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Lethal Bizzle Moving With The Times |
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Saturday, 31 March 2007 |
 Fresh from performing at the SXSW festival in Texas and the whole controversy that was ‘Jizzy Tissue’ at Comic Relief The Bizzle concludes our two-part feature with some insight into a possible collaboration with Jay-Z and his thoughts on the racial climate in the UK at the moment.
Many have admired the relationship that Lethal Bizzle has built up with Radio 1 personality Tim Westwood over the years since the release of ‘Forward Riddim’ and he has managed to gain spot outside of the usual last 15 minutes that Westwood usually allocates to most UK acts, “A lot of people in my scene are like ‘aww Westwood shouldn’t play our music’, but why? It’s because of Westwood that Jay-Z performed over ‘Forward Riddim’, he’s one of the biggest DJ’s in Europe.” Lethal argued. “Westwood has really opened peoples eyes because there is such a stigma where he’s one of those characters where if he plays it it’s gotta be good, he doesn’t play shit. That’s why he’s been on top of the game for the last 20 years, he knows what he’s doing. If he plays a record then it’s gotta be hot in some way, shape or form” added Lethal.
Lethal is one of a small number of UK artists that has gained recognition in the US market in the shape of a collaboration with Kanye West-affiliate Twista on the Kray Twins produced ‘What We Do’ and even Def Jam CEO Jay-Z acknowledging his music, “I got the text from Westwood saying that that he’s just spoken to Green Lantern (Jay-Z’s DJ) and he said that Jay-Z’s considering performing over ‘Forward Riddim’. I was like ‘whoa’” explained Lethal. I
t was in late 2006 when Lethal Bizzle realised jus how far his music had reached when hip-hop legend Jay-Z performed over ‘Forward Riddim’ during his UK tour to surprise of all in attendance, “The weekend he [Jay-Z] did the Manchester show Rio Ferdinand text me and said ‘Bro, Jay-Z’s just spat on ‘Forward Riddim’ and the whole place is going nuts!’. I’m thinking ‘Oh my God I need to go the Wembley show’ but I had to go to Amsterdam that weekend. So when I got back I went to the show at the Royal Albert Hall and I was sitting in the Def Jam box with Westwood and a few others and he did it there, right in front of my own eyes. The whole place was going ballistic and he just started rhyming over it.”
Lethal has reportedly recorded some choruses for both Jay-Z and Memphis Bleek and is awaiting confirmation from Jay-Z’s camp over what exactly is going to be done with them “I’ve spoken to Green Lantern and he told me to do a chorus for Jay and a chorus for Memphis Bleek, so I’ve done the choruses and sent them over. I’ve also spoken to Semtex and apparently their discussing what they’re going to use it for and allegedly he’s [Jay-Z] recorded his verse already.”
So how must of it have felt for one of your idols growing up embracing a piece of music you made? Pretty damn good from the sounds of it, “It was a big feeling for me and it shows the potential of the music over here and he understands it to. From when he [Jay-Z] understands it, it’s a good look for everyone because he’s another trendsetter because whatever he does people are going to want to watch and follow. It was a good look for me and the UK, I don’t think that’s ever happened before.”
As a regular performer at the LMHR (Love Music Hate Racism) events which are held in order to counter the actions of the BNP and National Front, race relations clearly a matter close to his heart, “I’m from a predominately Black and Asian area so when I started making this music I automatically thought that they would be the people who would listen to me. What I started to realize over the years is that it’s not like that, if you like music you like music. That’s where I think the LMHR campaign is really working because when I perform there almost 75% of the crowd are white teenagers who were going absolutely mad to my songs as much as the black kids and it was just nice to see the mix of backgrounds, it’s just unity by way of the music.”
After the recent uproar over the recent series of Celebrity Big Brother and in particular the actions of one Jade Goody it seems as though he is not one to forgive in hurry, “The stuff she said really just turned my stomach. To be an ethnic minority in this country is hard enough and then you’ve got people like Jade Goody who originally went on Big Brother and made millions off of being stupid and there’s people struggling all over the country and your going on the show and chatting shit and talking to her [Shilpa Shetty] like that. You can’t come back after that. If you’re racist you’re racist, you can’t stop being racist overnight, it’s just in you. Back in the day my dad used to tell me that in the 60’s and 70’s when he first came over that it was ridiculous and you couldn’t go to certain areas. Now it’s a lot different but there’s still racism, it’s just swept under the carpet.” Lethal explained.
When asked if he would ever participate in the reality TV series he replies with a resounding no, “Even for the right amount of money that might be the last bit of money you’ll see!” chirped Lethal. “As soon as you go on Big Brother you’re not cool anymore, you go on there and it exposes you. I think that’s what helps to make you as an artist; people always wondering about what you’re like outside of the music, it kinda gives you that aura about yourself” Lethal added.
Having always been a vocal admirer of the fairer sex (check out the song ‘The Best’ off the first album for proof) and never one to shy away from it in his music, Lethal seems to be taking a step away from the current wave of artists using the predictable cast of Channel U girls, “There’s some really good ones [girls] out there but the thing is I’m the Bizzle and I can’t have you in my video if you’ve been on every other random guys video. A message to all the girls is just to know what videos your doing and choose the right ones. A lot of it is just to get recognised in the street; they love it, you know girls love attention! But to be honest there isn’t much of a scene over here, unless you’re going to do FHM or something, it’s not like America yet.”
Lethal Bizzle’s new album “Back To Bizznizz” is out June 2007.
Words By: Dane Bradshaw
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