Predator Prey: More Than A Hoodie And A Dread Wig Interview interview 0506 added 16.04.07 words: Fierce Freas technical: QED 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. I'm not sure whether to look forward to Jalporte's influence on Dave or to approach with trepidation - his attitude alone could dismantle the careers of anyone he rubs shoulders with - but our last collaboration (the award-winning Jalporte Report) ended harmoniously, so I'll ignore common sense one last time. The first problem I encountered was, with having been out of the scene for a good twelve months, I was way behind on current trends. Who's dissing Westwood lately? Who's dissing Tupac? Who's dissing major labels? Who's dissing women? Who's dissing… Who the hell are Predator Prey? Jalporte: Predator Prey is a combination of two people. One is the most perfect hunting machine ever made. He has superior stamina and strikes with the most violent and savage force you have ever seen. The second of the two strikes just as hard; however, he approaches with stealth: totally invisible and unseen. The victim has no clue. Dave: That pretty much sums it up. We're out for the gusto! You know what I mean. Are you going to switch roles with each other in the future? Jalporte: He won't like me saying this, but Dave can actually MC very well. His verses on Limited Edition really hold their weight. By the time you read this I will be getting my hands dirty and getting more involved with the mixing and technical side of things. I might even try rocking some decks. Dave: Hardyhar! Jalporte had better brush up on his skills. If he gets out of line, we take it to the scratch battle shit. I think, as an MC, I might take it further in the future. I guess it all depends. You can't do everything. Jalporte proved he could go it alone when he delivered Dubstates in 2002, which essentially acted as a demo to introduce his solo efforts to the Hip Hop loving public. His first original release followed three years later, when Farewell Aquarius, a five-track EP, landed amidst rumours of a solo live show. Difficult to substantiate, the rumours turned out to be true, and as Jalporte and Dave rocked their first gig at Derby's Revolution bar they were already passing out the Limited Edition Mixtape. What do you think of the response to Farewell Aquarius? Jalporte: It was better than I expected. As an introductory EP It fulfilled expectations so it was a good start to a very long line of projects. It opened doors for us both. Dave: I honestly didn't realise how well it would be received. When I heard Sunny Day was on the radio and checked a couple of positive reviews I was humbled by all the interest and support. How are things with the live show going? Dave: It's been a while since I'd played out so I really enjoyed getting up there again. It's all good for me because I can chill out at the back and concentrate on the scratches and the free beer whilst Jalporte sweats his ass off working the crowd with his antics. Jalporte: We're revamping the live set to make it more rowdy - we want to see moshpits out there. Not many people have seen Dave live; he's upstaged a few scratch DJ's, so now he's out there setting the standard. What's the latest on the Limited Edition Mixtape? Dave: Yeah, that pretty much dominated my life for around 7 blumming months. I have done a lot of music work in the past but that was my first solo effort despite the odd Dub in the mix. Now it's available to buy, download etc. and we've had a lot of positive feedback from it. Jalporte: There are some beats on there that a lot of MCs have asked us for to use on their own projects. In a lot of ways it was another promotional tool to push Dave's beats, and that's what it did. How do you feel about radio's reaction to Jalporte & Dave? Dave: I still can't believe how much interest and support has been developed from just Sunny Day alone… Jalporte: I always feel really humbled when radio plays our stuff. Many thanks to everyone who has given us airplay, your help is never forgotten. They've made a solid start so far, with responses to Farewell Aquarius positive and encouraging, and plenty of radio interest off the back of that. You probably heard Jalporte preaching to the dumbfounded on BBC Asian Network's Friction show; if not, you might want to check out the Predator Prey radio show coming soon to HHB Radio. Whatever your poison, it seems that pretty soon Predator Prey supremacy could be spreading across media like a birdflu pandemic. With all the superheroes dead in the ground or settled into Hollywood acting careers, is there anyone man enough to stand up to these lunatics? What's this rumour about a Predator Prey record label? Dave: It's early days right now but it's a work in progress. We really need to concentrate on pushing ourselves first and gaining a professional position in the market. Jalporte: It's not something you can do too early in your music lifetime. Many people prefer a corpse because they don't fidget and keep quiet - what kind of mate do you go for? Jalporte: The kind of mate that don't piss on your floor generally helps. Dave: I don't have any mates. Oh, except for my mate Jasper the Lizzard. He doesn't wipe his arse on my bath towel, which is nice, or threaten to have me shot, which is also very nice. What does 2007 hold for you then? Jalporte: Watch for Lokjaw, a Jalporte Mixtape and another Dave mixtape. Also a lot of projects with my good friend June 25th. Less Baltimore losing in the playoffs and more Derby home wins. Dave: More gigs, more releases, a new job; more free beer, as I'm not driving at the moment. Can you fit yourselves into a box before someone else does it for you? Jalporte: I can fit in my kitchen cupboards. Dave: Oh for crying out loud. Big fish little fish cardboard box. Peas on the blumming shelf, fetch me an elf! Everything goes perfectly for you for the next 20 years. What's the end result? Jalporte: Musically, I would like us to be established and be one of the major players in the game. If I'm honest I tend to think more day to day as opposed to that far ahead. Dave: Joy, success, respect, love, peace and happiness, and a nice little cottage by a lake with a lovely view, maybe with some ducks and a hedgehog called Eric. Predator Prey decide to leave you with this picture of tranquillity, hoping you'll remember them as a sort of modern day Simon & Garfunkel. If you want more of these guys then check out the websites below and look out for the Lokjaw project later this year, and while you're waiting for the next Jay-Z comeback album why not have a look for some of the many Predator Prey collabbos with 25th Entertainment. Any last words? Dave: Cheese is good. Mozzarella, Camembert, mature Stilton, Double Gloucester with cranberry… Jalporte: In twenty years I will still be the only Asian MC to have dreads. The Predator Prey radio show runs fortnightly on HHBRadio.com starting on Friday 30th March at 10pm-midnight. - Fierce Freas Related Links: www.myspace.com/predatorythoughts www.myspace.com/jalporte www.myspace.com/siscopyke www.jalporte.co.uk

© ukhh.com 2007