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If you are from London or from the UK and are into underground music culture, chances are – you will know the name Skibadee. If you are into jungle and drum and music, you will more than likely know how much of an impact this MC has had not just over the (d&b) scene’s MCs, but over emceeing in this country.

The double time style, pioneered in the UK by MCs such as Stevie Hyper D, Det, Fearless and Skibadee has provided template for many an MC to follow – many of your favourite grime/rap MCs will no doubt, rate the likes of Skiba and Hyper for helping to pioneer this style for the next generation of London spitters. Check the interviews with Durrty Goodz and Sway in my AllHipHop.com – UK week for evidence.

BeatCulture.net caught up with Skiba in South East London recently, to talk his own musical history and much much more.

In part 3 (of 3) we discuss the end of the jungle era, artists he has worked with, Harry Shotta, the evolution of the UK MC, Chase & Status, Pendulum, Top 5 MCs in the UK and US

Check parts 1 and 2 here.

BeatCulture.net: In your opinion, if you were to put a date on it. For me, I have a view on this, for me the culture now of drum and bass and jungle, if you were to split them out, or the vibe at least. I don’t really think that we are in a jungle era or even the culture exists how I know it. Would you agree with that and would you say that from your opinion was there a time that it didn’t feel like a jungle scene anymore?

For me when I was going raving, I noticed a massive difference – I started going raving about ’98 and I noticed a massive difference about 2000/2001. For me 2001, is when it really became the drum and bass era. Do you notice a time for you onstage looking at that?

Skibadee: I would say personally a little bit earlier than that, I would say about ’98 almost.

BeatCulture.net: What would you notice the main change – would that be the crowd or would it be the general vibe of the whole thing?

Skibadee: The music, the crowd and the actual size of the events. Because there was a change going on in terms of the actual music, less and less of the original junglists were coming out. Not that it was a big race thing or whatever, but before that the whole jungle thing had a lot of reggae influence and bass line sounds and rare groove [sounds] and a lot of vocally things within the music. I think around as early as late ’97, ’98, ’99 that’s the period

BeatCulture.net: When the vocal came out [of the music]…

Skibadee: I remember being in raves around ’98 and being like; “woah!”.
It literally went from events of 2000 [people] to events of 1000 [people] and not even that. People just standing there thinking; “what the fuck is this?’, just not getting it because the music was hard and so different to what they had been used to.

BeatCulture.net: That’s really interesting – because that is around the time the whole tech-step thing came through and also Roni Size was massive around then.

Skibadee: Don’t get me wrong there were guys were producing – but the main events, I just noticed there was quite a big change and I remember being there being like at least 2 or 3 times thinking; “woah…wow, what’s happening here?”. Before that the vibe, people were just like “Oh….”, all over it and now people were just standing there, thinking; “what is going on?” and the crowd response wasn’t as much.

It [the response] was nowhere near as much as before and things were just changing and people didn’t know what to make of it and I think more and more people started flaking off and diverting to the whole garage thing.

BeatCulture.net: Which is when garage blew up in ‘98/’99.

Skibadee: Exactly.

BeatCulture.net: I heard somewhere that you collaborated with Dizzee [Rascal], Kano and Chase & Status, is that true?

Skibadee: Well, no. Maybe on different little projects.

BeatCulture.net: Not on the same thing. Have you recorded with those artists?

Skibadee: Basically, what it is, I have done loads of little things with Shy FX and Shy FX has done loads of little things with Kano, Dizzee Rascal. So there are things that have been recorded here and there, but nothing that has been officially released yet.

BeatCulture.net: I was gonna say, can I have a listen?

Skibadee: (Laughs).

BeatCulture.net: How do you feel about how [Harry] Shotta’s doing – and obviously you have played a massive part in his career?

Skibadee: Yeah man, I look at that situation and I feel good about it as I have had a big part to play in at as well, in helping him to get him to where he is. He is overly talented, he puts in a lot of hard work and he has got a lot of hard drive and all that shit is paying off man. As I have said and I will say this publicly – all the MCs need to take a leaf out of that book and just look at the drive. He’s got a lot of other things on his side, the clarity in the voice and the energy that he is bringing. The work rate is peak man!

BeatCulture.net: Why do you think emceeing culture in this country is so big and what do you think about that, I mean it is a big deal innit?

Skibadee: I think basically it was only a matter of time.

BeatCulture.net: I mean you’ve obviously played a part in it.

Skibadee: When you look at how hip-hop started, it took 10, 15 maybe 20 years and I think that is what basically happened here. It is the same man, maybe a little bit slower but we are getting there finally. I mean look at Tinie Tempah, they are superstars – we are finally getting there, we just need to get a few more.

BeatCulture.net: How do you feel how Chase & Status and Pendulum have taken their drum and bass sound to the mainstream and obviously you will have worked with them at raves. How do you feel about that side of drum and bass being so big?

Skibadee: I think it is a good thing, drum and bass has always had the potential to go down that road and it doesn’t always have to be straight, hard, jump up drum and bass. The guys that are making this music, make music as a whole and I think the Chase & Status’ and the Pendulums’ I think that they show that, they come in and they have made their name off making drum and bass music and they fucking love all music and they can do other stuff as well, they do like other stuff and there probably is more money in other stuff. But, I think that the fact they do other stuff is all good.

Chase & Status – Time (note: this is one of my favourite C&S tunes)

BeatCulture.net: A bit more of a quick fire thing – who would you say your top 5 UK MCs are (any genre)?

Skibadee: Dizzee Rascal, Harry Shotta, myself, Skepta and Tinie Tempah -because of his achievements, not necessarily because of his lyrical ability.

BeatCulture.net: Top 5 US (international) MCs – any era?

Skibadee: Jay Z, Nas, J.Cole, Drake – he’s killing it at the moment and Lil Wayne.

BeatCulture.net: Top 3 hip-hop albums ever?

Skibadee: Nas – Illmatic.

One of my personal favourites is NWA – EFIL 4 ZAGGiN I used to love that album back in the day.

Snoop – Doggystyle

BeatCulture.net: Jay Z or Nas?

Skibadee: I would have to say, personally Nas.

BeatCulture.net: Yeah, standard! Rakim or [Big Daddy] Kane?

Skibadee: Kane.

BeatCulture.net: Oooh.

Skibadee: He’s just personally my favourite, I used to love Rakim as well. But for me it is all about certain [Kane] tunes.

BeatCulture.net: Kane is sick, it is interesting for me that you say that because you chose Nas over Jay Z, but then Kane over Rakim. The 2 styles, if you were to put styles together, you would put Nas with Rakim and Jay Z with Kane. But then with the father of Nas’s style [Rakim] you actually prefer Kane.

Skibadee: Hmm. Yeah.

BeatCulture.net: What are your plans for the future?

Skibadee: I am just going to keep going strong, maybe bring out a couple of albums. I have been making a lot of music over the last few years that hasn’t seen the light of day to be honest. Just because I am a bit of a perfectionist. And, I keep on getting dragged into other things.

BeatCulture.net: You mentioned Shy FX earlier, are there any other big producers you have worked with?

Skibadee: Yeah some stuff, with The Wideboys, loads of little other drum and bass producers that I am working with. There’s another guy called Bluestone, I am working on some commercial stuff with him. But in terms of tracks I have easily got around 150 tracks, a lot of music. Mainly I would say hip-hop, I have got a few dance bits.

Skibadee, Bluestone & Adi – Bass Addict

BeatCulture.net: Serious man?

Skibadee: Yeah a lot of music. I have basically learnt to record myself in my own studio. I have got my own little set up. My own Pro Tools, my own pre amp. So people send me beats all the time and I do the tracks at home and I have the freedom to do that.

BeatCulture.net: How do you think jungle MCs like yourself can take it into the mainstream and take it out of the clubs and fully become recording artists?

Skibadee: It is not easy you know to step out of your comfort zone and do something else at a different tempo, but I think that is what I have done behind close doors – over the last 2/3 years, probably even longer than that.

BeatCulture.net: It’s just about getting the product right?

Skibadee: Yeah, I mean where I am at now, for the last 2/3 years the tracks that I have been doing of late, I don’t even write the lyrics no more. I just go in there and do it. I know what lyrics I wanna say and do and I haven’t written any tracks for about 2 years, but I have recorded easily 50/60/70 odd tracks. It is more of feeling than anything.

BeatCulture.net: A couple of other quick fire questions. Who would you say your best DJ is to MC with?

Skibadee: Right now, I would probably say DJ Hazard. Because he plays the sort of style that I am accustomed to.

BeatCulture.net: Best MC to go back to back with?

Skibadee: Either Harry Shotta or Fun.

BeatCulture.net: Your favourite drum and bass MC?

Skibadee: My favourite drum and bass MC? It would probably have to be Stevie Hyper D. Straight.

BeatCulture.net: Wicked man, thanks!

For more information on Skibadee, follow him on Twitter @therealskibz or check out his facebook fan page; www.facebook.com/mcskibadee.

images via MKVibe.