Children of Zeus – aka Tyler Daley and Konny Kon – have spent the last couple of years releasing a smooth blend of rap and soul. In the process they have scored a whole new batch of fans, plenty of critical acclaim and some crazy live shows – including a set in the infamous Boiler Room. I got the chance to speak with both Tyler and Konny about why they started making music together, their influences and the possibility of hearing a full album from them. Read the rest of this entry »
Photo by Mike Lavin
El-P is many things to many people – producer extraordinaire, independent rap pioneer, deli owner, friend of cats, social commentator, high as fuck Twitter user… the list goes on. He’s also got some really strong insults. A good insult is as much a part of rap as bad spelling and squatting in photos, and there have been many purveyors of quality disses over the years. Read the rest of this entry »
Last November I did a late night phone interview with Blah Records founder, Lee Scott. For one reason or another – ranging from my own laziness to my Dropbox being hacked – it has not yet seen the light of day. Until now anyway. Presented to you in two parts, this is one of the more in-depth interviews I’ve done and sees Lee talk about his early memories of his hometown, the making of his Nice Swan album and the birth of Blah. Part 2 will follow next week. Read the rest of this entry »
This is an old interview me and a friend did back in 2008. I thought it had been lost forever, as the site we did it for is no longer around. Then I stumbled across an archived copy online yesterday, so thought I would share it. It was the first face to face interview I had ever done and I was nervous as fuck. It took place at the The Social in London in 2008, at a listening party for Atmosphere’s forthcoming album at the time, When Life Gives You Lemons. Read the rest of this entry »
DJ Frosty is probably best known for his longstanding allegiance with the LDZ gang, but more recently he has come to the fore thanks to his role in the new Chapsville project, alongside Dabbla. I had a quick chat with him about his early days, the birth of LDZ, crate digging and supporting Rag N Bone Man. Read the rest of this entry »
Bradford producer, HashFinger, has been putting out quality instrumental projects for a good few years now and is arguably one of the country’s most prolific artists. He has become a favourite among fans and peers alike, thanks to the largely sample-based beats he creates. I caught up with him for a chat about crate digging, taking his music to Israel and his plans for future projects, among other things. Read the rest of this entry »
SonnyJim made an appearance on Brapp TV this week, as he delivered a performance of one of the tracks from his critically acclaimed Mud in my Malbec LP. $cramble is produced by Ayepee and features Da$h on the original album version. I recently interviewed Sonny for Brapp, which you can read here.
I first heard Aim – aka Andy Turner – on an Ibiza chill out compilation back in 1999, thanks to the crossover appeal of his track, Cold Water Music. That whole album was a big success and since then he has gone onto release some equally strong projects, as well as set up his own label, Atic Records. I recently spoke with him about a few things, including his early days, his plans for the label and his father’s influence on his career. Read the rest of this entry »
New album and a new video from Quelle Chris, as he releases the deservedly hyped, Being You Is Great, I Wish I Could Be You More Often and this accompanying video for Birthdaze.
There is a cameo from long term partner in crime, Jean Grae, as well as some nice shooting by Dunce Videos. The album is out today on Mello Music Group and you can cop it here. I recently interviewed Quelle Chris for Grown Up Rap, which you can find here.
Rag’n’Bone Man is one of those rare artists who has managed to make the leap from underground to mainstream, without losing any of their integrity. I was lucky enough to to chat with him recently about his early influences, staying grounded and his recurring themes of death and mortality, among other things. The interview took place at the Cypher Lounge at the Windmill in Brixton. Read the rest of this entry »
