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Matt
C Interview
interview
0093 added 04.03.02 words
Riz
Back to interview the second person that UKHH.com are going to look at in our all new section
"Survivors",
you know, those who work against all the odds and keep on keeping on, no mater what is put in their path.
Now many of you would think that this will only apply to Hip Hop crews, be it breakers, graffers, Emcees or DeeJays… well I like to throw a new dimension in there. This guy has done more work for Hip Hop, UK Hip Hop than a lot of crews. He has worked with the best crews, has met more dead lines than any studio musician ever could, he had his own section on mainstream commercial TV, with drop ins from Mark Fowler! And he
ain't scared to get his mum and dad out for the TV neither! Ladies and Gentlemen, step up……
Mr. Mat Ckillz
Riz: Mat, you have put in a lot of work for Hip Hop over the years. During this time UK Hip Hop has carried on its path, with new crews and new heads appearing daily. For all those new skool people, can you give the people a little back dated history of you and your works?
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Mat C: Well, since I've been 16 I've been writing about Hip-Hop. I'm 26 now. Didn't have any formal education on journalism, but my Dad's an author - so I guess that helped a bit. But really, my love for the art focused me and pushed me into becoming a writer. I started my first magazine (fanzine) out of the garage of my family home. It was called "The Downlow". Basically, it was a photocopied thing that featured graff and a few articles, mainly reviews tho'. Reason being, I wanted to get as many free records as possible from the record companies. I thought that if I made 30 copies of the rag, I could send it out to the record companies and just get free records sent to me. I was working part time at Tesco at the time - and all my cash was being spent on records. I figured that if I produced a magazine - all the free shit would be sent to me. I'm glad I was right, 'cos in time, all the promo goodies arrived at my gates.
Produced The Downlow while at art college. Hooked up with some wicked designers. Working together we produced a magazine that actually beat The Face and Benaton Magazine at the Design Week Awards (real bling design award ceremony). We won 'Best Designed Magazine'. That was ill.
Left art school and started to work for Profile records as a press officer. I started to work at Blues and Soul magazine at this time too - was Hip-Hop editor for four years. My bi-weekly Hip-Hop column was really exciting for me. I mean, the people who wrote that column before me I really admired, and it was a blessing to actually follow on from them. Tim Westwood, Pete Tong, Paul Oakenfold and Justin Onyeka all wrote the column before me. It was a real honor to be in the same place as these influential dude's had once been.
The Downlow wasn't going the way I really wanted it to be going, so I stopped producing that - and with the publisher of Blues & Soul - started The FATBOSS magazine. That's over now - but I think it influenced a whole bunch of kids out there - so for that - I'm a very happy man.
Riz: What is the hardest thing about running a magazine?
Mat C: There's so many factors in producing a magazine that it's kinda hard to accurately answer that. Thinking back on my times producing magazines - I can tell you it's real stressful. Intense. You have to be pretty strong being an Editor. But I think that I made it a little more stressful than it is. My method of working and creating is...I put a lot of energy into what I do. When I get inspired - I engulf myself into my work. I know what I want the product to look like. To read like. To feel like. So - I tended to have my fingers in everything - all the time. Man, it was hard work!
Riz: What was the best thing about being Editor?
Being able to meet your heroes. I know that I've been blessed, since I've been able to chat to every emcee that's almost ever been. Almost every Hip-Hop hero of mine, I've spoken to. You know, being at D&D Studio's with Premo for ten hours, smoking weed with him while he creates a beat was just ill. Sitting with Jay-Z at Abbey Road studios while he writes a song is pretty incredible too. Talking to KRS-One and Chuck D, you know? Having someone thank you for inspiring them to be a journalist - and them going to college to learn how to write - getting a shit hot degree and a job at a publishing house - having them write you a letter to thank you for inspiring them - man, that's just amazing. Having someone come up to you in a club and say that an article in your magazine changed their lives (!) is pretty mind blowing too. There was just an infinite amount of fun I got from being an Editor. The good shit certainly out weighs the bad shit.
Riz: Is there more pressures on the Editor of a Hip Hop magazine than there is on an editor of any other genre?
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Mat C: Hey - I'm sure if you're the editor of the Times you get more pressures than I ever did! If you're doing something for yourself - creating our own thing from start to finish - you're going to experience some crazy pressures. I suppose, in other music forms, you might not get the additional pressures of some irate emcees sending you death threats. I don't think that Robbie Williams is going to send his boys around to your offices to break you legs if he didn't like something you wrote about him. With Hip Hop there are people that you learn not to write about. That's quite a pressure - I can tell you.
Riz: So how did the whole Paddington Green thing come about? And did you ever get to meet the couple on the barge?
Mat C: Blues and Soul's offices were in Paddington. I was running FATBOSS outta there. A dude came to the office one time and said that he was a director of Paddington Green TV series and asked if he could hang in the offices. He talked to everyone and asked if he could come back the next day. He came back the next day - then the next and the next - ending up being there for a year and a half - filming all the time. He basically filmed my life for a year and a half and then it was broadcast on BBC 1 - with four million people watching it - twice a week for a year and a half. I'm telling you - it was fucking weird. Very surreal. The funny thing was - I'm not really how he depicted me at all. Ok - it was me on the screen and I did say all the things I did. But I felt that they left off a huge element of my personality on there. If you ask anyone of my friends and family what I'm like...they know I'm a joker. I'm laughing all the time. I'm having fun a lot, you know. Paddington Green seemed to edit all the times I was making jokes and laughing out. A lot of my friends told me that they never knew I was so serious and stressed when they saw the show. The fact is...I'm not. The TV just didn't show the times when I was having fun. I suppose they've got a story and want to stick to it - but really everyone - I'm not that serious!
And yes, I did meet the folks on the barge. Everyone that was on the show met up one time for a press shoot. Went outside for a quick smoke - I smoke a little too much I think - anyway, I needed some Rizla. So I went up to this woman who was smoking a roll up. Asked for a Rizla and got talking to her. When she gave me the skin I quipped - 'I usually like to throw some weed in there too'. She goes, 'Yeah'. 'So', I said. 'Why were they filming you?'. 'I'm a recovering drug addict', she answered.
Talk about the wrong thing to say at the wrong time! When I watched the programme she turned out to be the woman on the barge. Funny, eh?
Riz: So how did Fatboss end, because at the end of Paddington Green you had made up with the big Boss, got a new contract on your terms and everything seemed hunky dory! So what happened?
Mat C: Basically the dude who said he was going to invest in the magazine was only saying that 'cos he was being filmed. It turned out that all he wanted was to be on TV. After they finished filming - there was suddenly a financial crisis and he couldn't pay. The printers wanted to be paid and said they wouldn't print unless they got some cash. There wasn't any cash. Thus no magazine. It all happened quite suddenly. But hey - nothing lasts for ever. The FATBOSS brought me so much - shit that I never expected - so I love it for that - and surprisingly I wasn't that sad. Not sad at all. I think I was kinda burnt out too. So it was a blessing in disguise.
Riz: Has the growth of the internet killed off Hip Hop magazines?
Mat C: People - I think - are always going to want to feel the things they read - so I don't think it has.
Riz: What's your view of the internet, good thing or bad thing?
Mat C: It's a great thing, don't you think?
Riz: So right now you are writing a book on Hip Hop, what's that all about?
Mat C: 'If Hip-Hop was a human - what would it think?' And that's all I'm telling you. I'm very excited about writing a book. It's what I've always wanted to do. And I'm doing it. Got a publishing deal and I'm a happy chappy. It's not going to be a historical book about Hip-Hop. Mostly, every book on Hip-Hop is a historical thing. I ain't going do that. It's going to be something real dope. Believe. It's out Spring 2003. So you have to wait a little while.
Riz: Would you ever consider doing another magazine?
Mat C: Only if you paid me one million pounds.
Riz: Is the book going to be on world wide release?
Mat C: Yep. It's going to be a real big thing.
Riz: What do you hope to achieve with the book?
Mat C: Recognition for my writing and ideas. Inspiration for all. Entertainment. Money.
Riz: What advice would you give to any one who wants to either be a writer or start a magazine?
Mat C: Realise what you're doing it for. Be focused. Know that you can do it, 'cos you can. And make sure you have a fun time doing it. That's it. So until my book his ya shelves, be good and rock on, ok?
Riz: Thanks Mat. Peace to you my man.
Riz
 
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