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C.R.F.
aka Capital Rhyming Force Interview
interview
0121 added 23.10.02 words
Twizt
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Not content with just being an emcee, Manchester based hip-hop fanatic CRF
(Capital Rhyme Force) has branched out into production, running his own free fanzine and putting out his own records. I managed to rugby tackle him to the floor and pin him long enough to get a few words before he ran off to put in more work.
How and when did you first get into hip-hop?
"Id say I first got into hip-hop around the mid to late '80s, when I was about
10-11 years old. My older brother was a hip-hop DJ around that time so it was
through him and his crew, 'The Pizza Muffin Posse', that I was introduced to it."
Does your brother still DJ hip-hop?
"No, not any more. He gave it up a few years back. He still listens to hip-hop and buys a lot of the latest CDs but as far as buying vinyl and DJing, he doesn't do that any more. His favourite pastime now is getting pissed down the local pub."
Did you always want to be an emcee?
"I suppose, yeah, I've always wanted to be an emcee. It was after listening to 'Critical Beatdown' by Ultramagnetic MCs in the late '80s that really got me into the lyrics. I got into the production side of things due to the fact that I'd written some lyrics and I didn't really want to practice over other people's instrumentals. So the only way around this was to make my own beats."
Is there anyone (or thing) that has been an influence on your style?
"To be honest I try not to be influenced by anyone in particular so that I have space to develop my own style. I do try to switch up my vocal style depending on the
track/who I'm working with. I try to be versatile."
You spit both battle rhymes as well as deeper stuff - do you have a preference when writing?
"To be honest I don't like one style more than the other. It all depends on how I'm
feeling at the time. Sometimes I'll do an all-out battle rhyme, taking the
piss out of certain people and certain things, and then on other occasions I'll sit down
and think for a while and write something more serious or meaningful."
Who do you rate as emcees?
There're shit loads of emcees that I rate, just too many too mention. Big Daddy Kane, Poor
Righteous Teachers, The Fuchnickens, K-solo ,Chuck D. Right now I'm listening to Rack Lo and Thirstin Howl… There's loads.
What about UK talent?
There're a lot of UK emcees that I love. I think Phi Life Cypher are amazing, even more so after seeing them perform recently in Manchester. That show was off the hook! Blade, Roots Manuva, WolfTown, Rodney P, Ad-1 from sunny Scarborough, Moorish Delta are wicked, 57th Dynasty, Out Da Ville, Hoodz Underground."
And your absolute favourite?
"Kool Keith. He's my favourite emcee of all time."
Anyone you just don't feel at all?
"Ja Rule is garbage, he does my head in, as does Nelly. How can he have the nerve to dis Krs One. I'm not into all this bling-bling big money, flashy video shit. The Neptunes get on my nerves; Romeo Dump, I'm not feeling his shit, I'll sooner listen to Rolf Harris."
"...
I'm a fan of porn,... and I actually used to breed goats when I was
younger...."
You've set up your own label - Tonedef recordings. Tell us a little about that.
"I set up Tonedef for the same reasons a lot of other artists start their own little labels. Basically I got sick of sending demo after demo off to other labels/companies and hearing fuck all back from them. Even if they don't like your music they don't even have the decency to call you back and say 'thanks, but no thanks'. So I thought: Fuck it, I'll try to put out my music myself on a small scale and take it from there. Cipher from Moorish Delta told me a few years back that if you want something doing, sometimes it's better to do it yourself. That's why I started Tonedef."
It can be hard work though, being a one man operation.
"I must admit it's difficult doing it on my own, especially when money is tight, but I'm giving it a go. I started last year and put out a limited edition 6 track 7", which sold quite well. I've had some more of that record pressed up if anyone's interested in hearing it. In the next couple of months there's gonna be the new EP from the "'Pedigree Chumps' on Tonedef, so look out for that."
Pedigree Chumps?
"That's something I'm working on with Noz from the group '21 Eyes'. Basically we've both been into hip-hop for years and are both big Ruthless Rap Assassins fans, so were doing a collaboration project. Funny thing is, Noz lives less than 10 minutes away from my house which, up until a few months ago, I never even knew."
What other stuff are you working on at the moment?
I'm currently trying to work on a project featuring some other guest emcees called the Rap Parasites. I've spoken to Anderson from Ruthless, plus there's Chocolate Moon Roket (MC Warne D), Syl & Flex, DJ Jepi, also Maximum Text might be on there. There's actually a two-track promo-only CD doing the rounds featuring myself, Ill Delivery and Syl. I'm also hoping to get MC Buzz B involved.
How did you hook up with Buzz B?
I met Buzz B a couple of years ago after he'd finished a live PA at the Nite And Day cafe bar in Manchester. I went backstage to do an interview with him for my radio show. He was pretty shocked actually, as it turned out to be the first interview he'd done in quite some years. I told him I'd been into his music since the late '80s and asked him what he'd been up to since he disappeared from the scene around '92. He said he'd been doing various other things, basically just chilling. I told him about some of the stuff I was doing and asked him if he was interested in working on a couple of tracks with us."
You're also working on a project called the Animal Crackers.
 "Yeah. The Animal Crackers came about after I received a CD from my man Carlon Stardom entitled 'A Dirty Little Snatch'. It was a CD he'd put together himself and put out on his own self-financed label, Fascination Records. I was definitely impressed with the album and it had me laughing more than a few times with some of the topics he was talking about, most of them porn orientated. I'm a fan of porn, so I was feeling his LP. Plus on the press sheet it said he collects goats and tawny owls and I actually used to breed goats when I was younger, so that was something else we had in common. Anyway to cut a long story short, we liked what each other was doing musically so we said fuck it and decided to do a project together to put out on Fascination records. If you like porn then you'll like the Crackers' shit."
If being an emcee, producer and label owner wasn't enough you also find time to write and produce the Critical Beatdown fanzine. What was the thinking behind that?
"As well as wanting to be a part of hip-hop culture, I'm also a great fan of the music. I love to go out and check the latest releases, what's hot and what's doo-doo. I just wanted to share all the knowledge and info I've picked up with the rest of the public, and what better way than putting together my own fanzine? It also helps to promote what I'm doing as well as artists who don't really make the larger magazines. It's something I enjoy doing and hopefully it's something people will enjoy reading."
The fanzine is free - how many do you send out each issue?
"So far I've printed between 500 and 1,000 copies per issue. I've a couple of hundred regulars who send me stamped addressed envelopes, plus I send some to my man Rack Lo in New York
(www.spitfactory.com) and he hands them out for me. I've just gotta thank Mike Lewis from HHC as he always gives the mag a good mention, and Mime 109 for all the help he's given me with the design of the fanzine. Oh yeah… if anyone's got any demos, just send 'em in and they'll be mentioned in the mag.
"..
. I have a lot of respect for artists that take matters into their own hands and start their own labels, press up the vinyl...."
What do you make of the current UK scene?
"I think the UK hip-hop scene is excellent at the moment and seems to be getting stronger and stronger which can only be a good thing. There are loads of really talented artists out there and quite a few of them are finally getting the props and recognition they deserve. I have a lot of respect for artists that take matters into their own hands and start their own labels, press up the vinyl and put together their own videos, etc. People like 57th Dynasty, Moorish Delta, Wolftown, Out Da Ville, Aerosolik. I still think there's a long way to go though, as a lot of major companies still don't seem to be interested unless you're doing crappy Bone Thugs and Harmony covers. Mind you that's not hip-hop, that's just pop doo-doo."
Any last words and shouts?
Yeah, thanks for letting me do this interview. Seek out the CRF 7" vinyl as it's a limited edition. Pick up a copy of the new Aerosolik Allstars EP 'Next After First' featuring Ad1, Ritual, Cana, Daddy J, Bushy, DJ Digga and me (out now). If anyone wants a copy of the official Critical Beatdown magazine (its free) just send an A5 S.A.E to PO Box 227, Hyde, Cheshire SK14 5YE.
As for shouts: Big up the Groove Criminals, Aerosolik, Rack Lo, Noz and the 21 Eyes, Jepi, Mr Montanna, Max Text, WolfTown Committee, Blade, Moorish Delta, Hoodz
Underground, Rap Parasites, Swissel, Mike Lewis, 57th Dynasty, Buzz B, Ruthless Rap Assassins, Krispy, Microdeez, Mime 109, Moon Roket, Tosh, Matt (DD), Lisa, Cookie
Pryce, Disorda, Eastborn, Ritual, Out Da Ville, S.E.S Crew, Apethorn piss heads and anyone I've forgotten.
- Twizt
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