For the last in our four part series of interviews about British rap, www.nakashon.com presents Braintax. Mr. Joseph Christie (when he signs the checks) is a rapper, a producer and a boss. As a boss, he runs one of the UK’s most intriguing labels, Low Life, which has put out top notch music from the likes of Jehst, Skinnyman, Task Force, Klashnekoff and, of course, Braintax. While it is useless to lump groups of people together, the simple minded among you could think Rhyme Sayers or Def Jux with a British accent. His solo recordings include The Travel Show, Biro Funk, and the most recent, Panorama. All are available at your very local itunes outlet. All are also brilliant.

 

You are the ringleader of quite an amazing stable of artists over at Low Life. In that capacity do you ever make the rappers battle for your own amusement?

 

Haha, no, maybe back in the days we did shit like that but the scene and the roster’s become more fragmented, nowadays I don’t socialize on a Hip Hop tip like I used to.

 

In America people have some stereotypical views about the UK. For example people think everyone in Birmingham smells like Fish paste and likes UB40. What are some stereotypes people hold about Leeds?

 

Mostly it’s just the stereotypes of what northerners are like i.e. dumb and a bit backward. Most people get Leeds and their northern stereotypes mixed up with Manchester which is a bit backward whereas Leeds is a nice clean modern city. The only stereotype that is true is that Northerners are down to earth but quite blunt, that gets me into trouble some times in London cos people can’t handle it when you’re honest and dry as opposed to chatting chit for ten minutes before you get to the point.

 

“Rockstarz” is one of the great satirical songs in hip hop history. Why do so few people have a laugh with hip hop?

 

A few reasons:

  1. If you smile it doesn’t make other men think you’re a thug and Hip Hop fans mostly being young men want to seem as hard as possible.
  2. A lot of Hip Hop fans smoke too much weed and that dampens their enthusiasm to be happy, energetic and carefree. In fact it’s only since I’ve stopped smoking for a serious period of time that I’ve realized what a moody bastard weed makes me.
  3. The bottom line for most MCs is that they want the respect of their peers and that’s more easily done by writing street shit or battle shit.

 

A lot of it I guess comes down to testosterone and misconceptions of what ‘being a man’ is, whatever that is…

 

You seem like a simple man. You say you need three things. If you had to pick a fourth what would it be?

 

Friends and family, the older I get the more I realize their importance.

 

Who has the best boobs in the world?

 

Out of the ones I’ve seen…Halle Berry comes close though she may have a little sag by now I guess. Oh shit! Salma Hayek, beautiful. A whole load of pornstars could prob compete but that’s a whole nother topic.

 

You often diss fakers and frauds in your music, do you think it is hard for kids today to find an authentic self in hip hop culture?

 

Yeah it is really difficult cos all the role models out there are trying to act hard, rich and as hetero as possible. When I was a kid you had so much variety, you could be like Schoolly D, or Ice T, or fuck it be like Whodini or Dana Dane or De La Soul. Now what have kids got ? Very few different styles or paths to follow, the will to be yourself has to come more from inside nowadays cos being yourself isn’t really a predominant message in Hip Hop any more.

 

My brother, Gritz, thinks Zoë Slater off Eastenders is one of the most attractive women in the world. Is there a soap star that every made you say “Wow, this program is crap, but for her I will watch it!”?

 

Which one is she ? google…..ah ok, yeah she’s got great tits but I can think of better. ‘Neighbours’ (Australian soap) was massive here in the 90s and I’ll never forget Analise, Kylie, all those girls…we all kind of grew up and got stoned thinking about them. ‘Home & Away’ (another Australian soap) was even better, they lacked the quality of Neighbours but they showed a lot more cleavage.

 

What is your earliest hip hop memory?

 

Breakin battles in the street, putting lino down and going at it. Breakin battles at school where the teachers just stood around not knowing what to do cos it was like a non-contact fight.


What is your greatest hip hop memory?

 

Too many I guess..did a really good gig in my hometown Leeds last year, that was amazing, I was touched by the fact it was sold out, people were going nuts and there was loads of girls there. Some of the other ‘Panorama’ tour gigs were amazing as well, people chanting my name and shit, odd.

Also, I’d have to say something like seeing Public Enemy in 1988 that was crazy, the whole vibe was electric and unruly. Finally it’s just the day to day things like hearing a track that takes you back to your youth, something like hearing ‘T.R.O.Y.’ or ‘Release Yourself’ that’s as good as it gets.

 

You are a producer and a rapper, how do the two tasks differ for you and what challenges are inherent to both activities?

 

Well the two are different, I enjoy them both but trying to do both saps my energy, I’d rather just do one. With the lyrics the challenge for me is to find a good concept and then execute it well. With the beats the challenge is to make something solid and catchy but with a touch of originality. Both have their difficulties and there’s times I hate the fact I have to put so much work in. Really things were easier when Braintax was a duo and I worked with another guy.

 

When you started Low Life, did you have a vision that the albums released might connect in some way? Or did you want to form a community for artists to follow their creative instincts? 

 

All I wanted to do was put records out that looked and sounded good and that people praised and respected, that was the bottom line, anything else just happened by accident.

 

What is your favorite thing about the English summer?

 

Being in the countryside. A lot of Hip Hop heads don’t know how beautiful the English countryside can be cos they’re too ignorant or too close-minded to go there.

 

Outside of your day (and night) job as a rapper, producer and label boss, do you find time to do any community work?

 

Hell no.

 

Should Harry go to war?

 

Nobody should. Harry should be making a stand and telling it for what it is which is a big fucking game.

 

Which newspaper is better The Sun or The Daily Sport?

 

Neither man, I really couldn’t say anything positive about either they’re both racist and ignorant and helping dumb down the people.

 

The Beano or The Dandy?

 

The Beano. Classic material.

 

Pint of lager or pint of bitter?

 

Bitter, that’s a proper drink. Lager tastes like synthesised piss or something…

 

Has Rodney P forced you to support Arsenal? If the answer is yes, tell him he is a great man.

 

Hahaahaaaaaaaa, no chance, I’m Man Utd all the way, the only team with integrity, dignity and class. These new Arsenal fans make me laugh, if their team was full of unglamorous English players they’d stop supporting them in a flash.

 

What upcoming projects do you have in the works?

 

Working on an album with Colin Emmanuel aka C Swing. It could well be my most satisfying and best album cos I’m just executive producing and writing lyrics i.e. I’m getting stoned, making tea and writing rhymes, no worrying about mixing it or trimming the drum samples etc..

 

 

 

What is the best story you have that involves chilling with Skinny Man?

 

Ah,…honestly I don’t really have one, he’ll come down to the office once a month and be telling us a whole load of funny shit but the Skinny situation was slightly different cos he came to me with a finished album, I wasn’t involved in the recording or mixing of it like I was with nearly all the other releases. I’ve known Skinny a long time and have got a lot of time for him but we don’t really hang out together, I think that’s prob best when it comes to business.

 

I recently had the opportunity to talk with Bun B. He mentioned that some of his greatest experiences have come in watching other rappers in the studio. Who have been some of the people you have most enjoyed watching record?

 

I used to always enjoy recording with this group Universal Soldiers, they were 2 guys from North London who put their own stuff out, heavily into some other street shit but a pair of funny sarcastic dudes when you got them in the studio. Rodney P’s a good friend and he’s good to record with, Task Force were always amazing, one or 2 takes and they were out of there. I’ve prob got the best collection of Uk rappers discarded lyrics in the world, I’ll auction them off in 50 years!

 

 

What is your take on all these Americans buying into the premier league?

 

Money rules, it makes no difference where they’re from, as long as they don’t try and tamper with the rules then I don’t care.

 

Is football hip hop?

 

Yeah, but most Hip Hop heads don’t know it. There’s  some parallels there for sure: the importance of integrity, creativity, playing from your heart and soul, not cheating ….

 

 

What is your favorite Andrew Lloyd Webber musical? 

 

‘Palestine: The truth must be told’ starring Omar Sharif and Don Blackman.

 

Any last shouts?

 

Dubbledge, new Low Life signing, heavy MC.