Archive for ‘Interviews’

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March 8, 2012

Steel Banglez

Mixing for Big H, Ghetts, K Koke and Giggs, to Asian artists Mumzy Stranger, Preeya Kalidas and Panjabi MC. Nice!

Steel Banglez descent into music began as a young boy when he was taught to play various Indian classical music instruments by his mum, including the dhol, tabla and harmonium.

From there at the age of 10, his older brother taught him to DJ. This was just the beginning as he went on to study electronic music production and audio engineering at the School of Audio Engineering, and since then has been producing for artists from Big H, Ghetts, K Koke and Giggs, to Asian artists Mumzy Stranger, Preeya Kalidas and Panjabi MC. He was the personal DJ for grime legend D Double E mixing in various big clubs, and also shows including the Dizzee Rascalalbum tour in 2009, Estelle’s album launch, Sean Paul at Bristol 02 Academy and Busta Rhymes at Hammersmith Apollo. Now his focus is solely producing, and he is working closely with some of the biggest prospects for 2012, Cashtastic andKrept & Konan.

How has your family influenced your music career?

My whole family is musical, from my great grandparents up until now, to my mum and her brothers and sisters. There music professors in India, my mum’s brother is a classically trained music teacher, he teaches American Sikhs that come from America.

What was the defining moment of your life that transformed a musical hobby into a successful and acclaimed career as a producer?

When I got fruity loops in Year 8. When I was in school my teacher Ms., Conwall, was the nicest teacher and she believed in my music so much. She used to treat me different from everyone, you know when there’s only one computer in the class, and I’d be that one guy on there. I was learning Cubase, and one day she walked in and said, ‘I’ve got this new program and its called Fruity Loops,’ and it just changed my life as soon as I got onto it. It just made me want to become a producer.

Do you feel that pursuing a career in music as a young Asian male still breaks certain family and community expectations?

Do you know what, maybe with the older generation but not with the younger generation. It’s not a good career choice in their eyes. To be honest I don’t have a life when I’m doing this career. It’s not like I get to see my family a lot and chill out.

What more can be done to encourage more young Asians to consider music a viable career choice?

I think the industry should let more Asians in the limelight, because in England there are as much or maybe more Asians than there is any other ethnicity. There is a lot of talent, and a whole scene of Asian music that’s not recognised at a commercial level. I think as a new generation comes, people like myself and artists like myself that are Asian have to set a standard for other Asians to be inspired and want to get through. I think Jay Sean smashed it for Asians.

In what ways has your Indian background influenced the development and sound of your music?

My culture, I’m a Punjabi and it’s very musical. Bhangra is at the forefront of Asian music. I think just my family and my background and my life experiences, and learning and studying classical music on the weekends from a young age influences what I do, and what kind of sounds I go for in my current production. That’s embedded with what I’ve learnt growing up on the streets in East London.

Wiley has been seen to be very supportive of your career. As he is the Godfather of Grime and a respected veteran, it must have been very instructive being around him. What have you learned from him that has helped you to further success?

I’ve learnt so much from Wiley it’s unbelievable. He’s shown me the business aspects of things, he’s shown me how labels think, MD’s, A&R’s, what kind of sound their looking for, what kind of direction I should go, how I should go about getting myself out there. It’s just endless. With Wiley I can’t thank him enough for what he’s done for me. I’ve known people around me that are as big as Wiley or have the links, but never really gave me that opportunity. Wiley went out of his way, and he’s got a million people hollering at him and he saw my talent and he just believed in me. He just helped me out in every possible way, and I’ve learnt most probably everything about the music business from Wiley.

Who was the first person you produced a song for?

D Double E, it was a remix of a tune called ‘Colours,’ and that was when I was 15, I had my studio in Ilford. I used to make Grime then, and I invited Double and he vocalled the song.

You have been putting in a hell of a lot of work, and have produced for so many artists. What was the track that really made people take notice of you?

There are a lot of songs; I think I killed the rap mixtape circuit. I think I was out there getting on a lot of mixtape’s with the big rappers and rap was popping off at a street level. There was no sound developed yet for rap, so I came with a distinctive sound and I blew from there. I love all the music I’ve done. I think ‘Breakdown,’ has done a lot for me, I think ‘Let Go,’ with Krept & Konan is doing a lot for me, it’s most of my current work.

Your style of music is quite varied. So can you tell us the thought process behind the ideas for tracks?

Mad. What I do is nuts. I don’t know if I can give my secrets away (laughs). I can give one secret away; a lot of producers should try it. I’m surrounded in an area where there is a lot going on and it’s to the future so that’s one. I can just walk out my studio doors, and jump on a train or just walk on the streets and I can see the future, and it inspires me. I can capture certain moments and come back to the studio, and try to describe that as a thought of emotion. Or I get a picture of let’s say a waterfall or the Taj Mahal or the Pyramids, or some sort of emotional picture, and I just put it in the background. When I play my keys or make a beat I try to describe that.

Why have you chosen to work so closely with Cashtastic especially and Krept & Konan?

I feel like it’s a new day in UK music now, I think the rap game is at the forefront of underground urban music, and Krept & Konan and Cashtastic are very versatile artists. They have a distinctive sound and style of rap that they do. Cashtastic is very good with making songs, and he’s young and he’s got a big buzz, and he knows where he’s going and I see the talent in him. Krept & Konan do the same, their raps are just incredible, the way they write, and the kind of stuff they come out with is just amazing. I just love working with them. I think there going to be huge artists.

Tell us about the EP your going to be releasing. What sounds can we expect to hear and who can we expect to hear on it?

I’m not releasing the vocal EP this year or next year. The vocal one will just be some of the stuff I’ve done with everyone if I do release it, and some exclusive tracks with Wiley, D Double E, and Blade Brown and DVS. I’m just concentrating on developing my production sound more, because I think I’m getting a new sound.

Also the “instrumentalist” album….

It’s called instrumentalist because I like to think of myself as a mad professor, like a mad man. Instrumentalist meaning I’m mental, instrumental, mad. Its just nuts, and your going to expect it to be like a film. I think the way I think and the way I work, I don’t think a lot of people work like that, and its not a big headed thing, I just think its unique. I want people to know and see the insight to Steel Banglez to how I work. There’s going to be visuals as well, I’m going to post adverts up and stuff. It’s going to be a total new image and direction of sound. There’s going to be dubstep, dance, rap, film, contemporary, acoustic, but with a touch of my style. It’s going to be signature in that I’m one of the heavyweight producers in this country when that comes out.

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March 5, 2012

Everybody Hates Slickz – Out Now

Shireen Fenner talks to Slick Don about his recently released CD Everybody Hates Slickz

Birmingham is finally getting the recognition it deserves in the music industry. Artists like Leshurr, Trilla and RoxXxan are making it more established and known, and now it’s Slick Don’s time. A young MC who has been doing his thing since he was 14, and jumped onto the bassline movement at 16, is now getting back into his grime roots, but also experimenting with other genres too. Shireen Fenner talks to Slick Don about recently released CDEverybody Hates Slickz, evolving from MC to artist, and why being from Birmingham is a good thing.

Everybody Hates Slickz is out. That’s quite a statement title, what’s the message behind this?
I’m from Birmingham, and I feel like an artist whose just doing their thing, but a lot of people from the scene don’t like me. It’s mostly people from within the industry MC’s and that, I’m probably one of the most hated. It’s the local MC’s, people from Birmingham; I get more love out of town.  There’s grime, a bit of hip hop, a bit of experimental stuff.

You have no bassline tracks on the album, even though this is your music background. Why did you make that decision?
The way the scene is at the moment, it’s always changing, and it’s never at a standstill. At the moment bassline is not as peak as it used to be. I think people’s head have been turned to another genre. At the moment grime is at the forefront. It’s always changing so I just thought that if I start to brand myself more as an artist, rather than just doing bassline tracks, which everyone knows me for already, it will benefit me more.

You’re quite a versatile artist and don’t just stick to one genre. What are the pros and cons of this for you?
I’m able to work with more producers and artists, and I’m able to get myself out there on a bigger scale. Judging by the feedback I’ve had on Facebook and twitter, my fanbase want to hear me on more stuff, I always get people asking me when am I jumping back on grime. I started on grime originally when I was 14, and then when I was 16 I made a bassline track, and my career kind of took off from there.

Why do you think London artists are getting mainstream success and Birmingham artists aren’t?
London being the main city has much more of a support than Birmingham. When you’ve got artists like Chipmunk and Tinie Tempah who have been doing their thing for a good 5 years and have been going consciously ever since. For Birmingham artists its not impossible to go down that route, its just a lot harder. Say if I want to go on 1xtra or Kiss, I’ve got to go all the way down the motorway and put petrol in. If I lived in London I’d just get an oyster card for £5.

How do you think you can take your music mainstream and do you think it would involve changing it?
I would just do myself, the same kind of lyrics. I’ve just been working with different producers that are on the border of mainstream. Its all about the backing track, you can still be yourself on the tune. Look at Tine; it was that one backing track that crossed him over.

What sets apart the Birmingham music scene from the London scene?
I think the artists and the producers from Birmingham have got something new to offer. Everyone from out of London has always been kissing artists from London’s ass. Now that Birmingham is coming through, it’s a new thing to everyone.

You say you have made a transition from MC to artist, can you explain this for us?
I’m in the process of doing that really, that’s what the CD is about. That was the point of putting out the separate bassline CD, because people will notice on the main one there isn’t any. They’ll get the message, and notice what I’m trying to do, and that I’m trying to do something different rather than the same thing I have been doing for 2–3 years.

So you have a manager now. Why did you decide not to build a team around yourself?
If I could have had a team I would have. I have good people around and good producers, and people I could talk to about my music if I needed to. I could see the bassline scene going downhill, and I just needed some direction. I needed a good manager to point me in the right direction. I’m happy I’ve got management now; they’ve put my whole mind frame in the right place. The projects I’ve got lined up for 2012 are exactly what I wanted to do, but because I didn’t have management, I didn’t have certain links, and I didn’t know how to go about it.

You’ve worked with many talented DJ’s and producers, who would be your ideal person to work on a track with?
Labrinth, Chase & Status, Lil Wayne and Timberland

If you weren’t an MC what would you be doing?
I’d like to say something related to music, something within the music industry, but I can’t see myself doing anything else apart from MC’ing. When I was younger I wanted to be Batman (laughs). Nah at first I wanted to be an electrician, and then I wanted to be a doctor, but that was when I was about 12. I only had that in my mind because I had pressure from my parents so I just chose that.

Which MC’s do you rate from the North of England right now?
Lady Leshurr, Sox, K Dot, there’s a few from Manchester too.

What advice would you give to upcoming MC’s that come from an area that doesn’t have a big scene?
Be consistent. If music is what you want to do and you have a passion for it, just keep going and don’t let people get you down. There’s going to be people that say your rubbish on YouTube, but you cant let that get to you, you’ve just got to keep going. For all them people that are saying s***, there are another 100 or 1000 people that like you.

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February 23, 2012

Flavour presents to you Encore

Shireen Fenner speaks to Cairo, Encore’s producer about their album and style ahead of the release of their forthcoming single Fun Last Night.

The UK has had its fair share of boyband’s recently, JLS, One Direction and The Wanted. This new ‘boyband’ are not your average, in fact it would be wrong to call them a boyband, but rather a three piece collective due to the fact they weren’t put together and they all have three individual roles. Let me introduce you to Encore. Encore consists of rapper Pierre Joseph, singer/songwriter Mark Asari and singer/producer Cairo Woodwood. Flavour’s Shireen Fenner speaks to Cairo about their new single, album, style, how they fit together collectively as a group and the female attention their getting.

How’s the response to ‘Bread and Butter,’ been so far, and why did you put it out for free?
The response has been amazing so far. Not that we weren’t expecting it to do well, we just didn’t expect it to catch on so quickly. The reason we put it out for free was because its been a little while since Tit for Tat, and we wanted to put something out for the fans to say thank you for waiting and thank you for being so patient.

Your next single is out in January, ‘Fun Last Night,’ is about a real life experience?
It’s not really about a real life experience. It’s something that happens, one of us had a similar experience to that, but nothing exactly like that. People we were working with had a similar idea around that too. The song is like a story; the video follows the narrative of the song.

How do you guys gel together, and is there a leader out of you three?
No, because were all individual artists rather than a group that’s been put together. We were all doing our own thing before, so we all see ourselves as equal within the group. Mark has done stuff that I haven’t, and vice versa, so we both help each other out in areas that were weakest and strongest in.

Pierre is the rapper, and you and Mark are the singers, so how do you three work?
Were all in the studio together. If were working with a producer they might have an idea for a track, or they might bring the track finished and we all sit down and write together because were all writers ourselves. Or when were working on for example the mixtape it all came from us, so we produced tracks right there and then. Mark produced some of the beats before, and we all came in and wrote to it.

When your doing a show or performance, how do you make sure style wise you fit together?
We’ve got our own individual styles, but as a group we have to come together. We have a discussion before, and sort out what colours were going to wear, for example the Tinchy tour we did burgundy and black. We all put our little styles into the outfits. Pierre used to work in Diesel, so I think he’s got more of an eye for fashion than me and Mark.

You’ve been creating an underground buzz at the moment. How is what your doing setting the foundations for next year, and your first official single release?
First and foremost it’s creating a fanbase. We need to establish what audience will like our music. The fanbase is the most important thing, so the underground buzz is so important.

What is your fanbase like at the moment?
Surprisingly we’ve got loyal fans, even though were not that well known yet. We know most of them name wise, because the same ones keep cropping up. There great our fans.

When is the album due to be released, and how will it differ from the mixtape?
Defiantly within the first quarter of next year. We’ve got a few names flying around but nothing definite yet. Musically, well anything that we do anyway has our flavour on it, whether it’s a house beat or a dance track, or rock, hip hop or r&b, it always has that flavour. Musically it’s going to be a little more commercial, but not too dissimilar from Bread & Butter.

Does it bother you people calling you a boyband as opposed to a collective, because you all have three individual parts, your not just singers?
Not really because we know that were not the stereotypical boyband that’s been put together. Were not that type of ‘boyband.’ You could say The Killers their guys in a group; you can call them a boyband, but they’re not as typical as The Wanted or One Direction. Were trying to put a different edge on it, but we don’t mind being called a boyband if that’s what people want to say.

Are there any other similar groups from the past that you look up to?
As a three piece way, N Dubz, because they came from the ground upwards. Look where they are now, Dappy’s had a No.1, and Tulisa’s on X Factor and Fazer’s doing his production thing. In terms of where you can go direction wise, N Dubz are defiantly someone to look up to and aspire too. Musically I don’t think there’s many three pieces. Were not the next of anyone were the first of us.

Are any of you involved in anything else music wise with other artists/producers?
We all do little writing sessions here and there for other people. Mark is signed to Global Publishing, he’s written for Tinie Tempah and a few other people like that. Pierre has put some more bars on a few of other peoples tracks, and I’ve been writing for some other people as well, so we’ve all been doing individual things still as well as in a group.

Are you enjoying all the female attention your getting now?
There hasn’t been too much actually, there hasn’t been a lot. People always expect it to be like girls throwing their knickers at you, it hasn’t got to that stage. I don’t know if it will get to that stage, hopefully it will. Nothing too extreme just yet. Girls on twitter tell us that were really hot, and that they want us to jump in their beds and things like that

Do you feel that your career will interfere negatively with any future relationships?
One girl I was talking to a while back, she was interested in me, but she said she wouldn’t want to get involved if I was going to be famous. She didn’t want all the extra female attention; she said she wouldn’t be able to handle it. I think were all a bit wary of girls now, because you don’t know whether there after you because of what you do, and being in the public eye or because they like you for you. I think it’s probably easier to have a relationship with someone in the industry, I’m in a relationship with Jade Ewen who’s in the Sugababes. To have someone that understands what the industry is like, and if I’m out late because I’m in the studio, she understands and vice versa.

Fun Last Night is released February 26th

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February 16, 2012

Axel tha Entertainer

Axel the Entertainer may be a new name to some of you, but remember where you heard it first. This young comedian from west London is set to blow and follow in the footsteps of those he admires, such as Slim, Kat B and Michael McIntyre. Flavour catches up with Axel in a noodle bar off Carnaby St to get to know more about him, comedy and women…

How did you get into comedy?
It was about three years ago, I was at Slim’s one-man show. I didn’t used to go to a lot of comedy shows, but when I went there I thought it was amazing. I loved the way he had the crowd under control and the humour. I said to myself, I wonder if I can do this. I went away and went on the Internet, and I found something called The Comedy School in Camden. I went and did a course for two weeks.

Your first gig was at the Sunday Show, how did it go?
I got drunk. I had to get drunk because I was so nervous – JD and coke. I went on and it was hit and miss. All in all, I did all right; sometimes I got a laugh, sometimes I didn’t. When I got up there I was nervous, my heart was beating; to this day the same things happen.

Where do you draw your inspiration for your comedy from?
Everyday life and things that I notice. I’m an observational comedian, which means things that I notice. I’ll say, ‘I’ve noticed this,’ to the crowd and tweak it so everybody will think, ‘Yeah, I’ve noticed that too,’ and bring the humour through that angle. I use my facial features and body language – a lot of body language. That’s where I get the most laughter.

How do you deal with hecklers?

To be honest, I haven’t bumped into a lot of hecklers. It’s not really on our kind of scene. When there are hecklers you have to shut them down quickly. One time there was this girl and she was drunk and making a lot of noise, I kept saying someone needs to shut this girl up. At the end of it I said, ‘Someone put something in this girl’s mouth, my flies are stuck.’ As soon as I said that the audience was like, ‘Ahhh…’ And she didn’t say anything for the rest of the night.

Is it hard to be original in stand-up?
No; a lot of people have touched on topics that you want to talk about. You say it in a different way; it’s how you word it. It is a bit upsetting when I have a joke and someone’s done something similar so there’s no point me going on stage saying it.

How do you feel when a show is going really well, you’re making everyone laugh, the audience is practically eating out of your hand? Is it a kind of power?
Yes, that feeling is amazing. It’s hard to describe. It does feel good to know that people can relate to you and understand you to the point where they’re standing up clapping. It’s like a last-minute goal at the end of a match.

Do you think comedy can serve a higher purpose other than just entertaining people?
Yes, laughter is the best medicine.

What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you?
Me and this girl I liked started talking. We ended up linking up and she brought her friend, and I brought my friend. I started to like her friend more than I liked her by far. I obviously couldn’t tell the girl I was with, but I wanted to because it was bothering me. We left it. Then a year later, I find out that all that time the girl liked me and was thinking the same thing. All we had to do was say.

Does being funny help you with the ladies?
What do you think the answer is? Yes it does. Yes it does. Every single show, I get girls that come up to me. They either give you the eyes or they just say, ‘Well done.’ You get the ones that linger around, waiting for you to say something. You also get the straightforward ones…

Choosing comedy over other ‘safer’ career choices is a brave move. Did you encounter any scepticism or discouragement?
Yes, I did; it just helps you get stronger. When I first started out, certain people that I was seeing relationship-wise were like, ‘I can’t see you being a comedian.’

What is the dream? What do you want to do with your comedy?
I want to take it as far as it can go. People say the sky’s the limit, but for me Jupiter is the limit. You see people like Michael McIntyre: he’s got his own tour, own show, he’s on Britain’s Got Talent, and other people are interested in him, because he’s not just a comedian but a personality.

Tell us a joke…
I’ve noticed that a lot of guys like to do late-night calls. It’s getting kind of ridiculous really, because they never do it in the day, just late-night calls, like when poker’s on TV late night. They have this deep voice on that they never had on before. Some guys don’t know how to talk over the phone, they just say, ‘Yeah, what’s going on?’ I was chatting to one girl and she asked me a question, she asked, ‘Are you a guy that prefers a girl with batty or breasts.’ I said batty. She said, ‘I thought you were a breast man.’ I said, ‘Nah.’ She said, ‘So how long you been a batty man?’

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February 14, 2012

Ghetts – Back To The Future

Grime go-getter Ghetts has been causing trouble on the scene since 2000 & Life was released all the way back in 2005, when he was known as Ghetto. The ex-NASTY Crew member is not afraid of dropping a real freestyle – he has an impressive number of quick witted winning clashes under his belt as he does tunes; humorously intelligent as he is hyper. The BET-nominated artist has been collaborating with artists like Cher Lloyd and his forthcoming album Hurricane Ghetts is out soon.

The MC reminisces with Flavour about favourite past times and the not so memorable…

Favourite Childhood memory?

Lion King is one of them defiantly. Going on outings with my parents, sick memories from then. My dad teaching me to ride a bike, that’s an important memory, you have to pass down.

Favourite food when you were a child?

Rusk biscuits

Favourite book?

I had a favourite book as a child. What was it called, my man…was it the Mad Hatter? Dr Seuss!

If you could take something from the past and bring it to the future what would that be?

My friends that are gone.

Favourite old skool album?

2000 and Life, made by some artist called Ghetto he’s sick still. You should check him out.

Favourite old skool tune?

(Starts singing) ‘Never Let You Go’ Tina Moore

What item would you take from the past and bring it to the future?

Do you remember those things when we were kids, and you used to press them, and they used to say swear words like f*** off and all of that? That voice box thing, like a toy with Tourette’s.

When was your first kiss?

(someone shouts when he was two). I slobbered something down early, like nursery times.  How old were we in nursery? Cos I had a ting I nursery and I still know her now.

Most embarrassing moment?

I ran into a goal post

Favourite lesson at school?

Religious education

Worst telling off?

We never got told off, we got beat up. We got f***** up. The worst one can’t go on record, my mum will get arrested. We had bad ones, I deserved them all though.

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February 13, 2012

Mz Bratt – Back To The Future

After several years in the underground scene, MC and grime’s eye candy Mz Bratt is finally getting the recognition she deserves. From touring with Bruno Mars to being signed to Atlantic Records and deemed by industry heads as ‘the UK’s answer to Nicki Minaj,’ 2011 was a good year. Not only an MC, Mz Bratt (real name Cleopatra Humprey) is a singer, an actor (Anuvahood), the female face for Boxfresh Clothing, and part of Wiley’s A-List Collective. She has been busy lately touring with Europe with Tinie Tempah and Pastry girls Vanessa Simmons and Jessica Jarrell.

Following her recent single ‘Tear It Down,’ we head all the way back to the past for a hot minute with the East Londoner.

Favourite Childhood memory?

It would have to be when I went to Italy with my dad, I was six I think. He went out raving and left me and my sister on our own, but it was fun.

Favourite childhood film?

The Goonies and The Lion King

Favourite food from when you were a child?

Alphabet spaghetti

Favourite old skool album?

Spice Girls, when I was little I used to love the Spice Girls. But now it wouldn’t be the Spice Girls (laughs).

What memory would you take from the past and bring to the future?

I’m happy with my present at the moment. I think it’s nice to look back though

What item would you bring back?

I don’t now what’s it called but I used to have this microphone that used to echo, and I used to sing around with my little keyboard.

How old were you when you had your first kiss?

Ooh, on the lips? I was late with this stuff, all my friends were advanced but I was late. Probably secondary school Year 10 I think.

What is your most embarrassing childhood moment?

When I got stuck in a box, and my mum took a picture, and now when people come in my house they can see a picture of me stuck in a box.

Worst childhood telling off?

First and only time I got smacked by my mum, I got in a stranger’s car, I was like 3 or 4. I didn’t know what I was doing, and she went mad.

Favourite lesson at school

English, I loved English

Favourite old skool tune?

Because it’s sunny today, Roy Ayers, Everybody Loves The Sunshine.

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February 9, 2012

Bigz- Back To The Future

This London-born entrepreneur doesn’t just rap for a living. Bigz has been on the music scene for a long minute and has managed to open his own studio, record label, entertainment company and clothing line Flygerian Ink, of which he said, ‘Flygerian is my life. It’s what I live by. It’s more than a word: it’s a lifestyle; it’s being confident and respecting all Nigerians who came before me. Music is just the start: I’m going to become a fashion icon.’

 Favourite childhood memory?

Getting my first pair of Nike Air Force when I was seven, it was like the ones Michael J Fox was wearing in Back To The Future, but they had aluminous green lights.

 What memory would you bring back from the past to the future?

Music, I think music was better than, like 90s RnB, I’m a soul brother.

What’s was you favourite old skool album

The first album I got was when CD’s first came out, it was Run DMC Raising Hell.

What item would you bring back from the past?

Avia I’m trying to bring them back. They were hard.

How old were you when you had your first kiss?

I had a girlfriend in nursery called Kirsty, and that’s the truth. I was exposed to things when I was young that I probably wasn’t supposed to be exposed to. The first kiss was when I was five, tongues and all I was a naughty young kid.

Favourite lesson at school?

History

 Most embarrassing childhood moment?

There was one time my brother and me were bunking from school this was in secondary school, and my mum found out and she tried to move to my friends, like beat them up. She took us to school for a straight two weeks, and brought us back. She used to shout at us on the bus and embarrass us, she done it on purpose, but advised by my aunty.

Worst childhood telling off?

I wouldn’t even disclose that, but my mum knows what she done to us.  Mum knows…

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February 6, 2012

Secrets to Success with Ms Dynamite, Adam Deacon, JME, Dot Rotten, Lady Leshurr + More

Ms Dynamite, Adam Deacon, Newton Faulkner, Radio 1xtra’s Twin B, Dot Rotton, JME, Lethal B, Lady Leshurr, Sam Garrett talk to me about the secret to their success in the music and entertainment industry at the BBC Introducing Masterclasses.

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February 1, 2012

It’s a Brummie Ting: Shireen & Maz meet Lady Leshurr and RoxXxan

It was the filming day for the UK BET cypher and Lady Leshurr and RoxXxan were both outside on a break; it was a blazing hot afternoon. Whilst my Flavour buddy Maz and I were reporting on location, we got the chance to interview the emcees; so we asked them for some snaps. The photographer asks them to stand back to back, to which they both burst into laughter.  ‘I’m too short compared to RoxXxan, no way am I doing that!’ Lady Leshurr says firmly but sweetly, before they laugh again and change pose.

The ladies both hail from Birmingham, but Lady Leshurr and RoxXxan could not be more different. RoxXxan is sporting yellow khakis and Adidas for the shoot; her hair fanned out for volume. In contrast, Lady Leshurr was quite literally pint sized and girlie. Not only different in physical form but with her smooth and husky voice, RoxXxan’s flows could definitely not be mistaken for the cute, hyper presence of Lady Leshurr.

However, the two MCs do share the knowledge of what life is like for a female MC out of London. We sat down with the West Midlands ladies to talk about the Birmingham music scene, being a female in Grime and why you shouldn’t air intimate issues on bars…

As we talk to both the MC’s separately on how they feel about the Birmingham grime scene their views are quite different, with RoxXxan exclaiming, ‘DEAD.’ The reason for her response is because, “what they tend to do is instead of just supporting Birmingham talent, they bring down all the grime or underground MC’s from London, like your P Money’s.” Leshurr seems to disagree with RoxXxan. “It’s progressive. It used to be small, now it’s like a lot of people are on it and people are doing their thing such as Trilla and Slick Don. There are a lot of people that are representing in Birmingham, and a lot of people that know them down in London too. It’s really good it’s healthy at the moment.” RoxXxan believes that Birmingham don’t support their own artists; that’s why she moved to London. “There’s no BRIT School, there’s no labels in Birmingham only Punch Records which is an artist development, kind of like the Urban Development in London. Apart from that there’s nobody.”

We move on to discuss how their Birmingham accents might be difficult to understand, especially with Leshurr, (who is known for spitting fast) and how it could deter them from getting further, especially in the States. Leshurr agrees that sometimes it’s hard for her to be understood by some. “I mean I know a lot of people can’t understand what I’m saying when I spit fast. I don’t worry when I’m in the booth, I just do what I do and hopefully people can understand me. It’s not just my high-pitched voice like a little kid, but my accent is completely different to London. I know it is hard to understand something’s that I say.” RoxXxan tells us her opinion on making it in the US, “I just believe in good music, look at Tinie’s ‘Written In The Stars’, although it never got No.1, he sold a million records over there so it’s platinum. Although it wasn’t straight away, it’s happened now and he’s very easy to understand. They didn’t really get Dizzee Rascal though, he’s really fast. People accept it or they don’t.” They both agree that good music is good music, they don’t think about people accepting it, they do what works for them.

RoxXxan tells us how she uses her roots in her music… “My family are Irish and Jamaican, there’s a lot of slang, ‘Go On The Horse’, that’s what the Irish say, and ‘Bumbclart!’ for the Jamaican’s. I just have fun with music, I don’t really take it too seriously, unless it needs to be.” Whilst she is often in London to become more integrated in the UK music scene, Leshurr thinks that a permanent move would not be the right decision for her right now. “I did want to, but I don’t think I’m going to now because I know that it’s possible to get back and forth between where I need to go. It’s a little bit of money, but it’s a lot of money to live and stay down here and get a house down here. I prefer to come back and forth, but I really do love London it’s my second home.”

The question of being a female in a male dominated game comes up. Leshurr tells us, “When I started listening to Shystie, No Lay and Ms Dynamite, I knew there was hope and it was possible to get your name out there. People respect you for being a female, as well as an all round great entertainer and artist. Right now though I don’t think it’s hard because a lot of other female MC’s are doing it. It’s a very good time I love it.” RoxXxan explains to us her feelings on the subject, “we are born how we’re born, and it is the way it is. It’s a male dominated scene, it’s hard, you just have to step up and prove yourself. Even today being at the BET Cypher, there were Ghetts, Bigz, Chipmunk and G Fresh, it was hard so as a girl you just have to go all out even just to get noticed. You have to hold your own and become comfortable with it.”

RoxXxan talks to us about another Birmingham female MC… “Can I just say about OG Niki, I just want to apologise to everyone who watched the YouTube video, I don’t even know her personally. I see what’s she’s tried to do, and I just hope it is because she is young. I know she’s trying to create a buzz, and do what hasn’t been done before, or to the extent it hasn’t been done before. I just think respect yourself though, not even respect women, but respect yourself, your 17. Not being rude, but she’s not going to find a decent guy now; you’re not helping yourself. She was on the news looting and stuff.” RoxXxan is a strong believer in keeping her private life private, and how she keeps her image and bars real, “I don’t do the whole sexy thing, obviously I’m 22 I have sex, but I take the Beyonce route in my bars. I think you don’t have to give it all, music is what I do it’s not me. If I couldn’t spit anymore, for instance if I lost my voice, I’d still be able to do me, it doesn’t make me who I am. I love it and it’s in my bones, but it doesn’t make me.”

The question now on everybody’s lips is what these two ladies of grime are going to be doing. With Leshurr’s co-sign on the Neva Soft track, we wonder if the 367 ladies who include herself, Lioness and A Dot, will be doing anything together. “Definitely. We want to do tracks together. Were going to do an EP soon, I told them a long time ago we need to do this, so were definitely going to do it now. Were going to have a launch party for it, I’ve even got a top done up with 367 on it. A lot of people are jumping on the wave. It was a mess about thing, but we’ve got to take it seriously now as a lot of people are saying 367 a lot.”

As for RoxXxan? “There’s a lot of females in the game right now. There’s a lot around now because there’s the space, not even a space there’s spaces. There was Dynamite she’s coming back and she’s still got her spot, because when she came she came so well. I think people are looking for new, fresh and exciting talent. The next step for me is to go total left field. Everybody’s on the dubstep, the drum n bass, the slowie, the popie, whatever. Good music is good music; I’m not knocking anyone’s hustle, but for me just expect the unexpectable. I’m experimenting in the studio, writing an album, trying to bring a completely different sound. Obviously you can’t really do what hasn’t been done before, but I’m just taking it somewhere left field.”

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January 23, 2012

T-Pain, Bringing Soul Back To Hip Hop

Hailing from Tallahassee, USA, multi-platinum selling artist T-Pain burst onto the music scene in 2005 with his debut album Rappa Ternt Sanga, featuring the first hit single ‘I’m Sprung’ and second ‘I’m N Luv (Wit A Stripper)’. Showing he is different to his peers in the music game, he’s bringing soul back to hip hop. He has worked with some of the most successful music artists in the US, including Lil Wayne, TI, R Kelly, Chris Brown, Kanye West, Ludacris and DJ Khaled. Flavour catches up with T-Pain ahead of his fourth album release Revolver…

Tell us about your name T Pain and what ‘Pain’ means to you?
The ‘Pain’ bit is the pain and the struggle it took me to get out of the T. It sucked: it was very terrible trying to get out of Tallahassee. There are not a lot of music execs and record companies that come to Tallahassee looking for talent; it was a hard deal trying to get out of there.

You were tired of the borders that divide hip hop and soul – how have you brought them together?
I think I did it pretty well [laughs]. It’s been working out so far. I came from a hip-hop background, with all my brothers and my dad around, and I just felt more love for R&B and soul, and it’s meshed together really well.

You turned your bedroom into a recording studio at 10. You must have been a pretty wise 10-year-old then?
At this point I had no idea what I was doing, I wasn’t too smart. I knew myself in my heart and my mind – that’s all you do really know at 10 years old. There was no major money involved; I had my parents. Nothing really came about at that age; I just got rid of my bed and turned it into a studio.

You started off rapping and then singing – why did you switch?
There was too many people rapping at that time; we had too many rappers in my hometown. I just wanted to be different and do something else. When you have enough of the same thing, I just felt I had to switch it up.

Did you ever think that by making your own version of ‘Locked Up’ – ‘I’m Fucked Up’ – that Akon would hear it and sign you?
I didn’t think he would sign me at all. I didn’t even think he had a record label [laughs]. When I heard the song, Akon hadn’t been signed for too long. It was kind of weird that he was the one who called me up – you always think you’re going to get a call from a huge record label or company. I thought it was a joke at first, but when I found it wasn’t, I wasn’t sure if Akon could do the same thing as a huge record company.

You told AllHipHop.com that you vow never to use Auto-Tune again. How is the T Pain effect better, and what exactly is it?
The T Pain effect is better because I’m T Pain and I’m better at a lot of things [laughs]. I think the effect reflects everything I do, and I get to control it. Every time I used Auto-Tune, I wished I could do this or this on it. So now I’ve made my own one, I can do everything I want. With Auto-Tune you just get pitch correction; with the T Pain effect you get everything I use in the studio: you get my reverbs, my chorus, my delay, my distortion, the compression – everything I use; it’s a one-stop shop.

Do you think you will ever not use any pitch correction technology?
There’s always songs I don’t use it on; people don’t realise, though, that’s why I don’t make a big deal about not using it. On some of my biggest songs there is no Auto-Tune, like ‘Low’ with Flo Rida. People never notice; I always put two songs on my album that use no Auto-Tune, and those seem to get noticed the least.

How do you start to write? Where does the inspiration come from?
Just real-life experience. It’s not too hard to write a song about something you’ve already been through; it’s harder to make something up. If you don’t have money, you cant make a song about money. If you have money, you can’t make a song about not having money. I think it’s harder to come up with catchy stuff, other than just writing from the heart. That’s why Lil Wayne doesn’t write any more, because if he writes, it’s not going to be real. Real situations shouldn’t have to be witty and catchy.

Your new single is ‘5 O’Clock’. How did the collab with Lily Allen and Wiz Khalifa come about?
With Lily Allen it was an automatic collaboration, which was dope. Wiz Khalifa, I was looking for him; I’ve been waiting to do a song with him for a long time, it was well overdue.

Tell us about Revolver?
I think this is going to be one of my best albums. I’ve gotten better as a musician and learnt more things that make my music better. I explore more instead of being afraid to try things.

How has your music evolved from the first album to this one?
I’ve matured as an artist. I listened to my old albums and said to myself this is better [laughs]. Sometimes I try and find out why people liked my first album, but it was just me and that is what I wanted to put out.

Follow T-Pain on Twitter @TPAIN or visit http://www.t-pain.net/uk

* published in Flavour Magazine

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