Shifty – Face Of the future?

Shifty has worked with the best in Grime and has been linked to some very influential people. With the upcoming releases of several e.p’s, I felt it only right that I catch up with the Manchester sensation to see what the latest is.

Mo-Mo; Thanks for taking some time out to do this interview, firstly, Who Is Shifty and what are you about?

Shifty; I’m a 21 year old artist from Manchester and basically my music is about me and what I go through in life, everything that runs through my head. I’m a grime emcee but I can do hip-hop, I’ve also done funky and bassline. Anything and everything, I can jump on anything really but grime is my thing.

Mo-Mo; So, you’re a versatile artist?

Shifty; I’ve done loads of different genres, not just grime. I’ve done rap, hip-hop, funky house, bassline, grime, acoustic sets where people were just playing the piano, guitar, recorders. Anything that makes sound and I’ll jump on it. It’s part of been an artist and not just an emcee.

Mo-Mo; So have you got any mixtapes coming out?

Shifty; Yes, called Graveyard Shift. It’s got 18 tracks and it’s all my new stuff, hopefully people will hear it and just realise. (laughs)

Mo-Mo; Which artists can we expect to feature on Graveyard Shift?

Shifty; Well, (laughs), my CD has got Ghetto, Devlin, Trauma, Wiley, Slayer, Wrigley, Trigga and myself. I could have got more on it but I thought I would keep it limited this time and then next time I can make it even bigger with more and different people.

Mo-Mo; Is there anybody else you would like to work with?

Shifty; (laughs), I don’t even know because I don’t sit down and think like that. If I’m ever around an individual and I hear them doing music and I like they’re sound then I think oh my life, that’s me. That’s just how I am.

Mo-Mo; Who are you feeling in the West Midlands scene?

Shifty; Trauma, Trilla, Stayfresh – they are really good and Vader. I think Trauma is the best though, I said that from time. No disrespect to any other emcee but Trauma is the best in my head and in my ears. I haven’t heard anyone doing what his doing!

Mo-Mo; You mentioned you have worked with Wiley, what was that like?

Shifty; It was really good because he knows what he’s doing. Wiley is a big man but he can relate to everyone in every situation, Even when your in studio, he can help you with your flow. He can just help you in any way that you need help, even just to talk to.

Mo-Mo; What is your opinion on the Manchester grime scene?

Shifty; It is very different to the Birmingham and London scene, very different. You wouldn’t even know there was a music scene going on in Manchester! The thing that keeps Manchester going is the Internet, word of mouth and tracks on people’s phones, there isn’t anything really solid. It’s hard because London have got everything already there, they don’t need to go anywhere else. There are some London artists and Birmingham artists that listen to our music and want to collaborate, but it is harder for us. However, once you get in there, it is harder to not do anything, know what I mean? There are a few of us, like me, Slayer, Wrigley, Rio, Dready, Plat’num, Trigga and a couple others that are keeping it together and building something solid, we are getting somewhere, it’s just a longer process. It’s hard to get to the top but once you get there, it’s good.

Mo-Mo; You mentioned it’s a lot harder to break through, would you want the support of another person to push you forward or would you want to do it on your own? For example, Wiley helped Chipmunk.

Shifty; If I’m real, what it is with me, I would prefer to do it on my own but it depends who the person helping is, if I know what they’re about and they’re going to be proper with they’re money in helping me. I’ll get involved but I wouldn’t sign my life away, for me to get involved with someone they would have to be serious, very serious.

Mo-Mo; What would happen if you and all the main artists in Manchester got together collectively and started something?

Shifty; You just answer that question and write something crazy! (laughs), Because, you know what would happen! It would be a very, very good thing. It has been talked about but what it is is that not everyone can get on easy all the time, so things don’t run how you want them to run. We have tried it before, we had a group called ‘The Team’, but it didn’t fully work out, it just went to pot. Everybody is good with each other but we just couldn’t agree on things, but there are a few individuals that could do it and make something massive happen. Definitely!

Mo-Mo; So could we ever see a Shifty – C4 connection?

Shifty; Me & Wrigley were basically together anyway, from when we first started music. So, deep down, even though we’re not a crew, we kind of are a crew. Anything I do his involved with, anything he does I’m involved with, even if we’re not there. I’m backing C4 and they’re backing me. I’m not in them but I’m with them, so perhaps you might see a shifty – C4 project.

Mo-Mo; The West Midlands and London have got successful music labels, is there anything like that in Manchester?

Shifty; In Manchester, right now, there’s nothing like that but there is people who are doing their thing. I would say that the people in the best position are Plat’num, they have had their tracks featured on the TV and they have become a brand name, don’t forget they are a pop group. We can and will do it but it’s just going to take a while. When we have done it we can pass it along and just hope the youngsters don’t mess it up. London has got it though! Wiley, Westwood, BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 1xtra, Rinse and everything else, they just play Grime and everything all day. Manchester has got Peace FM, it’s a good radio station but it’s not enough to push a city.

Mo-Mo; You have been working with Trauma on a recent project called ‘Birminchester’, how has that been? What can we expect?

Shifty; Really Good! His a muppet though, (laughs), No, No I’m only joking, (laughs), It’s been really good. It’s definitely going to go far! Me and Trauma are like the same person but from two totally different places and when we come together it’s like we have known each other for years, everything we do we just catch joke, never argue, it’s good times all the time, especially in the studio. Me and Trauma went to the studio last week Thursday, by the next day we had 12 tracks recorded! I said to Trauma, ‘Imagine if we were coming studio two or three times a week and doing that’, We would have loads of albums for you!

Mo-Mo; Woah! So the work rate is high!

Shifty; Very! (Laughs), It’s out the window that! That’s ran off that window has! (Laughs), all I do is get up and do music. I live, breath and eat music.


Mo-Mo; What’s still to come from Shifty?

Shifty; I’ve got my CD ‘Graveyard Shift’, mine and Traumas ‘Birminchester’, (laughs), you have to put loads of laughs though, like ‘mwahahahaahahahahahaha’ with colours around the words so that it stands out! I have got more things coming but no names yet, I have got loads of material but I’m just working on one thing at a time.

Mo-Mo; Would you say your already there or still progressing?

Shifty; I’m not a big headed person so even if I was there I would say I’m not, you know what I mean? I always look up and see more, I’m not there yet. I have still got loads to do. Obviously, I can be there but I’m not yet, definitely not yet. There is a lot more to come from Shifty. Others have been doing it for years, Wiley for instance, look how long his been doing it for! When Wiley was first spitting I was in primary school. I’m definitely still progressing but I will be up there soon.

Mo-Mo; Thank you Shifty

Shifty; It’s ok sweetheart (laughs)

In my opinion, Shifty has the ability to go far with his music. His mannerisms, and personality has definitely shone through this interview. The ability to have fun whilst still been informative, he is a determined and hard working humble character and i wish him the very best with his music.

Check Shifty on twitter; @ShiftyM21

Romo&Stomz – OnTopRoboForm?

I caught up with the two Midlands based artists to see what the latest is, especially after the word on the rumour mill is Romo has been linked to some very influential artists & the release of Stomz debut E.P Here’s the exclusive SupaTrax interview…

SupaTrax; Lads, Lads, Lads….Thank you so much for taking time out of your schedules to do this interview for me…

Romo & Stomz; (laughs) it’s ok mo-mo

Supatrax; Right, So who is Stomz? & what are you about?

Stomz; Whose Stomz? Well, Stomz is an artist, not just a grime artist. I’d say Stomz is kind of the man that’s got his own style, doesn’t sound like anybody else, so if you say whose Stomz then an individual that’s who Stomz is.

SupaTrax; Ok, So what about you Romo? Who is Romo & what are you about?

Romo; Romo is a lot of things, not just an artist but an aspiring young entrepreneur, (laughs), I don’t even want to say too much but keep your eyes peeled because I can entertain in more ways than one. What am I about? Well, again, I’m about a lot of things, it’s kind of hard to explain. It’s more a thing of keep your eyes peeled and look out for more if you want to see what I’m really about. I can’t really put it into words because I could wake up tomorrow and I’m about something then wake up another day and I’m about something else. Do you know what I mean? All I know is that I’m serious. Just know that its serious things, Stay locked if you want to know more.

Supatrax; Who inspired you to do music?

Romo; My Mum is my main inspiration for my music. It’s best to say my mum inspired me because she’s a singer. I grew up in a household with music around me so that’s what’s made me want to do music so bad.
Stomz; My dad’s side of the family are involved in music, my uncle is a musician. It’s one of them ones where it’s my time.

Supatrax; what’s your view on the grime scene at the moment? As a whole and/or Birmingham
Romo; For Birmingham, I would say it’s good. The grime scene in Birmingham is developing again, it’s coming back stronger. Obviously, there’s controversy as everyone knows. People are doing things that they don’t need to be doing. Everyone should just watch their own thing and do their own thing. I think everyone is just on some hype thing at the moment (laughs) on madness. I personally, think the London scene is going good, people are getting signed for different things, some people are saying some people have sold out but at the end of the day it’s music. Overall, Grime is back, it dideh. Let’s just hope that grime can be charted and then people won’t have to necessarily cross over into other genres, they can stick to what they want to do if that’s what they want to do.

Supatrax; Stomz, what’s your view on the grime scene at the moment?

Stomz; (laughs) I would say certain artists are gassed! There are a lot of artists that think they can sound like certain other artists and get the recognition for sounding like another artist. It’s not that! Certain artists have got their own styles and other artists are trying to teef flows. Certain Birmingham artists are gas still but there are artists out there that are doing their own thing. Artists from London need to branch out from Grime early so that they can’t be labelled sell outs and just doing music. That’s what I’ve got to say.

Supatrax; What artists in the Grime scene are you feeling? That’s Birmingham and the UK

Romo; There’s too many for me to sit here and just say names. It’s more ok, they’re could be a song from so and so and the songs good and I like that song but then they might come with another song and I don’t like that song but it’s the same for another artist. I just respect everyone whose on they’re thing and just stay true to what they’re doing. I listen to myself and who I’m around; Stomz, Young Greatness, Flawz etc. but other than that obviously I hear everything what people put out but I kind of keep to my circle and not get trapped into other things that I don’t need to get trapped into.

Supatrax; Romo! The rumour mill is spinning! I’m hearing your working with some big influential artists….Supatrax would like the lowdown!

Romo; (laughs) Ahhh, I don’t want to say too much, I don’t blow my own horn (horn noise). Just keep locked. At the end of the day, I’ve got Birmingham on the back, I’m carrying the brand forward, making them know, so yes, that’s what it is, (laughs), representing the home sides.
Supatrax; Ahhh…Lets be blunt…So how was your Studio session with Wiley?

Romo; (Laughs) that was good! That was a good thing, it was a shock but I would like to think I held it down for Birmingham. When the song comes out and people hear that song they’re going to be like, ‘There’s a man on there from Birmingham and his gone hard’ so on and so forth. That again, is a good look. It will make people more perceptive of other artists that aren’t from London.

Supatrax; When can we be hearing the song with yourself and Wiley?

Romo; You can hear it now on the Jam Your Hype mixtape. It’s on there, so make sure you cop that and also look out for the Prelude E.P at the same time. That’s a bonus…whole loads of songs on there! 20 tracks deep and more, (laughs), loads of goodies!!

Supatrax; Stomz, you recently released your song ‘Kryptonion Sounds’ produced by Rynsa Man. What’s the feedback been like?

Stomz; I don’t really look for feedback but it’s getting plays, so people obviously like it and obviously it’s one of those that people can relate to because I’m seeing the bars floating around on Facebook and on status’ so it’s getting good feedback. ‘Kryptonion Sounds’ will be on my 2nd cd too so watch out for that one.

Supatrax; You’ve both had definitive starts to 2010, what can we expect from the both of you for the rest of this year?

Stomz; Things are in progress, we’ve got music coming. CD’s, E.P’s, starting up some ideas that can’t really be said too much about until they are along the way of nearly there but it’s one of them, a lot of things are coming.

Supatrax; Ok lads…let SupaTrax into some exclusives

Stomz & Romo; Robo

Supatrax; What’s Robo?

Stomz; Watch this space

Romo; To continue on the exclusivity from Stomz, I’m going to add face to that. So, RoboFace. I’m not saying anymore (laughs), but alots coming, a lot.

Supatrax; So we can be expecting a lot from Romo and Stomz in 2010. Thank you for taking the time out and we’ll catch up with you soon.

Ghanaian Singing Beauty....

I was listening to Funky house the other day, when I came across a very talented female. Flavia’s soulful voice sounded perfect over the funky house beat created by Knox Brown, her anthem ‘funky gave me you’ is definitely going to be a hit on the urban funky house scene.
Flavia Abrokwa is a singer/songwriter hailing from Wolverhampton, born in 1989 in Italy to Ghanaian parents. She has only been focusing on her music for the past 7months but what an impact she has had, from song writing to lyricist Metamore featuring on her very first single to performing ‘funky gave me you’ at various events in London, Birmingham and Manchester. I caught up with Flavia to ask her a couple of quick questions.

SupaTrax: “So, Flavia what inspired you to do music?”

Flavia: “I’ve always loved music. I felt it’s always been a major part of me. When I was younger I did loads of silly school shows and talent shows.”

SupaTrax: “What started your journey in the music industry?”

Flavia: “It was about 7months ago, one of my close friends took me to Knox Brown’s Studio. Knox heard me sing and asked me to go in the booth. It was there that I recorded my first song ‘Extra’ which featured inspirational lyricist Metamore. It was all up hill from then.”

SupaTrax: “What does the future hold for Flavia? Any exclusives for SupaTrax?”

Flavia: “Since my first single ‘Extra’, I’ve been working on several projects. I’ve made two hip-hop singles and an electro single. I’ve also been promoting my new track ‘Funky gave me you’ and it’s going well, its lead me to be booked at several different events and it’s been played on different radio stations. I’m looking forward to events in Manchester and London where I will be performing next month. An exclusive for SupaTrax, (laughs), well I’m currently recording a new funky house single which is supported by different promoters. Also, fingers crossed I will be performing in Ayia Napa this summer.

SupaTrax: “Just before you go Flavia, give the fans and SupaTrax an insight into the new age class.”

Flavia: “The new age class is a Birmingham to London link up. We are a team of talented people that range from producers to artists. We can make beats and music mainly grime and funky house.”

SupaTrax: “Thank you for taking time out of your schedule for us Flavia. It’s much appreciated. Do keep us updated with any new releases and news.”

Flavia: “Anytime, thank you.”

So Where Have I Been?

I promised myself that i would keep on top of my blog.....3months later and it's only now I'm writing a new post...i have to laugh.

I've been holidaying like i don't know what, i definitely got caught up!! But, I'm back and more serious than ever!! I've had some big wake up calls but they were necessary because they've made me more determined!! I've downloaded the app to allow me to update my blog like twitter :D yayyy lol! Now I have no excuses at all to not post!!

I'm taking my blog down another route...I've got interviews upon interviews that need an outlet so I'm going to put them on here :) Stay Tuned for that :)

This blog; Interviews, Opinions & Latest Releases :)

xo