Pickles and PeanutButta

January..

2009-01-16T18:01:00.041Z

yOyO

“Terrorism can take many forms. Stop the bombing. Stop the killing.”

Wow so we begin a new year. Firstly apologises for the inconsistency of my posts and thank you for staying focussed. Along with a few side projects that include spoken word and preparing to launch a new blog covering European and UK Hip-Hop, with my faithful friend T-Puck, I’ve also been Busy writing for UKHIPHOP.COM as well as Big Smoke. Watch out for Asaviour, Lowkey and Prose interviews coming out of those camps soon.

New years resolution? Na none really except to stay as consistent as a cup of tea and provide thee with the freshest produce from the music market around the world.

On that note I dedicate this installment to the itchy fingers of Damu the Fudgemunk.

Floppy disk in hand I enjoy his eccentricity and discovered him a few months back but had to hold back, so as to start the new year with his unique recipe.

Straight out of the depths of the Washington underground Damu makes those dusty and undeniably sticky instrumentals, with enough oldskool to send nan back to new skool. He’s got ill rhyming skills to boot.

A true craftsman on the MPC and One half of Y-society finding this dude is like an updated feeling you tummy felt when you heard Pete Rock or Gangstarr. With mad sampling from everything to Soul, Jazz and computer games in between, it’s a slap in the face of anyone who says Hip-Hop is dead. The best part he’s put ‘Overtime’ EP and ‘Spare Time’ (19 track deep) both up for free download so click on crate kings links below. I recommend you get over and Kopp that!

Damu - Overtime

Damu - Spare Time

Damu's Blog
www.wonkabeats.com

Fellow Washington cat, Wale has been jumping on every track from there to here.

Quickly becoming something of a fashionable artist to do a song with, he drops this free mixtape 'The mixtape about nothing'...Although he's got skills, personally i think it's a fuss over nothing sounding like a second place Lupe...anyway peep it and check the hype:

WALE MIXTAPE

Let me introduce Juliano aka Recordkingz and one half of UK production legends The Creaters. His new album 'Heavyweight' is self descriptive of a man how has produced tracks and worked for such legends as Lil Brother, Talib Kwali, Mobb Deep, Lord Finesse and Beanuts to name a few. I mean this guy as sourced more records for more artists then you've had hot meals, so why you waiting to be served. check the press!:

Recordkingz - Heavyweight

"When it comes to Recordkingz they are top notch on production, Juliano's collection of records supersede all producers and record collectors I know, in fact he supplies half of everyone's favourite producers"

Sha Money XL (G-Unit)

"Recordkingz are internationally known for production and records, and are responsible for uncovering some of the craziest samples. Who else goes on beat excursions to wild places like India and Asia. Juliano's got records from some little island people never even heard of"

Alchemist (Shady Records)

Digital release : Feb 17th 2009

CD release date T.B.C Vinyl Release Date T.B.C

Official Tracklisting

1. Heavyweight Intro

2. I Cried feat. Tragedy Khadafi

3. Hip Hip 'Take A Walk With Me feat. Joell Ortiz

4. Rock Ya Shoulders feat. The Beatnuts

5. Hip Hop Throwback feat. Guilty Simpson

6. Playin To Loose feat. Little Brother

7. The Heavyweight Muthafucka feat. Portebello Dave (Skit)

8. This Is 4 My Peoples feat. Evidence

9. Heat feat. Mobb Deep

10. Da Money feat. Glasses Malone

11. Pay Your Repects feat. Problem

12. Keep It Coming feat. Craig G, Will Pack

13. Breaks For Sale (Skit)

14. Bad Cats feat. Phil Da Agony, Montage, Mo Money

15. Juliano On The Cutts (Skit)

16. You Been Warned feat. Assimm

17. Keep On feat. Chalice, Ruk

Record kingz myspace

In preparation of new Jehst expected soon this year I give you Classic Jehst :High Plains Drifter and Holy Water:

Although most heads came to see the re-launch of Ms Dynamite at the previous I Love Live, they also left finding the harmony’s of new artist Laura Izabor. As beautiful as her sound that transcends the shystie Shoreditch alleys surrounding Cargo, she’s signed to the same label as Natty and holds the potential to be up there with Natalie Williams and Alice Russell flying the flag and illustrating we have more to offer the US then Joss Stone. Big appetite for her debut.

Laura Izibor myspace

Laura Izibor - From My Heart To Yours

Souls of Mischief coming back people. Sarah Love mentioned they’d locked themselves away in a recluse log cabin, incubating their return. ‘Tour Stories’ the first linkage from a highly anticipated forthcoming doesn’t disappoint. It’s everything we love about the mischief veterans, with production seemly impossibly keeping their recognizable early 90’s vibe. I tried to buy a t-shirt of their website way back and I didn’t see the T or my money (bitter) so in answer to that I offer the single for free download! I’m hungry for more!!

Souls of Mischief : Tour stories

Before I was blessed with the beauty that is Colombia over Christmas, I had a 9 hour economy, packed like a sardine, flight ahead of me. Slightly irritated and baffled at the reality I’m too old to qualify for free crayons and a coloring book, I snubbed the wackness that is in-flight entertainment and turned to trusty Brother Ali. A converted Muslim, the Minnesota Brother is part of Rhymesayers Entertainment, an independent record label founded by Slug, of Atmosphere. Appearances are deceiving, something that albino Ali addresses on ‘Forest Whitaker’. His witty and thought provoking lyrics executed with perfection ensure he’s a US cat you can bop your head to. He’s got three albums, a nice EP and mixtape so go start learning. I recommend goodies like ‘Take me Home’, ‘Self Taught’ and ‘Rainmaker’.

Brother Ali myspace

Take me Home

“To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research”... Damu on the opinion hip-hop is copying others.

New Foreign Beggers album on it’s way with the first single from the installment ‘Hit That Gash’ getting all the right press, ie shocking the fuck out of everyone! Brilliant...Check out their myspace for the jokes reviews:
Foreign Beggars myspace

Lowkey has been busy, As mentioned in the October post Mongrel have joined and been preparing for their tour come February.Their album 'Better then Heavy'. Lowkey in the meantime aswell as being a strong voice of protest to the madness in Gaza has also blessed us with his latest solo album ‘Dear listener’. An album that touches on lyrical brilliance at times while providing an honest inset into a trouble heart. A past member of the Poisonous Poets, a crew which included Doc Brown, Reveal and Therapist ,it’s refreshing to have an artist that voices his opinions with elegance and actual facts while not conforming to censorship. Dear Listener is out now, mongrel – menace also available.

Lowkey myspace

Mongrel myspace

Mongrel – Menace

On the topic of the actions of Israel I recommend you watch Waltz in Bashir, an Israeli film. Simply a masterpiece. The imagery and use of animation is straight beautiful while the director, himself Israeli, takes you on one mans journey to recollect his memories of the atrocity of the mid 1980’s when 8000 Palestine refugees where slaughtered. The soundtrack is both harrowing and brilliant.
Check out the reviews from world and Israeli press along with the trailer:
waltzwithbashir.com

Common’s new album are we keen people? Having misplaced finding forever, I thought the new installment could ease the pain. True it’s got tracks to delight, and Universal Mind Control is an addictive club banger but I was expecting more from one of my favourate MC’s. Have a listen for yourself

Common myspace

Someone I’ve been playing a lot off recently is Quantic both his solo and Soul Orchestra fests. Rumour has it mr Will Holland has been beavering away on a new album. Here's my favourate:

www.quantic.org

Quantic Soul Orchestra feat. Alice Russell - End of the Road (Live)

QSO's Pushin' on album is also a perfect warm up to Soulfood, a thursday night that is fast becoming a legendary spot south of the river. The basement of the St Giles Camberwell church plays host to a vibe where

tapping your feet and bopping your head is as infectious as the drink prices. (They serve buff soup too!).

The sounds are as funky as the heads your rubbing shoulders with, provided by amongst others The Soufood House band. United Vibrations which includes Karim from Speakers Corner Quartet also offer their jazz and soul into the mix solidifying a night that unifies my two guilty pleasures. Big Up!

Soulfood Blog

As mentioned previously Asaviour & DJ IQ are dropping a new album on 23rd of March, A Loop Theory and in preparation the savvy northerner has wet our out appetite with the A Looop Theory mixtape on free download…Don’t miss it kids!

A Loop Theory Mixtape

Asaviour myspace

On the free download tip, Prose have blessed us with Wasted Talent EP. It’s a small insight into the duo form Stretham and what to expect form their highly anticipated debut soon to drop early this year. With killer metaphors from working man Efeks and sampling perfection from beatmaster Steady, Prose bring true Hip-Hop. They’re real nice people too so remember to check the UKHH interview and go support. Enjoy

Wasted Talent EP

UKHIPHOP.COM Interview

Prose myspace

Going out? Catch me at:

Soulfood

soulfoodcamberwell.blogspot.com

Docter’s orders

www.thedoctorsorders.com

TY at Cargo support from DJ Sarah Love and DJ MK

Event details

Happy New Year people and watch out for more flava's coming your way

Bless

Prose interview for UKHIPHOP.COM

2009-01-03T12:28:00.025Z

In a scene that has struggled with saturation it’s often hard to get excited about new music, but there is a duo with their dusty beats and infectious lyrics that are set to kick the cack and bring back the foundations on which Hip-Hop was built. With love coming from all areas of the country and a debut album soon to drop, UKHH thought it was about time you were introduced to the Boom Bap Professionals, beat-fiend Steady and emcee supreme Efeks.

It’s not very common to see a tight partnership with producer and emcee in Hip-Hop today. How did the meeting come about?

Efeks: It’s about 5-6 years now we’ve known each other, through a mutual friend. I was on a music course with DJ Philly, in London. He heard that I was an MC and said his flat mate makes beats. I met up with steady and so they say the rest is history.

Steady: ha, Love blossomed!

E: I personally had been looking for someone to work with. I had done a few bits and pieces with other people but it hadn’t really panned out. So I had it in my mind that I would kinda just go on the solo tip. I had bought like an MPC and I was determined I was gonna do it on my own, I met steady and never touched the dam thing!

S: The people we look up to in a way are the mc/producer duos, Pete Rock and CL Smooth, DJ Premier and Guru, EPMD, that type and you get that consistency with their sound and music.I went to music collage, dropped out of school and had been making beats quite a long time before meeting Efeks. I hadn’t really been the type of person to push myself out there as a producer, the type of person to hassle MC’s. I was kinda happy doing my own thing. Efeks was the same, he’d worked with a few people and it was long nothing really came of it. There wasn’t that chemistry. Unlike a lot of mc’s who tell you ‘I know what I’m doing’ Efeks would listen to my advice. He won’t get offended if I’m like this or that might sound

better and he’s the same with me on beats. Originate was one of the first beats we made. Born Invincible was another of the first tracks we ever done. We kinda just gelled I suppose.

E: It was nice though, I had stuff that I had written in the past. As soon as we met up he’d be playing me stuff, yeah that’s the beat I was thinking off. It was nice just to finally unify.

What were your biggest influences musically growing up?

S: I started listening to hip-hop when I was like 8 or 9 years old. People like LL Cool J, Radio, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, Run DMC, Eric B & Rakim, that’s the kind of stuff that really caught my attention, being in school.

E: Just the same really, a real varied influence from stuff that was played in the house. My mum use to play her Motown stuff, my dad playing his Italian music. Know what I mean, so it’s like a blend of different stuff. And then my older brother sort of got into Hip-Hop and introduced me to it. My Dad’s Italian and my mums Scottish so yeah I’ve got that little contrast in me. But Hip-Hop wise same lines as Steady that sort of school, LL, Big Daddy Kane, the good stuff.

Were there any UK cat’s you were feeling at that time?

S: Yeah, we heard about the silver bullet, and a bit later on blade and people like that coming through, London Posse, Demon Boys. It was funny ‘cos I got introduced to that stuff by people who were jus as into it as they were into Public Enemy.

E: There was actually quite a good scene when we were growing up it was influenced a lot by America, but the UK was still getting it’s bit of shine. It’s like when you always use to listen to the Westwood show he’d always have like the UK segment at the end. You’d always wait till the end of the show to hear that heavy little piece.

Westwood fans then?

E: Yeah I mean that was standard back in the day. I don’t really know anyone who weren’t into Hip-Hop that didn’t use to listen to the show. Know what I mean that was the highlight of the weekend. Getting the tape ready and that.

How would you describe Prose’s sound?

S: We’ve always described our sound as Boom Bap, that’s why we’re the Boom Bap Pro’s. But people have started to rinse that term quite a lot recently. So we don’t want to be associated with the return of the back pack. Yeah ‘94 is where we come from, but I like thug Hip-Hop as much as Talib Hip-Hop, you know. We love all kinda Hip-Hop. We argue about what we think is good or wack all the time. That’s what Hip-Hop is about.

E: We don’t really make no apologises for the music we make. It is what it is. It is Hip-Hop and we ain’t ashamed to call it that. It’s always difficult for you to kinda comment on your own sound. To define it. I think we do what comes naturally, steady makes the beats that he makes, I write the lyrics I write and they are a fit for each other. Our sound is our representation of the sound we enjoy. It’s in the mould of the golden era of Hip-Hop, early to mid 90’s. Its music we believe in.

'We don’t really make no apologises for the music we make. It is what it is. It is Hip-Hop and we ain’t ashamed to call it that.' - Efeks

Prose is making it’s mark on a scene that has received a lot of criticism of late notably ‘Hip Hop’ is dead’. That hip-hop here’s isn’t gonna take off or has had it’s day. What do you feel about that statement?

S: I’m a teacher that engages young people back into society through music. A lot of them will be like ’ah like how do you get signed’ you don’t, Jehst and people like that aren’t signed. They have their own thing going on. But they’re not signed to like a major label that’s gonna push them. It’s all underground, the same underground that we’re coming from.

E: To be honest I don’t know if it really had one over here anyway. Not on the scale as America. And I think part of the problem is it’s not American music. That’s why maybe the Grime scene is better understood because it is coming from here, it’s a homegrown product. You know, We are always gonna be seen as a cheap imitation to what the Americans are doing, which I don’t believe in. But if we were to kinda to sit and ponder on that we’d never do nothing about it. So I don’t think we are under any kind of illusion that Russell Simmons is gonna come along and give us a check, and record deal. It’s not really gonna happen like that. We do it because we love doing it. It’s an escape from our 9-5’s. With the hope of that something could come of it.

S: I think if people sit around and believe you can eat of it, unfortunately that’s kind of what’s happened with the Youtube generation. It’s the stupidest thing. I ‘d love to have mansions and fast cars and all that. What I’m saying is you can’t aspect that. We don’t expect that. We do what we have to do to support our family. We’ve been in Hip-Hop for years. Just to put something down and release it is an achievement for us in itself.

E: There is that expectation from the younger generation coming into to the music thinking, it’s gonna be like this or that, what I see on tv….It’s good to have expectation and have ambition but at the same time I think you have to approach it with a certain realism and in that way your world’s not gonna be shattered.

It’s like when you hear some people saying that if you get to a certain age and if it’s not happening then I’ll knock in on the head. You can’t have those kinds of expectations. I can’t ever imagine me not writing. That’s a part of me, whether I’m 50, 60. I’m still gonna do it I’m never gonna think I’m too old to do this, I’m never gonna stop. I need to do it.We are not sitting there thinking right if prose is not signed by next year then prose is finished. We enjoy our friendship too much. So

we’re always gonna do this. I’m still gonna have to put up with him one way or another.

On ‘no concern’ you suggest we should bring Omar back. Another idea that your fed up with a lot of things. What’s the Inspiration behind the track?

E: In that track I’m trying to fly the flag for Britain really. I don’t think say with the other artists they get the credit they deserve. Especially someone like Omar, he’s an institution over here. He was very instrumental in that whole New Soul scene, I mean he lives round the corner from me. Big up what we have here! It would be nice to see people like that get the props they deserve, you know what I me. It’s also a little tongue in cheek. I’m not one of those people thats always pissed off though.

S: One of Efeks lyrics on Just Another Day is ‘I grab my laptop and check my myspace for progress’. You know that’s what a lot of peoples day to day lives is like, especially people doing music in this country. You come home from work have a cuppa tea, watch match of the day, check your myspace, just to find out one person is feeling what we are doing.

E: I was having my Alf Garnett moment. Maybe just being a voice box for everybody who is doing the daily rubbish, it’s not where you wanna be, you just gotta do what you gotta do. How did ‘Just Another Day’ end up on Disorda’s Suspect Files Vol 4?

S: Yeh man, disorda (suspectpackages) has always looked out for us. He got in touch with us one day after we sent him the Wasted Talent EP he was like ‘look I never reply to people, or get in touch with many people…most stuff I get sent is wack or whatever, I’m not bothered, but I wanted to touch base with you guys and say your big!’ he was really feeling us.

You released the EP ‘Wasted Talent’ on free download. Is the principle reason for the offering in light of the current market and the diminish of vinyl sales?

S: The Wasted Talent EP is quite old now. Originally we did put it on CD and lot of them went out for free. We were giving it away then people up and down the country were coming up to us asking if they could buy it, so we sold a few copies. We were always about having a product. Unfortunately the market was such that we didn’t have the money to put the music on vinyl. If we had it our way we would have had it on vinyl. That’s just our way, that’s how we wanted our music to be. With download really we thought why not.

E: It might have been naïve on our part, although we never saw it as that. We never really intended to make money of the music especially with the first EP. I think it was such an achievement for us to do it. Like To actually have a product that we were so happy with. Put our blood sweat and tears into. Man,we stayed up all night cutting out all the selves and that. We were happy to give it away. We just wanted people to hear it.

So in a sense you’re were addressing your audience as well?

E: Exactly, that’s what we were always deliberating about. It was like know body knows who we are. If there’s twenty people out on road selling their CD’s and we are like the new cat’s on the block, why are people gonna put their hand in their pocket and pay for our stuff that they’ve never heard about. So more importantly I think it was about gaining peoples respect rather then to try and earn a quick buck.

S: This is something I talk about with the kids at work. The whole industry is on it’s head. We will always support UK, weather it will be Jehst, Skinny or an unknown. I’ll try and put my hand in my pocket to support them, but we understand that it’s hard to jus give money away. So downloads and listening to preview of tracks became the obvious choice

The thing with the Boom Bap Bootleg it’s how mixtapes used to be, you know. It’s all my beats and all his rhymes. DJ Matman (DMC champion) has mixed it for us but there’s no like Nelly beat Efeks is rhyming on, it’s all our material.
Funny enough the mixtape has now been bootlegged on the blogs and torrent sites. The bootleg has been bootlegged. So with the Wasted Talent EP at least we put it out the way we wanted it to be, with the right artwork.

Is the title of the EP a self-reference?

E: Yeah definitely. It’s got the Bronx tale sample in there that basically gave me the inspiration for the verses. Steady had made the perfect beat and I felt it was the perfect sample for the track. It’s kinda got many connotations. So as much as it is a reference to me it was also aimed at a lot of other people me and steady grew up around, the fact there was a lot of wasted talent.

S: It was round a time we had both lost people close to us and we were at a period of our time when we were quite introspective and I guess the track was an honest reflection of that. Taken from that, it’s still uplifting the fact that we don’t wanna be wasted talent. It came from the heart

Steady, there’s a real diversity of beats across all of Prose’s instalments so far, notably the big sampling. Is this something that plays an important part in your beat building process?

S: Everything’s done in the home studio. The Boom Bap Bunker. I got into MPC’s back in 97,98. Instead of blowing my student loan on drugs, beer or books I bought my first MPC. I’m a crate digger. I collect and cut records so the MPC plays a big part in my beat making.

It’s refreshing to see very little calabo’s or guest appearances from MC’s of name on the Boom Bap Bootleg or the EP’s. Was this a conscious choice?

E: We always felt we never really needed anybody. We’ve felt that introducing somebody else into the equation was always gonna either numb things down or disrupt the balance. So we stuck to eachother, we know eachother, we trust eachother, we share the same vision.We’re always respected the big names in the industry but we’ve never felt that we had to have them on something to validate us. We would love to work with those guys, but we never felt that we had to.

I mean another one man’s broth is another man’s poison. Me and steady make music that inspires us and we believe is great. Hopefully likeminded people out there will love it.

S: We’d be proud to work with them, but if we’re gonna have someone on our projects it would have to be a valid reason for it. Someone who shares Prose’s philosophy and who is doing it for the right reasons not just to get paid. A turntable and a mic is all you need, it’s what you do with it that matters.

'A turntable and a mic is all you need, it’s what you do with it that matters!' - Steady

You’ve currently pushed out a lot of material. Have you had to sacrifice much in the process?

E: I have kids, two daughters you know. So it was always that thing when I had my first child, argh this is it now, your not gonna be able to do the music anymore. It all depends on your perspective on life though and I kinda used that like a catalyst really to be more productive. I don’t see things I do as a sacrifice. Before I was sitting on my lorals, but I feel the pressure of time more now.

S: I grew up in the north, were Skinnyman was from, were Low Life Records started and I remember when Braintax was two people. I know a lot of those people from the Leeds scene growing up. The funny thing is I spent a lot of my life sort of having to defend Hip-Hop. Getting beaten up after school and being called a wigga for loving Hip-Hop. It’s so ironic now though cos you look at TV today and hip-hop is part of popular culture. I hope someone out there is debating our music, through the love of music and has tuned on to it by someone else.

So far the EP’s and mixtape are in preparation of a debut album. When and what more can we expect from it’s release?

S: You can expect it when we get that Russell Simmons cheque

E: Haha, Yeah we’ve been waiting for Damon Dash to ring us back

S: I guess the album is a continuation to what you’ve come to aspect from Prose. Obviously cos it’s an album we’ve thought about every detail from running order to artwork. All tracks are new. It’s not quite ready yet but soon.

E: It’s really the joy and pain of the last 5 years. And there will also be some guests on the album too, and they’re not what you would expect.

We come from that era of people putting out classic albums, not just churning a mixtape out every two weeks or what ever. People were making conceptual projects, something we want to emulate. People in a couple of years won’t remember mixtapes but they remember classic albums like ‘Illmatic’ or ‘36 chambers’. That’s the direction we always wanted to go in.

Wasted TalentEP, Running Man EP, and the recently Boombap Bootleg Mixtape are released on Boombap Professionals label. Watch out for the debut dropping soon in 09.

Wasted Time EP - free download :

http://www.divshare.com/download/4505109-b1c

December Blog

2009-01-03T12:27:00.039Z

yOyO

So another year gone and Pickles and Peanutbutta makes it to Christmas. So as I prepare to build a lethal blockade ‘cos I’ll be dammed if I let some fat bearded bloke down my chimney. I leave you with enough oral delight to fill your socking and get you through the munching hangover.

Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra at the Queen Elizabeth Hall are creating good vibrations, sending ripples along the Southbank that transcends the bmx park and the flowing of the Thames. I Spent some time in rehearsals with the Beatbox Supreme and Foreign Beggars member last month at the Southbank and its absolutely nuts what he’s achieving with the uniqueness of this project. It’s a perfect night out for anyone willing to be amazed.

On that same string, Shlomo after the success of his MTUM Anti Knife Crime concert, has started a project working with young people. Holding unconventional beatboxing workshops he’s empowering the younger generation to deviate from the perils of ‘on road lifestyle’ and concentrate on experiencing and appreciating all genres of music.The project stems from the idea that media and government bodies like to stereotype young people especially those from an ethnic background. Patronizing them into thinking that they’d only appreciate ‘urban music’ and consider music tech as the only possibility of working in the music industry. Boris Johnson seconds that opinion in an interview from the guardian.

Guardian Interview

Caught Ms Dynamite at I love live. First of f a wicked night, with dope performances from Natty, Wetch32 and Ms bOO herself it was a night that mixed class with perfect sound quality. After her sweet debut and the disappointment of her follow up album, Judgement Days, you could forgive me for thinking her best had gone along with the garage scene. So respect to her for addressing and apologising the lack of commitment over the last few years. Her new shizzzz is hot, with new tracks from the forthcoming album switching between soulful and straight ragga joints. My faith as truly been restored in one of the best female mc’s the UK, unfort couldn't find her myspace but watch this space for details on new album..

I Luv Live

We’ve all heard about Australia throwing their hip-hop into the mix but it’s their small neighbours across the waters bringing big flava’s that I’m more excited about. P-MONEY reppin’ New Zealand has been a dominate force in the NZ movement. His new track is a little different from what we’re used to but it’s still more catchy then Moby Dick. He also produces for two of my favourate artists stemming south of the hemisphere,Scribe and 4 Corners and although he didn't produce these tracks here's something from them to check check:

P-Money Myspace & Blog

Scribe Myspace

4 Corners Myspace

The best hip-hop group, and best live, I saw The Roots live in Nottingham last month! The mad use of a huge trombone was on point with the roots philosophy. Truly great and while I hear they are retiring from touring, to be a house band on some show (don’t get me started) I leave you remembering a chilled classic:

The Roots - Act Two (Love of my Life)

Ok brace yourself people. Craig David freestyle:

“Walk in the party, girls brushing past me, guys getting vex like they straight wanna barny, so much poonani, bottles of barcardi”…

As much as it pains me, especially when I think of ‘Born To Do It’ I gotta say: David go home, put the kettle on and think it over, failing that go on celebrity big brother.

After being thrown a life line by Kano with ‘this is the girl’ you would have thought he was heading in the right direction. What he needs to do is sack those voices in his ear that told him covering David Bowie would be a good sequel….change the team son!

After dropping ‘Be Cool’, Wretch 32 has had a lot of hype generated around him, notably from 1extra and Choice, with Twin B saying he’s the best lyrist in the UK at the moment. Although I’m usually undecided on the grime to Hip-Hop/Rap crossover and I don’t agree it’s the best thing since sliced bread Wretch has made a solid debut here, with tracks ‘all that I need’ and ‘take this from me’ standing out.

The album includes Scorcher, Chipmunk, Ghetto and Darren B. He’s also good live so if you get a chance to see him, go!
Wretch 32 myspace

A new artist to be excited about as we look to 09 is Jack Flash. His debut ‘Union Jack’ is in my top 10 of the year, with the huddlesfiled native making everyone on the underground turn heads. The album plays from front to back with dusty kicks snares andsamples complementing his laid back flows. It’s also a nice touch how he lets the beat play out on some of the tracks. My favourates are ‘Sleepy Little Town’ feat Jehst and Asaviour, ‘Vibe with Me’ and ‘Like Yesturday’, which already have the making of British classics. Since he hasn’t made videos for these yet I give ‘Intoxicating’ and Four Minute Warning’. Enjoy.

Jack Flash myspace

Skinnyman planning to drop a new album. It’s a wonder why the seen Godfathers of the UK movement, like Rodney P and Skinny have only got the one album to their name. although it can’t be disputed ‘Council Estate of Mind’ and ‘The Future’ are both Classics up there with Roots Manuva’s ‘Run Come save me’ and Jehst’s ‘Return of Drifter’, it’s interesting to ponder on that point. Is it a fear of never emulating the debut’s success a fearful jacket that cloks the two rthmers or simple it was intentional to make one masterpiece? Why no more?

Well let’s hope skinny pleases and it’s been worth the wait. In the mean time let me take you back!

skinnyman.co.uk
Skinnyman myspace

After reading Hip Hop connections top 40 albums of 08 and not agreeing with he running order I had to voice my own opinion.

Top eleven albums of year (‘cos ten’s too short) you won’t be upset spending on:

1. Chords : Things we do for Things
My favourate album and discovery of 08. No need to skip, Just press play. Trust

2. Blue Sky Black Death & Jean Grae : Jean Grae the Evil Jeanius
Nice review, though in short her finest piece of work. Album Review

3. Jack Flash : Union Jack

debut from Huddlesfield newest talent.

4. Melanin 9 : 144,000

A real gritty rough mid 90’s sound runs throughout the album while coated in a soulful glow. The return of a great MC. Straight Dope! Highlights include Strange Fruit and Saffron

5. Natty : Man Like Me

Bedroom Eyes, Coloured Souls and Badman complement the chilled vibe and solid debut

6. Q-Tip : The Renaissance

Greatness from a tru heavyweight. He’s concentrated on the foundations to produce a real special Hip-Hop album nurtured with soulful vibes courtesy of Raphael Saadiq and Norah Jones, reminiscent of his Quest days

7. Evil Ed & Conspicuous : The Get Together

My Big Smoke review - 'Hosted by Conspicuous, Evil Ed drops a ridiculously tasty new album. It’s a perfect partnership that best synergises on the soulful joint ‘U & Me’ and the LP is an ode to the talent gracing our shores, with the Crème de la crème of UK’s spitter’s lending their support. Tracks hold that comforting snare and drum beat complemented by piano and flute loops producing an infectious laid back Hip-Hop LP your gonna wanna bop your head to. Tracks that stand out include the uplifting ’BBQ’ and sick ‘ILL-Out’ featuring Jehst and Dubbledge.'

8. 88 keys : Life of Adam
The concept is perfection and oh so true. With appearances from Kanye West, Black Milk I beg you to not laugh as you ride the killer beats and are taken through the descending life of Adam.

9. J-live : The Upgrade

Another classic from NY’s finest. The title track is my favourate.

10. Sir Smurf Lil : New Bloodline
Tracks like El-Oh-N and New Bloodline push this to a higher status.

11. JakeOne : White Van Music
With callabo’s from Brother Ali, Black Milk, MF Doom and Royce Da 5’9’ all that’s missing is the transit. The mixtape is something special too.

Big UP to everyone for all your comments on facebook, email and myspace…nice to hear my mum’s not the only reader…..bless!

See you on the other side

Peace

October part 2:

2008-11-06T20:20:00.038Z

yOyO

We back up in here.. stretching over to early November So Part 2 begins on the back of great day in history. I never thought I’d be alive to see something so historic and In truth a little bit of me thought they couldn’t do it. Now after rightly giving that pessimistic side of me a big of slap, my faith is restored in a nation that hopefully has more liberal times a head. A change of mood is healthy like a change of food. so respect for the American people for making it happen.

On that note I heard Will-I-AM has written a song dedicated to Obama’s victory. Come on people do we really need to hear from every Tom, Dick and Will on who they voted for so they can capitalize on his win and only cheapen it?...blaaaaa
Anyway enough of that and on to some good shizzzzzzzzz:

Lewis Parker - Big Siesta

I heard Eminem is finding his lost mic and dropping a new album December. Honestly to tell the truth it’s a mixed feeling. Like many I grew up listening to ‘Slim Shady’ and ‘Forgot About Dre’ while mum was away and I suppose what I’m really hungry for is some angry Marshall Mathers but after recent disappointments I’m starting not to care. Although saying that in-charge of production is beat legend Premier - news that seriously sweetens the LP’s anticipation. Fingers crossed.

After the recent death of his good friend J-Dilla, Busta Rythmes drops ‘Dilla-Gence’ an emotional album that sees Busta step back to his roots spiting over some classic JD tracks. Some R.I.P dedications can fall short or sound corny but this is Busta hanging up his commercial suit, if for a minute, and in his own words returning to ‘real Hip Hop’. The result is a straight flavoursome collaboration and another reminder of the Legacy Detroit’s finest left behind.

On the Detroit front did you know the city was the birthplace of techno? Yeah scarp that but on a level what it did provide us with was some great artists like Amp Fiddler, Black Milk, Slum Village, Eminem, Royce Da’59” and Illa J (baby bro of J-Dilla) to name a few. So obviously a few more reasons to visit 8 mile. There’s also a nice article in November’s Hip Hop Connection about the city and interviews with all the above that’s well worth a butchers.

Mobb Deep - Shook ones (Sigur Ros remix)

Last September Murs dropped a new album ‘Murs for president’. If you haven’t heard about this boi your kinda missing out people. With previously dope albums produced by 9th Wonder like ‘Murray’s Revenge’ and ‘3:16’, he makes the sort of laid back, lyrical music you can munch anytime to. Here’s one of my fav’s.

Murs - 1st Love

Shout to UK:

First up is Ghost. The follow up to his EP ‘Ghost Stories’ and the super chilled ‘Seldom Seen Often Heard’, which by the way is one of the best recent UK albums going, the beat maker returns with a second installment entitled ‘Freedom of Thought’. After hearing some of his new stuff it’s clear he has many strings to his violin so expect something completely different this time round. To wet your appetite check the ghost classic ‘Exactly’ feat Asaviour and Verb t of his debut.

http://www.myspace.com/musicbyghost

It’s all going Savvy for Asaviour also of late.The Huddelsfield heavyweight strong off the back of his ‘Play to win mixtapes vol.1 and vol.2’ and debut ‘Borrowed Ladder’ has blessed us again with the ‘A Loop Theory mixtape’ on free download in preparation for his highly anticipated new album ‘A Loop Theory’. The mixtape (check the myspace for freeness) has some tasty Flying Lotus and Skream freestyles while the LP sees him team up with old bredwin DJ IQ for the mix. From what I’ve heard it’s really experimental branching across all genres like electro, grime, jazz, Hip Hop and even rock. Get the freeness and get hungry.

http://www.myspace.com/asaviourmusic

Asaviour - Homecoming

Seeing as DJ Mentat is on the cover of the 10th anniversary addition of Big Smoke (shameless plug) I thought I’d take you bac

k to one of my Mentat favourites ‘When I Give My Heart’ feat Skinnyman. Enjoy.

After ‘The Experience’, Kyza’s ‘Brand New Second Hand’ out February is probably one of the most anticipated follow up’s for a while. I probably havn’t been this excited since girls where allowed to join my six form. And with his once a week free downloads of Kyza freestyles on existing instrumentals and the mixtape ‘Shots of Smirnoff’ (dented records) dropping soon, the hunger is only set to get stronger. ‘Missing’ freestyle is straight ill, as is ‘Wonderful World’. If you’ve missed any just follow link and you’ll see what I mean.

http://www.myspace.com/saysoseddso
www.reverbnation.com/saysoseddso

Monkey Journey to West...... Exciting maverick Opera telling an old Chinese fable, from Damian Albarn so expect .....well I don't know what to expect, and that's the nang thing about seeing it! One of the Big nights out of '08.

Both indie and hip-hop in the UK are outlets for opinio

n and rebellion so the scenes aren’t galaxies apart as the indust

ry might have us think. Step forward Mongrel, a collaboration which is attempting to merge the two identities and their different cultures under one unique banner, confronting themes that manufactured music wouldn’t dare face. The project is the brainchild of former Arctic Monkeys’ bassist Andy Nicholson and the band includes other members from the Arctic Monkeys, Babyshambles and Reverend and the Makers. Solidifying the joint is UK lyricist Lowkey. An artist that has been on the scene for more the a minute, as a member of notorious Poisonous Poets he needs little introduction.

Mongrel promises to be conscious music and rebellious expression whilst still holding the original British flava, ensuring that they aren’t just not another gimmick band jumping on the political wagon but a group well worth lending an ear.

For tasty tasters of mongrel material along with Lowkey exclusive freestyles hunt down the free cd on November's HHC or pun the myspace.

http://www.myspace.com/wearemongrel

Following on from ‘High Fidelity’ Melanin 9 drops a new album ‘144,00’. With its dark and gritty beats is what you’ve come to expect form one 1/3 of Triple Darkness. Saying that ‘Anthemia’ Triple Darkness' debut reminds me of the Mob Deep 'Murda Muzik' release. Both Solid releases.

http://www.myspace.com/tripledark
www.mypace.com/m9ine

M9 - Strange Fruit

Triple Darkness

K-delight has new shizzy out. The Brighton boi is becoming somewhat of a veteran with his recognizable kick and snare. His beats are dustier then racks of vinyl of which they were sampled and the sort of tracks that get heavy rotation on the breakdancing circuit.Check, check!

www.myspace.com/kdelight

Part 2 has to be dedicated to the boys making up the Speakers Corner Quartet. Headed by Flute legend Biscuit who you might remember from LG & Biscuit’s super dope album ‘Smoke Rings’, the group craft psychedelic sounds with timing that complements reckless perfection. A funk soul quartet on dunks they’re a new reason to appreciate the power of live music freestyled. Regulars at Jazz café, QEH and Royal Festival Hall and having worked alongside talent like Soweto Kinch, David Okumu,Jehst, DJ Vadim, Immortal Technique to name a few their something quite special in the happening. I’ve seen them a couple of times now, and you can see them for cheap or free on guestlist so hit their myspace.

http://www.myspace.com/speakerscornerquartet

http://www.myspace.com/lgandbiscuit

Finally but not lastly:

Finished a piece on Sarah Love the other night. If you don’t know get to know. She’s one of the most knowledgeable dj’s we own and a big supporter of homegrown. As the first female to be nominated for a MOBO in the club DJ category, It’s refreshing to see a female hold her own weight and settle the testosterone in a male dominated scene. With her Friday morning flavours 2-6am 1exta show and mix cd dropping on the high water music label, She’s as hot as the music she drops. Go check!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/sarahlove/

Going out or just looking to give me a slap, check the flyers for a satisfaction:

Wow that was satisfying….Till late November people – peace x

P.S -Be contributing to UKHH.COM soon so go check the website.

October Part 1

2008-10-16T22:49:00.035+01:00

yOyO

Ok so its August since I brought fresh flava to your ear…but If you thought I was stopping these shinanighans then you were more mistaken then that time you thought peanutbutta and jam went together.
October’s been a busy month. So far I’ve hit Blak Twang's album Launch party, baby J's BABYFOOD tour and dropped my mouth several times at the craziness that is the UK BBOY Championships. Russia won btw (photos of event soon), not to mention finishing several reviews and articles for Big Smoke.

So seeing as I’ve withheld a monthly dose, this post is coming in two parts - you can thank me later - Less ranting, although I still wanna murder the next fassy that offers me a London Lite, and more of the good sheezy. Enjoy:

Rakim - When I'm on the Mic

I’ve gotta dedicate Part 1 to Kevin Mark Trail. Straight up one of the UK’s finest voices, you where first introduced to him on The Streets ‘Original Pirate Material’ from there he’s dropped the ridiculously soulful album ‘Just living’ along with EP ‘Sketches’. The man makes music to improve your sex life people. Seriously if your lacking in chat, pop on ‘breathless’ and your on your way to making babies. His conscious lyrics on tracks like ‘Vibe’ and ‘Ego City’ also illustrate a man of substance and serve as another reminder of real talent not being recognized by the majors. He’s currently touring with The Streets so go check!

http://www.myspace.com/kevinmarktrail

On that note The Streets new album 'Everything is borrowed' is tip top and everything you expected from the previous Mercury Music Award winners. With better production and all round material then the last flop, its more mature and upbeat. Trust, this is The Streets back to perfect simplicity and a reason why Mike Skinner is so unique. The track 'Escapist' stands out.

Loving the video to Common’s new tune 'Universal mind control' featuring Pharrell. It’s the first single taken of album numero eight of the same name. Said to be electro-tinged and tech-inspired the release has been pushed back till December 9th. Chi-towns finest has come along way since debuting back in ‘92 with ‘can I borrow a dollar’ and although for me hasn’t made anything better then 'Like Water for Chocolate' (although 'Resurrection' was close) I’m still counting down the days till release. Fingers crossed.

Another heavyweight, Mr. Retirement, Jay-Z, has got a new album ‘Blueprint 3’ dropping the 2nd of same month. Produced solely by Kanye West I’m really hoping It doesn’t feature Lil Wayne(although no doubt it will) and that I get more for my pennies then 'American Gangster', which was about as exciting as Monday Mornings.

'Hungry?..... Should have gone to picklesandpeanutbutta.blogspot.com'

I’ve been trying to reignite my obsession with Radio shows. Hunting the FM Frequencies again for the exclusive DJ slots takes you back to the Reebok classic and Ben Sherman days, when armed with a tape recorder as your bible you’d religiously stay up for Shortie Blitz, Heartless Crew and yes Tim Westwood. Now it’s all different, with so many ways of listening to radio the choice is more diverse then choosing a curry on brick lane!
I know 1extra first comes to mind, but seeing as it's digital there’s still something quite nice about driving through the city in a midnight haze tuning into the FM late night riddems.

Apart from everything and anytime on Rinse FM I still love Kiss late night madness. Seek DJ MK for fresh UK Hip Hop Thursday 9-11 pm , Sindan for Dope beats Thursday 1-2am and winners of the Kiss pirate clash, the jokers, Dangerous Minds Crew for nang grime Tuesday 1-2am.

For the best radio on the web you need to hit up Suspect Packages Radio hosted by Disorda and The Last Skeptik’s scrumptious Dusty Crates Radio show:

http://dustycratesradio.blogspot.com

http://www.suspect-packages.com

Shout out to UK:

Off Corse reppin’ for the UK Sway’s ‘The Signature LP’ and Kano’s ‘101 Grime Street’ are both released this month. And while they’re both better then good (see Kano's 'Hustler' video) for me two other cats have overshadowed both their releases - Evil Ed’s ‘The Get Together’ and Baby J’s ‘Baby Food’. Check out my reviews in current issue of Big Smoke for further details. But simply put, both LP’s are the illest Hip Hop this side of Pluto. Video’s of 'Ruffnek set the trend' and 'Wake Up' taken from Babyfood.

www.myspace.com/babyjenterprises
www.myspace.com/eviledtheenthusiast

Legend Blak Twang has also returned to form with new album ‘Speaking form Xperience’ which is well worth a butchers.
www.myspace.com/blaktwang

MILLION DAN has also released a high-octane banger of an album named 'Spectrum' which is well worth lending an ear, and tying in with this months release of the solo debut I'm taking you back to when he was dropping hotness in 89 as mike J of Demon Boys around the same time as the infamous London Posse . Check the video, Check the sound.

www.myspace.com/milliondan

Tracks you need:

Busty Signal- Tic Toc

Santo gold I’m a lady – Diplo remix (video)

M.I.A swagger like this featuring jay-z, T.I, Lil Wayne

Nas ‘Black President and Hero off new album ‘untitled’

Lykee Li - breaking up

Going out? Come find me at:

FWD vs RINSE : Grime - Dubstep - Funky House. 24th October at the End.

Featuring Boy Better Know, Skream, Benga, Geeneus, Kode 9, Youngsta, N Type, Platician and others I'm preparing a big bag of medication.

http://WWW.RINSE.FM/

Sir Smurf Lil ‘A New Bloodline’ album launch Wednesday 22nd October at Rhythm Factory.

Hosted by Yungun, it will include support from Jehst, Dubbledge, Triple Darkness and Micall Parksun and with Mr Thing and DJ IQ on the one’s and two’s its set to be messy. Yes sir!

Also, Grandmaster flash hits London’s paper nightclub 25th October.

Well that’s’ it for Part 1, see you end of month for delicious seconds. Don’t forget to check Big Smoke Magazine.
http://www.myspace.com/bigsmokemagazine

Oh and remember its all about Pickles and Peanutbutta.

Peace!

Kano - Hustler

Common - Universal Mind Control

August 08

2008-08-13T16:25:00.023+01:00

YoYo

Firstly apologises for my disappearing act last month. Just move down to the concrete jungle and in between securing a part-time job, saving rent and joining various projects mans been busy get me! But don’t worry, in response I’ve got a supa munch for your listening pleasure.

First off though who the Fuck made Lil Wayne the future of Hip Hop, I’m not hating, well I am but it’s not that I’m even brewing from the wackness of his music but more of the fact that he’s destroyed my love for Lollipops. Stop slurring your words blud. Dick.

Oh and if Mr Mayor wants more peeps using public transport can he buy all those mofo’s playing music loud on their phone a master class on using headphones. After a monotonous Monday the last thing I need is a distorted grime riddem. I don’t like your music gremlin neither does anyone else for that matter, so why must you make my ears bleed, I should return the favour and do a Van Goff on your ass. If they want to play real music they should log on to Picklesandpeanutbutta/blogspot.com and get learning. Word!

Before we get started check out how young Andre 3000 and Big Boi look in this classic Outkast 'Players Ball':

Right first up we have CHORDS. I was introduced to this rhyming fiend by my man Thaddeuspuck (http://www.myspace.com/thaddeuspuck). The Swedish rapper is straight up Dope people, mixing thought provoking rhymes with off-the wall humour. I can’t get enough of ‘Luckiest Man Alive’ and ‘Appetite for Consumption’ feat Timbuktu both taken form his new second album ‘Things We Do For Things’. And following further research I found Sweden has a few more gems. Loop Troop Rockers made up of Supreme, Embee and Promoe have just dropped a new album ‘Good Things’ and if ‘The Building’ or Promoe's own solo releases are anything to go by, the LP is set to make waves.

(check videos below)

I hear Dr Dre is finishing his much-anticipated sequel to ‘2001’ entitled ‘Retox’. Featuring Nas, Jay-z and Lil Wayne (yuk) and sampling heavily on live drums I hope 8 years in the making is worth the wait.

Now each blog entry I represent talent from the UK and the last couple of months has been no different with the scene making some serious noise.

Prose made up of Steady and rapper Efeks are a crew you need to lend an ear to. Reppin’ from South London with a Leeds connection the duo are proving that poetic flow over oldskool beats is still the best recipe. Dare I say their mixtape

‘Boom Bap Bootleg’ is the best sliced bread this year, made from the same substance as Jehst’s ‘Alcoholic Author’ and Taskforce’s ‘Music from the corner’ sagas http://www.myspace.com/prosebbp

Had a cheeky chat with Kyza (formerly of Terra Firma) at Breakin Bread, Jazz Café the other night. He informed me that he and Klasnekoff haven’t spoken in two years! Thats a real Shame, I was enjoying the possibility of more Terra Firma music but he promised his own mixtape was dope and finished, as well as a second album close to completion later in the year. Entitled? – it was loud and I had a few so fuck knows if I can remember. I‘ll keep you posted.

Oh and if you havn't got Kyza's first album 'The Experience' there's something wrong in your head!

Another UK heavyweight finishing his new album is Blak Twang. ‘Speaking from Xperience’ features Estelle, Toy, Sway and k9, amongst others and is due 29th September. Seeing as one of my favourite UK tracks of all time is ‘U know’ I still have faith in Toni Rotten to bless us with some niceness.

Kano new album ‘104 Grime Street’ set for 29th September.

And finally been going to a lot of spoken word recently. With Hip-Hop's foundations steming from spoken word it's an area of literature that surprises and impresses. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but you should really consider changing your brew! Check these word mavericks:

Polar Bear

http://www.myspace.com/polarbearspoken

(Favourite: Straight Outta Compton and Seven Thirty)

2 Tru Deep

http://www.myspace.com/2trudeep

Some dope tracks and albums you need in your life:

Tracks:

Snook & Veronica Maggio ft. Petter - Inga Problem

Mattix feat Flutebox

(appearing at Shoreditch festival) - things have changed. http://www.myspace.com/nathanfluteboxlee

Albums:

Akala - Freedom Lasso.

Nemesis and Arrogance - lend me your ear

Ghost - Seldom Seen but often Heard

C-Mone - Butterfly Effect

Recently reviewed artists:

Rox

http://www.myspace.com/roxmusik

Neon Neon - debut album 'Stainless style' nominated for '08 Mercury award.

http://www.myspace.com/neonx2

Remember to check for my articles and interviews amongst others in the new issue of BIG SMOKE magazine released end of August. 10th Anniversary edition gonna be big!

See you next month!

Stevie Hyper D -Anniversary Piece BIG SMOKE Magazine

2008-07-21T23:09:00.008+01:00

Stevie Hyper D

Throughout history the music game has provided us with great artists, pioneer artists, those whose innovative styles and rebellious ambition to test the stereotype have pushed their music to new levels. On the tenth anniversary of his death Big Smoke caught up with the biggest fans of one such artist, nephew Daryl Hyper D and Bionic (London Posse) to talk about the Original Junglist soldier and the Legacy he created.

Stevie was a West London kid listening to Jamaican Ragga with a deep routed passion for emceeing. His greatest loves where Hip Hop and Reggae which along with his heavy West Indies roots gave birth to his innovative style setting him apart from mc’s popular at the time ‘he would come with a structure, chorus, verse much like a rapper would’. Daryl recollects. But instead of pursuing a Hip Hop angle he saw an opportunity to do something different in the acid house/ hardcore scene that was dominating the summers of 88/89 ‘Stevie was about bubbling, he would hold a rave for 5 hours whilst other mc’s would have an hour set and pass the mic. The first time I heard Roots Manuva’s ‘Run Come Save Me’ was how Stevie made me feel. That feeing you get from a great artist.’In the early days Daryl Hyper D and the rest of Stevie’s entourage would hustle Stevie to the stage, making sure he got the mic. Daryl remembers the early struggle ‘we would have those big raves, Fantasy, Peace-Fest, Stevie was up and coming. If you turned up they’d give you 75 quid, but we had to get to Milton Keynes, Luton or Birmingham. So we used to all chip in and get a mini bus. For 2 years Stevie was doing that and we were behind him we were nobodies. We had to go hustle the mic of these guys who we all new Stevie was 10 times better then.’
‘The type of person he was and that, didn’t go with that image, he was just too real.’ Bionic remembering their first meeting outside the Lazzer Drum, Peckham in 94 ‘ My bredrin took we to one rave, there were bare gals, and every girl was like Stevie Hyper D! Stevie hyper D! I heard the name but didn’t know who he was. Girls were all over him. Stevie was like ‘Yo, Bionic man I used to listen to your music’ and all the girls were like who’s Bionic?’ He grins ‘We got all the girls in the car and went to his show in Tottenham. On the way he was telling me how the DJ’s have got it and MC’s just bust’ Bionic and Stevie quickly found common ground.

‘His ideas were big! He’s on music, making records. Stevie was on the same level as me, he was future enough to say ok lets make a Drum n Bass version of All I want to do is have some fun. From that minute we had the link. Then he brung me to bare raves. I was like fucking hell bare sexy gals everywhere. I thought this new music was mad! It was like how Miami bass hit me in America. Then I saw him chat rave after rave and thought mans bad! I’ve replayed that moment back in my head the most. The meeting was the beginning of a new stage of my life. I was an angry bad person and that’s what a lot of people remember me for. He brought me to the enjoyment stage of life where I needed to be.’Stevie’s ability to hold an arena of happy ravers for hours on end saw him become a pioneer in the jungle and Drum n Bass scene in the early nineties. His career gave him resident spots at Movement, The Hope, Telepathy, Elevation, Jungle Mania, Innervation to name a few and saw him tour heavily from Canada to Australia, Japan to Europe mostly financed by himself.

‘It felt like he toured every weekend, Germany was like his second home’. Daryl explains. ‘People would see Stevie’s name on the flyer and be like Yeh I’m going to that rave, not cos of the DJ, but the MC, cos you know its gonna be a show.’ Not happy that he was billed to one rave while DJ’s were doing 3 -4 sets a night he began to build a new approach to emceeing, preparing lyrics for dubplates that were currently smashing up and knowing exactly when they’d be dropped by the DJ at the time.

‘He was all about UK music getting recognized, especially MC’s. Stevie would say that next year was gonna be about the MC and that really burnt a lot of DJ’s.’
‘Hip Hop is lyrically based.’ adds Bionic. ‘And most of the DnB DJ’s in the scene didn’t ever want DnB to be like Hip Hop. They didn’t want to be the little DJ in the background that everybody didn’t give a fuck about.’His ability to hold his own as an MC in a scene dominated by the DJ saw him team up with the established Nicky Blackmarket, a partnership that broke new ground.
‘He knew to make money, to be recognized worldwide you had to cross that barrier, had to do something that’s not the norm. Something that’s not UK Hip Hop, not Jungle.’
Stevie had come along way from his days as a teen splitting over 12 inch ragee rhythms with his ‘5 man army’ crew. At the time of Stevie’s death, he was working twice as much. Signed to Island records he was working on a new album ‘Next Step’ by Different Levels. It seemed the best was only yet to come. But unfortunately on the 5th of July 1998 music lost one of its greatest performers. Stevie Hyper D died of a heart attack with a history of heart problems running in the family. There was a lot of mystery associated with his death, Daryl explains ‘I like the mystery surrounding his death, there’s

so many stories on the internet that he died on stage, it was an overdose. It was like when Jimi Hendrix died. For the past 7-8 years it’s always been patchy. It happened with people close to Stevie but not the family.
After smashing a massive rave in Canada with Nicky Blackmarket and Kenny Ken within that week he had been complaining of chest pains. But he was like na man its indigestion. He was worried of course but thought it was a consequence of traveling too much, parties and rich living. His death was a wake up call for a lot of the people in the industry who lived the lifestyle’‘On a Thursday or Friday he did a massive rave, one nation or something, he went home with his girl and that’s when I got the call that Stevie was in hospital. No one new what had happened. Stevie was always a joker. I thought he was winding me up. He was more like my brother then my uncle, who took me to my first rave. I couldn’t accept it, he was only 32.’
The scene stopped and paid tribute to a fallen soldier with two raves at the End and Camden Palace with everyone you can name in Drum n Bass wanting to pay homage. Shortly followed the release of ‘Legend’ with all profits going to Stevie’s mum Aida.
‘The rave was packed’ Bionic remembers ‘I was so hurt that day, I felt it when they started rinsing his tunes, that was a love thing. That was huge. For the next year, bare times I thought I’d seen Stevie, you couldn’t accept it. We said we were gonna make a group, He new we were gonna bang up the world and then he died. That crushed man. For so many years people have tried to bring me back to music. So when he died that’s when I knew I had to come out of the music completely.’

‘Stevie was a workaholic doing raves from Wednesday to Sunday.’ Daryl adds ‘He lived the lifestyle. When he would come of stage it was time for him to get out his big bag of ‘dro and nice bottle of brandy and kick back with what ever woman he had.’ So he was a ladies man. Daryl grins ‘ Stevie was a dog man he didn’t have to hide it. Drum and Bass was part of his life. That day twenty different girls ran me asking if it was true. If he had a rave in Bournemouth he had a girl in Bournemouth, know what I mean, It was that lifestyle. When I went to his stone two years ago, there was a girl crying her eyes out, I didn’t know her and asked her if she new him. She said how she lived in Hastings and he used to come she her. I was like ra people 8 years on were still mourning him.’ Bionic continues ‘At the time in America, Hip Hop was a road ting, when I dropped Money mad people weren’t on it, Hip Hop here wasn’t a road ting. America weren’t hearing you if you were British Hip Hop, we needed our own ting, so when Stevie showed me the flex, I loved the flex. English everything English. When I did shows I was a crowd man, when I saw Stevie I was like yeh, he’s a showman. He was an entertainer, when he went no one else was able to recreate his input.’ Drum n Bass was the voice of Britain’s youth and Stevie took it across the waters making a name for himself state side. ‘When I went back

to America after his death, I wanted to hear what was being said. It was nothing but Stevie mate. LA, New Orleans, Canada. The name Stevie Hyper D was everywhere!’
It took Stevie 4 years with Nicky Blackmarket before he got his first MC award in 1997. In 2007 the Drum N Bass scene presented Daryl with the Stevie Hyper D Memorial award, for his lifetime achievement to the cores ‘when my man Stevie picked up his award in 97 it was one category, best MC, now there are 8 categories for MC. I couldn’t believe it. The MC in the DnB had now got his props.’
On the Ten year anniversary of his death Daryl Hyper D has started ‘Generation Hyper’, a project that stems from a new generation raised on Stevie Hyper D which will include rare releases, remixes and a documentary narrated by Bionic.
‘When Stevie died a lot of people said DnB was dead’ Daryl explains ‘its about ten years later, seeing how music has progressed from Stevie, my man innovated something, he’s not here to see it but he took all the elements of what urban music was, found a template to relay it on and smash it with. What Stevie did was install something bigger then Drum n Bass. He put in place a format that no one has yet been able to recreate.’

" right about now I did it my way, in da place, in da place, move your body to da drum and da bass, cause stevie hyper's right now on the case" - Stevie Hyper D

Shlomo Interview 9/07 Nottingham Mic Magazine

2008-07-21T22:49:00.008+01:00

From touring the world as member of the coolest UK Hip Hop crews around, The Foreign Beggars, to blowing thousands of people away with nothing but his mouth and a microphone at this years summer festivals.
Shlomo is one of the finest beatboxers the UK has to offer and now he wants you to sit and pay attention as he takes the fifth element of Hip Hop to another dimension.
I caught up with the humble man behind the voice during sound check at Nottingham’s Stealth to talk past, present, future and music through unconventional means.

Now one of the UK’s finest beatboxers, how did you first get into the oral delight?

It all began when I was a kid. I learnt to play the drums at like 8 years old.
I was always doing it, I didn’t know what it was, this sound, but like I was always playing out rhythms on my legs and stuff. Then I kinda released other people did it, so I was like ‘shit I already do that!’….
But my sounds where never realistic sounds just rhythms, so I then i was like ‘right I’m gonna learn to do things properly.’
So then I started doing shows, open mic nights and stuff. Moved out to Leeds, did loads of gigs. Did this gig and got picked up by the foreign beggars. With them I went all over toured the Europe, the states and Canada

And the rest is history. Did you come from a musical background?

Yeh. My dad’s a jazz guitarist so I used to play drums in his band. My parents have always been totally supportive.

What do you say to those that say that beat boxing is a gimmick, reserved for house parties and showing off?

Yeh! You get that a lot. People don’t think of it as a way of making music but rather a way of impressing people. For me when I first started doing beatbox shows I always thought of it as my party trick. Even then I was like this is my way of impressing people, ‘cos everyone thinks it’s impressive. Back then I never really connected it with the music that I had in my head, I just connected it with another thing I did. It wasn’t till I had been touring for a couple years that I did this track with Björk for the Athens Olympic Games.

It was Grammy nominated right?

Yeh, It was wicked! 4.5million people could have heard that track at that point. And when I went into the studio with her she just treated me like an artist. She treated me like a musician. I was amazed how musical she was treating beatboxing, So I was like ‘hold on a minute I’ve been making music all my life, it obviously is music it’s not just a way of showing off.’

I gotta ask man, is Bijork really a fruitcake?

No, everyone asks me this man. She’s not at all, It was really cool to meet her. I mean people always think she’s mad but she’s not at all she’s actually really shy. She was more intimidated by me then I was of her, and I was a kid back then like twenty….twentyone.

Working with the likes of Bijork and Natalie Williams to name a few, means working with different artists and their different personalities. Do you consider yourself a patient person?

Erm..well I’m pretty chilled out…. With music I think half of the key to success isn’t necessarily your talent It’s how you are. If you get on with people musically you will get on with them. And like, especially with the projects I’ve been doing recently were I’ve started bringing people together and trying to create like this unified thing, you gotta be able to handle everyone’s ego. You gotta make sure everyone feels happy and that’s probably the biggest challenge. Just to make sure everyone is happy.

You’ve now established yourself as a name with your own sound. Looking back at the long list of tours and your achievements with Foreign Beggars has it ever freaked you out the level of your success?

It does get a bit tripy sometimes if you see yourself in the paper or on TV. And like the funny ones is when you do the festival circuit in the summer, like the The Big Chill. You go on to 10,000 people packed into this field all fucking screaming your name and then your back at home and no ones screaming your name and you’re like ‘oh shit I gotta do the washing up’. I think it’s important to keep your feet on the ground, even when its all abit crazy and your pinching yourself to see if its real but you just got to remember you’re still a normal person – you just happen to be lucky.

Let’s talk about your latest project ‘The beatbox choir’. The choir consists of 5-time Grammy-winning vocal group the Swingle Singers alongside 5 of the UK's top human beatboxers. How did the idea of bringing these artists together come about?

Basically I was curetting this event at the Southbank centre (London) which was the World Beatbox convention. I had to program it in and find all the best international beatboxers and we needed to find a headline act who would be amazing for all the beatboxers coming, but would also appeal to the general public. Yeh so we were looking at like Rahzel and such but there wasn’t anyone who appealed equally to the beatbox community and also to your normal Joy block. So I was like how about we create something land do something like ‘The Beatbox Choir’….All the beatbox kids are gonna love it but you can also say to anyone who knows nothing about it that ‘Yeh its headlined by the ‘The Beatbox Choir’‘ and they are instantly interested. That’s why we decided to start it.

Your journey of bringing Shlomo and the vocal orchestra together was captured in the documentary ‘The Beatbox choir’ directed by Colette McWilliams. Where there any funny stories during the filming?

It was weird because I had some creative Vito, creative control over the film but to be honest it was so late in the day there wasn’t much I could do like half an hour before the screening. I was so nervous right up until that point because I hadn’t seen it. Forming the choir was a six week process where Colette and the cameras filmed throughout. I remember like after the 4th week a load of us went to do a gig in Oldham…It was a mini version of the vocal orchestra because half of us went... The documentary people came and filmed the whole thing… going up, the show, which went really well and the journey back.
The cameras kept rolling like seven or eight in the morning during a really long drinking session and we were talking such mind obnoxious shit, being complete dickheads. Afterwards I was like ‘oh my God’. That was a funny piece in the film.
I mean it needs to be trimmed down but we are in talks for a DVD deal and getting it on TV, maybe channel 4….that would be great!

What does the future hold for the choir and Shlomo?

Well I’m doing a 12 month artistic residency at the Southbank centre. They have asked us to do a vocal orchestra show in May 2008 as part of their choral festival so we’re doing a whole new show for that.
Then in April 2009 we’re gonna do this massive show at the royal festival hall. Basically we are gonna commission a concerto for a human beatbox and orchestra – like an original piece of classical music but with the beatbox choir. That’s gonna be like my big finisher to my time at the Southbank… It’s really exciting man, I can’t wait because I’m gonna co-write it with the composer.
Loads of composers came down for the film and they loved it

That sounds mad. From a beatboxer to a composer?

Yeh! That’s it, I mean it goes back to what I said at the beginning. You gotta treat beatboxing as music. And so many people don’t. For me I’ve always wanted to make music – the fact I beatbox is irrelevant. That’s just my way of getting it out there and my way of making sure it stands out from everyone else who makes music that matters.

You can see this with your success in foreign beggars. Beggars are always seeming to push the boundaries with their music.

Exactly, that’s probably why the first album, Asylum Seekers was so successful. It’s just good music. I’ve played it to my auntie who knows nothing about UK Hip-Hop, but she just liked it. It’s just really good music primarily. All the tags, the labels that go along with it are secondary to the fact its good music.

I caught a glimpse of Toni Rotten (Black Twang) and your boy Orifice at the premiere of the film down in London. What’s the support been like for your new ventures from the rest of the scene and the beggars?

Yeh man…They always support me. It’s a bit funny now cos I’ve kinda been doing less and less stuff with the beggars. To be honest they are the people who put me on the map in the first place.
Pavan (orifice) was the guy who originally had so much belief in me, he literally found me on the street and he was like ‘right give me your number, I’m starting this group and can u be in it?’ To give someone that much belief without knowing them is really special.

With so much on our plate, is this the start of the end for Shlomo and the Foreign Beggars?

I dunno if it’s the start, I’ve just got so much going on right now.
I’m still doing quite a lot of shows with them…Beggars have always toured heavily. I found that there was a certain Hip-Hop scene in the UK, that’s how I first grew into beatboxing, but after a while I realised that wasn’t the kind of music I was making.
I started to make music that I represent and my fan base seemed to be attracted to that… For me, playing on the Hip Hop circuit all the time is not conducive to moving stuff forward it’s like you’re stuck in the same circle. It is a real shame because I love those boys; they have done so much for me.

Do you still see a lot of them?

Of Corse man we are really good friends…they all came to my wedding in their traditional costumes. Metropolis was in gaunan outfit and you had Pavan and all his brothers dressed in Indian dress. People kept asking me ‘who are all those men in dresses?’ and I was like ‘They’re my hip-hop band come meet them.’

You use a loop station during most of your shows. It’s a novel idea amongst beatbox sets. Any plans for solo projects?

Not really. I do my solo set and its fun, but the most fun that I ever have is when I’m with the group – Beatbox choir.
Using a loop station on stage makes beatboxing bigger and more musical, but each time you put your layer in that’s it you can’t really fuck around with it. But that’s how we first experimented with the beatbox choir. We first made them into a human loop station. I gave each layer to a human and the most amazing thing about that is every single one of those people can take it off in a completely different direction. They’ve all got their own magic to put into it.

Cheers Shlomo, any last Words?

Watch this space.
Recently I’ve had like three to four massive commissions to bring together thousands of people.
It’s a tripy time right now.
You think you’ve seen anything, you havn’t seen anything…you’ve jus scratched the surface. It’s BIG!

Check: Shlomo presents ‘Music through unconventional means’, a series of concerts hosted by Shlomo at the Southbank centre London.

www.myspace.com/shlomizzle
www.myspace.com/shlomoandthevocalorchestra
www.shlo.co.uk

It begins : JUNE 2008

2008-06-08T18:03:00.003+01:00

yOyO

arghhh what a month, between graduating, dodging my landlord for rent and working on my Buddha a whole lots happened. But Don't worry I've got a flavorsome munch for you.

I've been going to Tesco's for years, sometimes buying the odd random delight but most sticking to the same brands cos I know I'm assured satisfaction. Sadly though you can't pass this technique of gratification to music anymore. Gone are the days you could buy a new album on reputation and name alone. No Sir! take Pete rocks latest installment 'NY's Finest', my 10 pound would have been better spent on iceland babe Kerry Katona's fitness video. And take Nas' past releases, there were enough tunes about Kelis I thought I was getting married to her myself....please!! Saying that I'm still gonna buy his new album, most probably because just like you I yern for the good old illmatic days. This all in mind you gotta understand when I hear the oh so recently retired veteran Roots Manuva is dropping a new album 25th of August entitled 'Slime and Reason' i feel excited yet slightly lost like Harry in the army. Mostly produced by himself The first single 'Buff Nuff' is released on 30th June. Lets hope he's starting with his worst track in the dark sarcastic humour we all love and expect from Lord Gosh, aka Rodney Smith and that its got more bangers than Awfully Deep..yum yummy.

Rant over back to the niceness.

Check out Welsh Producer, yes Welsh, Metabeats fine album 'Metaphysical' with tracks like 'Live and Let Live' its the most Anticipated UK debut for time.

Also Two artists i can't get enough of at the moment are Natty and Nneka. New Producer/artist Natty, 24, hails from London, writes his own stuff and his first single 'Coldtown' is a welcome response to the Fuzz that's dominating the charts (hey but when did we care whats top 40). And i believe i've jumped on this before Mr melon head Trevor!

Nneka, originally from Nigeria, now resides in Hamburg, and apart from being more beautiful then a day in June the 27 year old has gotta be my favourate sound right now. download 'love' from Limewire and check the 'Uncomfortable Truth' if you dare to differ.

Kano has dropped his new mixtape 'MC No.1', this is dope yo'll. A welcome stones throw from London Town shite, you gotta love mixtapes for the simple reason Artists know they ain't gonna get the tracks played on Radio 1 and don't have to worry about having there creativity censored. keepin' it grimey Sway has also released the 'Dotted lines' mixtape, check the myspace link for free download!

I gotta big up my man Shlomo from the Foreign Beggars. beat box supreme has just finished his 12 month residency at the Southbank with his show 'Music Through Unconventional Means'. He made mad sounds with everyone from DJ Yoda and Mad Professor to his very own Beatbox choir and Jazz kings Polar Bear. Highlights are below.

I know its like a year old, but stumbled across a wicked Saian Supa Crew track entitled 'France'. Nice Video too. Check it

And last but no least a little bit of liquid DnB for you. Nu:tone has combined with UK soul singer Natalie Williams to produced a stopping track 'Systems'. If you like this track you should also check out Alice russell - to know this (nu:tone remix) of 'Under The Munka Moon II'

Wow I don't know about you but I'm stuffed...Sorry for the longness this month, Show your love and leave a comment.

Remember to check this months links and videos of artists mentioned and I'll catch in 30 days. Enjoy!