Mercston - Tsunami & E Class

He’s featured on national radio stations such as Kiss FM, Choice FM and BBC 1xtra, collaborated with some of the hottest names in the industry including Ghetts, Chipmunk, Bashy and Wiley, released a highly anticipated 11 track mixtape entitled ‘Ventilation’ and is well known for tunes such as Summertime and Good Old Days.

Mercston is a musician from East London, who like many artists, has been pursuing a career in music since his teens. I caught up with him to find out about his latest release his Tsunami, taken from his fourth-coming mixtape E Class, his influences, as well as how and why he decided to return to the music industry after incarceration.

I’ve been heavily involved with music since I was 18. I started out listening to the Pay As You Go's, the Rolldeep’s the Nasty Crews, and Ruff Squads. Then I decided…Hold up, I can do this too, and I started to make music in 2005.

I've grown up listening to music my whole life. My dad’s a DJ so at home there was always a lot of rare grooves, funk, soul, reggae RnB and hip hop playing on the Technic decks. All of these genres play a part in the music I record today - I have an old soul, lol.

I'm a quarter of The Movement" so I've worked with Ghetts, Scorcher and Wretch 32, that's family right there! Ruff Squad, Wiley, Bigz, Donaeo, J2k and many many more musicians. To be honest, I usually keep it in house, but I've worked with some amazing singers.

My time away held me back from releasing music, I even stopped writing for a year.

Then a good friend of mine, that i met, named Ray, reminded me of the gift I've been given – It’s not a talent, this is a gift - so I have to utilise it.

I started listening to music again and began writing to the best of my ability which helped me along my journey.

I believe labels know what I'm capable of but are scared of taking the risk, but it's all down to timing. So when the time’s right, it's right. I’ll just keep recording and making great music.

Jay Z has been a big influence, he's still the best in my eyes up untill now. Mase was a big influence; I use to think I was that brudder there, lol.

In the UK, Wiley was a big influence. He helped me to believe in myself and told me if I press on people will have to take me in, a similar thing was said by Chunky B, a good friend and the first producer I ever worked with, I appreciate them both.

The whole Movement team have been there too, they’re all great artists and being around them gave me no choice but to up my levels and be the best I can be.

At the moment, music hasn’t taken me anywhere great, but I foresee the future, so in the next interview I’ll let you know, lol.

My alias is just a spin off from my surname "Marston" I generally beat up the riddim put before me so I was given the name Mercs and kept the "ton".

Sacrifices, I suppose going to university. I know my family would have loved me to go because music has its ups and downs, but they wish me the best in whatever I do.

Me going to uni would have led to a concrete career. No regrets, just lessons learnt, without them I wouldn't be me today.

The music industry seems to be getting a little more accepting in regards to the music and artists being let through to showcase their sounds of music on a bigger scale.

I still feel not enough risks are taken and that this country needs to let go of this "one at a time" attitude, other that that, it's progressing.

There are so many artist out there right now I couldn't tell you who's next to blow.

I've seen so many people have a good buzz and been sure they’re about to blow then for "one at a time reason" nothing comes of it.

What’ next? I’ve just dropped my new video on the May 21st entitled Tsunami ft Siah Spiderman and Jaze Aliga which is taken from my forthcoming mixtape E- Class, which is dropping very soon.

The tape consists of different genres of classy music. It's named E class because a lot of people refer to my music as a touch of class another words "he class" hence the E class like Merc E class "ya get me" lol - if your one of those I appreciate that.

With this tape, I think I"ll take my fans back to my first mixtape "The End of the Beginning" you’ll find some smooth tracks on there for the ladies Apart from that I'd like to end this interview by saying expect the unexpected!

Peace and love Mercs !

For more of Mercston, you can now log on to his Official Website.

Aramac - Sticks “N” Stones Recordings

‘Putting regular track out, on my label, gradually more DJs are taking notice’ says the up and coming DJ, producer and owner of the record label Sticks “N” Stones, Aramac. Orginating from South London, he has been producing from his college days and had his first air play on Rinse FM entitled ‘Hurt Inside / Intruder’ in 2010, The track received a lot of support from DJ’s and Radio staions alike including Rinse FM, 1Xtra, Déjà Vu and DJ’s such as Marcus Nasty, Wifey, Footloose. In 2010 he ranged in the top 100 tracks by Boomkat and has been described as ‘something different but definitely something good’.

I thought I’d catch up with Aramac himself to find out his triumphs, influences and ambitions.

‘I’m a DJ, Producer and Label owner of Sticks “N” Stones recordings. I started during my college days as a rapper and then I progressed from there to production and DJing. I’m motivated to make music by listening all types of genres especially UK Funky, Old skool, Afro Beats, House, Disco, Hip-hop, Funk, soul, just good music in general’.

His first single ‘Hurt inside / Intruder’ was first played on Rinse FM in 2010 by Marcus Nasty. This accumulated immense support, thereby giving him air play with his second release “A Journey through time E.P Vol 1”on Rinse FM, 1Xtra, Déjà Vu, Hivemind FM, SubFm and many other local and pirate stations. It was also a success, with limited vinyl copies selling out in most stores within days of release.

Through playing out in clubs, featuring on guest sets on radio and distributing his music to DJ’s across the spectrum including the likes of Marcus Nasty, Ranking, Footloose, Joy Orbison, Shortstuff and Brackles, some of which  have described his music as ‘pumping’ and ‘one hell of a groove’. He hopes to create a bigger fan base and appeal to variety of audiences who he says ‘is anyone and everyone who is into UK Funky, UK Bass, UK Garage, and underground Dance music in general.’

Similar to many artists, he has faced difficulties such as getting his music played on radio, however, by putting regular track out on his label Sticks “N” Stones Recordings, gradually more DJs started taking notice. He is influenced by 'Fela Kuti, Sunny Ade, Youssou Ndour' who he says are 'the originators of the Afro Beat’. Through listening to Afro Beats regularly, he has developed a better understanding of the drum pattern in beat making and recognisese it as a key feature when producing music.

He feels ‘the industry is in a good state especially the UK Urban scene, There is a platform for different styles of music and the best thing about it is that, its is independent. As an artist this has made me more business minded because after all the music industry is a business. I am currently working with an Artist called Enchanted. He is signed to my label, Sticks “N” Stones Recordings; he has a project coming in October and and EP coming out together next year.

When asked who he would like to work with in the future he says ‘to be honest, I would work with anyone, who is in the right frame of mind as me. Sticks “N” Stones Recordings is all about discovering and developing new talent. I have a few singles coming out before the end of the year and we also have a release by Enchanted and Tactics coming out this year on Sticks “N” Stones recordings.

For more of his music you can check out his Soundcloud, follow him on Twitter contact him via his Facebook page as well as the SNSRecordings Facebook.

Xploder - Line OF Fire

From being the centre of attention at family function to taking his music abroad to The Czech Republic and Italy as well as receiving major support from radio stations such as BBC 1Xtra, BBC Radio 1, Kiss 100 and Choice FM after the released of his EP ‘Line Of Fire' as well as being described as ‘an artists to look out for in 2011’ by BBC Radio 1 DJ Ras Kwame you could say this musician is destined to succeed this year.  Xploder is an up and coming musician from East London who has been pursuing a music career for just over 4 years.

I thought I’d catch up with Xploder himself to find out more.

Similar to many artists, Xpolder started, rapping and producing his own material underground. He then joined the infamous ‘Highly Rated Camp’ alongside Beckz Winter and his brother DDark as they shared the same ambitions to further their music careers, individually as well as a collective. The camp was a huge success and became recognised as an underground company, which then gave them the chance to appear and perform on UK pirate and internet radio stations such as Mystic FM, Deja Vu, Rinse FM, Heat FM and Axe FM.

Since then he has released two singles ‘Don’t Trust You’ and ‘So True’ which have both accumulated mass support and following in addition to being selected as an ambassador for the “I Am Awards” which aims to offer unsigned and self-releasing artists a platform to share their music. His name alone may come across as intimidating to most, but it’s simply an expression, that represents his unexpected talent.  He describes himself as ‘quite a reserved individual’ yet he is ‘known to astound music lovers with his explosive lyrical energy and musical abilities’.

’I'm a grime musician from East London, so I write and perform songs’ says Xploder  ‘From a young age I always used to be the centre of attention when it came to family gatherings whenever music was played. I remember singing and dancing around with a small toy cassette player that had a microphone attached to it. So music has always been part of my life.'

He would say that the best place his music has taken him has to be ‘abroad to Italy and the Czech Republic. He explains ‘seeing hundreds of people being able to connect to my music even with the language barrier, it's amazing trust me! He would say that he’s more interested in that fortune rather than the fame as ‘as it gives you the power to invest and build.’

‘My inspiration is my mum as she is such a hard worker, and has always made me believe that anything is achievable with working hard’. He is also inspired by a range of artists include Dizzee Rascal, Coldplay, Jay-Z, Ludacris, Michael Jackson, Nas, Outkast, Stevie Wonder and UB40. 

Four qualities he feels a good musician should have are ‘Consistency, organisation, focus and versatility. He says 'all these go hand in hand. Once you leave one of these elements out, you end up falling short. In the UK I think we’re all finding ourselves within the industry and understanding the infrastructure behind it. This is helping to boost the music we love and make to the forefront of the UK.  This definitely helps me as an artist, as it creates many avenues for me to get my music heard.’

’I promote myself in many different ways. For example, I have a good team consisting of a plugger, PR and booking agent. I also make sure my social networks are always buzzing with something. He says 'The most effective way to promote yourself as an artists is the internet.  You allows you to have unlimited access to a wide range of people instantly'.

Although his Line of Fire EP is out now via iTunes, in the future we can expect him to be ‘pushing a few single from the EP with visuals’ as well as a ‘single release and video for HYPE SHOW’

You can now contact Xpolder via his Official Site, Facebook and even follow him on Twitter. 

Platinum - K Sounds

‘Our music has always been about channelling energy through whichever instrument or source is put in front of us’ says Planitum the CEO of  the collective K-Sounds.



The collective broke into the music scene back in 2007 with their first underground release ‘Next Up' which was a huge success. It held them as number 1# in the charts on Channel AKA for several weeks as well as receiving immense airplay on Choice FM, Kiss FM and other local radio stations.

I thought I’d catch up with Platinum the CEO and Founder of the collective to find out where it all started.  

                                        

K-Sounds originally began in 2000, with members Platinum and Dmac from South London. What started for them as a hobby soon became a potential career path that they began to take more seriously. So they decided to expand their collective and recruited two new members which where Drastick, and Chaser.

They began distributing music locally and hosting at house parties, youth clubs and any other social event possible. As their fan base grew, so did the will to maximise their potential as artists, provoking them to take their music to an even bigger and better professional plateau.

They group began to release their music officially, starting with their underground hit single 'Next up' which sold over 500 copies on white label vinyl. They also shot a video with Mastermind productions which held number 1# spot on Channel AKA for numerous weeks, in addition to them receiving immense radio play via Choice FM, Kiss Fm and other local station. This exposure they received enabled them to perform both nationally and internationally in countries such as Cyprus and Germany.  

'In a small group it's hard to imagine people being so similar but also individual in different aspects' Says Platinum. Me and Drastick provide the energy and love for music, while Chaser possesses the business skills. He has a more structured approach to music. His willingness to push things forward, as well as mine, Drasktick's and Chaser's musical passion fuels the group and our success.’

‘Our music has always been about channelling energy through whichever instrument or source is put in front of us. As kids from an urban background our lyrics are always sourced from experience and life’s challenges. Every year since we were young we've been faced with different situations but we always manage to portray that in our music.’

  

Platinum speaks on behalf of his gang when he says ' K-Sounds are entertainment. Some artists forge a career from acting in front of the camera and creating tracks that over hype their career. K-Sounds give you the truth in music, but with careful thought and precise beats to accompany our stories. Everything from the thought to the final project comes from us, our ideas and our lives so if people still have an appreciation for real music then they should be following us.'

  

Showing love to other artist's is a must for Platinum, he says 'If I see something I like in an artist I make sure I listen to them however big or small they are. During my years in music I’ve showed interest in a lot of artists and tried to help them further their career, most notably Smart kid aka Smartz and Tinie Tempah.  The last single I purchased was by Twissman ft Dotstar. I got in contact with Twissman via Twitter and saw a couple of his tweets. I decided to purchase a song or two and I enjoyed it. Dotstar is an amazing artist as well and after listening to two tracks I knew I had to purchase his songs.'

Four qualities he thinks a good musician should attain are ambition, determination, honesty and diversity. 'The 1st two qualities are self explanatory, without those you'll never succeed in anything. Honesty is important for an artist as I believe that it separates you from others and your honesty will be picked up on. Artists such as Eminem and Nas have used their life experiences in their music and have gained a strong fan base purely on the back of their honesty. The last quality for me is diversity. When I first entered the music scene I didn't want to do anything but grime but over time I realised I had to adapt my style to suit people's musical tastes in order to increase my fan base. Some people may call this selling out, but the more people you appeal to the more successful you are. The main reason for people doing music is to reach people emotionally so I see no problem with it.

Their alias K-Sounds, actual stand for Charismatic sounds; it represents them collectively making good music with a positive influence. They've been fortunate enough to work with the likes of  Splurge , Lioness, Kadey James, Ghetto, Tinie Tempah, Messy, Raharma, Nico Mills (F.A.T) and Erico (Sony) just to name a few. Plantinum says ‘In the future, we would like to work with more singers and artists similar to us. We’re interested in artists such as Davinche, Cleo Sol and Loick Essien because of their love for their craft and beauty in music.’

‘This year is a make or break for us. We’ve already completed a mix tape which is currently in its mastering process and we'll be releasing 5 or 6 videos for our mix tape tracks. We’ve also recorded a track with Splurge entitled Drunk remix which is due to be released before the summer. People can expect to see us doing freestyles for Grime Daily and SBTV and many other media sources. In a nutshell, we aim to do as best as we humanly can. We’ve been in touch with many labels and management companies and if putting pen to paper is what finally pushes us to where we wish to be then that’s the next step we’ll be taking.'.

"South Circular”, “The Freestyles" and "All or nothing" are their earliest material. Ontogenesis E.P is their latest release which is now available on ITunes and various outlets now aswell as their newest videos Guns & roses and Wave control . So keep your eyes peeled for what they have yet to come. You can now contact via Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Youtube. 

MyM - Hold Me Down

‘Hold Me Down’ is the debut single from Maryam Shofowora formally known as MyM.  She is a 23 year old musician from South London who has often been compared to the likes of Shingai from the The Noisettes and Adele due to her unique eltro-indie-pop music style. Similar to a majority of musicians MyM's career started at a young age, in her case 7 years old which is where she began imitating the pop starts of her generation whilst watching 'Top of the Pops'. Since then she has gone from strength to strength taking up a career in music as well as acting and comedy. I thought I'd catch up with her to find out more.

'Don't let 'them' or 'situations' hold you down from what you believe you’re meant to do in life, don't let people's pessimistic reality dampen your dreams'. Says MyM, when asked what she is trying to communicate through her new single 'Hold Me Down'.

Like many she has face a variety of hardships, but due to her persistence to make something of herself she persevered in order to make a career out of music. She explains 'Most recently with my singing, I used to do backing vocals for a lot of artist, which I enjoyed. I loved it, but deep down inside I wanted to create my own, but I listened to the doubting voice and held myself back from expressing my full potential but when I realised  what was dwelling inside me I couldn't contain it, it was written all over me. By believing I am born to do what I do, I overcame it'

'It all started at the age of 7 my first love was singing. I sat in front of the TV imitating artist on Top of the pops, which then it grew into acting when I was around 14 and I only got into comedy about 2 years ago by accident, some one said 'your really funny do u wanna host my event' and here we are! My audience are who ever I touch or relate to through my music whether it’s an insecure teen, a single parent father or a 25 year old graduate.'

Her inspirations include 'Beyonce' for her 'crazy work ethic' she says 'her gift is phenomenal, I might not agree with her sexy image but I admire her song writing, vocal ability and performance. She also like 'Little dragon' because she feels they are 'a quirky group'. She says 'their music has no genre and the lead singers vocals are hauntingly beautiful they just experiment and it works giving us classic's like 'Twice''

Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and live Gigs are a few of the ways she promotes herself as an artist. She explains 'These all are great ways of getting my music out there, I prefer gig's because its more intimate and I can talk to people in person. She would say the most successful medium has been 'gig's' because 'once you captivate someone through your 'live' performance they'll now find you on Youtube, follow you on Twitter and befriend you on Facebook its brilliant'

In the future you can expect Mym to be doing a lot more Gigs and hopefully an album towards the end of the year. She has also featured on label mate Commission's new hit single 'Gold Rush' which created a storm on Dave P show on Choice FM. She describes her style as a mixture of genre fusing different styles together, I’ll be dropping another single so if you like 'Hold Me Down' then brace yourself for fire!' Her album 'Changing Rooms' is well also début later this year. 

You can now add her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter and check out her latest music via Youtube. 

E.gle - The Take Off

E.gle is a 22 year old musician from North London who 'makes music for the world to relate to'. Although he has been making music for a while, he officially made an impact in the scene in 2010 as he got the chance to work with a lot more artists such as Nadine Caesar, Lunakidz, Kaptin, Rago, Tu Tu and more. He has recently released his first mixtape ‘The Takeoff’ I thought I'd catch up with him to find out where it all started.

'My music started off from my bedroom. I would listen to rap and try to relate a message in a similar way. I started getting the hang of swinging words to make meaning, which made me take it a lot more seriously. I called up my cousin, Nadine Caesar, who featured on my First mixtape The Takeoff. e introduced me to two guys who were apart of the collectively Lunakidz Music which is an Inde label and I've just taken it from there. He says, 'I've taken music to be a job which I now call NINE2GRIND'.'

‘I try to keep my music on a level where I can relate to the world what I’ve done or what I've been through, I’m NOT a ‘call of duty’ guy. My ultimate place to perform would have to be Madison Square Gardens.' He says, 'it’s like a landmark of success and maybe the pinnacle too, I would like to place my mark there.

His alias E.gle, pronounced as Eagle was influenced by the way he thinks and aims to be. He says 'The Eagle is known as the only bird to soar to the highest of peaks'. When he's not in the studio making music, he likes playing football or simply hanging out with friends.

The last albums E.gle bought via iTunes were Katy B’s ‘On a mission' and 'Adele’s 21'. He feels 'it's very important to purchase what you like as it credits the good work of an artist'. But for him his aim is not the selling records, instead he'd rather have EVERYONE pumping his music and make the money back from stage shows. He's fan of DJ's such as Jenny Francis of Choice Fm because he feels ‘she’s a good DJ’ and plays music he can listen to.

The four qualities he feels that a good musician should have are, to keep it real, 'that’s the only way you can tap in with the audience'. To be consistent 'fans are always expecting good music'. Be true to yourself as well as your music, as 'people can try to dig some dirt on you and find out that you weren’t all the things you said you were in your music' and lastly be punctual, which he says ‘can be a very hard quality to have as we all have. We all something else going on, but from my personal experience if you can be punctual in what you do i.e. performances, recording music, meetings, etc. Then it the will make you a whole better artist.'

He is inspired by artists who have worked hard and have been through the hustle, because he feels it’s something he can personally relate to. In this fickle industry you'll find that it's much easier to make music nowadays, but ever harder to make any money from it. 

In the future you can expect a lot more good music from Egle. You can now contact him via Facebook, Myspace and Twitter.  

Tribal Man Magz - 21 Dares

‘We keep it global not local’ says Kofi formally known as Tribal Man Mags who brought us the infectious funky house anthem ‘Tribal Man Skank’ back in 2009. Tribal Man is a musician from East London who originally started out his career at pirate radio stations such as Axe FM and Flava FM but immediately accumulated a huge following propelling him into the limelight via BBC 1xtra, Choice FM and Kiss FM. He is currently in the process of completing his long awaited album ‘21 Dares’ which débuts later this year.

I thought I’d catch up with him to find out more.

Alike many artists Tribal Man Mags started his music career from a young age.  In his case, his secondary school playground, where he battled against his peers in year 8 and 9, but he eventually decided to make the transition between hobby and profession when he entered into sixth form. He was then known as 'Magma Man’ and established his own music label ‘Down & Dirty’. He went on to release a single with his collective entitled ‘Prepare to Rewind’, earning ‘Down & Dirty’ the titles of ‘Best Up & Coming’ for the Urban Fusion Awards and ‘Best Newcomer’ for the British African Music Awards in 2008. 

Due his persistence and commitment as an artist he then got the chance to take his music overseas to Ghana, his home land. He explains ‘it was kind of weird because it was a whole different environment, but at the same time they appreciated the music more. I love my country so you could call it a perfect marriage’. When asked how he differs from his alias he says ‘Tribal is more confident, he’s a real bossy guy and likes everything his way’, he says. But Kofi ‘is more reserved and just loves to chill and watch movies all day and laze around.’

His motivation for music comes solely from his emotions, he explains ‘everyone calls me a skitzo, I have different emotions everyday, but I’m just blessed with a gift. I am very versatile so I adapt to any genre my audience likes. My audience ranges from primary school children to Grandparents my sound is universal really’. In his view ‘the funky scene has turned in to a phase instead of a genre and I think we all need to work together to get it banging again.’ 

In the past he has had the pleasure of working with artists such as Ruff and Smooth, Sway, The Saturdays, Gracious K, Flirta D, Funky Dee, K.I.G, Dotstar and Ramzee. He would initially like to work alongside Rick Ross and Pharrell Williams in the future. His inspiration are Jay Z and Rick Ross as he can relate to them as they run their own businesses just like hum and he feels ‘they are great business men. My journey has been a long and exciting one, but I’ m ready to continue on the road to success. In the future you can expect to hear and see ‘a lot of different kind of music. We keep it global never local!

You can now contact Tribal Man Magz via Facebook and Twitter 

K.I.G - The UK Funky House Veterans

Kings Inda Ghetto, formally known as K.I.G initially began making music nine years ago. They took their music from pirate radio stations, youth clubs and charity events to the forefront of the mainstream music industry in 2008 when they released their hit funky house anthem 'Head's, Shoulders Knee's and Toe's'. The single received immense airplay and claimed a place in the UK’s Top 40 Singles Chart as well as featuring on BBC's Radio 1xtra, Choice FM and Kiss FM.

I thought I'd catch up with the CEO Skitz to find out what’s happened since then.

After performing in front of thousands of people at the BBC Radio Weekender as well as the MOBO Awards, Skitz would say, this is the best place their music has taken them. He likes the fact the UK music scene is moving forward and getting heard all over the world, but dislike the fact a lot DJ’s ‘kiss ass’ and ‘follow fashion’ and that artists in the scene, ‘don't show enough love to other artist they only show love when an artist is at the top’. 

K.I.G are not just a group of nine males, but a family of talented individuals who love 'making people dance and enjoy the good vibes'. Their group consists of DJ's, rappers and singers as rave promoters. They are well known for hosting raves such as Anne Summers V La Senza, Leo Link Up and Sexy Cinderella which have taken place in North and East London.

Making music 'is a way of using our energy in the correctly instead of being on the roads and doing something that wouldn't let us be happy'. Skitz says speaks on behalf of his team yet along the way they've still overcome the difficulties of DJ's not supporting and playing there music as well as receiving negativity from other artists in the scene. They believe 'when you make good music no one can stop because they will always be other people that want to hear your music'.  

The collective plan ‘to be making a lot of noise’ and being loud so they can be herd all over the place. So expect great music, clothing, mixtapes, albums, videos, and schools tours, ‘basically a world take over’

You can now follow them via Twitter as well as add them on Facebook. 

Fdot1 - Money MusicK

After opening for Omarion in Germany and opening for Mz Dynamite at the Brixton Academy, he has managed to create an eclectic fanbase spanning a multitude of continents including Europe, South and North America. Fdot1 - formerlyFloriginu1 and now known as Flo to many in the industry - is a producer originally born in Barbados, but raised in US, Canada and UK. Throughout his musical career, he has worked with a handful of familiar faces, as well as underground home-grown talents such as the pioneer graffiti artist 'Eros' whose artwork is featured in Flo's pictures. Flo's forthcoming 3 track EP is set for release March 2011, which will be followed by his album Money MusicK in 2011 which will feature artists such as Malarchi, Dray Delta, Stat-Us, 2-Amplified and neo-soul queen Kyra Simone. I thought I'd catch up with Flo himself to see where he gets all his inspiration from as well as where it all started.


When and where did your career start?
My career started back home in Barbados what seems like a million years ago.... back then I was making music with equipment last seen on Noah's Ark! My first gig in the UK was at Flava Of The Month, an event hosted & promoted by DJ 279 from Choice FM. Around the same time, I was a regular performer at Jonzi D (of Hip Hop Theatre fame) and TY's (UK hip hop legend) 'Apricot Jam'.

What is the best place music has taken to you to?

Wow, that's a tough one, but I'd have to say Munich, Germany opening for Omarion and Paris where I met and became friends with 'Eros' who is one of the pioneers of graffiti in France. Almost forgot, opening for Ms Dynamite at Brixton Academy... that was amazing!

In as much detail as possible, describe a typical day in the life of 'Flo' ?

My day starts usually around 8am (if I haven't been to bed late lol!), switching on my Power Mac & while it's loading I go get a cup of coffee, 4 sugars. I very rarely have breakfast so it's straight to work after saying goodbye to my kids or taking them to school.

I check my emails/Facebook/twitter etc whilst listening back to what I was working on the day/night before and making note of the things I need to change, vocally or musically. After that, I start editing like I work in CSI, picking apart the tracks keeping the good stuff and throwing out the rubbish, it's a non-stop quest for perfection.


I usually have several projects on the go at any one time. At the moment I'm working on a an album for UK rap legend Malarchi which involves recording and editing vocals then mixing the tracks. I'm also co-producing, editing & mixing an EP with Vivid Beatz who I do a lot of work with featuring up & coming London rapper Dray Delta.

Throughout the day I take breaks and check out videos/track on YouTube etc to check out the dare I say 'competition', see who's bringing that hot sh*t or on some bogus, weak, regurgitated nonsense because you have to remain aware of what's going on! I have to be honest, the industry does make me laugh at times.

After doing all that work during the day and sometimes most of the night, I usually crawl into bed between 1 and 3am. However, I have been known to be up for 3 days straight 'grinding' cause that's what needs to be done occasionally, if you want to be the best at what you do.

Now that's a typical day in the life of Flo, lol…..

Truthfully and as cliche as it sounds, I'm inspired by everything BUT if I have to name a few people musically, they'd be 2Pac, Bob Marley, The Roots, Mos Def, Dr Dre, Eminem, Durrty Goodz and Sizzla (both of whom I've produced for), DJ Premier, Anthony Hamilton, D'Angelo, James Poyser and Beethoven… Do you know what, there's simply too many to name, I just like artists that dare to be different.

What has been your best performance, and why?

It has to be a show I did in Brixton a couple years ago when the radio-mic stopped working & they couldn't find the battery or replacement mics so I stopped the music & finished my set acapella without a mic. That was the most appreciative crowd I've performed for cause they paid attention to the lyrics.


Do you think the music industry has change in comparison to 10years ago?

The industry has definitely changed, it's always been 'money motivated' but now the majority of music we hear sounds like it rolled off a factory production line. I think it's kinda sad really to see that most artists, singers, rappers and bands alike, are foregoing originality and creativity and simply 'following' trends and formulas. In short, almost every song is the same, lacking depth or substance and there's a lot of violent material… What ever happened to having a good time?
Instead of imitating what already exists, labels need to go back to finding the next UNIQUE artiste!

What advice would you give to up and coming musicians?

I'd advise any up and coming artists to work hard, persevere, focus and most importantly to be patient because it will be worth it in the end. Giving up is not an option, no matter how tough it appears to be to get YOUR music heard. Be prepared to compromise and experiment, but not to the point where you lose your creativity and 'sense of self' because more often than not, the reason people are attracted to you is because YOU ARE DIFFERENT…!!!

What can we expect from you in 2011?

Hell yeah! We got big plans for this year and beyond.

I finished editing, mixing and mastering my second studio album "Money MusicK" 2 days before Christmas at Abbot Street Studios (HUGE respect to the team there) and we're now in the process of doing the photo shoot, videos and artwork in preparation for it's release in April 2011. The album will be released on my own label fM Inc. featuring Malarchi, 2 Amplified, Stat-Us, Kyra Simone and Dray Delta. It also features production by Strat Carter (Barbados) & Vivid Beatz (London).

I'll be featuring on my homie Configa's next album "Inside The Echo Chamber", on a joint called "Pop Off" alongside Corporal Ass Kick out of Farrock, New Jersey and Serocee (UK/Jamaica) due for release early this year. Incidentally, I also appeared on Configa's last release "Configa Presents: Pac To The Essence Vol. 1" on "Dear Mama" Remix. The album was released on the anniversary of 2Pac's death last year and is available on iTunes. Almost forgot, the first collaboration Configa and I did together "Hot Off Da Press" (also available on iTunes) which was completed in less than 24hrs after we 'met' on Twitter, lol, that's a story in itself!


Also, keep a look out for Vivid Beatz collaboration with Dray Delta tentatively titled "Sonic Charged" which I am Executive Producer on. Not forgetting 2-Amplified's yet to be titled EP that I'm about to start mixing; Malarchi's album (me on Production again!) and also projects with Durrty Goodz plus two of the UK's hottest R'n'B vocalists, David Mensah & Kyra Simone.

There are a few more things I'm in the middle of negotiating but I'd rather not say until they're confirmed. So I guess you could say that 2011 is gonna be pretty busy for me and the fM Inc. team. Before I sign off I'd like to shout out my business partner Julez for all her hard work and support…, Julez you're the BEST..!!!

As you heard, Flo has a number of things in the pipeline for the forthcoming year, to keep up to date you can log on to his Official Site where you can also download his latest track Fyaaah. You can also contact him via his Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Youtube and you can also listen to all his latest tunes via Reverb Nation .

Terra Artist

From youth clubs and pirate radio stations, to becoming the talk of the town in 2007 Terra Artist began to situate his place in the music industry with the release of 'Junior Spesh' - which featured additional members of Red Hot Entertainment. The song received huge airplay via Radio 1Xtra as well as Choice FM and has enabled 21 year old Terra to develop his solo career. Although he has been writing since 2003 and released his début vocal 'Who Is It' in 2005, Terra Artist has faced a number hiccups, including promoters and DJ'S blocking him out of the scene. Over the past two years he has been working hard to build up his fan-base, as well as prepare his forthcoming releases, one of which includes 'Ying Yang' which is due out in May.

I thought I'd catch with Terra himself to find out where it all started as well as how he managed to overcome the industries difficulties.


What is your profession and where did it start?

Im a recording artist in the UK, ive been writing and recording songs for about 3-4 years, but my passion for music begun when I was 15 years old.I started practising in my room, and following my older brother to radio sets which taught me how to mix and what's what.

What problems have you faced in the music industry and how have you managed to overcome them ?

Boy! Ive faced alot you know. It's like you take two steps forward and 1 step back so it's a struggle, but im down to fight for what I love doing. In this industry it's predominantly a 'dog eat dog world' alot of other artists, be it singers / producers / dj's etc are all fighting to get to the top and sometimes you have to just think about yourself in order to get there. I've had DJ's and promoters blocking me, not playing my music for reasons unknown to me, interferring with bookings or shows that I'm supposed to perform at, as well as beats being given to other artists and a bag of things. You just gotta keep your head up and maintain ambition.


Which artists do you aspire to and why?

Michael Jackson, legend! Despite all the slander and torture he received from the media he just kept level headed. I'n not saying im like him, but his quality of humbleness show through my music.

How are you different from other artists?

I think there's alot of different and unique artists out here, but it's the minority. A lot of artists just chase the women, cars and jewellery and rap about things with no substance. What I think makes me different is that I couldn't care less for what people think about ME, as a person. My music speaks volumes, I write about what I've been through, what I've experienced and what I wish for. A child of 10 years old can relate to some tracks, then you get an old lady who can also relate to my music. LOL, so its mad like that.

What was the last album your purchased and how important is it to you to do so as an artist?

Ermmm...i hardly buy albums which is bad. I normally buy singles, or download which is probably even worse in terms of supporting the scene LOL. But the last album I bought was Dizzee Rascal's first album "Boy In Da Corner". I felt him, I liked his flow, his song subjects, his approach to music was wreckless he didn't care. I just knew he was gonna blow up. Plus being from East London - Bow - i was around him as a youngster with my older brother, back in the day he really represented UK / London grime!


Who are your perspective audience and how do you appeal to them?

A lot of people tell me that my music appeal to people aged 16 to 19 year or mainly females. I think it's because most of my songs are love related, not all happy stories, some are sad. I've even made a couple get back together from a song of mine called "Angel's Message" which can be found on youtube. I took that as a compliment, ive been hurt before in the past and love does mess you up so i put all my thoughts and feelings on paper with that song.

Where is the best place music has taken you ?

A song i was featured in called Junior Spesh definitely opened doors for me, Being played day in day out on big stations like 1xtra and Choice Fm was a shock. Also being invited for a Channel 4 interview and a couple shows and tour dates. It made me think on a whole new level.


What advice would you give to someone entering the music industry?

I know people hear this all the time, but its probably the best peice of advice if you want to chase a dream, not just music but anything. Be yourself...don't let anyone tell you otherwise, dont try to fit into any sort of crowd because then you'll just blend in and be the same. Especially in the music industry, labels want a fresh beginning because soon, the cars, money, diamonds and sexy women will die out.
Just be you!

What can we expect from you in 2011?

Videos,videos,videos, albums! I'll be doing my own songs and projects with some good features so stay tuned. I done alot of ground work in 2009 and 2010 so now im ready to launch properly. Make sure you buy my single "Ying Yang" on iTunes its out in May!

For more of Terra Artist you can contact him via his Facebook

It's All Kosha

Kosha is an up and coming Musician from the East London, Considering he's been in the business for a number of years recording, producing and vocaling tracks I though i'd catch up with him to see his views on the ever-expanding music scence.





So Exactly How Long Have You Been In The Music Industry For And As An Artist What Would You Say Is the Best Part Of Your Job?

The best part of my job is the feeling of putting something out there and getting a good reaction. It’s like an accomplishment in itself and performing live is a good feeling. I’ve only been "in the industry" for a short while as a singer song writer, but, I’ve always done music from a young age. I learnt to play different instruments, anything that made a loud noise really. [lool] Drums, Trumpet, Guitar even a Violin once, but I gave them all up after I learnt a little (huh hmm), anyway I got into a lot of different music then. I started writing lyrics to Jungle and doing house parties (those were the days) then Garage took me away from the Jungle it was Soulful, proper girls liked it too!! Which is always good. I started hosting, MC’ing and Singing up n down the UK with a crew called the "A team" we were on DejaVu 92.3, Flava fm 87.6, Rinse fm 100.3. We won a place in the final of Kiss fm, but after that, I knew I didn’t want to play and sing on other people’s music because I can make my own so I did. I’ve been recording now for three or four years.

The First Track On Your Album Is ‘I Need You’ Which Features Wiley, What Other Collaboration Can We Expect In The Future And What Was It Like Working With One Of The Legendary Faces Of Grime?

Yeah, First of Big Up ‘DJ SLIMZEE’ he's the one that hooked Me and Wiley up I always used to tape ‘Pay As You Go’ back in the day. Slimzee heard my music and was feeling what I was doing so he introduced me to ‘Danny Weed’ he gave me a load of beats but that one track was the one that stood out to me "I Need You". It was good to work with someone who is well respected in the industry as people want to listen more then, if you got the talent.

Also look out for a new music video Kosha Ft Lexus and Forte "Another Way" filmed by Future Productions which is currently being played on 1xtra, Choice Fm and few others on screens E.G Channel U / MTV Base very soon that’ll be a good look.





When Making Music Do You Tend To Tailor Your Material To A Specific Audience E.G. Sex or Age Group Because I Noticed That The First Three Tracks Have A Sort Of Lovey / Girly Feel For The Ladies?

Yeah I make music on how I feel really that’s why I do it it’s my way of releasing my thoughts and stuff without saying it ... but I make music not specifically for girls or guy's i not looking to shut any one out if you like it you like i think but girls like it cause its different its UK RnB and its fresh they understand what I’m saying so boi.. LOL it’s all good but i hope my music is universal.

What Makes You Different From Other Musicians And Why?

Well for one I’m the most cockney musician in the "scene" that’s different LOL, umm all my music is different because its a part of me its not written by anyone apart from me so i hope that when people hear my music some one would have been in the same situation will feel better for that 4 minutes the track is playing my music is like therapy I suppose that’s different





How Do You Plan To Elevate As An Artist And What Have You Got In Store For Forthcoming Listeners?

I just plan to carry on recording music getting it out there by any means necessary) even if I’m on road selling CDs for another 2 years it nothing!) And hopefully good opportunities will come my way. as for the future i just finished my new music video with two of my friends a rapper called "lexus" [WWW.MYSPACE.COM/DUTTYMOUTH] & composer and pianist forte myspace.com/forte called "another way" very conscience positive track about how u can get stuck in the cycle of the streets but there’s always another way should be on screens in a few weeks look out for that and two more EP's one for the roads called Ebenezer street and its all Kosha VOL2 should be good to go soon too, also got a part in a film called the crew that’s all I know on that at the moment so you see me about in a few thing soon





In One Sentence Why Should People Cop The Album ?

Because it’s all Kosha baby! cmon....LOL

Keep your ears and eyes peeled for Kosha, he may just be the next big thing!