"Up to date / state of the art / take part, get taken apart as I make my mark"
Welcome to the South Easy
Run The Mic UK, Sat 14th Sept, with Jehst, Skinnyman, English Frank, Ceezlin, Frankie Stew + Harvey Gunn
Jehst, Skinyman, English Frank, Ceezlin
I’d imagine that everyone reading this will have a fair idea of recent UK hip-hop history and will need no introduction to at least two of the four headliners at Concorde 2 this Saturday night. Jehst and Skinnyman have both been around for so long they’ve got professionally written bios, commissioned way back in the golden age when writers used to get paid for their drivel. I know cos I happened upon a ticket site when looking for details of tonight’s show and it was spooky. These guys hadn’t updated their database since 2005. Ancient history, when Jehst was cresting his first wave, before Skinnyman went back inside. When you could say “Jehst is the best kept secret in British rap and one of the most consistent artists to break out of the UK over the last five years” and that Skinnyman is a “rising MC star on the UK hip hop scene“. Both men are veterans now, you know what to expect, it seems a fair bet they’ll put on a good show. Jehst in particular — on a good night with the right audience — conjures an energy his records struggle to capture. Worth checking out.
Despite being another old white guy, English Frank is a relative newcomer in comparison. That’s not to say he’s an unknown quantity, even without an official bio the torrent of material he’s released since his debut early in 2011 fill in enough details to go on. Broad south London accent, self-proclaimed ‘white British trash‘ who ‘can’t afford British Gas‘. Working class and no fool, or in his words ‘I am no dumb white pub(punk?) scum I am clever‘. For me he’s more in common with the kind of post-grhyme soul sound Ghetts and Devlin were pioneering at the turn of the decade than the type of traditional boom bap of Jehst and Skinnyman. It’ll be interesting to see how he adapts his incredibly intense routines to the more carefree party atmosphere of Brighton on a Saturday night.
Last of the night’s heavy hitters is Brighton’s own man of the moment Ceezlin. I have to be honest and admit that Ceezlin confuses me. Not necessarily in a bad way. He’s a phenomenally talented raper and it’s always a pleasure to watch him rhyme. He’s also got the kind of honesty I admire in an emcee, the type of refreshing bluntness that sees lines like ‘I weren’t born from a pussy/They cut me out/My mother’s stoumach pouch‘ jump out the speaker with caustic venom. But he’s a whole different generation from those other guys on the bill. They’ve got their sound worked out, Ceezlin still sounds like he’s experimenting, working things out, growing in potential every time I see him. I’m not sure where he’s going to go next, but most likely it’s going to be an interesting journey. Earlier this week I had a quick chat with him about his new recording deal and this Saturday’s show, scroll down to read it.
Also appearing are Frankie Stew & Harvey Gunn, Kush D and DJ Deceptakut. I’d like to send an apology out to Frankie for spelling his name wrong in last week’s gig preview. I promise it won’t happen again, Frankei.
Doors open at 11pm. Door tax is £2 until midnight and £5 after. Finish time is 4am.
Ceezlin
First up, congratulations on signing with SBTV earlier this year. Does this mean you’re in a position to have a word with them about the jingle at the start of all their videos?
loooooooooooooooooooool. It does need fixing doesn’t it?
I don’t have a problem with it, really. It’s just I’ve heard it too many times now. Would you be up for doing a custom version?
Haha, yeah, I would make a sick one
How did the deal come about? And what does it involve? Are you working on a album for them?
Took about 6 months worth of meetings … Then signed with them finally on the 21st of June 2013. My deal is 2 EPs and 5 albums… the 5th album being optional.
So have you started work on the first of those albums?
Started working on the 1st EP yes … Got one more studio session then it will be ready I reckon.
Can you say who you’ve been working with?
I got a big track with Squeeks, Young Teflon, Griminal & Dubz all featuring and I’ve got another two with Big Narstie and another with Sickman.
Are you a fan of any of the other artists on Friday night’s bill? Are there any of them you’ve played with before? Are there any of them whose show you’re really looking forward to?
If I had to pick one out of the 3 it would English Frank, then Skinnyman, then Jehst… I met Jehst a couple years ago before one of his gigs, we were chilling at DJ Ideals’ yard and he’s a childhood friend of Jehst’s and did the cuts on his first album. I supported Skinnyman and Professor Green three or four times a few years ago and Skinnyman is a joker, down to earth and interacts well with his audience … I’m feeling a couple of English Frank’s tunes but not so much the other two. Honestly, they are all sick rappers but just not my thing, their tracks just aren’t my cuppa tea. I’m looking forward to English Frank’s set the most cuz I’ve never seen him live and I’ve seen Jehst before and Skinnyman a fair few times.
One final issue to cover, the most important one. What would your sales pitch be for anyone out there reading this with too many options on Saturday night? Why should they come down? What do you bring to your show that they won’t be able to get any other place in Brighton this weekend?
You don’t get this kind of night or line up every weekend. You can go to the same old clubs every weekend so why not come and watch us perform this weekend for a change.. simple.. You’ll more than likely enjoy this night more than the same old club night on a Saturday. Plus it’s cheap as chips! I got some nice exclusives to perform on the night and you’re only gonna hear them once that night until they are released, a long way away!
"Up to date / state of the art / take part, get taken apart as I make my mark" 