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  Ruffstylz Interview
interview 0384 added
28.02.06 words: 2hip
technical:
QED
After making noise to those willing to listen from Cardiff to London, Ruffstylz has dropped the ‘Lyrics’ CD to open himself up to a wider audience. The early warning signs are that Ruffstylz and his Associated Minds family are set to take 2006 by the scruff of the neck, so 2hip caught up with Ruff to mind out a bit more.
For all those under a rock heads, please introduce yourself to the ukhh.com readers…
I’m Ruffstylz and I rhyme my little white arse off.
A lot of people who know you say you’ve got a weird ability to remember lyrics, a bit of a talking book. Do you have a photographic memory? And does that help when penning lyrics?
 A photographic memory? Hell fucking no, I’m a goldfish for shit I’m not interested in, which is most things really, but it seems that way when it comes to the bars ‘cause if you love something that much you’ll remember it and I love this ‘til it’s silly. Me and my boy Mayor who runs the Associated Minds label were going nuts when we saw Thirstin Howl saying you can’t come into his house unless you’re gonna rhyme all night ‘cause that’s what we appreciate. That diehard retarded brainless devotion to hip-hop like it’s all that matters. ‘Cause it is really, there’s been times when this pen and pad has been my life support machine, it’s not even funny.
Last time we spoke you told me that you’ve got 1000’s of rhymes people have never heard. Can you remember all of them off the top?
Oh no you’re gonna let ‘em down now! Nah not thousands, that would be some shit, but I counted recently and I got 200 verses the public haven’t heard. Grimlok from The Colony’s the only one who’s heard them all. I’m always playing catch up with learning ‘em ‘cause I write even when I don’t think I write but I can spit you a hill of shit off the top, yeah.
Your rhyme structures, both lyrically and flow wise are a lot more thoughtful and interesting than the average emcee. How do you write your rhymes in order to get the results you’re after?
Thanks bruv, I don’t take compliments for granted. It’s pure enthusiasm. I always say it should always feel like a playground when you make something new.
“...there’s been times when this pen and pad has been my life support machine...”
What was the thinking behind ‘Lyrics’ or was it just free-flowing?
Well like the title sets you up so you’re expecting a Grafh mixtape of raw verses, but the thinking is to do that and still give more. So it’s like within the confines of my style, which is very unrestricted anyway I’ve hit all eight corners of the room, floor and ceiling. I think it’s got some of the best lyrics in the world on it, I’m so fucking happy with the way I’ve done it. Like I’ve got a track on there called Cyclone And Hurricane Wrestling and I think the last line on it is one of the most remarkable lyrics in hip-hop history, it’s about putting yourself out there next to the world’s best, not just your manor. It’s put together so anyone can pick it up and 54 minutes later know what all the fuss is about. Lines. You listen to old Eminem verses and you feel you wanna hear more hip-hop with classic lines in it ‘cause everyone takes it and themselves so serious now. Lyrically, I’m wiping out boredom. I’m bringing it.
How’s it been received on the whole?
 It’s killing it really, selling constantly and snowballing like I wanted it to. Since it’s come out I’ve been in every magazine I should be in, had some radio attention, been on Channel U doing a Jump Off battle and I’ve had a lot of instances of heads saying unbelievable shit I don’t even wanna repeat ‘cause it’ll seem like I’m up on myself, but Prince Po said to me when you put out your CD you’ll be surprised who likes it and he’s so right. It’s like I got the whole spectrum of hip-hop fans into it – I don’t mean everyone in every section but I know I got genuine fans across the board, all shapes and types of people. Like my boy Goldfinger from Virus Syndicate which is a grime crew. You know, he said he respects the intelligence. Alotta peeps have said that, which means a lot to me. People assume the wrong things about the youth, like all they want is ignorance, it’s bollocks. But the ill thing is I seem to be getting types who ain’t into hip-hop liking it as well. I got put up at number five on some New York college radio’s chart that was full of shit like Aphex Twin!!! That’s sick when my CD don’t sound like anything but hip-hop you know but boy that just makes me so proud ‘cause I always swore down that you can capture everyone’s imaginations if you just drop it right and I’m proving it to myself now, that’s huge. Don’t get me wrong I don’t mean like no-one can dislike it, everyone got people who don’t like their shit but I’ve banged out my style successfully, I’m loving it.
One thing I noticed, that for an album that’s an ode to your lyricism, you’ve actually produced a few tracks. You ever see yourself moving towards that side? Maybe a Ruffstylz ‘Beats’ album?
First up it’s not an album, call it a CD but that’s a heavy idea just as a concept mate. I don’t see me doing that though, I produce and can’t wait to record over ‘em but I’ll leave that to producer producers, you know what I mean?
“...it’s about putting yourself out there next to the world’s best, not just your manor...”
Have you started work on an album proper?
Nah but when I do whooooooooooo shit, if I don’t die of natural causes or get shot you’re gonna hear some shit.
Who in the world of music is interesting you at the moment?
I’m all up on PLO’s shit. He’s our new AM mic melter. You gotta check his verse on the new Blaktrix EP (What Shall Be), he bodies it. I can’t wait to hear more and more from him. Plus he got an encyclopaedic knowledge of production, mixing, mastering and all he cares about is fit girls. It’s all he talks about when you go round his drum, it’s only right.
 Everyone should still be listening to The Love Below ‘cause that’s what the world needs. I’m mad checking for the mixtape by a crew called Quiet Poison from Barry, right outside Cardiff, it’s fucking banging for real. All out rawness, exactly what hip-hop fans want, keep it moving boys. To me, Grafh is like God stepped in front of the mic, I’m really feeling Dubbledge and I can’t wait for Foreign Beggars new album. Just checked out The Lost Masters by Kool Keith and that made me blink a lot. The new Chino XL Poison Pen mixtape, all hail the illest emcee. I love a rapper called Many Styles from New York. He’s like super-underground but he battled Jin before and you have to see the footage, his flow’s phenomenal he’s like the second coming of Pharaohe. Classic album.
I’m really enjoying the Dead Residents album, which is Junior Disprol’s crew, it’s refreshing. I have to say this, about two weeks ago I went down my boy’s house Sasquatch and he lives with Junior. So we’re all cotching and it’s just gone midnight and I’m like who’s got the instrumental CD, let’s freestyle. So we all go at it and I swear we all came with shit but Junior dropped one classic unbelievable freestyle after another for two hours. It weren’t that clean freestyling, it was pure off the head train of thought illness, it might’ve been the best freestyles I’ve ever heard. And he switches voices, says ridiculous stupid stuff, all the character in the world. I was honoured to witness it, it was historic, I’m serious.
But Saul Williams’ newest album and Kanye are smashing everything else off the face of the planet right now, I think Late Registration might be top three ever. Name something that’s wrong with it, apart from forever ever forever ever forever ever forever ever… and I reckon Diamonds is the worst one on there, it’s a bit over-produced but it sits better in the album than on its own and it’s so important how he brought the diamond mining situation to peoples’ attention with the remix. I think I’ve heard Saul Williams claiming that every time you go and buy diamonds a child in Sierra Leone loses an arm and that’s enough for me to leave ‘em on the shelf forever ever. I’ve got a zirconia in my ear, I’m happy.
“...Lyrically, I’m wiping out boredom. I’m bringing it...”
With the moving of Cardiff’s spiritual hiphop home (the Toucan) and people like Blaktrix doing well, how would you rate the health of the Cardiff scene at the moment?
Yeah Blaktrix is smacking it, Humurak too. I think I know quite a few mans now who think it’s all about Cardiff and it’s justified, it’s the right balance of a bunch of shit that means there’s this fresh electricity in the air and there’s still breathing space around it all so it don’t get too much. I mean don’t get me wrong London’s still got the best scene in the country just for like a mass of hip-hop energy or whatever but Cardiff’s running, I wouldn’t wanna live anywhere else right now.
What could be done to improve the health of the welsh scene?
 Let it be. Enjoy it.
At the Mystro gig the other day, you and beatbox Fozzy did a long set together. I thought the rawness of beatboxing and your complex rhyme style worked really well. How do you feel that went?
Fozzy’s this amazing little R2D2 that drops peoples’ jaws through the floor. I mean obviously Kela’s the best in the world but we feel he’s destined for that same world stage. All he gives a fuck about is new ideas and I’m the same way so we click together without even trying. The live show’s beautiful ‘cause it’s so simple and so big at the same time. All we need is two mics, peace!
Any plans to record stuff with him in the future?
Yeah, of course that’ll happen man.
What can we expect from Ruff and the rest of AM in 2006?
Associated Minds. No one cares about the charts. AM fam roll thick like phlegm. Before talking about Associated Minds can I just say everyone has to know a huge part of AM’s success is down to Mayor. He’s blessed with this ability to just go like the energiser bunny and rarely stop for water or to fuck another female energiser bunny. He’s an amazing person but quietly so, which makes it even better and he deserves his props. That’s what makes AM as a label special, it’s full of amazing people really.
For Ruffstylz, Lyrics is out now. I’ve never heard anything like it before. For AM, next up is The Best Name 12” from Ralph Rip Shit, which is some sureshot hip-hop but watch his whole story unfold over time ‘cause I’m still trying to work the weirdo out. There is no one like Ralph Rip Shit on the green grass of earth. For that 12 we’ve been blessed with DJ Muzzell on the scratch as well and we think he’s the rudest scratch deejay out there. He came to Cardiff before, got on the decks for 15 minutes and stole the night. He did this killer shit with Purple Pills and then dropped Foreign Beggars’ Hold On and scratched over Orifice Vulgatron’s verse exactly the same pattern that he spits, it was fucking sick. He’s a credit to Britain for real.
“...Yeah I got a rant – protect children...”
Then get ready for the summer of Mudmowth. The album’s gonna make everyone feel so good man, it’s classical for real. He’s a rhino. And when Barnie Smith or Barny Rumble or Harry Macadam or whatever he’s called today finishes his Country On Fire project you’ll be engaged into the new era of Associated Minds and it’s gasoline for anyone fascinated with the words UK hip-hop. And I do represent the UK. Quite passionately actually. Plus Paul B’s Sneakerfreex DJ mixtape is coming out and it’s fat. Plus Sam Rockwell got beats coming out his eyes. PLUS we’re putting out a CD by Willo The Wisp, who’s from The Colony as well and he’s an emcee who really keeps me inspired. I get bored easily so I don’t laugh hard easily but I think I’m losing count of the number of times I’ve been sat in Conspicuous’ yard doubled over every time he plays a new Willo track. He thinks differently, he’s like this little east London Oliver Twist or Charles Dickens or something, I dunno what he’s on. Wot’s Willo on? And YO I gotta big up Conspicuous as well for being someone I respect a lot and for being the first one to play me Dave Chappelle doing Puffy on Making The Band ‘cause it might be the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.
Shout out to Mic Assassin and Elite Team, watch this space. Shout out to Insane Macbeth.
Any final thoughts, rants, shouts?
Yeah I got a rant – protect children. I’ve seen a film and a few other things recently that disgusted me ‘cause they either make entertainment out of violence to children or treat paedophilia like it’s funny. No it’s fucking not. I’m not down with this culture of desensitisation. Before you know it we’re all too familiar with some of these straight horrific ugly things about life and where our reaction would normally be outrage now it’s more like we’re upset still but think ah well that’s just part of life. It is, but don’t go softening the blow by mixing it up with comedy, fuck that. Protect children for real. Big up Skinnyman for talking about it in his interviews.
Investigate Nestle as well, a lot of people might know about it already but for those who don’t, word is Nestle actively promote their baby milk powder in Africa knowing that the contaminated water they have to use to mix with it is 20 times more likely to cause child death and it does. That’s unbelievable behaviour so I find it easy to leave their food and sweets on the shelf and choose something else until they show and prove. I’ve been told it’s the largest supported boycott in the UK.
On a better note, big shout to the girl from the new Prince video Black Sweat who’s fucking up my week. She’s a volcano, I have to know her name. My man knows what he’s doing. Listen to Prince.
Thanks to Ruffstylz for his time and make sure you check out his ‘Lyrics’ CD, available now from all good shops or
www.associatedminds.com,
www.catapult.co.uk,
www.headnod.co.uk or
www.suspectpackages.com.
- 2hip
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