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Wretch 32 Interview
RnB/Hip Hop | Wednesday 7th December 2011 | Osh
Wretch 32 is set to be the next the UK’s biggest Urban star. TGN caught up with Grime emcee to discuss his debut album Traktor and life in Teverton...
We are blessed with one of the most talented UK hip hop artists, whose been classed as one to watch by the BBC as well as being hotly tipped by NME, MTV and HMV as a rising star. He has gone on to achieve a top 5 debut smash with his first commercial single ‘Tractor’ and just completed his role as the main support for Example’s spring tour!
So, what’s the most exciting thing about being Wretch 32 right now?
Right now, the ability to stand on the stage saying ‘let me rock on, look me in my eye’ and then having everyone reply ‘no way’!
You know, I always think about where I came from, being on pirate radio you’re never sure whether anyone is listening, so to stand on a stage to perform a track knowing that everyone is feeling it...nothing beats that man!
So you’re from the Teverton estate in Tottenham, what was your life like growing up?
Tottenham was pretty wild man, when we were growing up, you know when people say that they are a product of their environment, we literally were, we were reflecting everything we saw and continuing to do what we thought was right at the time. I wouldn’t change that for the world, I think you learn how to conduct yourself, you learn about life when you grow up in such a harsh place, it enables you to adapt to any environment
Right, I understand that your dad was a reggae DJ, what influence did that music have on the music you produce?
It gives what me and scorcher like to call the ‘heritage flow’, it just enables us to go to a different gear, it has that vibe that I like to add to my music,
Wretch 32 – the name is unorthodox, what is the correct explanation for that name?
Well, both my parents are from the Caribbean; Wretch means naughty, skinny and growing up I was just that, I was a bad little kid, everyone used to say ‘Oh, he’s a little wretch’ so it kinda stuck , it started as a bad thing that turned into a good thing . Three and two are my luck numbers; it adds something to Wretch to make it more unique
Are you heavily involved in the creative process of your music?
Definitely, right down to picking the beats, I have ideas but I can’t produce, but I pick beats, help make them, I help write hooks
‘Tractor’ sounds like a genre making tune, give us the creative history behind that tune and the video
The producer yogi came up with a smashing beat and sent it to me with the rough version with the hook on it; when I heard it, I thought the tune was MAD, it has such a crazy vibe. So I wrote my bits and sent it back to Yogi. I wanted to add some soul to it, so we changed it around the bridge, made it slower, to make people want it to go back to the faster bit. With the video, well, I really have to thank Ben Newman, he thought of bringing the Owl (laughs).
Be sure to keep up to date with everything in the world of Wretch 32 at wretch32.com!
We are blessed with one of the most talented UK hip hop artists, whose been classed as one to watch by the BBC as well as being hotly tipped by NME, MTV and HMV as a rising star. He has gone on to achieve a top 5 debut smash with his first commercial single ‘Tractor’ and just completed his role as the main support for Example’s spring tour!
So, what’s the most exciting thing about being Wretch 32 right now?
Right now, the ability to stand on the stage saying ‘let me rock on, look me in my eye’ and then having everyone reply ‘no way’!
You know, I always think about where I came from, being on pirate radio you’re never sure whether anyone is listening, so to stand on a stage to perform a track knowing that everyone is feeling it...nothing beats that man!
So you’re from the Teverton estate in Tottenham, what was your life like growing up?
Tottenham was pretty wild man, when we were growing up, you know when people say that they are a product of their environment, we literally were, we were reflecting everything we saw and continuing to do what we thought was right at the time. I wouldn’t change that for the world, I think you learn how to conduct yourself, you learn about life when you grow up in such a harsh place, it enables you to adapt to any environment
Right, I understand that your dad was a reggae DJ, what influence did that music have on the music you produce?
It gives what me and scorcher like to call the ‘heritage flow’, it just enables us to go to a different gear, it has that vibe that I like to add to my music,
Wretch 32 – the name is unorthodox, what is the correct explanation for that name?
Well, both my parents are from the Caribbean; Wretch means naughty, skinny and growing up I was just that, I was a bad little kid, everyone used to say ‘Oh, he’s a little wretch’ so it kinda stuck , it started as a bad thing that turned into a good thing . Three and two are my luck numbers; it adds something to Wretch to make it more unique
Are you heavily involved in the creative process of your music?
Definitely, right down to picking the beats, I have ideas but I can’t produce, but I pick beats, help make them, I help write hooks
‘Tractor’ sounds like a genre making tune, give us the creative history behind that tune and the video
The producer yogi came up with a smashing beat and sent it to me with the rough version with the hook on it; when I heard it, I thought the tune was MAD, it has such a crazy vibe. So I wrote my bits and sent it back to Yogi. I wanted to add some soul to it, so we changed it around the bridge, made it slower, to make people want it to go back to the faster bit. With the video, well, I really have to thank Ben Newman, he thought of bringing the Owl (laughs).
Be sure to keep up to date with everything in the world of Wretch 32 at wretch32.com!
