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  Dubbledge Interview
interview 0408 added
16.05.06 words: 2hip
technical:
QED
After slowly building with his black plastic releases of ‘Smile’ & ‘Don’t Interrupt’, plus featuring on many of the heaviest things to be released at the tail end of last year and the start of this (Foregin Beggars’ ‘Slow Broiled Ilk’ & LG’s ‘Sonshine’),
Dubbledge is about to take 2006 by storm by releasing his mix CD ‘Fist of Jah!’ and then his highly anticipated ‘Richest Man in Babylon’ album.
For the above reasons, it became apparent ukhh.com could no longer ignore what is probably the greatest up and coming talent in this little scene of ours. So
2hip thought it was time he got off his laurels and dusted down his interview cap to grab some words with man like Edge Edge.
So, in the unlikely case people don’t know the name, please introduce yourself...
 OK nice and decent people, my name’s Dubbledge and there’s still nuff people out there that ain’t heard of me yet, but I’m gonna join the freemason’s, learn a couple handshakes and change all that…
So is Dubbledge strictly a stand alone artist or you part of a crew?
At the moment I’m solo. See I was originally in a crew called OCB…big up Verbal and Capt ‘im Bun ‘dem, they both on ‘Fist of Jah’! Might start floating some of them old OCB tracks on the net for the curious heads, so watch this space. But I’m taking care of myself at the moment just trying to open doors and get my name out there, they know any industry doors I open are open for them to step through too though so it’s all good.
When did you get into music and what were the driving forces towards your path as an emcee?
I’ve been into music since tap water was clean and Kentucky used real chickens. It’s not an effort for me to rap, I do it everyday regardless of whether I’m in a studio or in the shower. When people are bored of hearing me I’ll still probably make tunes for my own enjoyment, I just like spitting.
You’re one of the most creative emcees out at the moment lyrically but also with your use of flow and vocal tone. Is adding this character to your rhymes something you’ve developed consciously or is it just you?
Thanks for the big up! I’d like to say it’s just me, but truth is, it probably is something I’ve developed consciously. I mean it’s a basic formula I use and it’s a bit like good sex…
I’ll break it down because I know from the mention of sex you really reading this shit now. OK you only get one chance to make a first impression as the saying goes so them first few lines in a big verse have gotta be like the foreplay. By that I mean you gotta show them that they about to have a real good time. I mean you don’t want them telling they friends you some lame duck, you want them telling they friends that you the fuckin’ don! So the intro lines on a verse are the foreplay… wet they appetite with a good intro… yep!!
Now we at the middle of the rhyme, you all deep up in the verse now so in sex terms you gotta keep up the pressure, that’s when its time to switch the flow up a little. Guess it depends what type of tune you riding but the flows extremely important and you may need to speed up the flow or even slow it right down to keep the vibe live. Sometimes it’s best to hit them from a completely different angle if you get what I’m saying! But personally I try and do whatever fits the tune because it’s all about good entertainment, so the middle of the verse is all about keeping it exciting… yep!!
“...When people are bored of hearing me I’ll still probably make tunes for my own enjoyment, I just like spitting...”
Right then last part of the verse now and ya dun know it’s all about the big finish because that’s when you really gotta come correct. Now for me this has got to be the favourite part so it’s well worth putting that extra effort in cause that’s what’s gonna have them coming back and requesting more of your music and because I love me sum good music I don’t mind putting in that little extra work to make that hit a classic… yep!!
Follow these rules and let me know how you get on, because we all love a tight verse and if you making music some time soon this formula may come in handy.
Following on, do you place any worth in the modern day emcee being able to freestyle or is this becoming increasingly secondary?
Freestyles a blessing that some have and some haven’t, certain heads don’t think before they speak so it’s asking a bit much if you expect them to be able to think of something clever, then turn that into a rhyme and add a decent punchline and do all that in time with a beat cause it ain’t gonna happen!
Freestyle’s a bonus though, cause if I’m performing a tune for what feels like the one hundred thousandth time on stage then I’m bound to get a little bored of it so I’ll just freestyle half of the verse or pick on something I see happening in the crowd just to entertain myself and if I’m having a good time the people usually do too… even if its them I’m picking on.
From your back catalogue to date, you’ve hooked up some really tight beats. Any plans to turn your attention to the boards?
Nah, tried once and just got into bare arguments so I just stick to what I know. I’ll help with arrangements and add atmospheres like sound effects and whatever though so I guess I do co-produce. I just think its good to add some life to the lyrics cause if I’m saying something, I want people to be able to picture it cause if I’m talking about something like say ‘war in Iraq’ then an explosion’s gonna help you picture it more than a snare or a kick.
What has the reaction been to ‘Fist Of Jah’ and your other projects, has this surprised you in any way?
Blud! Fist of Jah is getting a very, very, very good response and it ain’t even out yet. I just been selling some at shows because I feel like the people that come listen to you should be the first to get the new tings. But all the feedbacks been pretty humbling cause when you in the studio you don’t realise the effect that what your doing is gonna have on people, it’s only when heads start quoting your thoughts or asking questions about certain things your saying that you realise the impact.
The new LP ‘The Richest Man In Babylon’ sounds like it may be a concept album, is this the case?
Nah the ‘Richest Man in Babylon’ that titles just the future plan because I’m poor. I ain’t third world famine rib cage and a pot belly poor but I’m in the struggle and I’m planning to change that. Furthermore that album ain’t even bout money, it’s about all kinds of riches, see I don’t wanna sound like a hippy or nothing but I’ve realised that you can be broke but still be proper rich in different ways.
“...I ain’t third world famine rib cage and a pot belly poor but I’m in the struggle and I’m planning to change that...”
The album is full of concept tunes though. I mean every track on there is so different from the next one that it takes you on a mini journey and the production’s big so get your ears ready.
You worked with many people for the album?
Nope, I use the Mix CD’s for the collabo’s, that’s what ‘Fist of Jah’ is there for. I always feel cheated when man put out an album with x-amount of guests. Don’t get me wrong it’s nice to hear, but I like an album to represent the artist not his connects.
Only guests I got on there are Micall Parknsun… Mr Working Class “spark’n’bun but not in front of the
son”… and I got O.C.B. cause Verbal and Bun ‘dem my people from nineteen longtime. The rest is all about production but I haven’t finalised what tracks to keep yet so I’m not saying production credits just yet.
Any producers or emcees you’d really like to work with on future projects?
 I wanna do some more work with Genesis Elijah because I’m feeling what he’s got to say and it’s important to hear them kinda talk. I haven’t really got a wish list though. I mean there’s plans to work with a lot of people but I don’t like naming names till the music’s done cause it ain’t about naming names and looking stuoooopid when it don’t happen. But just to wet your appetites I’ve got a rather nice track with Jehst, Asaviour and Parky which hopefully should be my next vinyl.
What was the best live music show you’ve ever witnessed?
One was Big Daddy Kane and the other was Foreign Beggars. BDK because man’s a legend and FB’s because they got the best live presence I’ve seen. If I hadn’t of missed KRS One’s concert I might have changed my mind but them man kill it on stage. I seen hiphop crowds turn into some proper beer in the air mosh-pits when they get going.
Is your live show an important part of what makes up Dubbledge as an artist?
Off Course. That’s how you know a true emcee, I mean you only get one take on stage and standing there with your hood up and your head down ain’t doing it either.
Any plans to do a little tour with the album?
Definitely, I wanna hit as many places as possible, I want plane journey’s too. I’ve done a couple of shows aboard like in Seville, Switzerland, Norway and I got a show in Amsterdam in a couple weeks which should be a nice quiet peaceful little weekend, so it’s all about the travel. I mean you get lean for free, hotel for free, travel for free, and gyal are receptive, in fact been seeing more & more woman at hiphop lately and its about time too! Then on top of that just to ice the cake you get payment. Would you sit at home? I might if I had Beyonce for the month but that ain’t happening so it’s all about the “Lips to da Floor Tour”…hold tight London Zoo…Braapppp!!!
With the World Cup coming up, what would your opinions be on representing England in a World Emcee Cup?
Leave that to the battle emcees. You heard Stig tear someone apart, not me bro. I like laughing at people but I don’t like being laughed at.
Some guy at one show I did the other day got on stage and told me he wanted to rap. I‘m telling him “nah mate…I’m getting paid to do a show, come off the stage you can grab the mic when I done.” Then he goes “I wanna Battle!” poor sod…I ain’t on battling, so I politely asked Stig to get on stage and the dude got ate. He had balls for trying though, but regardless he got ate. I leave that battle ting to the pros.
“...all they do is boot the ball as far as possible and hope some tall skinny dude like Crouch is gonna get a head to it… that’s some Sunday league shit but I’ll be beered up and supporting regardless...”
Semi on subject, who’s going to win the World Cup in your opinion?
It’s open this year. Small teams can embarrass you now and man like Ronaldinho and Messi for Argentina are gonna destroy teams. Be good to see an African nation do it though, so I’ll watch Ghana closely but it will probably be a South American team that wins. Only way England are gonna win is if they stop all that long ball shit. Amount of times I’ve watched the supposedly best 11 players the countries got to offer and all they do is boot the ball as far as possible and hope some tall skinny dude like Crouch is gonna get a head to it….that’s some Sunday league shit but I’ll be beered up and supporting regardless.
You’ve done a track called ‘The Internet Song’. Would you say that the internet on the whole has been good for a scene as small and historically insular as the UK hiphop scene?
 Myspace.com…says it all really! www.myspace.com/edgemuzic and
www.myspace.com/dubbledge if you clicking. A lot of unknown talent is about to get heard because of sites like that so only bad thing about the internet is people taking the food out of my yout’s mouth with the free downloads but you can’t stop people so you gotta accept it and be happy they even checking for your tunes.
…Might do a video for the Internet Song too so watch this space.
Another medium getting a mixed reaction at the moment is Channel U. Taking back the industry or watering the industry down?
It’s changed the game…being able to see an artist makes all the difference. That’s the one thing that was missing because American locked down the music videos so in my opinion its taking back the industry. Bit of quality control wouldn’t hurt though and what’s with the same videos getting played twice in a row?
What can we expect from Dubbledge in the next ten years?
More babymothers! Haha.
Any plugs or rants?
Get ‘Fist of Jah’ people, then get ‘The Richest Man in Babylon’ when it drops. Also check ‘Learn Respect’ on Ghost’s ‘Seldom Seen Often Heard’. We got an EP planned too, so remember where you heard that first. Look out for my tracks on DJ IQ’s ‘Brain Food’, that’s one of my favourite rhymes. Check ‘Hotplate’ on Beggars ‘Slow Broiled Ilk’ 12”. Quick chorus appearance on Micall Parknsun’s vinyl 12” called ‘Hungry’ and ‘Rice & Peas’ on Parky’s ‘The interview Mixtape’. ‘So Hip Hop’ on Genesis Elijah’s ‘The Industrial Revolution’ mix CD. Got a track on ‘Suspect Packages Vol. 3’ when that drops. Should be jumping on Ralph Rip Shits’ new 12”.
Big up everyone I already mentioned and ressspect to man like Skrein, O.C.B. GhosTTown, LG, Stevie Ebola, JCat, LeOn, Mention, Dabbla, Sumgii, Pierre Green, Little Man, Dilate Clothing and everyone on the ‘Fist of Jah’! Anyone I didn’t mention that’s gonna cuss me and everyone else that reads this, thanks for taking time out to see what man’s about. Jah Bless!!!
And on that note all remains to be said is go and track down the ‘Fist of Jah!’
mix CD, because it’s quite simply one of the most buttery things out so far this year.
- 2hip
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