BLADE -INTERVIEW

by Bevan Jee

BEVAN: How is the Hip-Hop scene in the U.K. at the moment?

BLADE: The scene out here at the moment is not as great as we, the 
hip-hop followers and creators, would like it to be. It's the usual 
problems, not enough finance to back it and definitely not enough 
support from the industry itself. There are however a few little 
jams going on every now and then that I've been to and have in all 
honesty enjoyed myself at. I really didn't think I'd live up to 
experience that feeling over again in Hip-Hop, so maybe there is a 
light at the end of the tunnel after all. To summarize, it feels 
like there is a small resurgence happening, but I wonder how long it 
will last and what effect it will have on the state the scene is in.

BEVAN: Has the Hip-Hop scene changed much in the U.K, in the past 10 
years?

BLADE: Yes the scene has changed in the U.K. over the past 10 years. 
Mainly what's happened is that it's been through metamorphosis 
whereby  there was a time between 86 - '90 where we felt people were 
actually opening their ears to what the U.K. had to offer. Then it 
went quiet on the scene as a whole, the occasional artist/group 
making a slight impact. Through this period it seemed we were being 
shunned, not much happening for anybody, and now in 97 there seems 
to be a new lease of life breathed into hip-hop all over again. We 
had U.K. Fresh earlier in the year, we have a regular monthly jam 
going on with nothing but hip-hop being played, old school and new 
school. We get to see some more hip-hop related programs on TV, and 
more recently there was the Breakdance championships held in London 
with entrants from all over the world. It was really refreshing to 
see that. Also the general confidence level of the artist is on the 
rise once again.

BEVAN: What is your definition of an MC?

BLADE: My definition of an MC is somebody who can hold the crowd's 
attention by simply having total control of the mic... MIC 
CONTROLLER; somebody who can cruise in and out of beats with 
complete dedication, allowing his/her words and subject matters to 
be the master, not the music; it's somebody who can be easily 
understood but at the same time be abstract enough to confuse the 
average listener with no ears for the average concepts; and finally 
it is somebody who when rhyming can make you feel the emotions that 
they're feeling.



BEVAN: What was your most ultimate experience in Hip-Hop?

BLADE: My ultimate experience in hip-hop has got to be the first 
time I ever took the stage. I guess it's because that was what 
really helped me to decide what direction my life was to take. I 
sometimes still remember clearly the blood rush I got when I held 
the mic in front of an audience for the first time.

BEVAN: What promising DJs & groups do you seen coming up?

BLADE: There are a lot of promising DJs/groups coming up but I 
personally don't like to mention names in case I leave any out and 
hurt somebody's feelings. What's more important is that they feel 
that they are up & coming. My or anybody else's opinion here is 
invalid.

BEVAN: Are there many B-Boys & Aerosol Artists getting busy in the U.K.? 

BLADE: In all honesty I don't see much going on with B-Boying and 
Aerosol Art, but I know it's going on through keeping in touch with 
certain people who do it. I don't know to what extent this takes 
place because it's never in your face like I feel it should be.

BEVAN: How was it to be a part of Fresh '97?

BLADE: It felt good to be part of Fresh '97. It was just exciting to 
be up on stage again after such a long period of just being a father 
to my child. I was very happy with the response, but would have been 
happier if I wasn't ill when it took place (the flu). Apart from that 
I'm not too happy with the promoter, he knows why, but I'll keep it 
between me and him.

BEVAN: How would you say your style has evolved over the past 5 
years?

BLADE: My style has evolved in the way that I feel that there is 
more focus in the lyrical content and that there are more patterns, 
however simple they might seem. I also feel that my flow has 
improved a hell of a lot and there is much more variety in subject 
matter now than there was before. My voice is calmer too, which I 
feel is more of a positive, as it allows the average listener to 
listen without having their ears blasted off all the time. I feel in 
general my style has evolved.

BEVAN: What are your feelings on the importance of WORLDWIDE hip-hop 
culture?

BLADE: Worldwide hip-hop would be a dream for most of the real 
cultured heads of hip-hop and would be a very important step. My 
feelings would be that I would welcome it with open arms, but at the 
same time wonder why it's been accepted after such a long rejection 
period. It does need to happen though, as long as it's kept in a 
controlled environment. I'll be waiting for that day.

BEVAN: Do you think the DJ has been neglected and forgotten in 
current rap music?

BLADE: I think there was definitely a period where the DJ was being 
neglected in rap music, and now there seems to be a slight increase 
in the interest towards DJs. Scratch DJs need to get more credit for 
their talent than they are being given. It is not just some guy 
pulling the record back and forth. There are a lot of technical 
things going on in a DJs mind that he/she translates into their 
routine that average people don't seem to understand. Anybody who 
doubts this should try it and see how difficult it really is to be a 
Scratch DJ, and how much time really goes into perfecting the art of 
DJing. In the overground DJing is virtually non existent, except 
when the overground feels like taking a chunk of what the 
underground created, using it for their selfish money making 
purposes, then dashing into the nearest fire to burn it... like it's 
a disease or something. The underground very rarely benefits from 
this selfish action.

BEVAN: How many records do you estimate that you have sold worldwide?

BLADE: As a rough estimate I'd say I've sold overall approximately 
50,000 copies (past LP and all singles not including new RHYME BOMB
12"

BEVAN: Are you planning to release any more records in the future?

BLADE: I'm not too sure what's going to happen with future 
releases. It all really depends on how this one goes. Of course I'd 
like to keep making records because this has always been my life and 
still is. Let's just wait and see what else life has to dish out 
first. I don't want to speak about things that are not definite in 
case things go wrong.

BEVAN: How do you see music these days, do you think there is a 
difference between rap music & Hip-Hop music?

BLADE: I used to get a lot of inspiration from music in general back 
in the days, but these days influence and inspiration are pretty 
hard to find in music. Sorry to say it, but I get more inspiration 
from listening to Oasis than I do from most hip-hop. I just think 
there is more positivety being portrayed in Oasis than there is in 
all this out played, big talking, gun slinging, hell directional, 
all about who's got the most cash and girls, non conceptual, rap 
being pumped on the radio. There is a difference between rap and 
hip-hop in the sense with rap it's just straight forward rhyming 
about the weakest and plainest topics in existence, where as in 
hip-hop a lot more thought, time and effort goes into what has to be 
said. Also hip-hop revolves around a culture, but rap has no real 
defined culture and is very diluted form of hip-hop, in percentage 
terms, probably only about 0.1%.

BEVAN: What groups and artists do you have respect for, Hip-Hop & 
otherwise?

BLADE: I have respect for anybody who gets off their butts and goes 
out there and makes something happen, but mostly for those who make 
it obvious through whatever they do, (whether music, acting, 
football, kung-fu, whatever). That they put a lot of time and 
effort, blood, sweat, and tears into their chosen art. They deserve 
respect! All others can only buy respect.

BEVAN: What are your greatest musical influences?

BLADE: My greatest musical influences are pretty varied, from 
straight lyricists/poets through to orchestral, jazz, hip-hop, rock 
(but not too heavy), film soundtracks and believe it or not, 
sometimes even pop music.

BEVAN: Tell us a little bit about the new single out on Bomb Hip-Hop 
Records.

BLADE: The new single RHYME BOMB is basically a concept track, 
subtly trying to explain that I let things slip away for a while for 
personal reasons, but after taking time out to reorganize myself and 
re-energize... I'm back and this time with lyrics that most wish 
they wrote. 

THE WAY IT HAS TO BE is simply trying to tell people who 
are quick to criticize, that unless you have been at it for years 
yourself and are better than those who you criticize you're opinion 
doesn't count for shit. It's easy to criticize, now try to find 
something constructive to say about whatever or whoever you are 
criticizing. It's also letting people know that any artist/lyricist 
who takes the art serious should not be taken too lightly, in this 
case... BLADE. 

BORN TO RULE is just saying enough of the guns, the 
knives, the politics, the lies... lets just get back to the basics. 
I left clues that I would be back, the only question was how and 
when? Also in this track I emphasize that I have nothing to loose so 
I am going all out for this, mainly inspired by my son.

BEVAN: Thanks for the interview, do you have any shout-outs or 
things you want to mention?

BLADE: Shout-outs mainly to my son (the maddest child on the face of 
the planet), my girlfriend, my reflection and anybody who's played a 
part of keeping me going with this... too many to mention, but you 
already know who you are. And thanks to BOMB RECORDS for having 
enough balls to do what U.K. labels never did... INVEST IN THE REAL. 
Your time's around the corner!!