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

Sam Khan - So Many Dreams

‘I was never encouraged to pursue my dreams I had to grab them myself’ says the North West London musician, Sam Khan who has had the pleasure of performing at some of the UK biggest urban platforms including JumpOff, The Sunday Show and ILuvLive when he’s not watching stand up comedy or watching contestants get fired The Apprentice. Not only has he received over 2 million Youtube hits, but he has also immense support from BBC Radio 1, Kiss 100 and BBC 1xtra for his latest EP 'So Many Dreams'. 

I thought I’d catch up Sam Khan himself to find out, where it started his sacrifices and ambitions.  

Like many musician, he recognised his talent for music from a young age, in his case, 8 years old. Sam loved writing poems, so he began working on verses and creating structures which allowed him to develop songs. ‘I enjoyed doing, it was how I dealt with a lot of things growing up.  Writing was always therapeutic for me, which is why called my first CD 'Me, My Pen and I'. I bought music equipment, built a home studio and the rest as they say is history!’

‘My ambitions motivate me as an artist. I want the world to hear my music and my story, I want to make other young people believe they can  strive for success regardless of their circumstances and that’s one of  the ideals of our brand 'B Somebody'. I've been through rough times but always maintain a positive attitude towards life. I  believe I've overcome problems, so I always aim to bring that message through in my music. When people tell me they can relate to my words and feel they are not alone, that gives me a great motivational feeling too.’

Although he;s performed at big industry events like ILuvLive, The Sunday Show, Astoria, JumpOff and other big festivals, he would say the the best place he's performed at would be 'at a high school for teenagers' aged 12 – 16 during their assemblies.' He explains 'I got a massive reaction, I told the kids to strive for whatever they believed in and because this is an issue close to my heart. As a kid I was never encouraged to pursue my dreams I had to grab them myself.  ‘

‘I feel like I have a chance to help others who are in the same position I was. B Somebody is not just about music,  its about inspiring people to positively believe they can do or be  anything, and so being able to make a difference to young peoples  outlook on life is the best feeling for me.’

                               

His influences include the likes of 2pac, who he refers to as an ‘early inspiration’. Kanye West he says’ I loved The College Dropout’. J Cole as he’s ‘feeling a lot of his tracks’ as well as other singers and songwriters and Lowkey, he says ‘I rate highly out the UK coz he has strong morals and is mad lyrical at the same time’ Overall his biggest inspiration is ‘life itself’ and the things he experiences.   

He would say that is biggest sacrifice has been ‘spending time on things other than  music’ such as more time socialising, reading, or just relaxing but he’s continued to work on prioritizing the different aspects of his life. ‘Because I’m an independent artist I can’t rely on other people to get me airplay and gigs, making tracks isn’t enough. I have to spend time making sure the music is heard, and this means I have to sacrifice other fun things I could be doing, but its all to achieve the end goal so its all  good! Making a sacrifice to make sure the music pushes forward will only serve to benefit my career in the long run’.

He believes that in the current UK industry ‘there's a space for everyone and everything, and depending on your goals, you can be successful as long as you persevere. The UK Urban scene has really risen and more rap is being heard in the mainstream which is great. There's always going to be different tastes and preferences but if someone is in the charts, or selling records, then there must be a demand for that so u can’t hate on it! The one thing I don’t think is correct from a moral perspective is when the industry exploits certain topics that aren't positive, just to sell records. I think people should remember their principles and if the message in the music isn’t something you would agree with yourself, avoid supporting it.’

In the future we can expect ‘a lot more tracks, music videos and performances, so watch out for all the new material’

You can now check out his Official Site, add him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

Jimmy Snookz and Skipper - The Regime

Jimmy Snookz and Skipper formally know as Jahmal Tchikaya and Simon Suckram from North London are the duo behind the UK Rap collective The Regime. They are determined to produce and broadcast their new sound to the nation' as well as  'bring 'a new exciting look and feel to the UK hip hip scene'. Although they originally started off as Grime MC's back on 2004 where they recorded dub-plates and attended pirate radio stations, they have now decided to elevate and change their sound which has landed them the opportunity to complete a 25 city UK tour later this year.

I thought I'd catch up with Jimmy Snookz himself to find out how and where it started. 

'My first ever memory was going in the studio and doing a few remixes. We started making music together and formed Regime in 2008' explained Jimmy. They saw music as a way of expressing themselves and sharing beliefs with others. 'We hadn't seen each other since school, but decided to meet up one day as we were both serious about pursuing a career in music. We went to the studio and recorded a remix of Kanye West's  'Can't tell me nothing' which received a lot of support and ratings from the underground'.

They then met up with producers Boe and Simon who go by the name of Last Dynasty who they have been working with for the last two years to make tracks such as 'Judge Me' , 'Soul Survivor' and 'My Shine' Ft Mk. They are fuelled by the need to communicate with the youths of today, which is why the continue to make music.We each have our own story to tell growing up in London which many can relate in terms of the emotions, the struggle, the system and creating a better life in general. But our make target is deliver good music that anyone can follow.

'We listen to a wide range of musician such as reggae, urban, grime and hip hop. Mainly these genres because we can relate to the music as well as connect with the artists who originate from the UK and the Caribbean'. Through their music they 'hope and try to appeal to everyone. Jimmy says, 'If not now then we are working on it for the future, but we see and hear the feedback of the youths aged 16 to 25 in the country.

They are now in the process of completing a 25 City tour around the UK with Skinny Man, called the 'Smoking Ban Tour', which will be followed by 20 university stage shows around the country. In the past they have had the pleasure of sharing the stage with major artists such as Dead Prez, Devlin, Legendary Curtis Blow, Jadakiss, VV Brown and more. They agree that the tour was a great experience and allowed them to elevate their confidence as artists, as well as give them the exposure they needed. 

According to Jimmy, a good musician should 'have their own style', 'stay grounded' and most importantly be 'talented'. He says, 'originality goes a long way and if you have the patience and stay dedicated you can better your self professionally as an artist and personally as an individual.' He feel that up and coming musicians should 'Be open minded and be able to come to terms with their own originality' and 'be able to take criticism and learn in the process'  

As a collective they intend to 'Bring a unique style of music to the industry' and 'make a stamp on the scene that all the up and coming talent can follow' you can expect more expect more music, video's with good visuals but mainly expect to catch them in a town near you performing.

You can now check out they Official Site as well ad follow them on Twitter via Jimmy Snookz and Skipper. 

Sir Spikes - Cast the First Stone

‘I’ve always been into music from a young age, I used to turn all the pots upside down and beat them with sticks' says 21 year old Samuel Jimmah formally known as Sir Spikes from East London, who is a musician, poet and aspiring actor. After migrating to the UK, just over 10 years ago he found his love for music. Samuel is currently working on his forthcoming mixtape 'Cast the First Stone' which débuts July 2011.

I thought I'd catch up with him to find out where it all started. 

'I'm a poet, rapper and an aspiring actor' I have always been into music from a young age. When I moved to the UK ,I fell in love with Grime’. This is where it all started for Sir Spikes, who originally claimed the alias 'Spikes' due to his love of knives. ‘I used to listen to and record sets on my mums old tapes, which she wasn't too happy about.' What he loved about Grime, was the rawness of the scene, the ability to say anything. Sir Spikes found himself writing lyrics which he then recited over the beats recorded making him feel as though he was really there on the radio himself, but it wasn't until year 8 where he decided to write more. 

'I was way too shy to let anyone hear, but as I got older my confidence grew. I was a very angry and violent growing up which influenced a lot of my early material. I felt like an outcast the only tune I felt that people listened to was when I rhymed so to me that was my voice.' As he got older 
he started to realise that he could do more with his gifts, but it only really hit him after loosing two of his close friends and coming close to loosing his own life. From his experience he started writing poetry, as he found it easy to put his words on paper. For him 'poetry quickly became a release rather than waiting for a beat' to record music. 'My music has grown and matured a lot and have finally found my self through music. '

'No other musician is like me', he says when I ask how he differs from other artists. 'I'm far from big headed, but I feel that the scene hasn't experienced a mind like mine. I bring soul to a track which enables the listener to fall in a trance and be taken on a journey. I appeal to a lot of people from males to females and to a general age simply because I am very versatile. I don't tie my self down to one thing, like to explore to create new things'.

It's obvious to see that the UK music industry has opened up and allowed a variety of artists to take the mainstream by storm, but for Samuel all he can see in the current industry 'is people who really don't have a passion for music'. He says 'most people go into the industry simply for the money so the messages they reveal are shallow. I would like to bring back heart and soul to music. I am inspired by singers such as Adele because she is real. Nowadays when you switch on the TV all you see are recycled versions on a few people. No one is original any more.'

Michael Jackson, Alicia keys, Jessie J, Adele, Eva Cassidy and Tracy Chapman are just a few of his many inspirations he feels 'they are true to themselves and they truly care about the influence of their music.' In the same vein he admires artists from the rap scene such as ‘Kanye West, Dizzie Rascal, Wretch 32, Tu-pac, and Gigs’. He feels inspired by them as they prove that it is possible to make it in the music industry, despite all the negativity around. He says 'if you work hard and push for it then nothing is impossible’. He is also inspired by a lot of Nigerian artists such as Debanj, 2face Idibia and Ice Prince, he says ‘I am a proud Nigerian so I support the music’.

'Open your eyes and go for it' is the advice he gives to up and coming musicians 'you only loose when you stop trying. Hard work plus determination gives birth to success. Clear your minds and vision how your life will be when you make it'. In the future, Sir Spikes hopes to have a successful career in music and give back to others by 'helping the less fortunate'.

His mixtape ‘Cast the First Stone’ is due to be released July 2011 so be sure to support him. For more of his music check out his Soundcloud, Youtube and follow him via Twitter.

Illamadi - Duppy Your Disco

In 2003, his clothing label featured in the infamous Pow video by Lethal B, In 2006 he won the Diesel U Music award for the best newcomer. He’s worked with some of the best musicians from the UK underground music scene such as Black The Ripper and Calibar.Mostly recently he's worked with the R’n’B singer D Walker who also features on his current single ‘D Shit’. Illamadi is a musician and fashion designer from London who be perfecting and experiment his style over the past few years of his career. I thought I’d catch up with Illamadi to find out a little more about where it all started.


What do you do and where did it start?

I do music and fashion. I started my own clothing label back in 2003 where we 1st premiered our label Lyrics4lyrics in the original Lethal B - Pow video. I started music seriously in 2006 when I won the DIESEL-U-MUSIC award for best newcomer. In 2007, my 1st single Top Boy was signed to All City Music record label. Ever since then, I‘ve been releasing material every year. In 2008 I released my single Moving, in 2009 I released the follow up Moving Remix ft the F64 King Black The Ripper which was an underground hit and brought my name to the forefront of the music industry. Last year I hooked up with a friend of Wretch 32's, a rapper called Calibar for my release single ‘On The Grind’. Now, I’ve started this year off with the release of my debut FREE mixtape Duppy Your Disco and a video with UK R’n’B singer D.Walker

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

I have a range of sounds and styles so my audience varies from the grime kids to funky ravers to road rap heads to soul lovers. I have performed in a lot of places from Essex to Wales and even in a gay club!

Who would your ideal collaboration be with and why?

If I could collaborate with the artists that have worn our chains I would have gone clear a long ago! Michael Jackson ideally, but that’s not physically possible anymore. A lot of US artists are easier to access now so collaboration with any current artist would be ideal. Producer wise would have to be Kanye West or Dr Dre


If you could change something about your career what would it be?

I wish I started earlier, and upped the work rate a lot more during each of my releases and done a lot more shows, but this year I will aim to make up for it.

What is the concept behind your new song 'D-Shit' ?

It’s a refix of the Chris Brown and Tyga song G Shit but our version is about the cold weather were having and how that equates to 'Wifey Season'.

Name two artists that have influenced you and why?

MJ and Biggie as their music stands the test of time and I think every artist would want that for themselves.


How do you promote yourself as an artists?
I use various mediums including social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook Youtube, Radio as well as music videos on Flava and Channel AKA. Every music related event I or my team go to, we take promo CDs with us because I’ve learnt that you never know who you’re going to bump into.

Where do you see yourself in 2011?

Hopefully in the UK top 40 somewhere because this is now or never for a lot of UK artists. As urban music is IN now so to speak, we have to make the most of it otherwise a new phase might come in and the labels and buyers might look elsewhere.

For more of Illamadi and his music, you can check out his current single now D.Shit -Illamadi ft D Walker as well as contact him via Facebook, Twitter and Myspace.