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Monsterworks interview by Delbwoy Monsterworks Interview

interview 0330 added 24.08.05 words: Delbwoy technical: QED



 Delbwoy took time out from his busy schedule to catch a few words with North London’s Monsterworks family who are set to drop a bundle of material in the later stages of 2005. Monster Works is an independent underground music factory maintained by a family of producers, artists and musicians - Delbwoy managed to grill producers Mr. Kriss and Naasty Nelson alongside emcees Highgrade and Dazzlin’ inside their soundproofed lair…

 Please introduce yourselves to the ukhh.com heads…

MonsterworksMonsterworks: Monsters are Naasty Nelson and Mr. Kriss. We’ve been working with music for many years. We both started off as DJs playing on pirate radio and in raves around the UK and Europe but we quickly got bored. Nelson started engineering and producing for a number of record labels and I got into managing nightclubs and putting on raves but we still weren’t happy. We talked about putting our heads together and setting up our own label for years. The opportunity arose in the summer of 2003 when we both quit our jobs at the same time. We formed a company called Monster Works to start developing new artists and producing fresh original material. We wanted to contribute to the building of the UK Hip Hop scene and encourage more people to get involved.

 How and why did you form?

Monsterworks: Hip-Hop itself got us into music production to start with but the scene in this country never felt right for us to enter it until now. We have produced different styles of music over the years but Hip-Hop is where the heart is for both of us. We grew up on it and it’s nice to see the scene in the UK finally moving up.

 Can you please explain your names and how you got to it?

Highgrade: I got my name because in life I expect high standards in everything and I project this through my music.

Dazzlin': Dazzlin’ is from my mum, she says I shine out from the rest and Dark is because everyone has a light and dark side. Omen is to sum things up. I react to peoples nature, good brings out the good in me and vice versa.

 Please break down the role of everybody in the crew and their involvement in the creative process.

Monsterworks: Nelson is one of the best berimbau players in the country and he plays other Latin percussion too. I’m more of a programmer, I can play keys but I wouldn’t call myself a player. We have some of the top musicians in the UK in the Monster Works camp that can give us anything we need, all the real instruments you hear in our tracks have been recorded live at our studios. The music speaks for itself…

 Who would you sight as your influences?

Monsterworks: Our style is versatile and unique. We draw influences from our ethnic roots to a certain degree but the music is really emotion and feeling driven. We like to work with the artist in person to get the best results. It’s never the same when you send someone a finished beat and they send you back the vocals already recorded. I believe that producing songs in that way stifles the creative process but sometimes its got to be done.

Dazzlin': My earliest influences were from artists like Garnett Silk, Millie Jackson and Gregory Isaac. I used to hear them around my uncles.

Highgrade: My influences come from a wide spectrum of music, as long as it comes from the soul I can relate.

 Are you part of an existing group/partnership or do you prefer to work with many different producers?

Monsterworks: Over the years we’ve worked on projects for people like Destiny’s Child, Christina Millian, Rodney P., Damage and a few other names. Since we started working as Monsters we have been working with new artists like Dazzlin’ Dark Omen, Bugsey, Highgrade, Warlord, Vivian Woo, Emarah to name a few.

Dazzlin': I would support any act that is technically good and carries a good vibe and positive message with them.
“...We wanted to contribute to the building of the UK Hip Hop scene and encourage more people to get involved...”

 Do you remember the first time you took the mic?

Highgrade: I was eleven years old hanging at a friends house. We plugged a mic into his mums stereo and started spitting.

Dazzlin': The first time I grabbed the mic was at Thursday Club when I was eleven. Thursday Club was like a youth club in the local community centre.

 For you, which is more important: performing live or recording in the studio?

Dazzlin': Performing live is what I enjoy most because you get the reactions from the audience straight away and the vibe you get makes you perform better, but I think as an artist its important to be strong on all sides.

High GradeHighgrade: I think its more important to perform live because you are interacting with the people who listen to and understand your music. Its nice to see the live reactions that you don’t get to see when working in the studio.

Monsterworks: Been busy in the studio for the last couple of years but we are planning to perform some of our new material live. As far as Deejaying goes we only occasionally do private parties but we can be persuaded.

Dazzlin': The most interesting live work I have done was at poetry evenings and charity events and the money went to a good cause.

Highgrade: When I performed at the Castlefield Arena in Manchester. The vibe was unreal.

 What’s the most important battle you’ve ever won and/or lost?

Highgrade: The very first one I had I was nervous. I didn’t know what to expect and how the crowd would receive me.

Dazzlin': I’ve never really got into battling on the mic too much. I’ve spent most of my time freestyling and writing, but I still won most of the battles I got into. The most important one was the first one I ever had because it showed me I could do it unprepared. One time a group of us was freestyling to a human beat box in the ends and the lyrics started turning into war lyrics. I ended up burning my cousin… It was funny shit.

 Why do you rap? Is it purely about style or have you got a greater vision/message to relay?

Highgrade: It’s a way for me to express myself and let out the feelings from inside of me. To keep me thinking straight and positive. I wanna touch people with my music, pass on a message that people can understand and relate to.

Dazzlin': I find it hard to talk to people about my feelings, writing songs and performing them for an audience is a very important outlet for me. Style is also very important because it separates people into individuals and so is passing on experiences and visions to the youth around the world. I think it’s a duty for people that have been blessed with skills on the mic to do something positive.
“...You will lose out if you don’t educate yourself...”

 How important to you is the ability to freestyle?

Dazzlin': Freestyling is very important to me. If I couldn’t freestyle I don’t think I would be able to write lyrics and lock down flows as quick as I can.

Highgrade: It is important to have the ability to freestyle as you can be put on the spot by anyone at anytime.

 How long do you tend to spend on writing a verse?

Highgrade: Sometimes 10 minutes, sometimes three days.

Dazzlin': Each verse takes me about 30 minutes.

 What’s the most important track you’ve recorded so far?

Dazzlin': All of the tracks I write have their own importance, but the one I’m most feeling at the moment is ‘If I Should Die’ which will be my debut single on Monster Works. It’s a very emotional track with a positive message.

Monsterworks: We’re just in the process of mixing down Dazzlin’s debut album and half way through a project with Highgrade. I think the first one will be out by the summer, no official release date for Highgrade as yet. We’ve also been doing beats for artists who are not on the label that are coming out later this year. We got many things in the pipeline check the website for what’s coming out.

MonsterworksHighgrade: Its called ‘In the Sky’. Its an emotional song about my friends and relatives that have passed away.

 Are you a strictly hip hop beatsmiths or are you interested in making music outside the genre? If so, what appeals to you?

Monsterworks: We love hip hop but our influences are diverse. We done a lot of garage back in the day, we’ve done r’n’b, and we’ve even done rock tunes. Music is music to us, it’s a pity we have to pigeonhole everything to market it but that’s the way it is. If we’re feeling it we work with it.

 If you could remix any song in pop music history, what would it be?

Monsterworks: It would have to be ‘I Don’t Like Mondays’ by the Boomtown Rats.

 Has your work appeared in the media outside hip hop (eg: adverts, computer games, DVDs, etc)?

Monsterworks: We have been working with the artists in our camp for a couple of years now and we will continue to do so. 2005 is all about spreading our wings and linking up with artists from all around the UK and Europe.

 Have you made any videos? Why?

Highgrade: I made a video for a song called Innervision because the message in it was very strong and needed to be reinforced visually.

Dazzlin': We’re currently doing the video for ‘If I should Die’, with a few more coming. Keep an eye out. You can also catch us on a few street DVDs that’s coming out soon, BARS etc.

 What’s your opinion about using or being a ghost-writer?

Highgrade: I prefer to write my own lyrics but if someone that I felt approached me I would write for them.

Dazzlin': I wouldn’t really want to write lyrics for other people because they would be sincere and genuine. I don’t mind helping people with writing their own lyrics. Personally I would never use a ghost writer, its not what Dazzlin’s about.
“...They are flooding us with soulless pop rubbish which they are selling of the back of clever promotion and marketing...”

 If you could be part of the greatest ever posse-cut, who would be the other emcees?

Highgrade: The people I would choose to do a posse cut with would be Mobb Deep, Kool G Rap, Rakim, BDK, D Nice, Keith Murray, Q Tip, Buster Rhymes and Black Thought.

MonstreworksDazzlin': I would have my own crew LDP and Bizzy Bone from Bone Thugs, BIG, Immortal Technique, Black Twang, D Double E, & Game.

 How important is a major label deal in this day and age?

Monsterworks: Its all about the vibe for us, we want to work with people that are like minded and want to take the UK scene to the next level.

Dazzlin': I don’t think majors really have much to offer an artist like me at the moment. They haven’t got a clue about what’s going on in the underground. They are corporations at the end of the day, they want risk free profit and that’s why they are flooding us with soulless pop rubbish which they are selling of the back of clever promotion and marketing. It’s time for independents to shine, there is a lot going on at the moment we’ve got the strength of our love. They’re not ready for what the UK’s got coming, we’ve just got to stick together and elevate this game…

Highgrade: It can swing both ways. A major record company can put you in front of a larger audience but they end up taking more money. If you want to do things independent its much harder work but you get to keep most of the cash.

 Do you have a useful tip/hint for aspiring artists?

Dazzlin': The only tip I have for aspiring emcees right now is that hate and angry talk is not the key. Change that anger into positive energy and you will go far.

Monsterworks: All I have to say is on that subject is; be careful what you sign and find out what monies are due to you. You will lose out if you don’t educate yourself.

 Finally, if you’ve got a website, an event or any product to plug, here’s your chance to do so…

Dazzlin': You can keep up with what Dazzlin’, L.D.P. and Monsters are up to at www.monsterworks.co.uk. The debut single is coming out very soon and the album is not far behind. All you got to do is keep your eyes and ears open.

- Delbwoy
 


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