Guestlist

Issue 45 2012

Monthly newspaper and online publication targeting 18 to 35 year olds. The ultimate guide to the hottest parties, going out and having fun. Music, fashion, film, travel, festivals, technology, comedy, and parties! London, Barcelona, Miami and Ibiza.

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36 HIP HOP / RNB www.guestlist.net Issue 45 / 2012 TINCHY STRYDER Artist, director and businessman – the Star in the Hood has done it all. We caught up with himahead of the release of his highly anticipated fourth album, to chat about getting into business,working with Jay-Z and what he'd do if he was invisible! Tab Taylor | guestlist.net Today we're joined by Tinchy Stryder, and we're at Under the Bridge where he's going to be performing on November 1st. So, how're you doing today? I'm good, you alright? Yeah I'm cool. So, I want to take you back a bit, when you were in Rough Squad. You're really one of the pioneers of grime, you brought it into the mainstream, tell us a bit about how you started out. When we started it wasn't even called grime. And pirate radio, I must have been, I dunno, 15, 16. It feels like it's more than ten years ago, and Rough Squad, that's my people, that's family right there. I don't know how to explain it, but everything was natural, from pirate radio to putting out CDs and doing your own videos. It's been a journey with loads of ups and downs, but I've learned a lot. So, you obviously have a huge passion for the music side of things, but how did you get into the business side of things? The business side naturally came. The first thing was the clothing line, Star in the Hood. My very first album I put out was in 2007, and we'd done a few t-shirts, wearing them around just to promote the album name, and then we started selling a few on tours. After that it grew, and I had a clothing line, from just t-shirts to having a company, it just kept growing. It's come a long way. That's cool. So, how did you get to work with Jay-Z on your label? "Do it because it's something you believe in, and always be prepared for a couple of setbacks. Challenges in life are something you have He came over a few times, then he had a show in Madison Square Garden and invited us. I couldn't go because I was touring again, and next time he came I made sure I made time and went and saw his show and just linked up. He's someone I listen to and I respect for everything he's doing. And getting to meet him and getting in business with them, that's a big, big thing for me. to face, and you learn more from failure than success." For people who are coming up, what advice would you give them and how would you change a hobby into a successful career? You have to be real to yourself, and the passion has to be there. Don't just feel like "I want to do this because they're doing it". Do it because it's something you believe in, and always be prepared for a couple of setbacks. Challenges in life are something you have to face, and you learn more from failure than success. If everything went right, you wouldn't know how to correct it when it doesn't. So I don't know if you've heard yet, but Drake recently graduated high school. Do you think you would ever go back and finish uni? I did hear about Drake graduating, congrats to him man, that's big and 'Help Me' is something I believe in every way. Whether in a small way or a big way, everyone needs help at one stage in your life, so it's one of those songs that everyone can relate to and on my half of it and my verses I kind of flipped it. I didn't want to sound like I'm just moaning like "Oh, I need help for this". It's more like, I feel reenergised and recharged, and help me for what I'm about to do. It's taken from your upcoming album Full Tank, what can we expect that's different? Because you've had three albums out before, what is different about this album? I first released Spaceship in 2011 and I haven't had an album out since, so I'm going to put a few new tracks out. I had a track with J Spades recently called 'I'll Be Up', and I might do an EP just before think he's just trying to be like Dre, because Beats by Dre, everyone likes that. The quality was most important to me, so I got that right. Being compared to Dre is amazing, because he's a legend, but to make it humble, it's level. But his is like, three times as much as mine, and not everyone can afford to spend that much money on headphones. You've done so many things, what would you say has been the height of your career? It's hard to pick, there's so many things. I appreciate and I'm grateful for everything, but I'd say the peak… the feeling I had when I first got a number one. That's just like, you can't explain that. When I got told I thought they were joking. I didn't dream of having like, top 40. You're quite an active tweeter, and obviously when you were coming that's focus right there, but I went to uni when I was in my final year, that's when I guess everything was kicking off. I was on tour with N Dubz, I had my number one with Dappy and everything was just getting on top. It's either like 100 per cent or nothing with music and my heart was in it. But maybe one day, you never know. Your new single's out, it's called 'Help Me', what inspired you to write it? Tell us a bit about what it's about and how you came about doing it? the year ends, and next year I'll be fresh for Full Tank. I'm opening up about different things where before I might hold back on some personal things. There might be a couple of names dropped in there, you never know! Watch out for that, guys. If you know him, don't mess with him! So recently you've moved into the technology side of things and you've got your own brand of headphones now? Yeah, the headphones with Goji. At first I was thinking people might up, people weren't really as much into it as they are now. Do you think it hinders or helps an artist's career? It sort of does help, because it makes your fans feel closer to you and they see what you're up to when it's straight from you, but at the same time it sort of makes people too exposed. If you want to reply to everyone you might as well forget your whole day, sit at home and dedicate it to Twitter, and people have got lives. It's a bit of both, but it's more plusses than negatives, definitely. You're headlining at Urban Jam on Sunday, are you looking forward to it? You know what, I love performing! I love performing but I guess it's something where there's loads of different people there. It should be fun. I feel like sometimes before you do an event or show you can that good vibe in the air and I can feel it about this, so it should be a good one. If you were invisible for a day, what would you do? I would go in some record label offices and hear what they're discussing and some other places as well. (Laughs) Just to see what they're up to. There are a few people I'd like to see what they do behind closed doors. Any names? Yeah, there's a few names… I'll leave it! Find out more at: www.guestlist.net INTERVIEW

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