"Blunted," aptly describes the years 1998-2002. During these years most of the nakashon.com crew were having a laugh, getting dissed by women, and learning about the great outfits worn by Jesse Jackson in his early political career. On the other hand, Christobal was spending those years "getting on track." This meant that he was alienating people, buying DVDs, and hearing the word "no" more frequently than a dog that bites. Due to the shoddy construction of the apartment, I also heard "no" frequently, and now use every opportunity to use those moments against Christobal. Haha… nothing ever goes your way buddy! We also listened to a lot of music in those days, and I introduced the gang to the fine sounds of Bury Crew, Roots Manuva, 57th Dynasty and other UK stalwarts. Now, it's time to learn more.
"Blunted," also describes a few good blokes from Oxford. Gabs and Roscoe have done heaps to build and maintain a vibrant hip hop scene in the fair city. From wicked boat parties (I need to get to one of these soon!!!!) to a couple of great compilation albums, the boys have gone from strength to strength. They even seem to like our friend T. Wise and have allowed him to discuss his concert going on their fine website, www.bluntedpresents.co.uk. Recently, I won a caption contest on the site, and am looking forward to the promised reward of a t-shirt. Before you start thinking this interview has something to do with nepotism, let me assure you otherwise. It is out of mutual respect for one fine product (theirs) and one terrible product (ours). The interview will also kick off a series of UK hip hop interviews that is set to include Eastborn, Braintax, and (hopefully) MCD.
How did Blunted get started?
Gabs: Blunted started out life under a different name, Hiphopalypse. After I came back from Uni I linked up with some old friends, Unia, Tucker, Smoo and Grande. It was a time of little responsibility, we just used to listen to a lot of Hip Hop and smoke some of the good old green stuff. We would check the few Hip Hop nights that were on, but it felt like they were few and far between and some promoters would charge a lot for tickets.
For example Rodney P and Skitz at The Jam Factory was a tenner. We thought, why don't we do our own Hip Hop nights that wont price people out? We got a dope venue (The Cellar) and the opportunity to get Hiphopalypse up and running. We had a successful 2-3 year stint in which time we saw acts such as OutDaVille, Jehst, Taskforce, Buck 65, Ghost and Kashmere, Cappo and Phi Life Cypher, these were very happy days.
In the autumn of '04 the crew dispersed, Tucker went to New Zealand and Unia moved to London. It was at that time that we moved venues to The Zodiac (and actually onto PoNaNa and back to The Cellar again), and I decided to change the name to Blunted.
Roscoe: Yeah, that story seems about right to me. Hiphopalyspe nights were some of the most refreshing nights I'd been to in Oxford. It was a bunch of like minded people having a laugh and pushing good underground music.
The Hiphopalyspe boys and girls were all really safe and the vibe on the nights was always dope. I wanted to see something like this continue in the city, and be part of it. I was moving to Oxford from 'The Shire' so I said I'd lend a hand designing flyers, doing promo, and just helping out, that kinda thing.
One sunny day Gabs, myself and DJ FU met at The Zodiac (RIP) in Oxford to talk to about putting on a night, the 2004 Jehst Tour I think. I remember sitting in the office at the Zodiac and discussing the night and the manager of The Zodiac saying "So what's the name of the night?". We paused, then Gabs just came out with "Blunted", and we were like, yeah, that'll do!
Where and when did hip hop become a passion for you?
Gabs: I've been exposed to a wide variety of music. I think this has helped me appreciate good music in all its forms. My earliest memories of Hip Hop were listening to Stolen Moments which featured MC Solaar. Around the same time I got 'The Main Ingredient' and along with everyone else at the time was checking Snoop, Eazy E, Dre and NWA. However, I'm willing to admit that most of my teenage years were spent listening to crap music.
It wasn't until I got to Uni in '98 that Hip Hop crept back into my life. Albums such as J5's LP, Aim and Mos Def all found there way to me. I'd say Hip Hop became a passion when we formed Hiphopalypse back in '02, that's when I felt like I was a part of Hip Hop, even on such a small scale. I was helping to create what I feel has become a part of the Oxford scene.
Roscoe: I probably got into Hip Hop when I was about 14/15. Before then I was into Grunge, Rock and Punk (which I still am to some extent). I guess I first heard Hip Hop around '94/95. I remember watching a skate video and hearing ATCQ 'Scenario' and being like, what the hell is that! I instantly loved it.
I think I owe a lot to my best mate John, at the time he was into the Beatles a lot, and loads of Soul and Motown. I remember his Dad used to bump it in the Montego coming back from footy practice. I played him some Beastie Boys and the 'legendary' '96 compilation 'Rap Flavas' He loved it, we loved it, and because he can be so obsessive he went on a mission and turned into a proper record fiend. We fed off each other, making tapes to play in long missions to skate parks, first off in my Dad's car, and then my cars. We'd buy, swap and bootleg as much as we could.
Do you remember the Boombox radio show? What is your favourite freestyle from that?
Roscoe: "Da Boombox" radio show on Juice FM? (now Oxford 107.9) The show Kid Fury co-hosted? If you mean that then sadly I only ever caught it once or twice so I can't really comment.
Gabs: Yeah that was Kid Fury's radio show back in 2000. I didn't get to hear that much of it. However what I do know is Fury is still hosting a dope show on 107.9fm called The Phat Club.
What is the scene like in Oxfordshire on the whole?
Roscoe: The scene is good. There is a lot of talented people out there, covering all the elements, not just making music. Having Blunted hopefully has enabled people to easily see what's going on in the county. I know it has enabled me to do that.
Gabs: These days, it feels like it's bubbling away quite nicely. The ethos behind Blunted has always been about creating a community feel and to spreading the word of dope music. With Hiphopalypse, we helped lay a good foundation in the city for the scene to develop. I'd like to think we have helped show people Oxford you can have a consistent and quality hip hop night with good acts, without charging a small fortune for the privilege.
In the last 2-3 years Oxford has seen other Hip Hop nights established. This has hopefully inspired current and future artists, DJs, MCs, Producers, Graffers and BBoys. It feels like there is a younger generation coming through which bodes well for the future of the Hip Hop scene in Oxford.
How come you can have a crew like Delegates of Culture form at Cambridge, but nothing as big has yet come from Oxford?
Roscoe Oxford is just not urban enough. Too many parks and too much punting going on, it's just too pretty for Hip Hop – that's the real root of the problem, still I suppose its no prettier than Cambridge… Seriously though, Hip Hop has probably suffered a bit from not having any really large nights that are regular, no events and no proper record shops. Allot of people tend to move out of the City onto bigger things too…
There are some guys that have creped through though. DJ Nonames (of Foreign Beggars) I believe is from Oxford or spent some time here. RIZ MC is another established emcee to have graced the town, Project Cee and MC DUKE now reside there. Kid Fury of course. DJ FU (now primarily a Drum and Bass DJ), he's pretty big in the scene, played Glastonbury infact. Bennie G (of The Mixologists) has some roots in the City I think, I don't know much more than that though! Sloth from Pneumatic and Sloth, GTA are getting a lot of exposure too. There'll be many to come.
Gabs: Good Question. I reckon it might be because traditionally the roots of Oxford's music scene have been with Indie/Rock bands. Certainly as a Hip Hop promoter I had to look to towns like Cambridge and Swindon for inspiration as Oxford didn't really have an established Hip Hop scene. I hope that in a few years, seeing how the scene has developed, where we have played our part, might mean we have our own Delegates of Culture.
Is Swindon worth visiting?
Gabs: Yes. My first night out in Swindon was to see the legendary No Mores Horses play at The Riffs Bar. This was an unforgettable night. I'd heard a lot about NoMoHo but didn't know what to expect, I was blown away. The energy of Baila as front man, Unia on Sax and DJ Para on the cuts is pure sickness. I never knew you could have so much fun in a tiny pub in the middle of nowhere! Admittedly, the only reasons I have visited have been Hip Hop or football related, but for those two reasons alone it's worth it.
Roscoe: The Old Town is nice. Try and check the Great Western Railway Museum too, if you're into steam. My last two pairs of Levi's were from The Outlet Centre, someone once told me the clothing label Addict was founded in Swindon. I did a year of a Typography degree there. My Mum was also born in Swindon. So there you go, worth a visit!
Aren't some well famous producers from there?
Gabs: Indeed – DJ Para, Ben One and Relent to name a few… If you haven't already checked for DJ Para – go do it, he's a good bloke
Roscoe: Swindon does have its fair share of some very talented graffiti artists, bboys, producers, DJs and emcees as Gabs said. It's got a strong scene.
Isn't that broad (Billie Piper?) that married Chris Evans from Swindon? Do all girls look like her there?
Gabs: Yeah, her and Melinda Messenger are Swindon's finest offerings. Do they all look like her, no. There are some pretty birds there as well.
Roscoe: Haha, check the Swindon College BTEC course in Beauty Therapy – Get me!
What are your 5 favourite albums?
Gabs: That's tough – I'll fire a few out:
Endroducing – DJ Shadow
The album just struck a cord with me. Unia had introduced me to David Axelrod and from there I found out about Shadow.
Legend – Bob Marley
I grew up listening to this album. Any long journeys in the car were made that bit easier by playing this album.
Divine Madness – Madness
The first album I ever bought. It was on tape and cost me a wapping £8.49. I saved up for ages to get it. I wasn't disappointed. An album rammed full of classics.
Back 2 Mine - Groove Armada
When I'm kicking back or just having a lazy afternoon, this album is spot on. A nice variety of tracks mixed up a treat
Blunted Presents Local Music For Local Heads Vol.2 : )
Roscoe: Wow Gabs, a top five with no Hip Hop LPs.
Favourite albums of all time for me. That's near impossible for me to answer. I'm far too indecisive, especially seeing as the genre isn't limited! I can say what favourites I've been hammering over the last few weeks though: a new favourite of mine would be ASM's (A State of Mind) 'Cosmic Flavours' EP; this didn't leave my car's stereo for about a month. This DJ/Producer called FORENSICS sent me his EP which I'm really getting into.
Old favourites would be Nick Drake's 'Pink Moon' LP. Deep Purple's 'Made in Japan'. I listen to a fair bit of 70's prog rock. Outcast's 'Aquimini' has been getting a lot of play again too along with Masta Ace's 'A Long Hot Summer'. All the Little Brother releases too. Can't wait for the new LP to drop.
I've also been on a real 80s tip too recently. I don't know why this is, but I've been rinsing Depeche Mode's 'Versions' LP and The Church's 'Starfish' LP. How many is that, 8? Bugger, I could go on for ages. I haven't even scratched the surface.
What are your 5 favourite UK hip hop albums? Why?
Gabs: Freakishly Strong - Dirty Diggers
Reignited my passion for ukhh a couple of years back. Solid, solid album, I could listen to the beat on 'For The Haters' on repeat and never get bored....
Asylum Speakers - Foreign Beggars
Such a good album. Tracks like 'Glacial', 'Whose Next' and 'Where Did The Sun Go' are already classics for me.
Return of the Drifter – Jehst
We booed Jest on the eve of this album's release. For that reason it's very personal to me. I don't care what other people may say, this EP is one of the best in ukhh.
Run Come Save Me – Roots Manuva
Do I really need to give a reason? OK it's a bit "played out" but for me it's a seminal ukhh album.
Word Lab 2 – The Next Chapter
It has real special nuggets on there; Taskforce 'It's Us We're Back', Scorsayzee 'We Don't Care' and Champions of Nature 'Salsa Smurf', Klashnekoff 'Dago Mentality' I could go on…
Roscoe: In no particular order they'd be, at this moment in time…
Blak Twang – Kick Off
Classic. Don't think Tony has beaten this effort to date. More accomplished that most UK Hip Hop albums out there.
Braintax – Birofunk
Well constructed beats and lyrics that related a lot to me. I listened to this heaps when it came out. Solid effort from Mr Christie.
Klashnekoff - The Sagas of...
Suppose it's kind of a Terra Firma album, but all the same, full of bangers. Dirty production laced with Klash at his most fierce.
Karl Hinds – Hindsight
Interesting production, slick flow and sharp rhymes makes this a winner.
Redmaster – I'm Right, Your Wrong.
Super-slick production from Beat Butcha and a lyrically confident Redmaster shows how he has mastered the art of style, delivery and flow. Gotta add this in otherwise its like I'm living in the past, haha.
Who is better: Chester P or Eastborn?
Roscoe: Chester P for delivery, style and flow. I prefer Chester on wax too, even though he's a bit spaced out! Eastborn for content and freestyling and repping the north hard and taking a lot of criticism on the chin!
Gabs: I couldn't say, I've haven't heard any of Eastborn's material. Chester is a strong freestyler plus I like most the TF stuff I hear.
Who has the best boobs in the world?
Gabs: Me, no question. Its all about the man-boobs, get to know…
Roscoe: I'd agree, Gabs has a fine rack. That girl from Hollyoaks, what's her name, Gemma Atkinson, she's doing alright for herself too. Having said that though her boobs are different sizes in every picture…
Which Oxford College has the best ladies?
Roscoe: Greyfriars of course!
Gabs: God knows. The majority of them are spotty be-spectacled-bicycle-riding boffins. I'm jesting there are some very fit college girls in Oxford, then they start talking…
A pint of Old Rosie or a pint of Directors?
Roscoe: A pint of Old Rosie every time, a couple of pints of Old Rosie gets you where you need to be on a sunny afternoon in town.
Gabs: All about Old Rosie. If you haven't had an affair with Old Rosie, you haven't lived!
Is there a better place, in summer, than the Turf?
Gabs: The Turf, good call! There are actually a couple of places in Oxford that are pretty good in the summer, The Isis, Head of the River, Kings Arms, The Perch, The Trout. However, The Turf is the only establishment that serves Old Rosie so for that reason alone my answer is no!
Roscoe: Gabs is right. There are too many good pubs in Oxford; if you like your pubs old and your beer even older then you'll be right at home.
What does the future hold for Blunted?
Gabs: We hope to build on our foundations and keep learning, its an ongoing process. The legendary Blunted Boat Parties are a permanent fixture that's for sure. I'd like to release some more material under the Blunted Presents name. People like The Community League, ASM, The Ill Technicians, Reeplay, Riskie Business, the list goes on!
Since I've moved to Brighton I'd like to do a few Blunted nights here. I think it's important that Blunted keeps opening doors in other areas and if I can take some of the talent from Oxford and show Brighton what we got, it can only help Blunted evolve. By evolve I mean grow, reach more places, more people and more ears, haha.
Roscoe: Personally I just want to push the project and see what happens. I'm not sure entirely which direction, obviously it will be centred on Hip Hop and still have roots in Oxford but I've got a few ideas to bring some diversity. Blunted has never really been full-on Hip Hop.
I'd like to get more people involved regularly contributing to the Blunted Blog, this would be cool (so if your reading this then holla!), fresh ideas on where to take things. I'd like to do a range of Blunted t-shirts, all different designs but especially some really garish 80's influenced ones. I'd like to build the shop up a little and do some podcasts.
I've always found that whenever I hear or see something that excites me I always want to share it, so setting up the Blunted website was a perfect excuses for me to do just that, so in that respect expect lots of random mixes and stuff I'm feeling at the time!
I really miss not doing any nights anymore, they were a real treat. But we've moved on and out of Oxford. I'm actually in London now! I miss Oxford a lot though; the people there are a good bunch. I might see about doing some "Vs" nights in London, get some of our affiliated DJs and Crews to perform. Maybe do a run of 80's indie nights. At this moment in time I'm happy working on the website until I get it working how we want it to, meeting like minded people and having the best Boat party ever.