Kashmere Interview
Kashmere caught up with us during preparations for his gig in Leeds, we spoke about his feelings about the hip hop scene at the moment, drinking fairy liquid and taking his idols to dinner.
What sets you apart from any of the other rappers that are around at the moment?
Well, you know I live in a mansion and have five Bentley's in my back garden -just for the sake of it- because I can do that sort of thing. Nah I’m joking, really I don’t know I just have a different approach and a different mentality towards making music. I grew up listening to a lot of underground stuff, more abstract and arty stuff like A Tribe Called Quest. A lot of other cats grew up listening to standard meat and veg type of Hip Hop. I’m not one to judge. I’m like a jazz cat, I’m into Miles Davis and George Duke. I don’t really try and make tunes that are going to be banging in a club or anything, I listen to different types of music and that has helped to shape my music.
So who is your dream collaboration?
My dream collaboration? That’s a crazy one. There are a few I would like to work with - people like Bigg Jus from Company Flow or Big Keith, if I could get any of those guys on a track that would just be the ultimate thing for me.
Do you think UK Hip Hop is in a good place at the moment or do you think it’s too commercial?
Well it depends, to me, commercial Rap has very little to do with Hip Hop, do you know what I mean? It’s like those guys doing all that stuff that’s cool they’re making Pop. Pop is Pop, you know what I’m saying? As for Hip Hop, it’s weird, there is no real heart of it anymore. It’s kind of all over the place and at that level - I would say it’s in a bit of a bad place. Especially in the UK since we’ve lost stores like Deal Real. In Hip Hop the record stores are like the heart of the whole thing when we lose things like that, it’s not cool. I would say it’s in a bit of a bad place but you’ve just got to keep on regardless.
Is there anything that you would not Rap about?
Hmm, that’s interesting. The thing about me is whether or not I get the vibe to do something. Like the whole question of do I or don’t I want to Rap about something doesn’t really come into my head. Off the top of my head I probably wouldn't Rap about shaving my armpits or drinking fairy liquid or anything like that! Actually... that might be a good track I should look into that!
Rapping about shaving your armpits while drinking fairy liquid could be your new track then?
Actually that’s a good idea! I could just do a tune about the whole skill involved in drinking fairy liquid and being able to blow bubbles while I’m rapping simultaneously!
What has been the craziest party you have been to?
To be honest I know I’ve been to one but I can’t really remember what happened so it must have been spectacular, you know what I’m saying! All I know is I went to Metropolis from Foreign Beggers birthday party in East London. I must have got there started off with a drink, drank something like 3 glasses of wine at about 11 pm. I basically woke up the next day at 6:30am at DJ Snuffs house, thinking how the hell did I get here and what happened. The next day everyone was telling me that I was apparently going crazy to the music, knocking stuff over and chatting shit. I apparently disappeared for half an hour and no one knows where I went! There have been other ones but I don’t want to incriminate myself like that!
If you could take three people to dinner right now dead or alive who would they be?
Jimmy Hendrix, Miles Davis and Delia Derbyshire.
Have you got any new music out at the moment?
Basically what’s going on right now is between November and early next year I’ve got two albums out one is called ‘Power Cosmic’. Then early next year I’ve got an album called ‘Kingdom Of Fear’ which is entirely produced by Jest and I’m rapping on it.
And plans for the future?
Just a new direction with my music, it’ll be different from what people have heard before because it’s going to be my production -I will be showing people what I’m really about. To expand the live show, I’m really trying to get past it just being about the DJ and the MC. I just really want to expand not by having a whole band but bringing other elements into it. I really want to get to a point when people are walking away from my gigs thinking ‘Wow, I feel like I’m on another planet and I need to sit down!’ You know what I’m saying?
