In your opinion, how strong is the UK Hip Hop scene right now, and how far away are we from a time when our tracks can sit proudly alongside those of our American cousins? Or more to the point, is it even relevant if we're accepted and marketed in the US?
I don’t care about selling records in America! I care about selling to my audience! Get in where ya fit in ya know? But the scene’s stronger but also more fragmented than it’s ever been. You got man like Dizzy Rascal coming out, So Solid doing their version, the underground jiggy fake American shit, and then you got overly patriotic UK Hip Hop. Thankfully you have a super MC like me who covers all bases and will put the scene back together!
You’ve adopted a 'DIY' approach to the industry in past years, you set up your own label Riddim Killa, and have managed yourself for a considerable time. What's your reasoning? Isn't this just creating more work for yourself?
Basically I’m not the trusting type - serious! I don’t trust people too tuff! If I mess up then it’s on me. If someone else messes up then I wanna hit them with a bat, ya know? Besides, Braintax (the label manager) keeps me in check and I’m on it really, don’t let my drunken image fool you!
Does the future of British Hip Hop excite you?
Course it does bruv! I love this Hip Hop shit! But it’s a young mans sport, and the youts are definitely g’wanin’ with tings. It‘s more about the mentality of the scene - the yout - dem need to free up the vibes some more and stop being stuck in their little pockets of what they think Hip Hop music is. Y’all need to enbrace more music.
Finally Rodney, what's the bigger picture? What do you want from this Hip Hop game?
I wanna get money, get money! Buy houses, buy land - I want a Bentley like Puffy’s got! (Rolls around laughing) , nah seriously, like my album says - it’s about building for the future and finding what’s next. We need to keep this moving, cos I’m in it...I’m a huge fan of this music...