Baby J

Hierzulande zollte man Baby J in erster Linie für sein 1999 erschienenes Meisterwerk “Birth” Respekt. Doch der Hype flaute schnell ab, der Produzent aus Derby musste sich in den letzten Jahren auf nationaler Ebene durchschlagen. Vor wenigen Tagen, am 21. Oktober, ist sein zweites Album “F.T.P.” erschienen, mit dabei sind bekannte Rapper wie Dead Prez und Shabazz The Disciple. Im Gespräch mit ugrap.de spricht der Meister über seinen jüngsten Streich und gibt auch gleich einen Ausblick auf zukünftige Veröffentlichungen. Dass das Interview so kurz und knackig ausgefallen ist liegt in erster Linie daran, dass sich J sämtlichen Fragen nach der politischen und religiösen Intention seines Umfeldes verweigerte. Macht nichts, letzten Endes zählt ohnehin nur die Musik…

How you doin’ Baby J? Introduce yourself please.

Baby J from Derby UK. Right now its all about the ‘baby J presents…F.T.P.’ album in stores now!

Your music has often been compared to the Wu-Sound, some people even called you a copy cat. How do you describe specifics of your music?

I just make what I feel. At the time wu was out I loved it so it had an effect on my sound, just like Premier and Eric B and Rakim before them. I just try and make music that moves people emotionally and makes your head nod.

Are you content with the reception of your music in the (inter-)national media?

Even though I been doing this a while the response, however small, always makes me happy. If I did a project that sold 200 units a label would look at it like ‘it only sold 200′ but I would be like ‘wow, 200 people have heard my music’ that’s a lot of people. Ive always had a lot of love from the DJ’s as well which is hot.

Your first album “Birth” was released on Bomb HipHop, a label which is located in San Francisco. How did you come in contact with them, why did you break up working with them?

I met through my man Dario who used to there artwork and stuff for Wu. They heard my music and he approached me about doing an instrumental album. I suggested we brought in the rappers. We’re still cool but the reason we didn’t release any more records together was because they didn’t make any money off the first one we did. I think there was a bit of naivety on both sides.

You featured a couple of US-Rappers on “Birth” – are you still in contact with some of them? Will there be any further collabos?

I’m still in touch with most of the people on “Birth”. The only people I don’t really see is Kinsmen and Bless. I still work regularally with A-Alikes who we had an album out with last night called ‘Live Or Die’. There’s a few cats off the last lp that’s on this one too.

Which one of your songs do you consider as the best one you ever did?

Oohh! That’s a hard one. It changes as you get into your newer stuff just like when your listening to other peoples stuff. The record I most proud of is Shabazz The Disciple – The Lambs Blood, just cause it’s the first one I ever had out.

You’re currently working on a new album – what can you tell me about this release?

It’s called ‘Baby J presents… F.T.P.’ and features everyone from Skinnyman to Dead Prez to Yogi to Ty. Its basically a collection of my favorite tracks from the artists I’ve worked with, its out now and im really pleased with it.

Are there any other projects you’re currently involved in?

I’m doing an album called “Antourage”, that is Yogi, Shade One and Rukus. It’ll be out late this year and I done a few joints on there. I’ve also done the whole of the new Blade album, that’s out in febuary 06 and is called ‘Guerilla Tactics’. Im also working with a young singer called Laurissa, that’s like a hip hop soul mix.

 

Who are the present members of the Black Samurai?

Black Samurai is a collection of artists who worked together on a series of albums. There’s no set group, I guess its just whose around each other at the time.

Where do you take your inspiration from?

I take my inspiration from all black music and from communist politics. I want to bring about to change, change from a system that don’t work, and music is my tool to do it.

From time to time we receive breaking news about racial flare-ups in different UK cities. How do you estimate the situation in your hometown?

My town is kinda quiet usually cause it’s a small town. But whenever you put one ethnic group in a economically worse position to another its going to result in all types of problems. My town is definitely not immune to this though.

Do you have any last words to our readers?

Hip hop is your music, it belongs to the people not some artists and labels. Support the music that works for you. Don’t work with police under any circumstances. All power to the people.