http://www.hip-hopkings.com/2009/01/lowkey-interview/

Hip-Hop Kings: First of all, thank you very much for joining Hip-HopKings.com today for this interview. For the people out there that do not know Lowkey, can you please give a little introduction to yourself please?

Lowkey: I'm a poet slash political activist who is trying to push boundaries, open some minds and use my work to draw attention to the plight of others. Too many Hip-Hop artists these days are all telling the same story from the same perspective. I feel like the art form known as Hip-Hop has gone from being the voice of oppressed people to being an extremely powerful tool of the oppressor. We as artists have been integral to that process in that we have constantly facilitated this advertising. Rappers these days are advertising products made by companies that hate our very existence. Hip-Hop is being used to sell an unrealistic, superhuman lifestyle. The most successful rappers are almost a new breed of ultra capitalists who are giving birth to consumers who then become capitalists themselves who give birth to more consumers, who then become more capitalists, the cycle is endless. If you listen to the majority of mainstream Hip-Hop now, it leads one to believe, the only worthwhile aspiration a person can have for their life is financial gain at the expense of everything and anyone. I'm the one who will tell you, there is way more to life. If you get to the point where you have the whole planet's ears and the only thing you can tell them is how much swagger you have, how good you are at spitting, what brand of car/clothes/alcohol/trainers etc are cool and how you used to sell drugs, if that is all you can possibly say then you're career is meaningless, you were merely a piece of metal which helped the machine carry on moving towards its destination. Every single human being that has ever lived on this planet was a completely unique creation, never to be repeated, a person's music should reflect this and tell you what is different and individual about them. When your music is played after you die will it reflect how truly individual you were as a human or will it just list the products you wanted. My aim is to leave my footprint on this planet, so that when I die I will be remembered.

HHK: I first heard your music on the Key To The Game series, and the final one, Key To The Game Volume 3 is very impressive. You said your now doing "things your own way", was someone dictating your career beforehand?

Lowkey: No that was merely a reference to the fact that on my first mix CD I was mainly using jacked American beats, and on my second mix CD I had a lot of features and shout outs from other artists. With my third mix CD I felt it approached more like an album and definitely gave more of myself, in terms of honesty.

HHK: You touch some very interesting topics including politics, death, and the sexual diseases and such. What was going through your mind when you made the album?

Lowkey: Exactly what you hear on the CD, I was dealing with everything you hear there. I was going to the clinic for check up's, getting racially profiled by police on public transport, dealing with my brother's death and the falling apart of my family. That was the reality of my trials and tribulations when Key To The Game 3 was being written.

HHK: The series finished in 2003, why such the long wait for your new album "Dear Listener"?

Lowkey: The series didn't actually start till 2003, Volume 2 dropped in November 2004 and Key To The Game 3 came out in October 2005. I have been active since then. I was commissioned to write a play entirely in rhyme based on Macbeth but set in modern day Bath, it was performed at the Egg Theatre and is about to go on tour to different festivals. I recorded alot with Poisonous Poets, I released a mix CD with Logic and another one with Stylah. I toured Europe and supported Guru, Immortal Technique, Canibus, Krs One, dead prez, Pharoahe Monch. I worked with Swiss, Faith SFX and others on music that may never see the light of day. I met with the leader of the Liberal Democrat's Ming Campbell, as a representative of my local community, which was interesting. I took part in the NSPCC's Don't Hide It campaign and recorded an exclusive tune and video to promote that. I co founded non-profit organization Peoples Army with Logic, we ran a free club night and open mic in Brixton. Not to mention in the last six months with my new band, I performed at Glastonbury, T in the Park, Oxygen in Ireland over the summer with Reverend and the Makers. I've been active just not constantly releasing music in the way I did before. I can't stop, trust me I have tried.

HHK: This album is your official debut album, and some of the production is handled by the likes of Scram Jones, Styalz Fuego and Q-Tones. How did you achieve this sort of backing?

Lowkey: Through hard working management.

HHK: What can your fans expect to hear from this album? What sort of direction did you take the project?

Lowkey: Just my take on the world at this moment in time. Experimental sounds, pushing the boundaries of Hip-Hop musically and conceptually. Check www.myspace.com/lowkeyuk to find out what it sounds like. I have shot a video for In My Lifetime feat Wretch 32, which should be hitting the TV February latest. I have shot a video for Alphabet Assassin, which should be out soon after. To purchase the LP visit www.soempire.com

HHK: Over the past year, you have performed at Glastonbury and the Electric Proms, and your career has received some critical acclaim for your lyricism, how does this make you feel? How can you improve next year?

Lowkey: It is always a bonus to get recognition for your work, but there is always a hunger for more. The aim is to just keep pushing myself and challenging my own creativity, trying out new concepts, making the kind of music you want to hear and feel the world is missing.

HHK: In February, you are dropping an album with your group called Mongrel; can you tell me about the group and the project? How did this come about?

Lowkey: My band Mongrel features Jon McClure, Joe Moskow (Reverend and the Makers), Andy Nicholson (Arctic Monkeys) and Drew McConnell (Babyshambles). Jon heard my music and got in touch, it all developed from there. The album Better Than Heavy drops on Wall Of Sound in February and we tour in the same month. Check www.myspace.com/wearemongrel for the dates and locations. I involved a lot of MC's from the UK in this project even remixing certain tracks of mine from KTTG 2 & 3. I felt if I could have the ears of the indie world I wanted them to hear the good stuff.



HHK: I have seen your working on a project with Logic, called New World Order; can you explain about the project at all?

Lowkey: We have an album recorded and ready for mixing, just no investment. Any people interested feel free to get in touch. A successful release needs a strong machine behind it.

HHK: How did you and Logic decide to start the project? Because with the songs, you touch some very deep topics like poverty, and world struggle.

Lowkey: We have known each other for years so it was just a meeting of like-minded individuals. We had one track entitled Home Is Where The Heart Is which got a buzz on youtube, check out my video and blog about it here http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=15294050&blogID=450548492

HHK: I spoke to you earlier, and you told me about your march for the "Free Palestine" campaign, can you tell me your thoughts and stance on this topic?

Lowkey: My stance is from an entirely human perspective, there is a genocide taking place, which is damaging for all humanity. Israel carries out the most heinous crimes without any international action being taken by any governing bodies. No one has violated as many UN resolutions as Israel. It is basically an apartheid system much in the same way South Africa was, the main difference being the international community can't and won't shun the Israeli government the same way they did the South African government. Further more right, left and centre people are falling over themselves to condemn Robert Mugabe's regime yet the crimes and power of Israel far exceed that of Mugabe, yet the silence is deafening, It's as if the life of a Palestinian is worth nothing. The illegal Zionist terror state is a discredit to all humanity. In the same way America was stolen from the indigenous people who inhabited its land, Palestine has been stolen from the Palestinians not only right in front of our eyes but also with our full financial support. In the same way the indigenous people of America are now almost extinct, Israel has the same aim for the people of Palestine. Through our taxes and purchases of products (half of which are endorsed by your favourite rapper) we facilitate this horrible state of affairs. In the same way Jewish people were horrifically oppressed by the Nazi's in Eastern Europe, the state of Israel is trapping Palestinian children in the worlds largest illegal prison and starving them. I have a song entitled Long Live Palestine, which pretty much breaks down my stance on this situation. FREE PALESTINE.

HHK: You're a member of the Catch 22 Network also, what does that entail? Immortal Technique, Kool G Rap and some UK heavyweights are also members. How does that make you feel?

Lowkey: It was something set up by my management in the US; it's a good look. I recorded one track with Stylah, Nino Bless, Kool G Rap and myself, which is yet to be released. We also recorded a track for DJ Mentat's album with AZ, Kyza, Kool G Rap and myself, which is also yet to be released. I'm working on my new album now, which should feature Tech, so it's all positive.

HHK: Do you feel like you have grown as a lyricist from Volume 1 to right up to now?

Lowkey: I have completely changed as a human being let alone a lyricist. The journey from the age of 17 to 22 is a big one and I feel like my music should reflect that. I take myself more seriously now, before I was just spitting bars for the sake of it, the content wasn't all 100% from my heart. Now everything I do, I intend to make it count.

HHK: Your part of the UK super group Poisonous Poets. How was the group formed and how does it feel to be part of such a respected group?

Lowkey: The group was formed on the basis of skill recognises skill. It's good to be in a click with rappers who challenge you and force you to up your game.

HHK: What's new with the Poet's? Any new projects? I know Doc Brown has become a comedian and his brother Luc Skyz is coming out, has he got the support of the group?

Lowkey: Everyone's on their own thing at the moment, remember Double P is a collection of separate entities so it's always going to be a vultron type situation. Reveal is making a lot of moves with rappers and musician's in Iran because as you know home is where the heart is, as for Stylah he's got Treading Water dropping soon, which is a flipping classic. I haven't seen Doc's comedy stuff but he has my support in anything he does, he was the first guy to bring me in when I was an immature little shit so as far as I'm concerned, he deserves success in whatever he does.

HHK: What does 2009 hold for Lowkey? What do you aim to do and achieve this year?

Lowkey: I just intend to travel as much as possible, make the kind of music I like and respect. Learn as much as I can about this beautiful world we live in. Pave the way for Hip-Hop artists from the UK and also open doors MC's of Middle Eastern and Arab descent, as I feel we are definitely an unrepresented minority in this game, and we have a voice that needs to be heard in the western world.

HHK: How do you rate the UK Hip-Hop scene compared to the US? What do you think we're lacking or what would you change?

Lowkey: We just do not have any type of infrastructure in this country, let alone prototype for success. That's why MC's are making dance tunes or R'n'B tunes with auto tune just to get a sniff of the charts. We are being reduced to monkeys in a cage desperately begging for the chance to compromise our integrity. The tastemakers in this country are just clueless about what can or can't succeed. I have been pigeon holed as a "political" or "controversial" artist as if there is no fan base for thought provoking Hip-Hop in the world. Unlike some of my peers I will never compromise my integrity for money, there is more to life. The tastemakers are generally gutless and scared. People would rather promote a stereotype because it makes them feel more comfortable and they believe it has more sales potential, the ironic thing is that, it is the trailblazers and innovators who make history and set the trends. Look at Eminem the biggest exception to the rule ever. He didn't just succeed because he was white, and racist people who were scared when 2pac rapped about killing people, for some reason felt invigorated by Eminem doing it. He didn't just succeed because he tapped into the teen angst felt by Marylyn Mansun fans all over the world, He succeeded because his undeniable lyrical ability afforded him credibility money can never buy. The problem is, these wankers who determine "whats hot and what's not" cannot tell the difference, they don't understand lyricism or our artform the way we do. That credibility counts for so much more than the other stuff, that's why when Major's sign artists who are not lyrically respected by their peers they will always be destined to fail. We need someone who is solidly respected for his or her skills to smash the door down.

HHK: Are the Poison Poets and yourself, the group to take the UK scene to the next level?

Lowkey: I don't know about Poisonous Poets, we all definitely have the skills to achieve it, even as individuals. Whether or not any of us truly have the will to do it, I'm not sure. I honestly believe Mongrel has the potential to open a new door for MC's from this country, just because of the bands associated with the project.

HHK: I seen you in concert before, what are your favourite cities to perform at? Will you be travelling abroad with your music soon?

Lowkey: My favourite show thus far was in Bath 2007, the atmosphere was electric. I enjoy festivals a lot, but it's only fun if you've got a tour bus to sleep on. I've never been a camping type of guy. We've got a show in Holland on the 16th and we are going to Venezuela on the 19th as guests of Hugo Chavez, we are going to do show there. That should be a real eye opener. Got something at a snowboarding festival in Switzerland, April I think which I'm looking forward to.

HHK: Any shoutouts or anything else you would like to add to the interview?

Lowkey: Thanks for the support Stu, it's much appreciated. Big up to all the listeners that have supported my music. Peace and Love.

HHK: Thanks for your time and good luck.

www.myspace.com/lowkeyuk
www.soempire.com
www.grindstonepromo.com
www.myspace.com/wearemongrel