‘For A Limited Time Only‘ is the fourth single from the soon to drop Mansion 38 by Jam Baxter. Recorded and filmed in Bangkok with ‘So We Ate Them Whole‘ producer and engineer Chemo on the boards. Mansion 38 drops on March 10 on High Focus.
UKHH.COM : Ethan Everton picks out his ten UK Hip Hop producers to watch for in 2015.
Since this site was started back in 1999, we’ve enjoyed watching our homegrown talent grow from strength to strength. We firmly believe that 2015 shall prove to be one of the most significant chapters of UK Hip Hop history so far. Last year saw the release of some of the most exemplary Hip Hop products to ever be released from our shores, and all over the world people are starting to take notice of the heads who have been consistently laying it down for the scene.
So far we’ve been hit with Boom Bap Festival’s all-star line-up, bringing the likes of Earl Sweatshirt and Ratking overseas to represent; we’ve seen The Four Owls make history by topping the iTunes Hip Hop chart; we thought we’d play our part and pay homage to ten producers out there to watch for in 2015, who are currently representing UK Hip Hop to the fullest extent.
Sumgii
Any heads unfamiliar with Sumgii’s exploits over 2014 must have been buried in sand. Residing in North West London, Sumgii’s career stemmed from the Piff Gang and LDZ collectives, where he established a foothold in the scene with unique glitch-driven, boom-bap influenced productions. Last year his notoriety excelled, when the Hip Hop community witnessed two highly acclaimed debut projects alongside the veteran Problem Child gang and the eerie Cult Mountain collective, on top of collaborations with the likes of Inja, Jman and more. Despite his apparant unpredictability, one thing that’s remained persistent through his short career is his unparalleled ability to bring something truly authentic to the pallet, and 2015 looks to be his busiest year yet:
I’ve produced a large percentage of Don silk aka MILKAVELLI solo LP. Production for Phaze What solo LP. New Cult Mountain (Trellion, Lee Scott, Milkavelli, Sumgii) material. Working on new project with Onoe Caponoe. SUMGii solo EP coming out on Par-excellence records. Problem Child EP followed by UK / Europe tour. Various productions for Black Josh, Dream McLean (MTA records), itsnate, Piff Gang, Dabbla, Trellion and more. Busy busy.
Jack Danz
There are few producers hailing from West Yorkshire who are currently bringing the boom-bap levels like Leeds based beatmaker Jack Danz, resident of the increasingly infamous Defenders Of Style collective, where the seeds of his legacy were initially sown with the highly received Thoughts Of The Nameless debut LP which dropped back in 2009. Having mastered just about every release formulated from the camp since, he expanded his reach by engineering Lego’s debut The Rendition with the Boom Bap Professionals, and has affiliated alongside Sheffield’s shady Bad Taste Records label with artists such as Trellion and Figment, most recently collaborating with Bristol’s Split Prophets collective. As a lyricist himself he can adapt beats to suit any persona; one of those rare producers who can truly empathize with the wordplay and effectively enhance the flows. We got in touch to learn what’s coming in 2015:
Jack Danz/D.Boogie Defenders of styledefenders of style LP, and my solo LP ‘Ouija Slang’. Both dropping 2015!
Leaf Dog
Regarded as one of the hardest working artists in the game, Leaf Dog has solidified his place at the forefront of the UK Hip Hop movement with contributions both lyrically and instrumentally alongside the likes of DJ Premier, KRS One and Vinnie Paz. Stemming from his legendary solo debut From A Scarecrow’s Perspective (2009), Leaf Dog’s initial nationwide acclaim quickly expanded into an extensive worldwide following, subsequent to a string of high profile releases released with High Focus (check Four Owls, Brothers Of The Stone). As co-founder of RLD Records, he’s also been overseeing the gradual emergence of Jack Jetson, index and the NLP quadret, both lyrically and on the boards. Over the course of his career he has developed a formidable fanbase addicted to his predominantly soul influenced, bass heavy productions. He hit us up with an insight into what he’s currently working on for 2015:
I got the new Four Owls album, an album with Young Zee from the Outsidaz and my new solo album coming this year! Also some big collaborations from overseas!
Reklews
Having joined Blah Records, an occultist Hip Hop label driven underground for introducing ideologies including (but not limited to) the ‘Brick Pelican cold-sag’, following the label’s legendary Tourette’s Camp (2007) debut, Reklews has been busy keeping his nose far from clean in the shadows of the reinvigorated Blah movement. His contribution to the collective can not be understated – there were seldom releases dropped from Blah over the past decade which Reklews hasn’t either overseen personally, or contributed to in the background on the boards. An unnerving knack of affiliating with unconventionality, combined with perturbingly authentic production traits, has brewed into a reputation as one of Merseyside’s coldest instrumentalists. Go check the Rekstrumental volumes (1 , 2 , 3 , 4) and you’ll understand why. We got in touch to discover what he’s got in store for 2015:
I’ve got tracks coming with Bang On, Lunar C, Black Josh, Tommy Dockerz, Jman, Res, Sleaze & Sonnyjim, Cheech & Dubbul O and loads other heads who hopefully wont be offended I forgot them…
Pro P
It’s becoming more and more said that as far as Mancunian Hip Hop goes, there’s rarely a release that leaves Lancashire which hasn’t left Pro P’s fingers sticky; whether tucking into the talent emerging from Room2 Records since the label surfaced in 2013 – overseeing the rise of Free Wize Men, Voodoo Black and Dubbul O to name just a few – or backing the boards for the likes of the nation’s favourite cannabis advocating collective, The Bluntskins. Rivaling the quality of Pete Cannon and Kydro amongst Manchesters most dedicated producers, his extensive instrumental discography etches across six banging Boom Bap Beat Tape Volumes (so far) and three annual beat compilations, on top of a huge portfolio of formidably boom-bap orientated beats featuring some of the nations most on-point up-and-coming spitters. We hit up the man himself for an exclusive insight into what he’s got coming in 2015:
In 2015 I’ll be producing a new Bluntskins album which I’m working on now. I’ve produced most of Irish Mc “Danny Diatribes” new album “Elevation Illustrations” out soon on Room2 Records. I’m also producing a full project for NSR (Spider Jaroo, Amos & Evileyz). Me and Cheech from the Bluntskins are gonna work on another solo project, me and Dubbul O are looking to do a another project after we dropped “Omega” last year.
I’m part of the Room2 Collective so I’ll be producing tracks on a lot of the Room2 Releases, too many mc’s to list on there! I just produced the majority of Liverpool group “Beyond Averages” new album that dropped two weeks ago, and we’re looking to do more work together in 2015. I got tracks I produced for Kingpin who was part of Caxton Press dropping this year on his new album, Dotz has got beats off me he’s working on, plus I’ll drop a good few beat tapes as well.
Bad Habitz
As far as beat-makers go, few bring the hooks heavier than DJ Bad Habitz. Renowned for his initial exploits with Krate Krusaders, but most recently for his artistry alongside the Split Prophets collective, Bristol’s most acclaimed Hip Hop label in recent years, Bad Habitz has become considered one of the scene’s most exciting prospects, having produced the majority of the Prophets output since their emergence half a decade ago. Last year, he played a huge part in engineering the camps biggest releases, Upfront’s Upfront And Personal and Bil Next & Paro’s Weedmasons EP, and of course produced the incredibly received remix album Diggin Up The Past, which covered eighteen UK Hip Hop singles from eighteen of the scenes legendary acts, demonstrating his incomparable versatility, proving to possess compatibility with the nation’s most acclaimed spitters. He revealed to us what he’s planning to drop in 2015:
Well, I have an album coming around Feb time with Life MC, the first album he’s done without Nappa on the boards! Which feels an honour. I’m helping Res and Flying Monk put together solo projects, working towards a Split Prophets album which will be the full crew produced by myself and Blanka. I have a Krate Krusaders project called self assembled messiah which I’ve been sat on for a couple of years now. I’m hoping it will see light in 2015!
I’ve been sending Dotz beats for his next album but can’t confirm if any of my tracks have made it. I’ve also started another remix project which again I hope will be out this year too.
We have a few euro shows lined up for 2015 with my Split Prophets gang and hopefully a little tour in the spring, we’re also in talks trying to negotiate a tour in Australia but it’s early days yet so we’ll see.
2late
2late also known as 2lizzy and the funk masta lurks within London’s murky underground, recognised for his affiliations with funk-appreciative heads alike, including High Focus’ Cracker Jon with the Delusional Crackerz EP (2011) and most recently the debut LP You Can Take The Cracker Out Of Croydon (2014), Blah Record’s Dirty Dockerz duo on the 2lit EP (2013), as well as Blahs own funkadelic specialist Sly Moon (See The Funk Off, Say What) and Bill Shakes to name a few. Inspired by the likes of Jdilla, Redman and other 90’s heads, his resilience to keep his beats nostalgically rough and raw has earned him a reputation as one of UK Hip Hop more reliably rugged beat makers. We got in touch to hear what other cold shit he’s got coming through in 2015:
Got shit comin a project with Bisk, a project with Lee Scott and Black Josh. New Cracker Jon album. That’s only so far, more shit to come as well…
Illinformed
Illinformed has become increasingly noticed since he started backing the beats for RLD Records over the past two years. Over the course of his short career he has collaborated with the likes of KRS-One, Ras Kass and Apathy, and has gone on to make big impressions on UK Hip Hop followers for his contributions on the boards beside his Brothers Of The Stone in their self titled LP (2013), and began turning more heads in 2014 when his work on BVA’s Be Very Aware and NLP’s Free Your Mind debuts came to light. Alongside Lee Scott, the godfather of Blah Records, illinformed oversaw the second chapter of Scott’s ‘sh!t’ discography, Stupid Poignant Sh!t, which was acclaimed across most major forums as one of the best UK Hip Hop releases of 2013. His solo output has seen the release of three cannabis inspired Beat Tapes over 2013, and last year dropped two more hazy instrumental projects: Stay Sedated & Maintain The Supply. This year shall see the release of potentially his finest array of instrumentals to date:
I got my producer album coming soon ‘The Mould Tape’ featuring a bunch of heads. I’m also working on an album with Verb T, we got a lot of dope stuff down for that, also me Leaf and BVA are making the new Brothers Of The Stone and we are making an album with Young Zee from the Outsiderz, and I’m working on solo albums with Eric The Red and Sean Peng. They got a project together called ‘Creatures Of Habit’. Also I got a project with SonnyJim and another one with Fliptrix in the works, then there’s some tracks for the Apathay and OC album, and a few tracks with Ruste Juxx that should be out this year.
Sam Zircon
Sam Zircon, “a free spirit” not tied down to any label, emerged as a producer worth watching back in 2012, producing beats for Elliot Fresh and releasing the Beat Treats Vol.1 on soundcloud, which receiviced praise from the legendary DJ Nappa of Phi Life Cypher. His recognition continued to excel from there, following a collaboration project with Nottingham’s lyrical maestro Cappo, who both dropped the Un:Programmable Raw EP (2013) on Boot Records, one of the capital cities most commended Hip Hop camps. Over the last year, Zircon has been quietly building a formidable back catalogue of intriguing instrumentals, adopting a darker emphasis on his music whilst keeping it real with his signature boom-bap heavy beats. Capable of creating engrossing listening experiences, his productions are gaining quick acclaim, and there’s more to come over 2015:
I’ve got an album with Stinkin Slumrok, album with Black Josh and Lee Scott, and me Bisk and Stinkin are working on suttin suttin! Just making music with ill emcees.
Telemachus / Chemo
Residing in South London, Telemachus (for solo projects) is a veteran producer whose reputation regularly exceeds itself. Having stood the test of time, he’s become widely regarded as one of the most innovative instrumentalists to ever grace the southern shores, having honed his craft alongside the ranks of the mighty YNR Records label under the pseudonym Chemo (for collaborations), and acting as head honcho for his homegrown label Killamanjaro Records. There are few artists who take the craft as seriously as himself. Possessing an undying motivation which has persistently produced compositions truly definable as both classic and unique, the past three months alone seen the release of two critically acclaimed collaboration albums with the High Focus camp (see Jam Baxter: …So We Ate Them Whole, Onoe Caponoe : Voices From Planet Cattele), and the transcendent solo project In Morocco. When we hit him up for details on his upcoming releases, he characteristically responded with this exclusive enigma:
Coming through in 2015: Hints of Nigerian High Life, Persian breakdancing, infusions of Portishead, beautiful melodies and a potent broth of medieval grime and accordion solo.
Article By Ethan Everton
New visuals from Onoe Caponoe – Lord Of The Light (Sun Riddim) prod. by Chemo lifted from his new album ‘Voices From Planet Catelle’ out 28/01 on High Focus!
Jam Baxter is a musical oddity, juxtaposed by mystery and popularity. The public go wild for his style of profound rap but the person behind that is not so obvious. …So We Ate Them Whole, produced by the equally elusive Chemo, serves as a tiny window into the twisted mind of one of the most intriguing artists of our time.
…SWATW is a mixture of splattering guts, marinated babies, slipping on human blood and yamming on grubs and worms. It’s also the most experimental foray into production since Rinse Out Friday, where no stone is left unturned in Chemo’s repertoire of beats.
The album is quintessentially surreal and riddled in complexity. Wings Cost Extra, track one of fourteen, is a maddening tour around an extraordinary city. One part overtly imaginary and the other part a slick social commentary about urban society. Ethereal piano keys descend into a heavy, rolling drum pattern where the weirder the narrative the more loopy the music becomes. The beauty comes in the form of Baxter’s storytelling where snippets of bizarre worlds collide and grotesque humans come to life:
‘The smell of crack wafts from the brothel beside the chicken shop/above a sewer teaming with giant beetles and killer wasps/opposite the corner where kids gorge on forbidden slop/and when their stomach’s burst… wipe their innards off’
‘I spat the phlegm out of my mouth and swung a left/past the crowd of braying patriots dying a dozen deaths/and the crazed woman drilling a hole in her lover’s chest’.
Undoubtedly a remarkable way to open an album and in true Baxter fashion what comes next is even greater than the last. Duly achieved in the form of Leash pt I, which harbours all the comical vulgarity of Gruesome Features with the aggressive undertone rife on Rinse Out Friday. Meanwhile Incoming flirts with reality and strange fiction once more, forming an abstract creation of gonzo hip hop set to blow the minds of everyone who listens to it.
Throughout the course of the album there are many staggering moments. One that particularly stands out is the stunning steel drum soundscape Chemo creates on Husk twinned with the rare sampling found on Fantastic Man. Each track is uniquely challenging in its own respect in terms of lyricism and the innovative beats behind the music.
Here Baxter has created an album where the boundaries of what is considered to be normal in hip hop are broken. No track forthrightly tells you what he’s thinking or how he has got there in order to make the music. It’s that specific kind of unknown ambiguity which guides the strength of the vibe the entire way through. If you’re looking for brash and in your face look elsewhere but if you’re after barefaced honesty covered in a psychedelic dust its here. And it’s brilliant.
Review by Louise Brisbane
…So We Ate Them Whole is out now on High Focus and available Digitally, on CD, and Limited edition double vinyl.
Album launch – Friday 19 December @ Brixton Jamm – Click here for tickets.
So, preparing to say goodbye 2012 and hello to 2013 as ukhh.com enters its’ 14th year. I confess I’m getting older and firmly on the edge of the scene nowadays but to me 2012 looked to be a marked step up in events, output and overall quality of the UK hiphop scene than recent years. Rather than give my own opinion I worked my way through my inbox and fired off some questions to the scene’s great and good. The one’s that weren’t too spliffed up to reply are included here so prepare for the thoughts from Aspects, Associated Minds, Caxton Press, Chemo, Disorda, Donnie Propa and Itch FM. Part two of the article coming tomorrow will have King Underground, Mystro, Rapshack, Rarekind, Ryan Proctor, Tom Caruana, Wyt Fang and the guys from Hoochinoo given the task of taking ukhh.com forward into 2013….
for those alien visitors who won’t know give us a quick resume up to now
for those alien visitors who won’t know give us a quick resume up to now
for those alien visitors who won’t know give us a quick resume up to now
for those alien visitors who won’t know give us a quick resume up to now
plug your shop in a few short words and explain why people should use you
I’m Donnie Propa – DJ for Heavy Links and make mixtapes with other artists. So far I have done mixtapes with / of peeps like Cappo, Scorzayzee, SonnyJim, Supa T, Jehst, MF DOOM vs Ghostface, Verb T and Lee Ramsay. Got plenty more coming soon. Also did a mixtape for Son Records as well as The Official Boom Bap Festival mixtape.
introduce yourselves and what you doThanks to all of the guys above for their thoughts and responses and check back soon for part 2…
Next up in our Producer interview series is all round guru Chemo aka Telemachus. I started out asking Chemo the same, if not similar set of production questions that I asked Butcha, to see how they operate differently, and then, as before, we drift into the more serious stuff. I’ve also known Chemo for a number of years, although I’ve never had to defend his loudness making beats to my neighbours. I still consider him a friend and he’s done me a few favours over the years. I can also lay claim to being the first person to play one of his tracks on radio from his group Frontline, back in the days.
Chemo is a talented guy. He makes a lot of proper musical tunes alongside the straight up Hip-Hop he does for the top UK emcees. I personally don’t think Chemo gets enough credit outside of the UK Hip-Hop scene yet, but I’m sure that’ll come in time, hopefully with the release of his new album. He’s easily one of the most consistent producers and is another guy who gets his head down and gets shit done.
Like Beat Butcha, he is also a joker and to be honest I’m really pleased that I managed to get such serious interviews from them both, ‘cause for all the joking they do it shouldn’t take away from the quality of music they make.
In his most thorough interview yet, UKHH gets the scoop on his love for the term ‘Trip-Hop’ and his secret Banjo. Pop that kettle on again and settle down with the kush.
UKHH: Did anybody else in your family get involved with music?
The only family member I have who was involved in music was one of my French uncles, Francois Gerald. He was the drummer for a 1970s Lyonnais Prog Rock group called Vortex ( http://www.progarchives.com/
UKHH: What are your earliest memories of Hip-Hop?
Alas my memory is incredibly poor, but I do remember the first or second year of secondary school having a dubbed tape of (Wu Tang Clan’s) ‘36 Chambers’. Back then I was into Jungle, but I do remember listening to all the strange slang and wild metaphors and thinking that I could get into this…
UKHH: How did you get involved in the production side of things?
Mixing Jungle with Classic FM on a Hitachi boombox was my first step at making music. Although I did record the Mr. Blobby song off the TV into my mum’s Dictaphone when I was 9…
UKHH: What was the first equipment that you got really comfortable working on?
I started off with the Akai MPC 2000, and although I rarely use an MPC nowadays, I still have a great fondness for this ugly, functionalistic grey slab of electronics!
UKHH: What is it about a sound that you’re looking for?
It has to be crispy and not a belltree. Belltrees are evil.
UKHH: What catches your eye about a record if you’re sampling?
Firstly the cover. If there is a psychedelic painting, it’s going in the bag. If there’s a man with an ostentatious moustache, then it’s also in the bag. Secondly I like to look at the instruments. If there’s a Sitar, it’s in the bag. If there’s a mellotron, it’s in the bag. If there’s a saxophone, it’s invariably not in the bag.
UKHH: Do you usually do drums first?
Invariably yes. Drums are the only reason I like making music, all the rest is just decoration.
UKHH: Do you use actual drum loops or just hits?
Absolutely love breaks. Have been known to loop them!
UKHH: What are some of your favorite drum breaks?
The Meters – Handclapping Song
Jimi Hendrix – Little Miss Lover
Booker T and the M.G’s – Working in the Coal Mine
UKHH: Do you layer drum hits?
I used to. These days I just use EQ and compression to get what I want.
UKHH: Do you compress the finished drum track?
Yes.
UKHH: Do you play any instruments?
I own lots of instruments… Oh, do I play instruments? No.
UKHH: Did you ever work with a live band?
My band att the moment is called ‘El Crisis & Thunder’. It’s a strange sound, but I would describe it as Afro-Space-Folk. http://www.
UKHH: Are you still out there digging?
Absolutely. This week I bought Dr Alimantado, David Axelrod, Nektar, and a Cuban Drum Library educational record. I buy more for listening and inspiration, but still use mainly records for sampling.
UKHH: Tell me about something you do in production which you think is a Chemo method, like something you always do to a sound or drums?
I almost always compress the bass and kick together. And I always put a banjo solo low in the mix on the chorus.
UKHH: You must have a huge stash of beats that never came out.
Absolutely. I have loads that I dislike for various reasons, and also I have 4-5 finished projects waiting to come out. I always seem to be working 1-2 years behind what actually is coming out.
UKHH: What do you think gives you the knack for putting beats together?
Practice. 15 years of.
UKHH: What have you done with Beat Butcha? How did you guys hook up?
He’s in the basement. He was bad so I had to cage him. I gave him a MiniMoog to play with so he can see in the dark, so I think he is happy…
Nah, me and Butcha have known each other for a long time. I guess we have inspired each other over the years, even though we are on slightly different paths professionally. He is doing so well now, I am truly happy for him!
UKHH: Talk to me about the studio. It’s been the place where a lot of people have passed through and recorded. When did it all begin?
I started recording people for my own tracks in my mum’s house in Streatham, and after honing my skills and working methods for a few years, I figured out that there may be a way to actually make this into a job. I went to university to study Graphic Design which was a complete waste of time. If my children want to go to university, I will have to insist that they do a proper academic degree, not just playing with glue and crayons like I did!
After I left, I decided to make a real go at starting up a proper studio, and thus Kilamanjaro Studios http://www.
UKHH: Is there a project that you’ve recorded or worked on at the studio other than your own that you’re particularly proud of?
I’m proud of most things I have done to be honest. Some of my discography is perhaps of varying quality, but it’s all a journey and I have nice memories from the majority of projects I have worked on.
UKHH: How important is it to have an understanding about the business side of the industry in order to make moves?
I’m not sure if I am well placed to answer this question as I have always shied away from making any ‘moves’. I have an understanding of how the industry works, but it depresses me to think about it.
UKHH: Tell us about your older releases.
‘The Stomach of the Mountain’ http://itunes.apple.
UKHH: At the end of 2011 you dropped ‘The Adventures Of Telemachus Vol 2’, which was in lead up to the Telemachus album ‘In The Evening’. Does that mean you have a release date for us?
The short answer is no. The album is, shall we say, more than ready… But I am biding my time, and trying to preach the gospel of Telemachus in the meantime. It’ll be released via YNR http://www.ynr-
UKHH: So what’s with Chemo and Telemachus?
Let me explain the difference between Chemo and Telemachus. Chemo is a producer who works for other people. Sometimes for money. Telemachus is an artist. A hermitic genius. He is an ego-maniac who only cares for his music and his plants.
Is that clearer now?
UKHH: The album has been a long time coming, what do you hope it does for you that you’ve not already achieved?
I just hope that it is well received. Some nice reviews perhaps. I don’t think I have ever had a, what I would call ‘proper’ review. Something where the reviewer really takes time to listen, analyze and interpret the music, so that would be great.
UKHH: Talk us through the album from your perspective.
A bit of rapping, a bit of singing, and loads of atmosphere. Over half the album is instrumental only, more similar to ‘Ferndale Rd’ http://www.youtube.com/
UKHH: What’s next for Telemachus after this release?
I have already finished up the album that I made in Morocco, which is purely instrumental – a combination of sampled sounds, live instruments and atmospheres from my 2 months surf trip at the end of 2011. Anyone with even a passing interest in unusual, international music and rhythm should find it intriguing at the very least.
Aside from that, I am working on new projects all the time, both as a solo artist, and in collaboration with vocalists/musicians. Stylistically there is now a focus on what I hate to categorize as down-tempo, organic electronica or ‘Trip-Hop’ even though I vigorously dislike the term. Trying to describe your own music is so pompous and ridiculous. Fiddlesticks!
UKHH: What keeps you motivated?
Travel and collaboration.
`[soundcloud]http://soundcloud.com/ukhh-com/chemo-white-noize-ft-kyza[/soundcloud]`
http://soundcloud.com/ukhh-com/chemo-white-noize-ft-kyza
http://www.youtube.com/kilamanjaro
Telemachus is the alter ego of London based Hip Hop producer Chemo who has worked with a host of established artists from both sides of the Atlantic.
Read More
I thought it was a bit of a crime that there wasn’t already an interview with Chemo on this site, so I took it upon myself to find out a bit more about Chemo. I first heard Chemo’s beats about 5 years ago when his crew Frontline performed at a night I was putting on in Camden; since then he’s produced for pretty much all the UK heavyweights, as well as some of the US ones. I heard he was also raised by wolves.
For those that don’t know you yet, introduce yourself..
Chemo: My name is Chemo and I make beats and run a studio in Brixton.
I heard you’ve recently been in Ireland filming with Kashmere, how did that come about?
Chemo: The video was for a track called ‘playing with fire’ which is out now on receptor records check out the b side too featuring Jehst, we filmed the video out in the fields in Ireland in the freezing cold, you can see it started snowing during the filming. That’s real hiphop!
Is that you dressed as a witchdoctor with your face hidden in the video?
Chemo: Nah it’s a guy called Seamus who sells turf, he really wanted to be in the video but he was ginger and had peg legs so we put the cloak on him and sacrificed him to the god Gunrah in an extravagant pagan ceremony.
Your face is hidden in Manage and Syanyde’s “Riot” video… Is it your choice or the directors to never show your face?
Chemo: Well I am horrifically ugly and channel U told us that kids might be scared by my deformed face so I always tend to cover up in videos; it’s really a sales tactic.
Did you hear any Irish hip hop while you were out there?
Chemo: Nah we were in the countryside so not much hiphop out there you know, I heard one dude called Roysta from Belfast and my boy DJ Snuff is from Belfast so we got Irish connects in the camp.
Could you understand what people were saying? When I went to Dublin I had no idea what people were saying to me. Hopefully they were asking me to shrug, because that’s all they got from me.
Chemo: I must have Celtic blood in me cos I understand everything, the Irish accent is great.
I hear a lot of pianos in your beats, do you play the piano?
Chemo: I play piano and recorder up to grade 1, so I guess I’m pretty much a professional.
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night with a beat in your head then rushed down to your studio to make it before you forgot it?
Chemo: Nah I dictate the beat to my servants and they do it. You see I’m just the figurehead for the corporation; my beats are made in Cambodian sweatshops by slaves with no eyes. I’m like a big brother figure to the hiphop game.
“…I am a sound engineer at heart; I live the lifestyle of an intoxicated gourmet hermit…”
What’s the process of making a track with you then? Like, what equipment do you use, and do you have the beats made before the emcee records their verse etc…
Chemo: It all varies man, I prefer to make beats suited for particular artists, I find out what vibe they are on at the moment and try to tailor make shit for them, I pretty much know what they will like and what they wont, but sometimes I get surprised.
I know you’ve worked with a few American emcees; most recently with Vakill. How did they hear your beats?
Chemo: My boy Grimlok hooked me up with Vakill, I spoke to him a few times and he said he would make me famous. I’m still waiting..
Is it important for you to work with American emcees or do you prefer working with local ones?
Chemo: I don’t give a fuck who I work with, as long as they are talented. I admire a lot of American rappers but if it’s just a case of sending beats on CD to someone I never met before that’s not really my vibe. I’ll probably go out there in next year or so and link up with all those cats, but for now I’m still building my reputation in this country.
Lewis Parkers gone out to America and seems to be doing quite well. I heard something about Ghostface Killah using one of his beats. Have you ever thought about packing your bags and going to America to seek your fortune; perhaps with an MPC in a red and white handkerchief tied to a stick?
Chemo: America is hell; I wouldn’t want to live there. I’m waiting to make my dough here and then I’m heading to Morocco/India/Brazil and setting up there. It may sound strange but as an engineer, the fact that Pro tools sessions can be sent through broadband in 30 minutes means I can work wherever I like as long as I maintain my reputation. You can imagine it being something to brag about, “yea my music is getting mixed in India by Chemo”, cats would no doubt be impressed would they not?
I’d probably be impressed. A lot of people are forming live hip hop bands at the moment; like Taskforce and Rawdog, Dirtburg, Hiphopratives, Fugazi Rum, err.. I’m sure there are lots more. What do you reckon about them? And is making hiphop with live instruments something you’d ever do or do you prefer the more traditional methods?
Chemo: I use a lot of live instruments in my beats along with samples, that is the way to be. I could never be in a band as I am incapable to do anything in a live environment; I am the worst DJ in the UK. I had decks for over a decade and I still drop pure clangers when I try to mix, as for cuts I leave that to the pros, I’m too much of a spastic. I need to sit there and tweak the sound until its perfect. That’s how I work.
“… America is hell; I wouldn’t want to live there. I’m waiting to make my dough here…”
Conflix’s Character Assassins CD was one of my favourite releases last year, and the follow up’s even better because the beats are all original (mostly produced by you I think). Apart from provide the beats, what else did you do on the CDs?
Chemo: I executive produced the whole joint, along with Conflix we selected what we thought were the most accomplished tracks from all submissions and I put the whole project together, I kept my beats off the CD as best I could because there’s lots of dope beat makers out there (Beat Butcher, S-Type, Leatherface) to name but a few.
Do you still listen to tracks you made say, 5 years ago and still rate the beats?
Chemo: I rate them for the time and the place they were conceived in. I don’t bump them, but I like to listen to throwbacks say on the 1st Conflix Brainstorm EP, now out of print, there were some great ideas on there, and it’s nice to check them out after not hearing them for years.
How do you think your beats have changed over the years?
Chemo: I have definitely expanded my horizons, I used to be on a straight boom bap tip, stuck in the mid 90’s but then a combination of Beat Butcher and Jay Dilla (rip) showed me that you can make hard beats without being dark and menacing, you can make uncompromising, yet soulful music that hits as hard as the standard piano loop + hard break bets that I was churning out in my early years.
Of all the emcees you’ve ever worked with, who was the best?
Chemo: Haha ummm I work with a lot of very talented folk but I still maintain that my favourite is and MC called Syanyde from my debut group ‘Frontline’, the guy is criminally underrated in my opinion. He has the whole package as an MC, the voice is like nothing you have ever heard, the lyrics are on some apocalyptic gutter shit, and the flow contains remnants of Big Pun and Kool G Rap in their prime. His only downfall is that he completes about one track a year, and seeing as hiphop seems to be now about quantity not quality, this is a downfall of his, but I still have big expectations for him.
So what are you working on at the moment, and what can we expect from you in the future?
Chemo: I’m just putting the finishing touches to my compilation with DJ Skully, which is all my beats featuring the cream of UK artists. It’s going to be a good listen, and Skully is the toppest selector in the UK so it should be like manna from heaven. Manage’s album is a project which I have invested lots of time in, and is ready to go, Manage is a guy that everyone knows but not many have in their record collection, and with this LP we are looking to change that.
I’m executive producing Kashmere’s LP which is sounding really on point yet off key if you know what I mean, a cult classic in my mind. I’m putting out a new group called Phalanx Heresy out of Clapton who are really talented, look out for their Album and video ft. Kyza. I’m executive producing a compilation Album for Verb T with lots of dope tracks and beats from myself, Harry Love, DJ IQ, Copperpot and T himself. He’s a talented guy with wide musical interests and it shows in his music.
Aside from that I am producing a lot for Poisonous Poets, Terra Firma, and some ill soul vocalists.
Do you like doing the live shows or do you prefer working in the background at the studio?
Chemo: Definitely one for the background, I am a sound engineer at heart, I live the lifestyle of an intoxicated gourmet hermit. Not a lot of people know but I am a highly skilled cook, a select few have sampled my cuisine at Kilamanjaro (the studio) I may offer food as part of the studio package in the near future. Watch this space.
Who was the last emcee you did a track with?
Chemo: I recorded yesterday with Poisonous Poets, a track called ‘Here I am’ for the UK Takeover Compilation, it uses the same sample as the Twista joint but I flipped it differently. It’s hot.
“… I could never be in a band as I am incapable to do anything in a live environment…”
Are we gonna hear any more from Brigadier Gun Clap?
Chemo: Yea he just got out for jail for possession of a blunderbuss, so he should be back in the studio soon.
Blades Internet fans went mental when you did a track with someone called Blade who wasn’t the Blade of Mark B and Blade.. Do you think its okay for artists to share names?
Chemo: I don’t give a fuck about that whole saga, end of the day judge the music as music, if you don’t like it that’s cool, but I was getting hate mail from old skool Blade’s legions of fans over the shit. Both Blade’s are friends of mine and neither sees it as a problem, so all these chode-rocking egberts need to take 5.
I’ll battle you for the name Chemo right now.
Here’s by beat:
I made it in Hip Hop Ejay 4. A German version, that’s why all the people talking in it are speaking German.
Chemo: Damn that beat is off the hand glider dunn… I’m pretty sure I can’t beat that but here is something that may rival the quality of your offering… RELAX BITCH!
You win, congratulations! Haha. The list of people you’ve worked with is pretty impressive. Is there anyone you’ve not worked with that you’d like to?
Chemo: Oh there’s plenty. In the UK I still need to get a solo track with Klashnekoff down, as well as him, there’s Kano, Durrty Goodz, Ghetto, Life (PLC), Rodney P, MC D etc.
Cheers for your time, there’s just enough time for any final plugs or shout outs.
Chemo: The Chemo benefit gig (my studio was recently burgled) is going to be held in Red Star Camberwell (500 capacity) on May 20th, the line-up will be off the hook so make sure you check that, in conjunction with speakers corner which runs the monthly free hiphop event first Thursday of every month.
Peace Panos keep up the art.
