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  SkinnyMan Interview
interview 0392 added 24.04.06 words: Ben
Spurr
technical:
QED
Not many artists on the UK scene can be considered true legends. In order to achieve that you must prove that you have longevity in an industry were most are just flashes in the pan. Skinnyman is a legend of the UK hip hop movement. He represents the underground with such style, passion and intelligence that few can touch him as both an MC and as a character. He isn't the world superstar his rhyming skills warrant as he has never had a corporate label feeding the media and naive record buying public with the bullshit used to make them believe he is the next big thing. But this just adds to his status as the people’s hero.
Following the 2004 release of critically acclaimed album 'Council Estate of Mind' you would be forgiven for presuming that Skinny would be eager to take advantage of the success by getting straight back in the studio. It seems, however, he is happy to plod along doing the odd guest appearance on tracks such as Sway's 'Up Your Speed remix' or Baby J's 'None of Them'. After all, if Finsbury's finest is to create another masterpiece to the standard of his last offering, you suspect it may take a few more years of life experience, general up's and downs, high's and low's in order to repeat such lyrical depth and dexterity. Ben Spurr caught a quick chat with the man himself before a scheduled gig in Lincoln. A word of advice though, next time your refused entry to a club, spare a thought for Skinny- it seems even Hip Hop legends don't always get it their own way!
“...I haven't been doing anything since (the last album)...”
UKHH: I interviewed you about a year ago, what have you been doing since then- update me?
 Skinnyman: In the last year we've been all over the place touring, representing. There's lots of people who have got the 'Council Estate of Mind' album now and they wanna see it live- you've got the t-shirt reppin to the fullness!
Is there going to be a new album and if so, tell me something about that?
There isn't a new album!
Have you just not been working on one then?
No I haven't been doing anything since (the last album), we've been doing a couple of features here and there but I haven't gathered my thoughts to start material on an album yet.
Is this a one off gig because there were no other dates on the Low Life website?
Yeah, it was booked by Shinobi whose running a new agency from Liverpool called 'So Effective', so 'soeffective.com' is the agency I'm working with, with DJ Shinobi whose also working at Def Jam UK. He's from Liverpool and he got this gig organised and we'd explained it's my family plus special guests which includes my son whose 11 years old and tonight they are saying they can't allow him in to the premises so we are going to demand our wages and leave.
“...We've been going this long, to get this far and we still ain't got nowhere- definitely!...”
Really...Damn! Tell me about the Dubplate Drama because I saw you on that the other day?
Yeah, it was presented to me, I was invited to come aboard and I enjoyed it really. It was Shystie presenting a real life aspect on what goes on in the industry.
You were once quoted as saying 'We've been going this long, to get this far, and we still ain't got nowhere' about the UK Hip Hop scene- do you still believe this to be true?
 Yeah, and tonight is an ideal example of that. We've come all this way and they are refusing to let us in to the venue. We've been going this long, to get this far and we still ain't got nowhere- definitely!
Ok, I said I'd keep it short, so have you got any final messages for the readers and fans?
Anybody reading ukhh.com who wishes to help provide the 2 million children who go malnourished in the world with clean water, food, shelter, and medical facilities please log on to wateraid.com to do what we can do for the children of the world.
You've been supporting that cause for a while now haven't you- you said the same message in the last interview?
Yeah and I will continue to say that until the situation changes.
“...please log on to wateraid.com to do what we can do for the children of the world...”
Skinnyman features on the new 'Dubplate Drama Vol.1' mixtape that is out now at all decent record stores. If you still haven't got the 'Council Estate of Mind' album then I suspect you have logged on to this site by accident.
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Ben
Spurr
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