Murder Dog gtw
 

Dizzee Rascal
Interview by Black Dog Bone

Continued from Murder Dog vol. 15 #2

Photo By Barry Underhill

What do you think about the music that’s going on in America? Do you follow what’s going on here?
I loved the whole Snap thing when that came out. That inspired me, especially with this last album. I like what people like Young Jeezy, Dem Franchize Boyz, D4L are doing. I know Young Jeezy isn’t Snap music, but he’s from Atlanta. Them three albums kinda made me excited about Rap music again. Then when the UGK album came out as well. I was on that, I was a part of that. I like Souljah Boy.

Is there a big club scene happening in England?

In London there’s always been a happening club scene. There’s all different kinds of club scenes. You got Garage, you got House music, you got Drum & Bass, you got Dubstep. You’ve got Dancehall, the Indie Rock scene. There’s all sorts of things going on in London. The club scene is massive, always has been. It’s a major part of London.

Even if you’re not selling CD’s you can survive there by performing?

Easily. I was doing shows in clubs every night before I got a record deal. Now I do it on a worldwide stage. I do festivals and big things like that around the world.

What part of England are you from?
I’m from London. I grew up in East London.

You come from a big family?
No, small family. I’ve loads of cousins but my immediate family is small, just me and my mom.

When you were growing up what made you decide to start doing music? Was there a lot of music going on in your neighborhood?
Yeah. Pirate radio was always a big influence. I always wanted to be a DJ or an MC or like that. I eventually got a pirate radio show where I was on at 1 in the morning until 3 in the morning. I did loads of different radio shows. Then I made my own music and was playin my own music on the radio shows. I eventually started sellin my music. Started doin clubs, doin my own promotion. I eventually got a record deal. I mainly was an MC on the pirate radio, and I built a name for myself like that. We used to rap over our instrumentals and other people’s instrumentals, the Garage tracks. Then we started playin our own music.

Is pirate radio still real big in England?
Pirate radio is still definitely happening. A lotta people come from pirate radio. That’s their bread and butter, that’s how they eat.

The government doesn’t try to crack it down?
The government’s always tryin to crack it down. It’s pirate, it’s illegal, isn’t is? But it keeps going on. I couldn’t imagine London especially without it.

Lyrically what motivates you?
Just life in general. If I hear a beat that makes me excited—it could be anyone’s beat or anyone’s song—that might make my wanna write lyrics. If I see a good video on there I like it might inspire me to do shit. Or something I go through in life.

Coming from a big city like London, when you go on the road and see more rural areas how do you feel? Do you feel you want to live in a more natural place or you can’t wait to get back to London?

It’s nice to see the trees and the scenery, but I always end up wanting to go back to London eventually.

You feel like you’re not part of nature?

I feel it all. Still London is my home, that’s where I grew up. I’m happy to maneuver my way around the world.

When you’re traveling where do you have a great time?
Australia’s pretty nice. I’ve had a good time in Australia and New Zealand. America. I’ve gone around Europe quite a bit as well.

Mainly you tour in English speaking countries?
Mainly English speaking countries, cause I can’t talk any other language. I’ve had good times in Japan as well.

Do you think you might go to Africa some time?
I haven’t been there yet, but I’d love to. Yeah.

What other artists are happening in London that we should be looking out for?
There’s a group called the Newham Generals. They’re a group that I’m gonna be putting out on my record label, Dirty Stank. They’re makin some really exciting music. The best thing I could compare it to is Prodigy or something like that. You know Prodigy from Mobb Deep. They’re from the Grime scene originally, the pirate radio scene. They’re makin some real exciting music right now. It’s two people, D Double E and Footsie. They both MC and Footsie produces. Footsie produces some of the tracks on my album, “Maths + English”. That’s the group to look out for.

When you first started doing music you were probably very excited about it. How do you feel now?

I feel excited. I feel lovely about it. Especially now, it’s about to be festival season in Europe. I started making some new music as well. I’m still real excited about it. It’s been goin good lately, man. I’ve had a few shows in Australia. I’ve got a new video for a song I’ve got called “Dance With Me”. I’m in New Zealand now. I’m lookin to do this MTV “Mile High” gig. I’m basically performing on the plane on the way to Sydney, Australia. I’m gonna do the MTV Awards in Australia. And I’m gonna do a tour in May in America with Def Jux with El-P.

When you listen to your new music do you feel you’ve developed as an artist?

Definitely. There’s definitely progress and I hope to continue progressing. Everything’s lovely. The album’s about to come out in the US. I’m gonna tour in May. Life is good.

The image on your first album, “Boy in Da Corner” you’re sitting on the ground in a corner. What did that represent to you?

It represented you’re in a struggle with your back against the wall. All kinds of things that’s goin off in a council estate—what you’d call a hood or the projects or whatever. Just dealin with life on your own. That’s what it represented.

 


Dizzee Rascal
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