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  MistaJam Interview
interview 0383 added
21.02.06 words:
Madrox
technical:
QED
MistaJam is a varitable one man bad ass band. Having worked with some UK Hip Hop veterans right down to the absolute new breed. He's a man with his fingers in many pies. Each one looking significantly more tasty than the other. I caught up with him to chat about life, television and the UK Takeover. Here's what the man had to say.
Ok. For those that don't know anything about MistaJam. Would you first care to introduce yourself, tell us where your from and tell us a little about yourself and what you've accomplished thus far?
 MistaJam:
Hello Cilla, my name is MistaJam and I am from Nottingham!
I’ll just give you a potted history:
• Got my start in the industry aged 14 initially as part of a youth sound system which disbanded after about a year after an argument about not getting paid.
• From there, worked at the Community Recording Studio in St Anns and even later deejaying for the in house crew that became Out Da Ville.
• Stuck with them for a couple of years and left the crew when to teach sound engineering and deejay skills for another local recording studio.
• I’ve been acting since 7 so left that studio to become Minty Sutton on the ITV soap Crossroads in early 2000.
• Around the same time, managed to hook up with Joe Buhdha and became the resident deejay at legendary Nottingham HipHop night ‘Bring Da Noize’ at the Bomb. Also held down a radio show on Nottingham pirate station Unique FM.
• Once I finished on Crossroads, started working closer with Joe Buhdha and set up our company properly: “SureShot Entertainments” after finishing a stint living in London and performing in a west end musical (called 125th Street).
• From there, we’ve been working: we’ve put out a few releases (check discogs.com) put on some events (including KRS One) and between us, set up and put on the UK Takeover series of events held in Nottingham which brings us to the present day.
• Also produce music- most notably produced Shabazz The Disciple’s hit “Red Hook Day” track, probably best known to UKHH.com readers as the instrumental Excalibah used to kill with the pianos in it.
• Currently hold down the HipHop M1X Show on the biggest station on road, 1Xtra.
• Over the course of my career, have been a show deejay for artists such as Brand Nubian, Rodney P, Klashnekoff, Ty and more…
• Used to write for Grandslam with Buhdha before it went kaput - now we write for Left Lion Magazine…when we get time to work on it!
“...Hello Cilla, my name is MistaJam and I am from Nottingham!...”
Phew! Thats quite a history in the game man. Fantastic...being the multi-talented individual that you are. Do you ever feel conflict between professions? Does one pull you one way more than the other?
 MistaJam:
It is kinda hard as I do wear many caps: Deejay /
Business man / Actor / Producer / Host / Writer /
Promoter / Broadcaster and of course all round big mouth, but I don’t really feel any conflict as such other than obvious 'full diary'. I think they all compliment each other but at the moment, I’ve had to put the acting career on the back burner because I’ve needed to focus on the music side of tings (both business and performing sides) plus I’d become disillusioned with the opportunities for me as an actor in the UK. Looking as I do and the colour I am, there aren’t too many decent parts out there for me in this country! I mean, you can’t have me as the person in The Bill who mugs the old lady because where am I gonna run to? The closest I get to running is when I may buss' the running man when I hear some MC Hammer or something!
Hahaha I can picture you doin that man. So, when was the moment you thought an entertainers life was for you?
MistaJam:
I don’t really know! I’ve kinda always been into it so it’s hard to pinpoint a particular moment.
Yeah? So what do you think has been your crowning achievement so far?
MistaJam:
There’s a few, but the UK Takeover’s have been a big achievement especially as there’s been a lot of people who didn’t expect it to happen after the setbacks of the first one. We’ve worked it hard from the ground up and pulled a lot of money from our own pockets to do it so I just hope that it’s serving its purpose - to bring the segregated factions of Hip Hop together and open a few of those closed minds we have an abundance of within the scene. It’s getting harder and harder to self-fund it as artists, prices keep rising and rising, and we’re increasingly dealing with agents who just don’t get what we’re trying to do; but its business at the end of the day and we still enjoy it, the crowds enjoy it and artists who perform also seem to get a lot out of it - for example Baby J and Blade first met at the first UK Takeover and they’ve done an album together now!
“...It is kinda hard as I do wear many caps: Deejay / Business
man / Actor / Producer / Host / Writer / Promoter / Broadcaster and of course all round big mouth...”
No doubt man and a top class one at that. Speakin on the Uk Takeover Can you give us any secret info on the next one? Any surprises?
 MistaJam:
The only real info that I can give at this point is keep checking the website - www.uktakeover.net or of course UKHH.com. It’s gonna take place over the Bank Holiday weekend at the end of May and we’re in the process of booking the artists and sorting out logistics. We’re trying to make each one a bit bigger than the last so rest assured it’s gonna be a sick night, just wanna say to the artists that we’re approaching though - we don’t have Glastonbury’s kind of budget yet!
Haha, soon enough mate...give it a few more years eh? Ok, so, you've worked with many actors and MC's from up and down the country. Is there anyone who you would say you were truely excited to be working with?
MistaJam:
Actors wise, no-one’s touching when I worked with Rudolph Walker on EastEnders (he plays Patrick Truman). People don’t realise the struggle he had to go through being a black actor throughout his career. I mean, when he first came to the UK in the 50’s, he wasn’t allowed to use the dressing rooms in the theatres he was working in - they made him get changed outside. He’d be attacked while on stage. There was literally zero parts out there for black actors, the list goes on…We had lunch and he gave me some really good advice - basically, do for self. Don’t wait for people to hand you scraps, get up and make a meal for yourself. MC wise, I’m excited by talented MC's; those who are intelligent with flows, lyrics and performance. I like total package emcees and I’m lucky to have worked with many of them.
Workin with Rudolph must have been great, he sounds like a very hard working genuine guy. But was there anyone who turned out to be something you didn't expect?
MistaJam:
Mainly it’s been emcees who have surprised me with their behaviour. The ego is a very dangerous thing with emcees! I suppose it’s like Public Enemy said, don’t believe the hype…I’ll name names when I’m ready to retire and I get the tell-all book deal and call from Max Clifford!
“...I mean, you can’t have me as the person in The Bill who mugs the old lady because where am I gonna run to? The closest I get to running is when I may buss' the running man when I hear some MC Hammer or something!...”
Haha, i'll be the first in queue for that one mate, for sure. Ok, so putting rappers ego's aside. Whats your dream acting job?
MistaJam:
I’ve been lucky enough to have done theatre, musicals, soaps, dramas, sitcoms, radio drama etc… but the only medium I haven’t touched on yet is film. So I reckon a really good film part is called for. I’m tired of watching films and thinking "I could have done that" or "I wish I was in that". Thing is, I’ve auditioned for a load of films, but not got one part yet! Dunno why, I thought it was the ‘BIG’ screen! So Guy Richie, Matthew Vaughan, Quentin Tarantino, hell, Shane Meadows; come holla at your boy!
Mistajam: The Movie. Amen to that. Haha. So to sombre the tone for a second, and for those that haven't read the blog on your myspace site. Would you care to share a few thoughts on the recent untimely passing of J Dilla?
 MistaJam:
Dilla is gonna go down in history as one of the best HipHop producers of our time. Simple as that. When I was teaching myself production on the MPC, I used to bite Dilla hard and it taught me a lot. The way that he worked with samples, synths and his necksnapping drums man! I’ve been bumping Lightworks off the Donuts album hard on the iPod over the past couple of weeks and all I can really say is that he’ll be missed.
No doubt. You'd have to look hard to find many cats realer than Dilla in the game. He was a legend and will be sorely missed throughout all the hip hop speaking countries worldwide. But bringin it back to our soil for a sec now. How would you describe the Nottingham scene as it stands currently?
MistaJam:
Honestly? Fragmented. We’ve got a shitload of talent here in Notts and it’s only a small place in the grand scheme of things but there’s too much watch face and people chatting behind your back. Personally, I think fuck the personal politics and lets work together to push things forward, but not everyone feels the same as me. It’s a shame but people seem to keep to their own camps even though the majority of us know each other on a personal level. Once again, names will be revealed in the tell all book!
“...its business at the end of the day and we still enjoy it, the crowds enjoy it and artists who perform also seem to get a lot out of it - for example Baby J and Blade first met at the first UK Takeover and they’ve done an album together now!...”
I'm most definitly gonna get that shit on pre-order, haha, but before the retirement book deal, whats next for MistaJam? What projects do you have tucked up your sleeve and in the pipeline for the near future?
MistaJam:
I’m currently approaching artists at the moment to put together a mixtape. The idea I’ve had I’m really excited about so I know it’s gonna be sick. As for the rest of it, as Shaw Taylor used to say on Police 5, keep ‘em peeled!
Haha word. Ok so last, but not least. Is there any shout outs or plugs you'd care to make to the good people?
MistaJam:
Keep checking www.uktakeover.net for the most up to date info on the UK Takeover 3 DVD (it’s coming soon) and UK Takeover 4. Check me out on the only national 4 hour HipHop show on 1Xtra - the HipHop M1X Show every Thursday nite from 2am or whenever you want via listen again on www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra. Also, check the blog and diary at www.myspace.com/mistajam - my BBC email is on there if people wanna link and send me music. I promise to always give honest constructive feedback if you promise to not take it too personally if I don’t like it! The 'Lionhearts - Battle With The Beast' collaborative album is coming soon. Trust me, it’s gonna be well worth the wait. MistaJam.com is coming soon. Nottingham - our style is Legendary…
And thats about that. MistaJam is still working away in full force, UK takeover 4 is coming, the DVD for 3 is on its way, New Lionhearts LP, the radio shows to tune into...and quite a lucrative sounding book on its way when MJ feels its retirement time. Wallets at the ready folks. Looks like theres a lot to look forward to. Peace people.
“...I’ll name names when I’m ready to retire and I get the tell-all book deal and call from Max Clifford!...”
-
Madrox
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