Flying Lotus 10.07.08 In person Flying Lotus is huge, a big friendly giant if you will. Much like his compositions Steven Ellison is full of contradictions and funny quirks – he is well versed in literature, music, film, has a fierce passion for politics and punctuates every sentence with at least one expletive. As well as having a tendency to go off on spacey tangents. He also enjoys playing computer games, chatting up girls and it’s probably fair to say, the occasional jazz cigarette. Mostly standard stuff except for the unconscious eccentricity that often separates geniuses from the rest of us... Kane met up with this genius in face and on phone to bring you an insight into the genius....   Lumes Flowne 08.07.08 Lumes Flowne has been flirting with music for over a decade, and whilst perfecting his craft in production and artistry he’s gained a clear insight to the industry as a businessman. This compelling venture has consisted of developing his abilities with UK collective ‘FAUNA’ then later representing himself as a solo artist, Lumes weighed up his ambitions with education in law as well as music. Now after completing his degree, music is the prime focus, and his own company On My Jacks Entertainment will be bringing the man and the music on a full UK tour so Nina hooked up to bring us a preview of what to expect...   A-Alikes 20.06.08 A-Alikes comprise of Illuminessence "Ness" a.k.a "P. Red" and Karaam "K" a.k.a "A-Black", Tallahasse, Florida natives with Dead Prez, relocated to Brooklyn, New York. On her recent trip out there Lady Jay met up with Ness for a quick update on their UK connection (through Baby J) and the progress on the new album, 'OneLife, One Death' ...   James Pants 12.06.08 James Pants makes the sort of genre-bending music that will make backpackers and electronic nerds wet their pants with excitement. James met his boss (Peanut Butter Wolf) after his prom night some 10 years ago which lead to an internship with Stones Throw, and eventually, a record deal. Now promoting the release of his debut album, ‘Welcome’, a loose sounding record, with hints of early rap, 80s funk and electronic influences surrounded by more progressive and playful themes Kane caught up with the man to discuss this 'Alien wave', 'fresh beat' and forum favourite, ‘quirky retro shit’- just a few of the new fangled genre labels that have so far failed to stick....   Marco Polo 06.06.08 Lady Jay has hit up NYC and while she's there has sent us some interviews with people she thinks we'll be hearing more of in the future. first up rapper, engineer and film maker Marco Polo talks truth about his collabs with Ice T & DMC, his music, films, the N word and why he ain’t waiting on a big record label to swoop and save his ass so is going independent....   DJ Aaries 04.06.08 Hailing from South Carolina, DJ Aaries had a greater ambition than to be just a DJ, he wanted to create a movement within the industry and help peers achieve their musical goals. After relocating to ATL Aaries began to pursue what he was destined to do, and in 2005 he introduced the ‘HOOD HARD’ mix tape series which consisted of aspiring DJ’s as well as Hip Hop artists. The New Face of Roca Wear DJ Aaries was one of the two winners from 550 submissions of their Will Not Lose compaign which consisted of contestants submitting video footage which highlighted hardships and life obstacles, and how they oversaw these struggles. UKHH.COM dwells into the past, present and future venture of DJ Aaries aspiring empire and acknowledges his musical achievements to date...   Ahmos 28.05.08 North London birthed one of the leading players within UK Hip-Hop and although some may be oblivious to his accomplishments, Ahmos continues to develop and perfect his musical craft. Having grafted his musical abilities within production, engineering, artistry and worked with some of UK’s finest artists, Ahmos defeats the selfish and egotistic behaviour by consistently participating in other projects besides his own. Currently hailing from Roots Manuva’s Banana Klan, Genesis Elijah’s Escape Route Music, Hip Hop collective’s Mosaicx and ICX to name a few, it’s time to represent Ahmos as a distinguished talented individual. This is the highly anticipated accreditation of Ahmos…   The IRS 26.05.08 The IRS weren’t a crew that 2-Hip was overly familiar with, that was, until their album “The World is Theirs” well and truly caught him with his pants down. Rather than be deterred, we thought it was only right he tracked down Ed Strong to try and spread the word. The IRS are meant to be your friends! Read on…   Big Cakes 22.04.08 After releasing the highly slept on album “S.K.I.M.”, UKHH thought it was only right to try and bring to your attention the wonders and artistry that is Big Cakes aka Mr Kipling! Take a read and then make sure you check the links at the bottom to take your ear holes to a happy place… Mr Kipling makes exceedingly good raps...   Kray Twinz 20.04.08 Hailing from Coventry but blessed with a worldly perspective, the Kray Twinz shot to some people’s attention with the club banger ‘What We Do’ featuring none other than Lethal Bizzle and Chi Towns Twista. Since the success of that track the Twinz have toured and hooked up with a range of unlikely collaborators from Blue’s Lee Ryan to Police legend Sting. So what’s next for the Midlands beat masters? Ben Spurr found out via a lengthy phone conversation with Jaz, fifty per cent of the duo.   Excentral Tempest 16.04.08 Meet Kate, aka Excentral Tempest, who has been grafting on the UK underground scene for no less than five years, performing at festivals, open mics, and writing constantly. Anna Nathanson caught up with the MC (not female MC) for her first ever interview…   JC 03.04.08 Sheffield based producer JC has already had positive acclaim from Hip Hop Connection and Blues and Soul Magazine. Closely connected with Hoodz Underground he is currently working on a mix cd to be released in the summer, alongside numerous other projects with individual artists and collectives, including SY (South Yorkshire)...Lady Jay went across the penines to find out what this Yorkshire business is all about…   Wordsmith 28.03.08 The advantage to being independent is there is full control of projects and campaigns; the downfall is the lack in finance to reach certain promotional markets. These obstacles will never faze Baltimore’s Wordsmith, as he holds on to the advantages of being an independent artist and is adamant to reach higher heights no matter how or when he gets there. His musical background is so exquisite it’s shocking to believe that he’s grafted single handily and still remains to be holding out strong. With grand expectations and aspirations Nina hooked up to find out more...   Cadence Weapon 23.03.08 'Smart, sincere and lots of fun with all the makings for a future classic' is the description Kane gives to Rollie Pembertons second LP 'Afterparty Babies', recently released on the ever reliable and cutting edge Big Dada. With that in mind Kane took a trip to Ninja HQ to chat about Steely Dan, looking up lyrics on wikipedia and why he doesn't want to talk in a cockney accent...   DJ Excel 18.03.08 Philadelphia is where DJ Excel calls his stomping ground. His first foray into DJing was stepping up to the plate at a neighborhood house party before he had reached the age of ten. Having held down a number of part time jobs including in an eye-glass factory it was only when cutting his hand on the raw glass that Excel became convinced that music was going to be his one and only focus. That mantra remains true to this day. A fan of good music with a self-proclaimed heart full of Hip Hop, Excel has rocked countless venues, been the resident mixer for Wired 96.5 last year and is now focussed on touring overseas and breaking into TV soundtracks. Determined to remain based in the "City of Brotherly Love", Excel is one of the most dynamic, soulful, party rocking, crowd controlling turntable technicians in a long line of Philadelphian Hip Hop deejays who remain intent on advancing the art form. This is his story...   Hobbit 12.03.08 20 years old, and already sponsorship deals with Mic(ism), microphone manufacturer Audix USA and Ableton - that’s no stroke of luck. Son of a concert pianist and blues musician, Hobbit has been rocking crowds over the last few years, as well as releasing a DVD entitled: ’Do The Beatbox’. He talks to Lady Jay about going to New York, the importance of practice, and watching jaws drop to the floor…   Nyce 07.03.08 From the streets of Southside Jamaica Queens ‘NYCE’ recently signed to Infamous G-Unit after his appearance on Mobb Deep’s Blood Money album. Now is he just about release his first mixtape here in the UK ‘United We Stand’ which features Akon, David Banner, Mobb Deep and loads more… We got NYCE on the phone for a quick chat…   Ghost 27.02.08 2008 is all about progression and moving up a creative gear as far as the London-based beat junkie Ghost is concerned. Not content with resting on his laurels following the release of his impressive 2006 debut long-player “Seldom Seen Often Heard”, Ghost has been back in the lab working not just on new music, but also on new directions in which to take his sound. With three full-length projects in the pipeline, Ghost is determined to cover a lot of musical ground over the coming months so Ryan Proctor grabbed Ghost to get a head start...   JSD of the Virus Syndicate 18.02.08 With an eclectic sound based in UK electronic music, Manchester’s Virus Syndicate are producer MRK1, and MC’S JSD, Goldfinger and Nika. Gliding easily from grime to hip hop and then some, they are steady infiltrating from UK to Europe. JSD talks to Lady Jay about the Virus brand, missing flights and the importance of building a stronger musical infrastructure in Manchester. He also has some great advice for up coming artists...   Malik 05.02.08 The self proclaimed rapper’s rapper, Moorish Delta 7’s Malik, straight out of Birmingham, is a business man at heart who doesn’t like to be pigeon holed. Working on a collection of projects from acting, recording to writing a book he certainly likes a challenge…   D.2.1 25.01.08 Born in the UK, spending most of his life growing up in the Bronx and then moving back to the UK laid an interesting ground for D.2.1's hiphop credentials. With his one man Blackmobb Entertainment working hard and his recently dropped Pain album getting some good praise Nina Carmela set out to find out more...   Lifesavas 18.01.08 Gutterfly - Not your average hip hop album. This offering has an interesting concept; reflecting the fictional deeds of a trio of ghetto superheroes – Bumpy Johnson, Sleepy Floyd and Jimmy Slimwater - taking inspiration from the Blaxploitation films of the '70s as the Lifesavas take on an alter ego to explore different themes and perspectives and relate this in the music. Right now Lifesavas are touring internationally to promote the album. Lady Jay managed to find out a little bit more about these talented and fast rising guys from Portland - Vursatyl and Jumbo aka: Lifesavas.   DJ Snips 15.01.08 DJ Snips has consistently laced soulfully chopped bangers to some of Britain’s finest. Now on the brink of a re-focus to U.S pastures, UKHH’s roving production powerhouse and reporter The Last Skeptik caught up with the Poisonous Poets rep Snips to talk business…   Foreign Beggars 09.01.08 Foreign Beggars are a 5 man crew comprising of rappers Orifice Vulgatron and Metropolis, DJ NoNames, Beat Boxer Shlomo and Producer Dag Nabbit. Their label Dented Records is home to some of the UK’s most talented artists, and the succession of creative musicians, singers and rappers are keeping them constantly challenged and fresh. Talented, creative and mad as cheese Lady Jay UK caught up with Orifice Vulgatron, Metropolis and (even got a few words from) Dagnabbit in Manchester recently and they’ve a whole new show with ballet and necrophilia they wanna tell you about...   Forbidden Tongues 26.12.07 Producer Forbidden Tongues was brought up during the early-90s era of hard boom-bap beats and dusty samples lifted from long-forgotten wax so it comes as no surprise that the musical fingerprints of beat kings such as DJ Premier and RZA can clearly be heard on his debut album “Konnekt”. The real surprise, however, is to be found in the revelation that an album as good as “Konnekt” could be crafted by an individual who had only twelve months ‘official’ production experience under his belt. With 2008 almost upon us, UKHH sat down for a brief introductory chat with the Manchester-based producer, who might just be responsible for one of the best debut albums of the last year.   Beit Nun 20.12.07 You would be forgiven if you never thought of Macclesfield as a hotbed of hip hop talent but you’d be right, one act however has been looking to change that recently. Beit Nun (pronounced bet nun) has been working the local circuit into a veritable fever with energetic performances and a realistic yet professional business perspective of what can be achieved. Mr Phlo caught up with him recently and allowed him to pop his interview cherry...   Konny Kon 12.12.07 This guy’s pretty undercover, and he likes it that way. Though he has appeared on tracks with Jehst, Fallacy and Doc Brown; Broke 'N' English DJ Konny Kon has the ill flow you may not have heard yet. Or, you have heard it; you just don’t know who this dude is and where he sprung up from. With a compilation CD coming up and recently featuring on Broke ‘N’ English’s debut album Lady Jay had to delve further into one of Manchester’s most low profiling hip hop heads...   Jehst 08.12.07 When he’s not drifting across high plains or riding in buses full of Menghi wearing his nuke proof suit, the man some call Billy Brimstone finds time to make the odd tune or two too. Madrox got some small nuggets of info in a rare bit of J-Star downtime…So what has Jehst been up to in the two years since we last spoke?   Cappo 22.11.07 He’s been one of the most consistent Hip Hop artists that this shore has ever produced, yet Cappo still doesn’t seem to get the recognition by the masses after so many years in the game. It’s about time Capps got the props he deserves and it’s about time UKHH.com caught up with him again to talk about past, present, future and to get the further detail on the mystery of the metal detector guy!   Will Ashon 09.11.07 Big Dada - a place called home to musical mavericks, wayward geniuses and rapping Dadaists. Where a gold disc and Mercury Music nominees reside and UK Hip hop has never sounded less like UK Hip hop. You might find dead dogs two mixing it up with gangsters and an unemployed black astronaut, or maybe you’ll witness the adventures of the lactating man. Well, maybe it’s not quite as fantastical as that list of select BD tracks but the last ten years have certainly been quite the fairy tale story for Big Dada’s Big Dada, Will Ashon. Kane caught up with him to find out more…   Dubbledge 30.10.07 Raised in Watford and rhyming since the ’90s, the self-proclaimed “oldest newcomer in the game” has spent the last few years building a formidable reputation for himself as a skilled wordsmith. Consistently shining on collaborations with homegrown heavyweights such as Foreign Beggars, Braintax and Micall Parknsun, Edge’s potent verses have converted many listeners to his unpredictable brand of lyrical fireworks. Read what Dubbledge had to say to Ryan Proctor...   Prefuse 73 29.10.07 Guillermo Scott Heron, aka Prefuse 73 makes the sort of lush yet fiercely progressive Hip hop soundscapes that draw inevitable comparisons to the late Jay Dilla. But Prefuse 73 is very much his own man, and a recording artist with a unique musical vision. With his 'Preparations' album just released on Warp Kane found out more...   L.Man 26.10.07 I'm sure you have all seen L.Man on Channel U by now, whether it's on the introspective track 'Pushin' or the street banger 'Hold It Down'. Equally at ease over a Grime or Hip-Hop beat, L's is currently touring the UK with the mighty Skinnyman. After his high energy performance in Nottingham, Ben Spurr spoke to 'that white kid' on everything from the Skinny hook up to his forthcoming album.   Skinnyman 18.10.07 In a somewhat dank dressing room at the Stratford Circus, Hayley Rebecca Coyle cornered Leeds’ and Finsbury Park’s most disreputable export: Skinnyman. Fresh back from cavorting in Amsterdam and with a new single to promote, he and the Mud Fam heckled and joked their way through this improviso interview. But Skinnyman was surprisingly earnest when it came to certain things. Human rights, the plight of water-starved children and of course, the calibre of Britain’s green supply...   Metabeats 12.10.07 You may not recognise yet, but take it from me, Metabeats is the best thing to come out of Wales Barry John or Bara Brith. He’s a beat maker from Barry, South Wales, who was the uncanny knack of making a banger anytime he so much as walks near a production module. So if you don’t know, it’s time to get to know...   Illa J 09.10.07 The loss of a loved one can impact those left behind in many different ways. In the case of 20-year-old John ‘Illa J’ Yancey, the tragic death last year of his older brother, producer J Dilla, motivated the aspiring beat master to start chasing his dreams. Now it’s clear that Illa J is serious about leaving his mark on the hip-hop landscape. Currently putting the finishing touches to a debut album that will see Illa both producing and rhyming Ryan Proctor recently met up with a humble but determined Illa J at his Camden hotel to talk about Dilla’s legacy, musical influences, and the need to be original...   El-P 05.10.07 When you say the name El-P to a random selection of hip-hop fans, you’re likely to get half yawning and complaining about “backpackers” and the other half so excited you gotta keep a muzzle on them to stop them talking about how great the man is. Madrox caught up with the man who courts controversy like an old friend, runs the biggest indie hip-hop label on the planet and famously wrote THAT line about Rawkus…presenting El-Producto…   K*NERS 04.10.07 K*NERS has been creating heat on the scene for a few years now, bringing the Bristol sound to London and back again, getting acknowledged by big UK acts as well as big US labels and with the new 'The Schooling Mixtape'. K*NERS is on a mission to school the youth, men and women nationwide with his Rock/Ragga influenced Hip Hop. Safesoul speaks to K*NERS about the mixtape, the state of Hip Hop at the moment, music downloads and Semtex...   76 01.10.07 Melbourne feature - Another Brit who decided to make the move to Melbourne, 76, originally from Birmingham and a member of the collective known as The Herd, has been hard at work in recent months putting together and opening his studio –Stronghorn Studio’s. Fraksha wanted to get another Englishman’s take on the Melbourne scene and life in general over there so after months of barbeques and Carlton Drafts 76 was the man for the job...   Mantra 01.10.07 Melbourne feature - Fraksha first saw Mantra smashing it up on a Monday evening at the Evelyn and he just stood out head and shoulder’s above everyone else that night. Mantra has a sick flow, but aint one of them rappers that sacrifices lyrics for multi-syllable nonsense and there’s no pretence or front with him. He’s just a safe brer who makes really good honest music...   563 01.10.07 Melbourne feature - Another Englishman to make to move to Melbourne, 563 has been putting in work in the London scene for many years now and since moving over here has been busy playing shows around the place as well as working at Obese, so Fraksha felt it would be good to see what he had to say about his time in Melbourne...   Autism 01.10.07 Melbourne feature - One of the most chilled humblest people Fraksha's met out in Melborune would be Autism, but when he hits the booth or the stage he switches to something altogether different. If you like your hip hop crazy, violent and fucking hyper Autism’s your man, but don’t get it twiss, none of this is at the sake of flows or lyric’s which he has in abundance...   Rigorous Recordings with Bigs 01.10.07 Melbourne feature - Rigorous show is a sight indeed. Bare people on stage going wild, beer flying everywhere, the smell of weezy in the air…how it should be! Fraksha met Bigs back in ’02 when he went down to do something for PBS radio in Melbourne. Definitely on the grimier side of Melbourne hip hop Rigorous have developed a tidy roster of artists that has seen a regular slew of releases recently...   DJ Flagrant 01.10.07 Melbourne feature - Manager, artist, promoter, top boy DJ etc etc. Flago is the man with his finger in many many pies of different flavours. Constantly with a phone to his ear juggling this and that, he’s always on the grind. As well as his own interests he’s helped out countless acts and rarely will you find anyone with a bad word to say about the man (apart from the odd middle-aged Venezuelan woman, but that’s another story)...   Jase 01.10.07 Melbourne feature - Obese artist Jase has been a stalwart of the Ozzie scene for many years now, supplying beats to a diverse number of acts as well as enjoying worldwide success as part of the break-beat outfit Nu-Breed. He’s been there and seen it and witnessed the growth and change of the scene from what it was to where it is today...   Plutonic Lab 01.10.07 Melbourne feature - Plutonic Lab is a name familiar to pretty much every hip hop head in Australia having worked with so many of the scene’s leading names over the years. Regularly polled as one of the best producers in the country, Plutonic has most recently been enjoying success as part of the producer / MC combo, Muph & Plutonic and has been flat out touring in support of their most recent release...   M-Phazes 01.10.07 Melbourne feature - Phazes is one of the illest producers in the world right now! His beats are stoooopid! He’s been grinding away on the Gold Coast doing his thing for a while now and at the beginning of the year moved down to Melbourne to be closer to certain things business and music wise. Officially a sick caaaaant, you will definitely hear more from this man in the future...   Ciecmate 01.10.07 Melbourne feature - Ciecmate was one of the first people Fraksha met when out in Oz in 2002 and is one of the safest people he's come into contact with…but don’t mistake kindness for weakness, a keen martial artist he will stomp you out! Anyway, back to the music…Ciecmate is a part of the Hospice Crew and also runs Broken Tooth Entertainment, renowned around Australia for releasing no bullshit, staunch as it gets Ozzie hip hop...   Dr Syntax 25.09.07 Now a familiar name in the UK hip hop world, Ben Hughes aka Dr Syntax has cemented his place amongst the country’s premier wordsmiths. Starting with a few guest spots on the Foreign Beggars first album, he has been popping up on tracks ever since with the likes of Stig, Flevans, Rup and Dubbledge. Louis Soul caught up with the Doc at the local GP surgery, for his opinions on the trials and tribulations of the rap game.   Brother J 10.09.07 Hip Hop has become a universe of planets as such, we have Gangster Rap, Trapp, Crunk, Christian Hip Hop, Latino Hip Hop, French Hip Hip, UK Hip Hop…the list is endless. Life on each planet has developed growths of their own kind, but no matter what development they’re representing its still born from one mother, the creator of Hip Hop music. So what happens when one growth decides to take some time away, will they be accepted after so many years of developments within the universe? Nina Carmela speaks to Brother J of X-Clan about the acceptance within the Hip Hop industry and the lack of knowledge obtained within this music genre to date.   Example 22.08.07 West London rapper Example has rhymed since school days. After being plucked from the underground by Mike Skinner of the Beats label, the roguish Fulham boy is lambasting the UK hip hop scene with his biting lyrics and ambitious beats. His previous singles have been daring, dark and droll – but when chatting to him he’s got a refreshingly winsome attitude towards music. His debut studio album is imminent, and he’s about to tear up the stage at 'Get Loaded In The Park' this Sunday. Hayley Coyle caught up with him while he washing his smalls in a local laundrette.   Aesop Rock 16.08.07 Aesop Rock has long been one of the most intricate, story telling rappers of our time, creating his own niche in independent hip hop with his music in the early part of this decade. Recently relocating to San Francisco, questions have been raised as to whether this will cause a shift in his style of rap. Combining his own production with the beats of the talented Blockhead, he gets ready to present us with his first album for nearly two years ‘None Shall Pass’. On an unusually warm day in the centre of London, Louis Soul met Aesop Rock at Cargo to find out what makes him tick and his hopes for the new release...   Tricksta & Late (Wolftown) 03.08.07 If you are in any way involved in the UK scene then no doubt you will have received a barrage of e-mails from the Midlands based label Wolftown Recordings. As the content of these e-mails prove, CEO’s Late and Tricksta are always on the grind with new projects up their sleeves. With one of their releases featured in the HHC all time Top 50 British Hip Hop Albums this month, Ben Spurr thought it a good time to get to know what the head honcho’s are about on a deeper level...   Alice Russell 27.07.07 Perhaps the most lavishly soulful voice in the UK today, Alice Russell has not yet really quite got the recognition she deserves. Through working and touring with an array of talent including TM Juke, Quantic and her own live band, she has served up two very impressive albums as well as a remix album, with which she has carved out her own style, whilst still staying true to her gospel and soul roots. Whilst she was touring round Europe, Louis Soul got the chance to throw a few questions to gain a little more insight into Miss Russell…   Styalz Fuego 26.07.07 Straight out of Melbourne, Australia comes a producer quickly rising up the ranks of popular music. Not content rocking the boards for Chamillionaire, Kelis and Snoop, Styalz Fuego has reached out to some UK emcees with his trademark sound. Resident beatsmith The Last Skeptik caught up with him for a few questions…   Kool Keith 19.07.07 “Abstract musical genius”. Are three words often bandied about by pseudo editorialists with little justification? Passing Electro/Indie fusions, 16-year-old Grime producers and whoever else the Guardian music supplement is currently giving head to, and invariably those three words get dragged out. But yep, you guessed it, I’m going to do it: Kool Keith is an abstract musical genius.   Chain Of Command 16.07.07 Coming out of South London, Speakers Corner regulars Chain of Command are a hardcore collective of MCs, DJs and producers known for their commitment and dedication to the scene. Fresh from touring the UK alongside US heavyweight Saigon and Scram Jones, Exzes caught up with the group to discuss their upcoming album, their influences, free Hip-Hop, and have a look inside the minds that mainstream media outlets overlook in favour of the more conformist artists...   S.Kalibre 12.07.07 Some heads in the UK scene keep a constant prominence, right at the forefront of the scene, occasionally though, you can hear a low rumbling from the underground of an artist who's got serious promise and is makin quite a lot of noise all on their lonesome. S.Kalibre is one of those people, Madrox caught up with him for a little chat about Hard Livin, what he's up to next, and life in general.   Saigon 10.07.07 Having stayed on various 'Most Anticipated' rap lists for the past three years, Saigon finally looks set to drop his debut album - 'The Greatest Story Never Told'. It would take a brave person to say that it won't live up to the hype. Kobi finally tracked him down after 3 years of searching, before his first show in London to talk about hip-hop's effect on kids, Barak Obama's chances of reaching The White House, his stint on a hit TV show and his rumoured collaboration with President Carter.   Spida Lee 10.07.07 Spida Lee is one of those raw emcees, who when you hear for the first time, you feel like Hiphop is coming back! Having dropped the heavy-weight LP “The Foundation”, 2hip thought it was only right to catch up with Huddersfield’s star man to see what’s going on up north.   Pneumatic & Sloth 10.07.07 The history behind Pneumatic and Sloth speaks for itself; having met in the ukhh.com forums back in ’99 they’ve had a nourishing musical presence within the scene to date. Now represented by Headcount Records the rapsational duo have released their debut album, ‘Audibly Nice’, following the success of the critically acclaimed ‘EP’.   Xzibit 04.07.07 He’s had his fingers in so many pies lately; it seems to have been a long time since Xzibit released a rap album. In the last few years he has taken his career from an underground West Coast rapper to becoming an international household namecovering rapping, acting and presenting. So after all that what does he make of it all? Louis Soul met up with Xzibit for a quick Q and A session in a swanky hotel lobby to get his take on his career so far...   Nomadic Poet 27.06.07 Nomadic Poet has left The Planets behind for the moment and release his impressive debut with a whole host of producers. Wytfang hooked up with him to talk Planets, beats & life (and the debut solo LP)...   Ric Branson 20.05.07 Most of you will have blindly come into this interview out of mild curiosity as to who the hell Ric Branson is. If I told you not only did you know them, but they were once part of one of the most consistent UK crews in the last 5-6 years, would you still be any the wiser? Well, Ric Branson was Ricochet of Universal Soliders and now he drops his debut release as a solo artist. What comes after, may be a bit of a surprise however…   Channelling Charlie Parker - A Conversation with Soweto Kinch 02.05.07 When award winning saxophonist and rapper, Soweto Kinch passed through the heart of the commuter belt earlier this month during his hectic touring schedule, Kobi took the chance to come out of retirement. The boy from Brum found time to speak on crime in the inner cities, scoring plays, working with Moira Stuart and his stint on the Pop Idol's house band. And all that before taking to the stage to promote A Life In The Day of B19: Tales Of The Towerblock.   Mr Ti2bs 02.05.07 It’s been almost exactly a year since UKHH.com last pestered the talented Mr Ti2bs. A year too long in our opinion, so we decided to track him down and get an update on his current movements. Thankfully, it was worth an update as things have moved on for Ti2bs and we caught some words a matter of weeks after his debut solo LP “Nobody’s Perfect” hit the streets.   DJ Yoda 01.05.07 DJ Yoda is lauded all over the UK as the ultimate mixing pundit. The cheese-hop grandmaster has made a career out of sampling sounds from random, reminiscent sources, and is famously credited as “the DJ with a sense of humour”. But is this accolade still deserved? Hayley Coyle chatted to Yoda to about his new single, his audio visual wizardry and what he’s up to next.   Spank Rock 30.04.07 “Wot do u call it?” Baltimore House, ‘fucked up shit’, Club Rap, Hipster Hop (my own creation). Whatever you call it I think it was James Brown who put it best, ‘there are only two types of music; good and bad.’ And Spank Rock's genre-bender sound definitely falls into the former category. UKHH’s superstar writer Kane, caught up with producer Alex ‘Armani XXXChange’ Epton to find out more...   Predator Prey 16.04.07 It's been six months since I first broke my promise to Dave Rodgers. Back in late summer last year he approached me with the desire to come out of the closet as one half of what is now Predator Prey, a dubious duo that sees Dave paired up with the whitest brown rapper since Jacko last talked on a record.   Black Milk 06.04.07 Hands down, Black Milk is the most sought after, talked about artist of recent times. Effortlessly blending underground headnodicity with mass appealing bounce, Milk rips up the mic and MPC. UKHH’s resident beat conductor, The Last Skeptik caught up with the Detroit native to ask some brief questions…   Klashnekoff 27.03.07 A quick glance through the Magazines, Newspaper supplements and Internet forums (this one in particular), over the last month or so and you could not have failed to have noticed the name. But for those in the know Klashnekoff Ricochet is a more than familiar figure. Kane caught up with the enigmatic rapper in candid mood.   Zuby 20.03.07 Hailing from Oxford University, and causing a stir amongst critics is the cosmopolitan-influenced newcomer Zuby. Taking his inspiration from the UK, the US, Saudi Arabia and other regions, Zuby combines an affable style with an intellectual viewpoint, and, already with a video completed as this is being written and a fan-base ever growing, J~bright talks to a potential star in the making…   Willo Wispa 12.03.07 According to Willo’s dictionary his namesake means he is elusive, very elusive. So elusive infact, not even his own label can find him half the time. Being the drunken enigma that he is means he also manages to get down some of the most polished and original sounding UK tunes in the business, having taken the solo route for a short while away from his former Colony bredrin, Madrox caught up with Mr.Wispa to see exactly what is Willo on?   Big Narstie 27.02.07 Many of you will know Big Narstie by now and if you don’t then in the very near future you will. His comedic rhymes and “Grindie” songs are making him one of this years best acts. ukhh welcome Shorty to the team who undertook the task to interview Big Narstie and this is what he had to say for himself...   Rup 21.02.07 Lying somewhere between hip hop and funk South London’s Rup may not be a household name to many UK hip hop heads. Travelling to and from Brighton and London, he has been slowly building up his reputation with projects such as collaborations with Tru Thoughts’ TM Juke, and a few releases on his own label 27 Beats . Looking to step up a gear, he is now ready to serve up his first offering on Zebra Traffic entitled Rup On Zebra, so on a chilly January evening in Whitechapel, Louis Soul caught up with Rup for a little discussion…   Necro 15.02.07 Porn rap, death rap, horrorcore, call it what you want, but Necro has been steadily serving up his own brand of hip hop for years. With his own label Psycho+Logical Records now in its seventh year, he has brought us albums from the likes of Goretex, Mr Hyde, and his brother Ill Bill. Louis Soul met Necro at the Holiday Inn in Kings Cross to find out a little bit more about his roots, how his career has progressed since his death metal days and some slightly more explicit topics...   Million Dan 07.02.07 From his start on Tottenham based ragga-Sound Saxon, to his role as Mike J in "The Northside[s]" finest The Demon Boyz, to his sucessful solo career, unifying people against racism, and many trips "back-a-Yard", this one-man musical powerhouse has had an influence on many. We talk to Million Dan about, the brand new "InfraRed" Mixtape, his forth coming Spektrum Ride album, his favourite MC's, and his new role as Record Label CEO...   Mr. Phlo 02.02.07 Hip Hop fans in Reading should already know him - if you've been to an event in the past three years the chances are that he was the promoter. The lineups read like a whos who in UK hip hop but now Mr Phlo is stepping out of the shadows to get recognised as an MC in his own right. LuvJones spoke to him just after the local release of his first mix cd to talk about promoting in general, what he's looking to achieve and the age old debate of grime vs UKHH...   DJ Noorah & Nat Illumine - The Women of Itch FM 18.01.07 Veteran Itch FM Hosts, club DJs and industry insiders DJ Noorah and Nat Illumine discuss with Shucks hiphop history, guaranteed hot records, dumb-ass rappers, and offer some sisterly advice to up and coming female artists.   Supar Novar 17.01.07 You may already be familiar with the name, having featured alongside Foreign Beggars, Skinny Man and Genesis Elijah. Kane recently caught up with rising young rapper Supar Novar for a brief chat before one of his shows. In fact I am greeted every morning by the sight of his face on promotional stickers at Tottenham Court Rd station. A good example of a young English Hip Hop artist on the grind…   Sir Smurf Lil' 10.01.07 The murder mile's Sir Smurf Lil' is one 1/4th of The Colony and has rocked numerous open mics, and a variety of clubs across the city of London. It can be honestly said that Sir Smurf brings a very refreshing and ear pleasing feel to the Hip Hop scene. Chris Bryne had a few quick words with the man…   Ty 04.01.07 What was procured as a short radio interview “quickly” became an in-depth, no holds bared tell all. With such an interesting interviewee -- TY, it didn’t seem right for his words to only be aired once and to not be archived for all to see. Luckily, Rish took one for the team of Hip Hop and spent many an hour transcribing a recording of his broadcast. Read the full interview to learn of possible future collaborations and TY speaking out against the industry…   Braintax 03.01.07 A veteran of the UK scene, Braintax doesn’t really need much of an introduction to true UK hip hop heads. After years of running Low Life where he has brought us some classic albums such as Skinnyman’s - Council Estate of Mind and Jehst’s - High Plains Drifter, this is only his second solo release after a wait of nearly five years since his last album Biro Funk.   Median 17.12.06 With “The Path To Relief” re-released recently and “Median’s Relief” just around the corner, Rish caught up with Median – one of the many talented Justus League members who are ready to make their mark on the industry. If you like dope beats and well thought out concepts, Median’s definitely one to check out--so put your feet up… then put them back down so you can see your screen, and read on to find out about all things Median...   Tame One 06.12.06 Tame-One is one of New Jersey’s hardest working B-Boys, what with the recent US SUICIDAL CANNIBALLZ TOUR alongside his crew Dusted Dons, Cannibal Ox' Vast Aire, Yak Ballz, Metro (SA SMASH) and 4th Pyramid. His career was set in stone as a member of The Artifacts, a solo artist in his own right for many years working the underground angles. He took a few minutes out to talk about his career and his love for the many attributes of hip-hop, and explained his position to Shucks One...   Fresh Daily 28.11.06 During a recent trip to NYC taking in numerous Hip Hop shows, Sloppy Jallopy got to see and later meet a very talented MC called Fresh Daily. I really enjoyed his music and style and having not heard anything about him in the UK I thought an interview for ukhh.com readers was definitely in order to enlighten others who may not be aware of this talented artist already. This is what he had to say...   Terra Firma 27.11.06 The Foundation has been one of the most eagerly anticipated releases in the UK hip hop world and rarely disappoints but may just be the only ever Terra Firma release with the line-up that worked so long to get the mixtape to us. Just before the recent news emerged that Kyza has decided to part ways with the group, Louis Soul caught up with K-lash and Skriblah to talk about The Foundation and their thoughts on what they think has held them back this far...   Kyza 26.10.06 Ukhh hack Kane caught up with Kyza in a West London pub to discuss his debut solo album, The Experience, the future for Terra Firma, problems within the industry (or lack of one) gay rappers and reality checks…   Kool Sphere 24.10.06 As writers from the Bronx and Manhattan gained much of the media shine in the early days, Queens borough graffiti contribution is undeniable but one that often gets over looked. Kool Sphere cut his teeth as both a graffiti writer riding the 7's surviving local hood wars, and later on battling MC's live on New York College radio, so he definitely knows the Queens County's legacy.Peep what he had to say to Shucks One...   Ghostface 13.10.06 After more Red Tape than Santa’s grotto, UKHH.com’s Rish was lucky enough to grab a last minute interview with none other than Tony Starks. In hindsight, I think I can hazard a guess as to where the Starks came from, so lets just hope that the Killah doesn’t have such factual origins. Although some of his answers were brutally simple (i.e. stark), according to the Oxford University Press, that also means they were sharply evident. Consequently, even the least perceptive of you will not possibly be able to miss the news of new Wu-Tang and Doom projects, a new album and plenty of other intriguing information...   Ralph Rip Shit 12.10.06 Ralph Rip Shit. Is this the best name in UK Hip Hop? Probably. But the praise shouldn't stop with the name. With last year’s superb Breaknecks release 'Music For Batchelors' and a couple of mixtapes already on his CV, Ralph is aiming to enhance his position as one of the best upcoming emcee's in the UK with his first foray into the vinyl market, his debut solo 12" "The Best Name", which drops on Associated Minds, very soon.   Freestyle Masons 11.10.06 Following their success in the Jump Off, World Rap Championships, the Freestyle Masons’ have exploded on to the battle scene, providing us with some