Danze Interview - June 2008 - Click image to enlarge
How did you get started?
"Well i loved rap and hip hop since hearing Dr Dre and the old classic heads like 2-pac, Nas you know the names that are on everyones lips. Was staying at a mates house using his Internet when i was about 12-13 and stumbled on a site they were text battling. I signed up to battle and got murked. But seriously my name was Crayola."
How did you get into spitting?
"I started rapping basically because i was a troubled kid that couldn't convey emotion, I was only writing back in the early days, have only really been recording for about a year maybe. But all i ever use to spit was battle bars. Really shit battle bars"
What did your first ever track you make sound like?
"First ever Ha Ha i remember it was a real quite, shit quality and robbed a random beat that i didn't know how to flow with audio. But gave it a go and got slated big time. Was a freestyle. And I hope no one has it for proof."
Any influential artists?
"Yeah man, every artist has influences, even if they deny it and claim they self taught. First was Eminem. I heard ''Hi My Name Is'' and bought it straight up, well i say I bought it, got my older mates to buy it, that was my first ever CD. But now days, id say my biggest influence is Jehst. I love his vocab and content, something you can just chill to. Foreign Beggars are amazing also."
What do you use to get that fat vocal sound?
"I use a Samson CO1U and a Popmask. Thats it, USB Mic easy to use, get good quality but im thinking of investing in a new set up."
How do you feel about the state of Hip-Hop at the moment?
"Seriously, Hip Hop hassen't died, its just been forced back underground, cuz of pricks like 50 cent and Young Jeezy among other, that have single handedly made Hip Hop as an art basically no longer existent in the mainstream of today, although i think when Nas drops his next album that might switch shit up, But as far as UK Hip Hop, It has been over looked cuz every next kid wants to be JME and Skepta and shout on tracks over garage beats."
Out of all the Hip-Hop tracks ever released, which one would you most like to have been a part of?
"Jehst Feat Tommy Evens - Water Tourture. I love that track got a distinctive sound and a well flipped topic."