Words: Lily Mercer
Photography: Hayley Louisa Brown

“Most artists run away from fans. I gravitate towards them cos they’re the people that got your life goin’ round.”

A decade ago, Mike Jones gave the world his phone number, more recently Mr. MFN eXquire did the same via his blog. But one rapper gets closer to his fans than any other; his name is Waka Flocka Flame.

The twenty-six-year-old’s high-energy anthems have dominated strip clubs and nightclubs since he arrived on the scene in 2010. If you haven’t heard ‘No Hands’, ‘Hard In The Paint’ or ‘Grove St. Party’ then you have a) no love for clubs that play commercial hip-hop, and b) no love for strippers.

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Text: Lily Mercer
Images: Leonn Ward
Stylist: Luci Ellis

South London’s Darq E Freaker is not your average Grime producer. Working with Footsie, Tempa T, Big Narstie, Lady Chann and Fool’s Gold rapper Danny Brown, this 24-year old has built a cult following in just three years.

Primarily considered a creator of Grime beats, Darq E has built his name with a new sound using intricate melodies set to a heavy bassline. Subtle elements of UK Garage make Darq E’s sound uplifting and positive. About his music, he says: “I come from the Grime scene, that’s where my music first got played. I feel comfortable enough to say I make my own genre of music. I haven’t even got a name for it, but I made it.” Gilles Peterson coins his sound Chronic Grime.
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Words: Lily Mercer
Photography: Hayley Louisa Brown
Fashion: Charlie Casely-Hayford

Ex-husband, father, rap legend. Step into Nas’ world.

It’s the last days of the London Olympics and Nas is in town. Tomorrow he’ll witness the USA men’s basketball team win a gold medal. But today he’s in Hackney, Dalston, to be exact, explaining why 2012 was the right year for him to release an album.

“It’s an interesting time,” he begins. “[Music] comes out the way it comes out, you know? I never plan it to get it ready; music speaks to me in a way that tells me, ‘It’s time to do it again’. I never know when it’s time.”

After eighteen years of recording, these days he feels less pressure when it comes to the reception of an album. “Nervousness left a long time ago, except for the good butterflies you feel about to do something exciting. It’s just a good feeling and it’s cool to think that every time I put out a record, the sounds are more seasoned.”

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By Lily Mercer, Photo By Jessica Lehrman

Last night, history happened. Not in an “Oh shit, you were there when Tupac got shot?!” kinda way, but in a “We just witnessed something that will most likely be really important one day” way.

With a lineup consisting of a team of New Yorkers on a crusade to make good music felt by all, things were going to be epic. But what quickly became clear was that all of these artists are about to do big things in hip-hop, and by next year, you probably won’t be able to catch them all on the same bill. Considering these rappers are friends as well only adds to the rarity.

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CLASH MAGAZINE
September 2012

From the hustler mentality of 50 Cent to the political leanings of Pharoahe Monch, Queens, New York has been home to some of hip-hop’s greatest MCs. Nicki Minaj seems to be the current reigning champ of the borough, but not for long.

The once booming voices of Queens have been reduced to whispers as other boroughs enjoy the NYC renaissance; A$AP Rocky’s doing it for Harlem, Joey Bada$$ for Brooklyn, but who’s doing it for Queens? Action Bronson and Das Racist have made some noise in recent years but now Remy Banks and his band of outsiders are ready to snatch the crown back. (more…)

Soul Culture
May 2012

You may have heard his name. You might even follow him on Tumblr. But it’s time to really get with Robb Bank$’ savage life. Flying under the radar of mainstream music press, Robb Bank$ may appear to be just another teenage rapper building a hype off social networks but this is deeper than rap.

With his latest track, Bank$’ compares his looks to that of famed graffiti artist turned record-breaking icon Basquiat, demonstrating his quirkiness. Produced by SpaceGhostPurrp, “Look Like Basquiat” displays his quick one-liners with ease. But if you’re willing to read a little deeper, you’ll find witty wordplay that takes a minute longer to absorb. It will most likely refer to Pokemon or Dragon Ball Z, but that don’t make it any less impressive. (more…)

Words by Lily Mercer

Dressed head to toe in vintage Polo and modern streetwear, Piff Gang are putting their own swag on UK hip-hop. Released last month, their third mixtape, ‘Plant Life’, saw the world through glazed, red eyes.

Ten North Londoners who had a UK garage and East Coast rap soundtrack to their youth, they stay laid back, rolling joints in a cypher. The group is made up of rappers and friends: Phaze, Don Silk, Skout, Super, Skits, Prince 6’7”, Rellaveli, producers Budgie andCrankz, plus DJ Motive.

Since the Noughties, many underground rap artists in the UK have failed to craft a strong identity and modern sound. Acting as a reminder that London’s scene must evolve, Piff Gang appeared from a cloud of smoke. Three mixtapes later and their sound has matured. With two in-house producers, the group never needed to rhyme over jacked beats. The high-quality production of Budgie and Crankz separates PG from the rest. (more…)

Popping pills, blazing blunts and seducing strangers, welcome to XXX…

The album title represents Brown’s age in Roman numerals, but could very easily stand for the sexually explicit themes or even the ecstasy references, both of which regularly feature in his music. If you know Danny Brown, you’ll know what to expect from the Detroit lyricist and XXX is the perfect representation of his work.

Danny’s writing brings visuals to life but it ain’t always pretty. As he says himself on Outer Space, “when I paint pictures, I’m dipping brushes in war paint.” His work is cinematic and the title track, XXX, is the trailer.

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SBTV’s Editor, Lily Mercer, reports from New York’s Rock The Bells festival with performances from Nas, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu and many more…

A year after my first trip to Rock The Bells, I embarked on a rap pilgrimage as I returned to Governor’s Island armed with a press pass and a mission to blag as many lifts as I could. It started well as my lost puppy expression earned me a ride in a golf buggy to the press area. Then I was off to catch the first main stage performance of the day from Random Axe.

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In conversation on a popular social networking site, I claimed to judge rappers based on their cartoon references. It’s something I hadn’t realised before, but it’s true. Well, half true. On my Top Trump rapper cards, I’d have to also include their number of arrests and the weight of their last consignment. But ultimately, a good cartoon reference can sway me to like a rapper that hasn’t even been arrested or *Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone face* sold drugs.

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Bridging the gap between hipster and hood rap without ever compromising his integrity, Danny Brown, the Hybrid of Hip Hop is on the brink of hitting the big time. His hometown, the once thriving city of Detroit and it’s current hardships are a strong influence on his lyrics.

With five mixtapes and two albums under his belt, Danny Brown has built up a diverse fan base over the last six years. He made the decision to release all of his music for free, explaining, “If I’m not being paid to make music, then I shouldn’t be selling music. Producers give me the beats for free; engineers give me studio time for free. I don’t pay to write these raps, so why should I charge people? I want people to hear it more so than I want to profit from it anyway.” (more…)

“I don’t mind living in a man’s world as long as I can be a woman in it.”

- Marilyn Monroe

I found myself caught up in a heated debate at Rock The Bells a couple of weeks back. During Lauryn Hill’s performance, I heard three people arguing over who the best female MC is. Shocked that they even had the cheek to discuss this while the G.O.A.T herself was standing on the stage, I waded in with my opinion and supported the male of the group. He agreed with me that not only can Hill rap better than many males in the industry, she could also sing the majority of R’n’B singers under the table.

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Beverly Hills High: A world in which you can talk on your phone in class, own a sports car before you can drive and ask your computer to choose your outfit. Welcome to a fantasy in which everyone is beautiful and well dressed and the sky is always cloud-free.

The world of Clueless was influential; the film defined words, set trends and made stars of a relatively unknown cast. Director Amy Heckerling, who also directed Fast Times at Ridgemont High, has a unique ability to understand, and most importantly create teenage trends. While writing the Clueless script, Heckerling sat in on classes at the school where it was set, and spoke with students to fully grasp their language and trends. She set out to create a more intelligent film for teens, one that may look superficial, but most definitely is not.

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One of my favourite photographers, Shawn Mortensen died in April 2009. He was only 43 years old. I’m saddened by the thought that I might never again have the privilege of seeing one of his striking photographs for the first time.

Though you may not necessarily be familiar with his name, any fan of Hip Hop and its imagery will have come across Mortensen’s work. His iconic pictures of Tupac, the Notorious B.I.G, Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Wu-Tang and Boo Ya Tribe have dominated many magazines. His Tupac pictures were extremely provocative and became some of the most recognisable photographs of the rapper. At the tender age of twelve I had a poster of Tupac looking down from my bedroom wall – middle finger up, blunt in hand, and Glock down trousers. Though it meant little to me at that age, this was my first introduction to Mortensen’s work. Many of his photos appeared in The Source Magazine, of which I was an avid reader. Throughout my teenage years I discovered more of his pictures, still unaware of the man behind them.

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Forget Bruno, the fashion film of 2009 is undoubtedly The September Issue, a documentary exploring life at fashion bible Vogue. This highly anticipated film is not just for fans of fashion, as it explores the making of a magazine and the tense relationships of a group of high powered fashionistas.

Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of American Vogue, hailed by some as “‘the most powerful woman in America” is the obvious subject of the film. However, it is Grace Coddington, the creative director of the magazine who steals the limelight with dry one-liners and an ability to say exactly what’s on her mind. Throughout the issue, the shoots styled by Coddington are repeatedly edited, much to her annoyance. And she’s not one to hide her anger, leading to some of the funniest scenes in the film. (more…)

In the Hip Hop industry there are a number of talented female rappers, but it hasn’t always been that way. In the past, being female often meant that you couldn’t even get your foot through the door.

While it’s hardly easy now, it was definitely considered unattainable when some of the most sucessful female MCs began their careers. There are many women that could be credited with the increasing acceptance of women in Hip Hop. But there is one in particular that holds a special place in my hearts. Give it up for the Queen Bee: Lil’ Kim. (more…)

What is it really like to be behind bars in the UK? Current sentencing policies and rates of reoffending mean that British jails are overflowing. Prison overcrowding is damaging to the mental and physical safety of inmates. But the cause of such an increase in inmates has been overlooked.

At the age of 22, Joe is making the first steps back into society following a two-year jail sentence. Despite such a long time behind bars, he has little memories of the time due to the rigid routine set for inmates. “You do everything at a set time” he says, “even the fighting. There was a massive riot when I was in jail and it took something like that to break the mold.” (more…)

Supreme pulled out all the stops for their London store opening, including an exclusive performance from Ghostface Killah…

The Supreme clientele crowded around the entrance to Madame Jojo’s eager to catch a glimpse of the performance from Tony Starks. Those lucky enough to get inside waited patiently while the DJ played an unusual mix of vintage soul and Dirty South rap.

Eventually Ghost hit the stage, running through a massive selection of tracks. He touched on several chapters in his career as he performed 36 Chambers classics like C.R.E.A.M. and Can It Be All So Simple, Cuban Linx beauties such as Ice Water and Ice Cream, plus solo tracks from Supreme Clientele including Nutmeg, Child’s Play and Mighty Healthy. Later albums weren’t overlooked, as he gave the audience a taste of The Forest, Wildflower, 2getha Baby and Triumph.

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Confident that anything Wu Tang do is immediately accepted as cool, my girl Lauryn once coined the term, “That’s not Wu Tang,” to accurately describe things that she felt weren’t cool. On that note, this is most definitely not Wu Tang…

In case it wasn’t already obvious to this bitch, Andy Milonakis is not a valid hood pass.

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