me’.

TWU: You have quickly built a name for yourself in the scene. How do you think a rapper maintains a good reputation in the UK?

Ratlin: Stay positive and keep being yourself; don’t change for anybody, that’s what people want you to do. Once you change, you fall off. If you continue being yourself and making the music people liked in the first place, you’ll have no problem as a rapper.

TWU: What is it that you love about the UK music scene that sets it apart from the US and the rest of the world?

Ratlin: We’ve got our own sound, a traditional sound. That’s what some artists in the US are trying to catch onto now. We need a bit more unity; if we had that there would be nothing stopping us. There’s not a lot of support, if you’re not already a team no one is willing to give that extra hand. [But] we’ve got our own sound, that’s what keeps us different.

TWU: What is your take on getting signed?

Ratlin: Getting signed… that’s something that comes with how talented you are and how much work you put in. I have no problem with getting signed, but it’s getting signed to who and for what. If a deal comes along down the line then I’m grateful, but right now it’s just music. You can get far on your own, but it depends how far you want to get and where your dream lies – it depends where you want to be as an artist. I’ve only been in the game for two years so I ain’t rushing anything.

TWU: A lot of the content in your songs focuses on how little you had growing up and how hard you had to hustle to get by. Has music saved you from a risky path in life?

Ratlin: Not just yet, I’m still me and I’ll continue to be me. I wouldn’t say I had a hard life coming up, but I went through a lot of stuff coming up. What I’ve been through has made me who I am today. I’m a very smart guy; I would have come up with something else to do. I didn’t plan to start rapping, I started music as a hobby and people started liking it; I saw the business in it. I would have come up with a plan B.

TWU: Your new mixtape ‘Crown Me’ is out in December. What’s the idea behind the name and what can we expect from it?

Ratlin: ‘Crown Me’ is about the fact that everyone wants to be the best and everyone thinks they have got talent. Me personally, I don’t think rappers are touching me. They don’t hit the subjects I hit; they can’t switch it up, they’re not versatile like me. They might have a few hits out there, but they don’t reach out to the people and touch people’s souls – they just make people like [their] music. ‘Crown Me’ is something completely different to what every other rapper has thought about – my dreams are something crazy. I want that crown; I want to be crowned a legend.

My other mixtapes had a few features, but I’ve never really reached out to other artists. On this mixtape, every single track apart from two have features; I’ve got around 20 UK artists on there. I’ll be premiering a lot of the songs soon on BBC 1Xtra. I’ve got people like G FrSH, Squeeks, Benny Banks, Harry Shotta, Blade Brown, No Lay, Sincere, a singer called Karina from Birmingham and a singer called V.

TWU: Following that, what is next for Ratlin?

Ratlin: After ‘Crown Me’, ‘Infinite Possibilities’ is going to be out, my seven track EP – it’s already finished. I’m just waiting on the right release date and talking to a few majors because I’ve got a few signed people on there. It’s gonna be more of an iTunes thing, so get your 79p out because I’ve given away a lot of mixtapes – now it’s time to get a little bit back so I can continue. There’s a lot in store, don’t sleep on me. Next year I’m [also] planning on releasing a mixtape called ‘The Lost Tapes’ – that will be another free mixtape with every song that I haven’t released yet – it might be a double CD, it might be a triple CD.

Words: Shireen Fenner (@Shireenxoxo)

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February 3, 2013

WELCOME BACK: LORD OF THE MICS 4 [Feature]

Battle rapping started in the 70’s in the inner cities in America, then as grime was born in the UK, artists created their own version of battle rapping, known as clashing. This is what Lord of the Mics is all about. The Wrap Up’s Shireen Fenner recently went to east London’s Boxpark to speak with founders Jammer and Ratty as well as three of the MC’s on Lord of the Mics 4 – Discarda, Jaykae and Lady Killer…

With chart-topping names previously being featured on LOTM such as Wiley, Kano, Tinchy Stryder and Skepta, it shows how big of a platform it is. Jammer tells me, “It helps the artist get out to a wider audience and be accepted in a wider audience. It’s what they do after that, its bringing awareness to the artist, once that’s there they can use it.”

Discarda agrees with Jammer that it helps push MC’s into an audience where they might not have been seen before, as he explains; “There is a new fanbase now, a young fanbase that will hopefully see me. If they like me they like me… they might not like me but it still introduces me to their fans.”

Lady Killer also spoke to me, revealing what she wants to do next: “I’m not going to let this opportunity slip; I’m going to use it to its full advantage. I’m going to release a mixtape in early 2013. I’m in the studio recording tunes and making sure they are good enough for the people.”

So what does it take to make it onto the DVD? Co-founder Ratty tells me simply, “You just got to be making a buzz for yourself and have talent. If you’re being noticed then we’ll take notice.”

Jammer says if you are working hard, then you “deserve the chance to be on there and get the promotion to the wider audience.” Other factors for him that come into it are ‘work ethic, talent, flow, and quirkiness.”

With clashing, it’s also about entertainment and how MC’s can use their lyrics to get to their opponent – usually giving the audience some laughs along the way. Last year’s edition saw a few of those ‘incidents’ and Ratty reveals, “There are loads of funny moments.”

Jaykae, who clashes Discarda, says he doesn’t take the disses personally: “I know it’s not true. Obviously he’s going to have to say a few things he don’t mean and I’m going to say a few things I don’t mean. Invasion are the best in Brum.”

In terms of preparation and content, some of the MC’s I spoke to had been clashing for a long time and weren’t nervous at all. Jaykae said, “A lot of people say that’s what I’m built for and that’s where I shine the best, I’m real good at clashing. I made loads of food in my house and smoked weed, chilled out and wrote loads of bars.”

Lady Killer gave an insight into the content she focused on for clashing Shocker, saying: “I wanted to focus on the fact that I wasn’t going to call her a tomboy and what people expected; I was going to say that ‘you’re not really that, you’re a girly girl and you wear skirts and nail varnish so don’t pretend.’”

Discarda went for a different approach and used his humour: “I’m a bit of a comedian, I just think of funny things. He’s got Sox in his crew, who’s well known established MC; I brought him into a couple of bars to hype it up a bit.”

This year will be the first time that LOTM feature females, namely Lady Killer and Lady Shocker. I ask Lady Killer why she thinks she was picked as one of the first: “I think I’m versatile; I’m different to a lot of female MC’s. I’m a unique MC. I’ve got a totally different flow; I change my flow every two minutes.”

However, she admits: “It’s a male dominated game really. I do think males don’t take females as seriously as they do other males MC’s.”

One of the most talked about clashes this year is between Jaykae and Discarda; Jay explained why the pair were put against each other: “I understand why they put us together because in London he is the person who will shut down the raves and in Birmingham I’m the person who shuts down the raves. Us two banging heads automatically – that’s going to go off.”

Whilst many participants on Lord of the Mics went on to release commercial hits, such as Wiley, Jammer says he is not interested in diluting their music: “It is bringing back the element of the big underground smashes, unmixed, edgy bass music. It just brought back that element, it’s the raw talent in its raw form and it’s exciting again.

“People are into it because it’s natural, it’s not manufactured. That’s how it was back in the day… someone would make a track then it would go through to the clubs, blast there and a major would take it on. Then it would come out in the mainstream and cross over.”

Ratty concludes: “It keeps the real essence of grime; we don’t try and make it into the mainstream. Hopefully the fans will buy it and it will get into the charts.”

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December 3, 2012

Who is Joey Ansah? [Interview]

Joey Ansah is more than just an action actor. He is a serious actor, filmmaker and action choreographer. Growing up he specialised in Ninjutsu, Capoeira, and Acrobatics, leading him to become a stuntman on Batman Begins. From this experience he realised he didn’t just want to be a stuntman, he wanted to be recognised as an actor who can also do stunts. His breakout role was playing a Blackbriar super assassin in The Bourne Ultimatum in 2007, where he gained a MTV movie Award for Best Fight in 2008. His recent roles include I, Anna, Snow White and the Hunstman, The Number Station with John Cusack and U.F.O with Jean Claude Van Damme. Being an all rounder, Joey has also recently put out a promo short of a six part series of Streetfighter, amassing over 6 million views to date.

Growing up what led you to take an interest in stage performance?

From my dad’s side a lot of them are in the arts, I didn’t know it at the time, but every male is a musician or an actor and my dads in fashion. It seems to run in the family to do something artistic. At early stages you do a whole load of stuff and try things out you enjoy. What interested me in getting into movies, is that marshal arts have always been my passion and that took over as an obsession from a young age.

How did your passion for martial arts develop to becoming an actor?

It got to the stage when I was back in the UK when I was 16, and thought maybe its not a crazy idea me working in movies using my skills. I was still too ignorant of the industry to know the difference between a stunt man and an action actor or a man who does his stunts or whatever, you kind of think maybe there one of the same. Fast forward a few years and I’m doing stunts on ‘Batman Begins’ and watching Christian Bale and Liam Neeson. I suddenly realised, stunts is actually quite boring, you spend most of your time making the actors look good. You could be the most amazing physical performer, but the audience will think the actor probably did the stunt anyway. I then realised ok, I’ve got it wrong, I want to be an actor who can do his own stunts, rather than just a stunt guy.

How did you become stuntman for your first time in ‘Batman Begins’?

I gravitated towards a group of rather very talented action individuals who were all training and trying to get into the film business. One of them knew the fight choreographer for Batman Begins and he was looking for people who had this acrobatic/marshal arts ability. 4 of us trained together and we went down for an audition and all got hired because they knew they would need a whole load of ninja’s for this training sequence. It was really eye opening. To be on an extra on a Nolan movie jeez, filmmakers like Chris Nolan don’t come around often. Just to be there and see how he works and how his set operates was great.

Your breakout role was in The Bourne Ultimatum. How did it feel being nominated for an MTV movie Award for Best Fight in 2008 for this role?

That was mad, but even more exciting than the MTV thing was I remember the day Bourne came out, Rolling Stone magazine, which is obviously a very well respected publication did the greatest movie fight of all time, and I just thought this is insane. It’s your first big movie, and it’s being heralded as one of the greats, a game changer. The Bond films started copying that fight style so did a million other films. We knew we had done something special when we had filmed it. American audiences like to clap in cinemas anyway, but when we had the cast and crew premier in LA, when that fight happened there was silence, people were just holding their breath and when it finished everyone erupted into applause. It was like a dream come true.

Is it fun playing an evil character such as Aldan who is given the task of hunting Snow White and the Huntsman down by the Evil Queen?

Yeah it was fun, and it’s the first kind of medieval, period thing, I instantly thought when I got it I’m going to be on horseback and have a sword, a bow and arrow and be in all this cool medieval gear. It was very exciting because it was a chance for me to do something I haven’t ever done before. If you get cast in a role that’s very similar to a role you’ve already done, your like it’s cool but I’m not covering massively new ground.

How would you describe the film if you wanted to make someone watch it?

It’s a fairytale movie, an action take on a fairytale movie but it’s been done in a very dark, gritty and in places unforgiving way. It’s going to have an impact as a result. If a film is whimsical or overly light you can casually take it or leave it. This is a film you have to pay attention to and take notice of because it deals with some quite strong themes. I would say a dark, epic take on a fairytale.

Your many roles so far have been very varied and diverse. How have you avoided being pigeonholed into only certain types of roles?

That’s a good question. The biggest risk was after Bourne because my character didn’t speak in Bourne, and there was all this action, it would have been very easy for me to typecast into being a fighter. Everything fighting or the bad guy, and I have so much more to give. There’s a whole load of skills I have as a human being and as an actor I would love to show and convey on screen, that I may not get the chance to if people can’t get beyond the fighter. Often you’re told by representation look, play to your strengths, because that’s what’s going to showcase you and give you that platform. Once your established enough for that strength, you can start diversifying and show what else you can do. If a great project with action is being offered to me I wont turn it down, because there are fans of mine that want to see action.

We hear that you are developing and directing a six part series based on the popular Capcom game Streetfighter. How did this come about? Are you a big Streetfighter fan?

I am the biggest Streetfighter fan you will come across. The whole story began about 3 years ago; there have been a couple of live action Streetfighter movies. Like most Hollywood takes on video games, there so unfaithful to the source material its not even funny, and fans are always up in arms about how there desecrating what the game stands for. I thought it needs someone who understands filmmaking and action and who also understands the game. I developed and wrote the treatment for the script with my writing partner who plays one of the characters in it, partnered with a production company and put together a pitch and approached Capcom who put together the game. To cut a long story short I got them to fund a short, almost like a vision, a pilot promo. My team and I made this film, and put it out there on YouTube and it had over 6 million hits. Off the success of that I thought we’ve got to go forward now and do something feature length, so I thought a series. It’s time to develop the characters and the world. The last two years have been writing, and the scripts are now done for the series, and we are trying to close the deal with Capcom to make it happen.

Is this just the beginning of a new career path into even more directing? Or are you more focused on your acting?

I’m always a performer. After Bourne I had a bit of a lul, and I used that period to develop my filmmaking skills. It’s difficult because all of the various hats I wear. I work professionally as an actor first and foremost, but also as a fight choreographer, action director and filmmaker and I almost see it as one of the same. I know they are two distinct career paths, but the more you know behind the camera, the more it helps influence your technique in front of the camera and vice versa, every area helps the other. One can’t exist or work without the other.

You have worked with some of Hollywood’s finest actors. Who would you next like to work with? What about directors?

That’s a good question. Sam Mendes what I’m seeing of the new Bond film, I’m loving his work as a director for sure. There are so many greats, Spielberg, Ridley Scott. I would love to be in a Bond film, or be Bond who knows. Actor wise Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Avengers was great as a comic book fan, the director of that Joss Whedon really pulled out something special. I just want to work with like-minded people that love doing great work and game changing work.

What would be the pinnacle achievement of your career so far, and what are you aiming for in the future?

I guess the pinnacle so far would be Bourne as an actor because as your big break, to cause so much attention and praise is special. It makes you think I want to start as you mean to continue. Streetfighter as well, my pilot program because that again was my directorial debut so to speak, I co-directed it, I wrote it, I choreographed it, it was my baby. Your first filmmaking project to put out there on a very well known brand with a lot of fans who had a lot of opinions and it had a 98.8% approval rating, where anyone can rip anything to pieces on YouTube, that was very special.

I’m on the rise as an actor, my profile is growing, and last year was a good year. I guess just to truly break in. I think the next stop is to cross over into the leading man territory. As a filmmaker, get my first feature length project out there. If you can do that for a brand like Streetfighter and it’s a commercial success, Hollywood almost gives you the keys to the car and says go crazy. I know if I can hit a home run with Streetfighter it will really open up choice in Hollywood, and that’s what I want ultimately. The choice to make projects, and to act in the kind of projects that I dream about.

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