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.

Fatal Hitchkoch - BreddWinnaz

‘I view my lyrics as a movie script; I always try to give that cinematic feel to my records, my listeners can actually picture scenes of what I'm saying in their head’ said Richard Anaman, also know as Fatal Hitchkock CEO of the urban music label BreddWinnaz. In 2010 his remix to 'Hello Good Morning' featuring Tinchy Stryder was spotted and promoted by P Diddy, since then he has made appearances on DJ Mixtapes including the likes of DJ Woogie , DJ AME and DJ Drama as well as featuring on BBC 1xtra Home Grown Selection.   

I thought I’d catch up with him to find out his ambitions, sacrifices and influences.

‘I'm a Jack of All Trade, Master of All’. He confidently replies when asked how and where it all started. He laughs and confesses ‘I had to change the ending of that expression. I'm a business-man, rapper, producer, manager – big up Maveriq - label owner, video and photo editor, web designer, should I go on? I'm 360 degrees. I do a lot of everything, if that makes sense’.

‘I know this is going to sound real cliché, but I just knew. It’s always been music. Ask all my Ex girlfriends. It’s always been MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC! I studied it in University; I spent all of my student loans and grants on recording equipment. Plus I knew I was too good to just let this gift go to the scrap. I mean P.Diddy thought I was good enough to promote my remix to 'Hello Good Morning' on twitter twice, so u know. If I got Diddy's attention off just a short 16 bar, imagine the effect im'ma have when I really go H.A.M.’

‘I started rapping when I was about 8 or 9 after I heard my brother playing 2pac's "Hit 'Em Up" I was hooked. I was one gangster 10 year old talking about a whole lot of sh*t I knew nothing about. I thought I was the Sh*t I had the American accent locked, bandana's I went the whole 9 Yards with it. I remember recording my 1st real structured track when I was about 14, at my secondary school friend J-Flowz house – who now produces for Wretch32. He put me straight about the US accent. I got a Cubase 5VST that’s real old school, a piece of wood from my bunk bed ladder, a karaoke mic, a chair and some duck tape and from then it was on’.

‘Richard handles the Business side of things, and is the brains behind the Brand BreddWinnaz and Fatal Hitchkoch is the brain that lays the music’, he replies when asked how he differs from his alias. ‘The Fatal part of my name actually stands for ‘F*ck All Traitors And Liars’ and well the Hitchkoch part came Alfred Hitchcock as he is like the originator of the thriller and horror genre. He put his personal stamp on all his projects, which have influence so many films to date. I see myself like that. I view my lyrics as a movie script; you know I always try to give that cinematic feel to my records, so you can actually picture scenes of what I am saying in your head’.

  

‘My music is for anyone that appreciates my music. I don't want to close bracket and exclude anyone. I mean I make music for myself; I’m just fortunate enough to have people that appreciate and support it. I have a wide audience from the ages of 13 - 60. The music I make is aimed to inspire, entertain, inform and educate. I remember some one telling me once. "Yo forget the man'dem. Make music women love, because the man'dem will want what ever women are on" Which to me makes too much sense, so I always have women in the studio with me when I’m crafting, asking what do you think of this lyric? Should I say this? What do you think of this song?’  

In the past he has had the pleasure of collaborating with other UK acts including Roll Deep, Baby Blue, Donaeo, Selah, Davinche, Maveriq, PW, Base N Rebulz Entertainments and many more. He says ‘I always try to ‘Keep it Real’ in the respects I don't try to sugar coat the truth. There is a problem, just come to inner city London, or any low income area across the country people are getting their heads blown off; people are hook on dangerous drugs, child molestation, and underage pregnancy. Real issues. But you know it's like out of sight out of mind. I'm not with that. So I act as the voice for the unheard. My lyrics are real life stories, somewhere I’m the main character, and sometimes I’m just the observer, the narrator.’

If he wasn’t a musician he’d probably be ‘Manager of WIMPY burgers, what else?’ he laughs and continues ‘only playing it would have to be something based around music or the film world like a Manager, video collaborating and photo digital editor, actually a pilot. I love planes. I'm actually in the process of completing my Private Pilots License; I'm at different altitude. I love it. It’s a weird feeling. Because you’re just orbiting in the air, there's not left, no right, no top, no bottom. You’re just orbiting. Once you try it. You’ll know exactly what I mean’. 

‘If I am not in the studio, I’m performing, or I’m out on location doing some filming, or editing, or putting in work behind the scenes for other artists, I’m always on the move. I don't see it as a sacrifice more of an investment. My whole life is music. The only regrets I have are, umm well, they’re a few situations which I didn't handle right at the time. I don't really want to go in to specifics but I could have handled a lot of opportunities and situations a lot better. But life is for learning and I won't be making those mistakes again. Trust me!’ 

Hitctkoch would love to rock the Stage with Jay-Z, he explains, ‘like him or hate him, you can not deny his abilities, dude makes me appreciate music as an art, and show's me it isn’t just about pairing words together, it's a lot more. Look at all the best rappers these are all intelligent guys regardless of the persona they put out in the public eye. Just look at Eminem, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, all smart dudes! His ideal place to perform would be in ‘Africa’ specifically in ‘Ghana’.  
 

He is inspired by 2Pac who he says ‘definitely inspired me’, Jay-z for the flow, business sense, lyrics, style. ‘Hustlers inspire me, anyone that is not willing to just settle for the cards life has dealt them, and take a hold of the wheel and steer in their own direction are my inspiration. I'm inspired by creative people and like-minded people. I love to be around creative people, because they give me that spark I need’. 

In 5years time you’ll see him ‘back here with me doing another interview’, he continues ‘I aim to be in a much better place than I am in now, I want to take this as far as my God will let me go. I've got my company BreddWinnaz which is a management, production and record company. The aim is to build on that brand and acquire global recognition; I'm shipping out to the states next year for a few months to hook up with a lot of the links I’ve made. So I’m taking the brand out there with me’.

‘We set up BreddWinnaz Africa, which is a promotion company hosting events and promoting West African Artist. That is still in its baby stages so we aiming to get that running properly. We Taking BreddWinnaz global! I'm also managing the future of the R n B world. Maveriq in 5 years I want to see him touring the world, I want to see people that don't speak English singing the lyrics to his words!’

He is currently working on his debut EP entitled the ‘Kraft’ which is due for release 11/11/11 whilst managing and producing fellow label mate Maveriq’s EP entitled ‘5Star’.

For more of him you can check his material out via his Official Website, Youtube and Soundcloud, as well as contact him personally via Facebook and Twitter. 

Also Check out : 


HOLD ME BACK – FATAL HITCHKOCH ft Bee (BreddWinnaz)

LET’S MAKE MUSIC – FATAL HITCHKOCH ft MAVERIQ