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Roska Interview
Wednesday 7th December 2011 | Osh
We had a little chat with one of the main men on the Rinse label to find out about what he’s doing at the moment...
“The stuff I did with Toddla T was literally just about putting the fun back into music!”
Hello Roska! How’s it going?
All good!
Good! So, what have you been up to on the music scene recently?
Just, like DJ’ing really and finishing off my album!
Cool, what gigs have you been doing?
Erm, the last gig I did, ‘cause I’ve been off for two weeks, I did Field Day...
Ah cool, it was good wasn’t it! I was there...
Yeah, not bad, not bad. I played at Cardiff as well recently.
Nice, have you had any favourite places that you’ve played at recently?
Benicassim in Spain that was really cool.
And how’s it going with your record label, Kicks and Snares, at the moment?
Yeah, really good. I mean it’s picking up, just trying to find the right tracks that fit my label so I can keep it going and keep it afloat and bring in new artists.
Cool, and are you keeping them with your style, that funky, housey, bassey style?
Yeah, well sort of between that and house and sort of anything that fits in with what I play really. Just like bass.
Cool and how come you decided to start doing that?
Erm, I’ve done my label since 2008 now.
Yeah, so it’s been a while.
Yeah it’s only been, like, since last year I started taking on artists and putting out the tracks while I’ve been signed to Rinse.
What artists have you got on the label, anyone we know? Anyone big?
Erm, well my friend J:Kenzo he’s actually gonna be releasing stuff on Tempa really soon. We’ve had Scuba from Berlin.
Ah ok he’s sick.
He went under the alias Specta and, er, who else have we got... we’ve got Champion, DJ Champion, he’s coming through, he’ll be releasing a three-track EP on my label.
Nice, cool, so it’s going well?
Yeah, not bad.
You used to be an MC didn’t you, that’s how this all started? How did the transition to producer, record label owner and DJ start?
Er, well, I’ve always been making music I’ve always made music as a hobby since ‘99 and I was MC’ing at the same time, and I stopped MC’ing in about 2004/2005 and then I just carried on making music.
Do you ever miss that, ever miss being the hype man?
Erm, nah, not really, nah!
Not really? How comes?
I dunno, it’s just ??? feeling making music.
Yeah, I suppose you can put more of your own style into it when you’re making your own music?
Yeah...
How would you say your music has changed, I mean you’ve been doing this for a while, so how would you say it has developed?
Yeah, I mean I’ve just started doing more song-based stuff and, erm, more structured stuff, rather than just stuff that revolves around bass. Yeah, that’s what I’ve been doing really, just more vocal based stuff. More longevity than just instrumentals. That’s sort of been the main thing. That’s what I’ve been doing in the past year, really. Just improving my sound and trying to get more understanding of what I’m doing ‘cause when I first started I was just doing a lot of like, rollers and stuff, and now it’s all about just focusing and improving my sound and just making it better.
Cool, and what’s it like being involved with the Rinse family? I mean they’ve got some of the sickest parties going on and they’re a massive label.
Yeah it’s all good I’ve been on Rinse since 2008 and I’ve been signed to Rinse since 2009. It’s definitely been good, and it’s definitely helped me to become, erm, definitely helped me to become what I am today. Yeah, definitely, it’s been a good journey so far.
You released your debut album on Rinse didn’t you?
Yeah, Rinse presents Roska.
Do you reckon they host the best parties in London?
Yeah, definitely, definitely, they really know how to host a party, they have the promotion on lock.
Yeah, they’ve got that down well haven’t they?
Yeah they’ve got that part on lock.
You did a collaboration working with Toddla T recently, how was that working with him?
Yeah it was really good it was really cool. We should be doing some more stuff at the end of the year as well. We’re going on tour in America in December.
So what’s more to come with you and him? What can we expect from you both?
Just more good music! More good music, more fun! The stuff I did with Toddla was literally just about putting the fun back into music ‘cause there seems to be a lot of weirdos about now, you know!
Yeah, definitely, with this whole dubstep scene it gets quite serious, doesn’t it? With more of this kind of funky house vibe it’s a lot more fun... So, what’s next? Apart from your American tour what else have you got happening?
Erm, my second album should be ready hopefully by the end of the year. We still need to sort out the last little bits and select the tracks.
Cool, a couple more funny questions for you now... If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?
Invisible for a day! Ermmm... I dunno that’s a weird one isn’t it!
Haha, yeah. Well what would you do, would you piss people off a bit?
Yeah... I’d probably slap a few people!
Yeah, scare a few people?
Yeah, definitely!
And if you could fill a swimming pool with anything, what would it be?
Erm... probably... I’d fill it with Vimto!
Haha, Vimto tastes weird! I don’t like Vimto! So, if you were stuck on a desert island, what three famous people would you take with you? They can be dead or alive...
Three famous people... I’d take Bob Marley for the music. I’d take Halle Berry, for the, er, you know!
Haha! Yeah... for the, er, company!
Erm, and I’d probably take Ainsley Harriott for the food.
Have you got any exclusives for The Guestlist Network?
Hmm... I used to play for the basketball team at school and we were unbeaten for a whole year!
Haha, cool, niiice! It was nice talking to you Roska!
Watch out for Roska’s new material coming out at the end of the year!
Hello Roska! How’s it going?
All good!
Good! So, what have you been up to on the music scene recently?
Just, like DJ’ing really and finishing off my album!
Cool, what gigs have you been doing?
Erm, the last gig I did, ‘cause I’ve been off for two weeks, I did Field Day...
Ah cool, it was good wasn’t it! I was there...
Yeah, not bad, not bad. I played at Cardiff as well recently.
Nice, have you had any favourite places that you’ve played at recently?
Benicassim in Spain that was really cool.
And how’s it going with your record label, Kicks and Snares, at the moment?
Yeah, really good. I mean it’s picking up, just trying to find the right tracks that fit my label so I can keep it going and keep it afloat and bring in new artists.
Cool, and are you keeping them with your style, that funky, housey, bassey style?
Yeah, well sort of between that and house and sort of anything that fits in with what I play really. Just like bass.
Cool and how come you decided to start doing that?
Erm, I’ve done my label since 2008 now.
Yeah, so it’s been a while.
Yeah it’s only been, like, since last year I started taking on artists and putting out the tracks while I’ve been signed to Rinse.
What artists have you got on the label, anyone we know? Anyone big?
Erm, well my friend J:Kenzo he’s actually gonna be releasing stuff on Tempa really soon. We’ve had Scuba from Berlin.
Ah ok he’s sick.
He went under the alias Specta and, er, who else have we got... we’ve got Champion, DJ Champion, he’s coming through, he’ll be releasing a three-track EP on my label.
Nice, cool, so it’s going well?
Yeah, not bad.
You used to be an MC didn’t you, that’s how this all started? How did the transition to producer, record label owner and DJ start?
Er, well, I’ve always been making music I’ve always made music as a hobby since ‘99 and I was MC’ing at the same time, and I stopped MC’ing in about 2004/2005 and then I just carried on making music.
Do you ever miss that, ever miss being the hype man?
Erm, nah, not really, nah!
Not really? How comes?
I dunno, it’s just ??? feeling making music.
Yeah, I suppose you can put more of your own style into it when you’re making your own music?
Yeah...
How would you say your music has changed, I mean you’ve been doing this for a while, so how would you say it has developed?
Yeah, I mean I’ve just started doing more song-based stuff and, erm, more structured stuff, rather than just stuff that revolves around bass. Yeah, that’s what I’ve been doing really, just more vocal based stuff. More longevity than just instrumentals. That’s sort of been the main thing. That’s what I’ve been doing in the past year, really. Just improving my sound and trying to get more understanding of what I’m doing ‘cause when I first started I was just doing a lot of like, rollers and stuff, and now it’s all about just focusing and improving my sound and just making it better.
Cool, and what’s it like being involved with the Rinse family? I mean they’ve got some of the sickest parties going on and they’re a massive label.
Yeah it’s all good I’ve been on Rinse since 2008 and I’ve been signed to Rinse since 2009. It’s definitely been good, and it’s definitely helped me to become, erm, definitely helped me to become what I am today. Yeah, definitely, it’s been a good journey so far.
You released your debut album on Rinse didn’t you?
Yeah, Rinse presents Roska.
Do you reckon they host the best parties in London?
Yeah, definitely, definitely, they really know how to host a party, they have the promotion on lock.
Yeah, they’ve got that down well haven’t they?
Yeah they’ve got that part on lock.
You did a collaboration working with Toddla T recently, how was that working with him?
Yeah it was really good it was really cool. We should be doing some more stuff at the end of the year as well. We’re going on tour in America in December.
So what’s more to come with you and him? What can we expect from you both?
Just more good music! More good music, more fun! The stuff I did with Toddla was literally just about putting the fun back into music ‘cause there seems to be a lot of weirdos about now, you know!
Yeah, definitely, with this whole dubstep scene it gets quite serious, doesn’t it? With more of this kind of funky house vibe it’s a lot more fun... So, what’s next? Apart from your American tour what else have you got happening?
Erm, my second album should be ready hopefully by the end of the year. We still need to sort out the last little bits and select the tracks.
Cool, a couple more funny questions for you now... If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?
Invisible for a day! Ermmm... I dunno that’s a weird one isn’t it!
Haha, yeah. Well what would you do, would you piss people off a bit?
Yeah... I’d probably slap a few people!
Yeah, scare a few people?
Yeah, definitely!
And if you could fill a swimming pool with anything, what would it be?
Erm... probably... I’d fill it with Vimto!
Haha, Vimto tastes weird! I don’t like Vimto! So, if you were stuck on a desert island, what three famous people would you take with you? They can be dead or alive...
Three famous people... I’d take Bob Marley for the music. I’d take Halle Berry, for the, er, you know!
Haha! Yeah... for the, er, company!
Erm, and I’d probably take Ainsley Harriott for the food.
Have you got any exclusives for The Guestlist Network?
Hmm... I used to play for the basketball team at school and we were unbeaten for a whole year!
Haha, cool, niiice! It was nice talking to you Roska!
Watch out for Roska’s new material coming out at the end of the year!
