|
 Louis
Slipperz
Interview
interview 0361 added
05.01.06 words: Nikesh technical:
QED
DJ Louis Slipperz is a busy man. Not only is he the DJ for TaskForce, but he is also the mixer and overseer of the excellent mixtape document of UK hip-hop, “£10 Pound Bag.” This set of mixtapes has been setting the standard for mixtapes in the UK for a good few years now, as you can always rely on Louis to come with the hotness, whether it’s random rare freestyles and cyphers from your favourite rappers, or exclusives from the big UK hip-hop guns, he’s got it. Not only does he do that, but he’s got a band too. Rawdog are one of the best bands on the UK hip-hop scene.
At the top of their live game, they create some of the most intense music you will have heard, and they do it without relying on just a DJ. Live MPC’s, drums, percussion – whatever Louis, the instigator of the entire mix can throw in, he will. Rawdog, and more specifically, Louis Slipperz have got a new album just about to drop. “Bareback Instrumentals” is a document of great instrumental UK hip-hop, utilising the band and in some cases, just a sampler. There’s even live Rawdog reworkings of a few TaskForce tracks.
I caught up with Louis last November (sorry Louis for the delay!!!) to talk about the UK scene, his hatred of industry backslapping, his mixtapes AND the new Rawdog release.
Introduce yourself and tell us a bit about Rawdog
 My name is Louis Slipperz (TaskForce DJ and all round musical comarade). Rawdog is the band put together with my brother Elmore Judd. We first formed to perform live some of the tracks we had done with TaskForce and many of the other artists I had worked with on the £10 bag mixtapes... Over time we developed a close relationship as a band and have developed a sound which I like to think is unique to us bringing in influences of different music from across the board...
"Bareback Instrumentals": Tell us about it. Is this beats you jammed with Rawdog, your own productions?
Bareback Instrumentals is a concept album. It's hip-hop without relying on lyrics... Most of the production on there is mine but by getting in the band to record tracks together we have made the ideas stronger and better than I could have ever done on my own. Some of the tracks have me playing all instruments, some with the entire band… some with just one of the band... I couldn’t
really say what influenced the album most but I reckon its as diverse as Dr Dre and Dr Mario...
If you had to choose 2-3 rappers to rap on the instrumentals, who would they be?
I’ve been lucky enough to have worked with a lot of the leading MC's in the UK so I guess to work with someone from the US would be cool. How about Blow Fly, Biggie and Old Dirty Bastard rapping about the pimp game.
"...Without wanting to offend anyone, I say fuck the game..."
Will there be a Rawdog/TaskForce release soon? How did you get down with the TaskForce boys?
 I first met TaskForce through Mudlumz, which was a local hip-hop jam. I saw a lot of people come through there- Skinnyman; MCD; Reveal; Mongo and Farma and Chesta. They stood out when I saw them… as did all the other people I just mentioned but it was later that I actually linked them to become a part of TaskForce. I had been doing a pirate radio show with Skinny. He had brought loads of talent through the station to feature in a weekly cypher. I met a lot of people through that show who would eventually feature on the £10 bag mixtapes.... Sadly, Skinny got put inside for a stretch and at the time. TaskForce were looking for a new DJ. I was just in the right place at the right time i guess. We all got on well and had a lot of laughs together.
As for future TaskForce/Rawdog works… I got a track with Farma from the last £10 bag which is coming out next year (a bit late but it’s a banger and we’ve shot a heavy video for it as well). We want to do a whole TaskForce/Rawdog album together but its hard getting 7 people in the same place at any time so we just have to wait and see if we can pull it out the
hat...
You're primarily known for the £10 bag mixtapes. How did you go about collection such a huge amount of the songs?
Putting the mixtapes was pretty straight forward. I meet a lot of heads from touring the country and it was just a matter of pulling them together. That’s the hardest part. Co-ordination. But on a creative level there is no limit to what can be done. Then I just mix together some of the bangers that I'm feeling at the time and mix it up with the exclusive stuff and Bob’s yer uncle - you got a £10 Bag sealed and delivered… Well it’s not quite that straight forward but that’s the idea.
"...There is more and more people checking for hip-hop now, which is a good thing..."
With the mixtape market in the UK healthy at the moment, how do you plan to stay ahead of the game?
 Without wanting to offend anyone, I say fuck the game. The game is a load of bullshit... Good music is good music and, god willing, it will prevail over shit music. That is my strong belief. I'm not really concerning myself with what any one else is doing. The more competition there is the higher the standard and that is definitely a good thing. But I'm not too interested in keeping ahead of anyone cos I think our shit is different any way. I'm not trying to be arrogant or big headed, I just think that's the case. Once you start concerning yourself with what everyone else is doing, you start making decisions for the wrong reasons. Music is about personal taste and if my music sounds good to someone and they get something out of it then that’s cool. If someone don’t like it, then that’s cool too. I'm not interested in who's best and who's not. To me that’s all just a load of bullshit...
What are your plans to tour this album live? What do you hope to achieve with it?
I'm trying to sort out a tour at the moment. We will definitely be playing a limited string of gigs around this release but nothing is confirmed just yet. It’s pretty hard taking a live band on the road without any label backing. Remember… it’s me who's gotta make all the phone calls, sleeping arrangements, travel blah blah blah. What a fucking pain in the arse but yeah, hopefully we will be playing at a venue near you some time early next
year...
"...It just seems like a load of corporate bigwigs patting themselves on the back..."
Who are you really feeling in the UK scene at the moment? Who and what release stuck out for you in 2005?
Without wanting to sound predictable, Sway was the best thing to have come out of 2005 and I bought his mixtape. He’s got a good approach in his lyrics with a good balance of character and humour which I think is lacking in a lot of music... And to have been recognised by industry heads who normally turn their snotty noses up at Hip-hop in this country is definitely a step in the right direction. Having said that, I hate the MOBO's and any other award ceremonies.. It just seems like a load of corporate bigwigs patting themselves on the back.... But big up to Sway cos he deserves any recognition he gets. It’s just the people behind events like the MOBO's that make me
cringe...
2004 was viewed as a vintage year for UK hip-hop. How do you think this year (2005) has gone?
 Hmm… I don’t really know. Business as usual, I guess. There is more and more people checking for hip-hop now, which is a good thing. In terms of releases, there were some good things this year, which I think will stand the test of time and there was some bogus shit that will be forgotten quickly. Nothing new really.
"...I'm not interested in who's best and who's not. To me that’s all just a load of bullshit..."
What's next for you?
Survival, keeping creative and having a laugh along the way...
Final shout outs and shameless plugs...
Thanks to everyone who's shown us love over the years, too many names to
mention.
The album, “Bareback Instrumentals” is released next month (February 2006) though, if you’re lucky, you may still be able to find some advanced copies over at Headnod.
-
Nikesh Shukla
Related Links:
|
