... & Blade Interview interview 0044 added 07.12.00 words Spoon Blade has been rapping for about 20 years now, but has never received as much attention as he does now. Check what he had to say to our man Spoon when they chatted after a recent show. Part 1 of this interview is with Mark B and was posted last week. Town: Nottingham Event: Sureshot Club: Dubble Bubble Date: Thursday 9th November ‘00 Location: outside venue. Showtime + 15 minutes. Continually interrupted by people giving Blade respect or asking him to sign things. To people who've been living on a different planet, give us a resume of your years in the business. [Blade] what can I say? I've been rhyming for 20 years now, been on vinyl for 12 years, 1989. Everyone knows of me for selling my records on street corners, on my own label 691 influential, I used to do my own promotion, used to do a whole heap of things with Blue Eyes, now I'm working with Mark B, I've done things with Herbaliser, T-Power, Deadly Avenger, loads of people. So now it's just basically looking to the future It's been a struggle, especially for those early years, it must be easier now? [Blade] you know, just because something is looking kinda rosy today, I don't take that as gospel. I think it's gonna keep being a struggle, it's always gonna be a struggle until you have everything that you're working for - security, house, food everyday, the kind of things that we work for you know, things we strive for. There were points where you were going to just quit and call it a day, hang-up your mic? [Blade] you know what, as far as I'm concerned, even now though I'm doing things I will say that I never actually really quit, but I just disregarded the industry. Now, whenever I do something I'm not considering how the industries thinking or running. I just consider it as doing it as a hobby and if things kick off then they kick off. I'm not relying on the industry to make me what I am. Even though at the moment the industries supporting me at the moment, but its only here and now, what happens next year, the year after is never sure, so it's always going to be a hobby. But you're making the most of it at the moment? [Blade] I'm enjoying myself. There are always negative points going on, but at the moment the positives outweigh the negatives. I'm having fun… ... Everyone knows of me for selling my records on street corne rs... And now you're on a big tour [Blade] well, it's not as big as I'd like it to be, but yeah it's getting there, and there's people coming round to more than one show. People following us around on tour, which is good. It means that finally things are happening and people are willing to travel and stuff you know? Good times. Ok, onto the 'Unknown' album. There are a lot of guests on there, how did they come about [Blade] mark basically organised everybody. I mean, at the time when the album was being recorded I was in a part time job, I was pushing trolleys for a living and every now and then standing behind the tills doing cashier work at a wholesalers. So I didn't have time to run around and organise things so I left it to Mark and he kind of ran it by me who he wanted to bring on and everyone who appeared I've got respect for whether it be for their styles, their ideas, their lyric content or whether its just the fact that they're doing something constructive and positive. I would have liked to get more people on it as well, but I didn't want to do an overkill, like all the Americans, like 157 collaborations on one album - I didn't want to do that. Blade In tonight's show you had Cappo and Defisis on stage as well. Have you been doing that in all your shows, bringing up other talent? [Blade] Defisis is our hired man, he's with DFXO and basically they've got their own thing happening as well. With regards to Cappo, I mean, wherever we go, whatever neighbourhood we go to we always try and pull someone up on stage to show people in their neighbourhood that they've got the talent right there, the message were trying to portray is that 'boy, we've got our own here', we don't need to keep looking to the states. If France & Germany can build something for themselves then so can we can build ourselves. That's the point I'm making - we can do this ourselves. Do you think it'll have any effect, the fact you had Cappo up? Do you think anyone's going to buy his tracks now? [Blade] well, regardless of whether people buy his records or not, people will remember that he stepped on stage, know what I mean? Be it whether they remember him for that 'yo, Cappo stepped on stage with Blade'. It doesn't matter. The fact is he stepped on stage, he's known, off his own back, not off mine, he's known for himself. It's just a bonus that we had him on stage tonight, not for him; it's a bonus for me. As far as I'm concerned he did me a favour and hopefully I did a favour back for him. What it is now, I'm too old to be going there on an ego trip thinking I'm better than this guy, that guy. I'm not about that. I've got a kid to feed and I'm looking to the future, and we need to build a scene and make sure we can all live off that scene like the French and Germans do. If they can do it then so can we. But the only way we're going to do this is to get everyone to unite together and think together. Push together instead of pulling against each other and that's what we're aiming at. We're trying to get everyone to push together. What's next then for you? [Blade] for me, we're gonna continue to do this tour and hopefully get the sales figures growing up on the album, hopefully we can get more people to collaborate with You did the TV show last night, how was that? [Blade] ahh, wicked man…amazing Was that your first? [Blade] that was the first live performance on TV for me and I have to say we caned it. When you've got the producers and directors and everyone coming up and saying 'we've been doing this for years and that was definitely the best performance without a doubt' I mean, they might be saying that to make me happy, but I know what I saw, I mean everyone was smiling and people weren't being paid to jump! You did the DMC finals in the Millennium Dome as well? [Blade] at the end of the day, everyone went to check out the djs, they didn't go for us, we were just a bonus and basically it was going pretty mediocre, people were just standing there, they didn't know the songs, people were just trying to take it in. But there's certain things I do on stage that get the crowd going, like there was a massive screen behind us on stage, when I jumped in the crowd the camera followed me and that got some people going ...we need to build a scene and make sure we can all live off that scene like the French and Germans do ... Fresh 2000 [Blade] fresh 2000 for me, it was like the first show I did for 3.5 years to come back to, the first blade show. I'd jumped on stage with Herbaliser and done a couple of tracks. But fresh for me…it was like…let me put it this way…in simple terms, it was a revelation. To think all them years I kept myself hidden away thinking that people didn't really want to check for me or whatever when I realised that really its always the minority that doesn't want to see people progress. The majority are always there checking. Basically we did fresh, it was a revelation, and we've moved on to other things but every time that we step into the place we do a performance. And to know that those people come to check us, for me, that's an opening. I'm gonna be kind of like a vulture, I'm going to go in there and take out what's rightfully ours…. not mine but ours. We've worked hard to get it this stage, now what we need to do is work harder to get it to the next stage. The way we're going to do it is to get together, pull together. I've said it for many years, people don't pay attention, you know? There's too much… too many people want to raise it up then knock it down? [Blade] now I think, hiphop, a lot of people are starting to mature, get older and everything, you have the likes of DJ Pogo, Biznizz, even Westwood and everybody. MSI & Asylum who's trying to get a letter to 10 Downing Street. A lot of people I know are supporting that and I pass the word out wherever I go and letting people know that they should get involved and try and get us on the map - the U.K. on the map cos that's one thing that I notice with everywhere we go. Everybody supports themselves but the U.K., regardless of whether its sports, films whatever. People would always rather check their neighbours than themselves. People say 'The grass is always greener on the other side', and I always say that's because people don't take care of their own garden. How did Fresh 2000 compare with Fresh 97, which was billed as your final show? [Blade] I can't compare the two. It was going to be my last…the only reason I did fresh 97 was because it was blue eyes involved. If it was anyone else, I wouldn't have done it. It had nothing to do with payment or anything like that, it was Blue Eyes. We go way back. We're good friends and we look after each other, but not only that but we try and make sure that other people know we're pulling together. In comparison…I Dunno. One was the announcement that that was my final show, and it was but, like I said when I got on stage at Fresh 2000, how can I keep away when I know that all I have to do is walk on that stage and the crowd is gonna go mad, how can I keep away? I think, what it is, people have said "its not about the money, the fame and glory. Its about what we do" but in all honesty what I will say right now is that its never been about the money, but right now money comes into it a lot because I have responsibilities and I don't want to keep living in rat infested neighbourhoods and what have you. Is this the first time you're feeling secure with the music side of things? [Blade] feeling secure? I don't feel secure. It's not my deal. It's Marks. I don't know if I'm going to be on the 2nd album, I might be there floating through on a track or something, one verse or something. Any other producers that you want to work with then? [Blade] the thing is what I always like to know is that people are checking for me, that way I know that they're serious. If people are checking for me then I'll put my heart into it If people approach me and they want to do something, I mean, yeah I'm willing to work with people. My joy out of life is rhyming. I don't want to be the best rapper in the world, the best producer, I want to secure my life. I've given a lot to rap, no let me rephrase, I've given a lot to hiphop. From the days when I was standing on street corners selling records and not bothered whether I made money or not. I've given a lot. All of my time, from when I was old enough to think for myself I've given to hiphop. Even when I wasn't making records or whatever, I was still there, writing, writing, and writing. Some people might think that I haven't evolved or whatever, but you know what? If the tape recorders not busted, then why try and fix it? People were checking for me then and I know people will still be checking for me now. Favourite crisps: [Blade] I like salt and vinegar and prawn cocktail [Defisis] DEFISIS FLAVOUR In ukhiphop the movie, who's going to play 'blade' [Blade] boy, I don't know man…I mean hopefully my son will be old enough to play me. Hey you never know, maybe someone like Cappo, cos he's just the right age. If they were to make that movie, it would be nice gesture, it would be lovely to know that people would go to those extremes but I don't think it will ever happen. We're not stars. In this country there aren't any stars. We're all stars in the making but we haven't got to that stage yet. Rhyme bomb, the phrase on the front, 'Our greatest glory rests not in never falling but in rising every time we fall' [Blade] basically with that record, I felt that I'd been away for a long time and if I came back, I had to come back, not just rhyming about anything, but with some concepts and stuff, just to show people that I could do that and the phrase was because a lot of people thought I'd disappeared because I'd fell off, not realising that I'd disappeared out of choice. I took time out; I went on sabbatical, my pilgrimage, out of my own will and choice. I decided it was time for me to take care of responsibilities at home. That my son knew who his dad was and stuff like that. So that statement - I fell off, but I fell off mainly because of my own mistakes, not because of other people. And now I'm hopefully rising and will keep rising. Do you consider yourself 'English' or 'British' or anything now? [Blade] I consider myself, first and foremost Armenian. I went to India when I was three and a half and stayed there for 4 years, back home there was the war going on and stuff, after that from India I went back home for 2 months during the summer holiday and then cam to England and I've been here ever since, so that's like 25/26 years in England. I'm Armenian, but I now have a British passport as well, which I only got this year. How do you think your albums been doing in terms of media support and reviews and things? [Blade] I think its good. I think in general the response has been really good and positive and everything. Occasionally I'll read a review where they say 'ah, blade is the same old blade'. Erm, yeah, that was my review [Blade] nah, it's cool, it's not a problem. I don't see that as a problem. People will always have their opinions and I don't mind that. To counteract that, there's been a review like 'oh blade hasn't evolved, blade is the same old blade…. but you know what, fuck it, he's incredible'. Like I say 'if the tape players not bust don't try and fix it, you're only going to waste time and end up breaking it. And the thing is, for all those that think I'm the same and everything, how can you say that? Listen to 'the unknown', listen to 'bad day', 'ya don't see the signs' - they're all different, you know what I mean. Listen to rhyme bomb - that was totally different to anything off this album, 'the way it has to be'. In 1993 I was just aggressive and didn't have any direction except 'fuck the industry/fuck the government', whereas now…for people who are saying I've not changed…find one swear word in my lyrics on this album, there's a big difference there. So that's the point I'm making, I've matured a lot, and basically I think I've evolved, maybe not to the extent of the new school people or whatever but you listen to, not disrespecting people like Guru, but I don't hear people saying that he hasn't evolved…his style to me hasn't changed but he's still incredible. We're too critical of our own? Yeah. The whole point is that Guru for me is that same monotone voice, but it works. And he's bad. But his lyrics, his earlier words are bad, but at the same time, the stuff he's doing now is fucking wicked as well. But for those who are saying I haven't evolved look to the others you're checking ore whatever and see how much they've evolved. Don't diss your own. At the end of the day I'm not trying to take the food out of your mouth I'm here to try and help us, try to build something for us, all of us. So why are you knocking me? You knock me, what you're really doing; it has a domino effect, its never going to build. So keep supporting your own. We just mentioned 'bad day' was that all made up? [Blade] some of its very true. All of it was more or less true apart from the fact that when I did get burgled they didn't take the floorboards and everything. I was just expanding on my true life. But the point of bad day is that I'm going through all these bad things and whatever, I mean the dog didn't really die, but there was a situation 10 years ago or whatever where a dog got hit by a bus and I had to go and pick it up off the road. So that situation happened. I take certain situations that have happened in the past and put it into a one-day situation…the whole point though is that no matter what goes on, They took everything from me, but they left me a pen. BIG MISTAKE! That's all I need, once I've got a pen I can finish what I'm writing and borrow a mic from a friend and thats it, kicking off again, next album. Have you heard about Sonja Blade is now using the name 'Blade' [Blade] funnily enough they're signed to Virgin who fund Wordplay… there some complications, I cant release records in the States as Blade, I'll have to change my name, but you know what? I've been Blade for many years, musicians union and all that. All I have to do is pull out records and show dates. That's my proof. .. .people thought I'd disappeared because I'd fell off, not realising that I'd disappeared out of choice... Where'd your name come from in the first place? [Blade] I was given it by a friend who ended up dying on the underground doing graffiti and stuff and I kept the name out of respect for the person, my name used to be Electron back then, I was a body popper and breaker, so it kinda changed from there. Any personal shout outs? [Blade] wow, for the first time I can well and proudly say that there are too many people I want to thank…. on the personal side, my girlfriend and son, especially my son. Mark B, the label, Source, Wordplay for keeping things going for us. Every artist going. I want to give a big massive shout out to all the MCs and DJs that appeared on our album, but most of all to Roots Manuva, 279 and Ty who came down to that Trevor Nelson show. Yo, Rodney, you made my day by jumping around and all that it was nice to have you their man, definitely. He's supporting, you know. That's what we need, and he's going to get that back from me, always. You've got some shout outs on the new single.. [Blade] for the first time there's a lot of people I would like to mention but you don't get around to it. 10 years ago I was mentioning five rappers and that was the scene. Now you've got Cappo, Jehst, Tommy Evans, Rodney P, Taskforce, I can go on forever, Blak Twang, Ty, Roots Manuva, Psychic Phenomena, DFXO, MSI & Asylum, Out Da Ville, Phi-Life Cypher, Gamma Its much more cross-country now, less London based? [Blade] yeah definitely, there are a lot of people and everyone gets a mention. Like I said, I'm now getting too old. I'm not going to bicker and that about little bits and pieces, my aim is to mention everybody let everybody know that everybody else exists and hopefully somewhere along the line we can break down that barrier which is called Ego. Its not about standing there and going 'I'm better than you', its like go on stage, do your thing and appreciate the fact that people appreciate the fact that you are there. You go, do your thing and people will love you the more for it. You had a record out on 691 influential by 'Rhyme Cut Core'. What was that? [Blade] that was actually DJ Grazhoppa, he did all the cuts on my album for nothing, he did it as a favour, came over to England, we went to the studio, loads of sleepless nights, days without food and whatever, bread and humus, that's all it was. So we went in did the album and I made a promise that I'd buy a sampler when I had the money and we'd get some tracks done and I put their thing out. And it was a favour for the big favour that he did. At the end of the day I've got a lot of faith for Grasshopper as a Dj as a producer, whatever. As a DJ he's incredible and he's still there, cutting on 6 turntables. -- And finally some word association with Defisis: DFXO [Defisis] D.F.X.O. D to the Force of X equals One. Dfxo.co.uk Gamma-infected. We've got a new EP coming out, get it on mail order from www.dfxo.co.uk, hook up from that. I've got an EP that's been out for a while 'U Think You're Funny'. It's a bit fucking violent, but I make war music. Bring down the government tracks, you get me? All the people on my side make some noise cos when I come out - Game fucking Over, like fucking Double Dragon, Dragon Ninja versus Bad Dudes and shit, know what i'm saying? I'm on some fucking Megadrive versus N64 shit, you know? Birmingham [Defisis] Aston Villa. Got to hold down my section. I hate fucking New York rappers coming over here talking all that shit. I'm iller than all of them except for Eminem, Sticky Fingaz and a couple more from NY, but the rest of them suck my mother fucking nut sack. What? Aggression yo. Aston Villa [Defisis] fifth place now. They gonna finish in at least that. Don't forget big up Juice and the Gamma squad, Gammas coming through for the Drunken Immortals, that's me. Shout outs [Defisis] shout outs to juice aleem, Lord Redeemer, EBU, big up the slave master. This is the fucking devil. When I die I'm gonna see you and i'm gonna slit your neck motherfucker. ...and off he went to do the show. Cracking live performance, Blade was his usual exuberant self, Defisis (DFXO) did the backing vocals, one of the Mixologists did the cuts, Cappo came on stage for a guest slot. Stagedives, crowd participation, jumping, free records. Everything a good hiphop show should consist of! Check out the Mark B interview posted last week. The Mark B and Blade albums and singles are out now on Wordplay and available just about everywhere. Check the site Thanks to Mark B and Dr. Laub for organisation and photos and shit.

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