With the release of his new project ‘Ancient Tapes Vol.2 – The Lost Art’ out now and getting a good response from Hip-Hop fans both here in the UK and overseas, we thought we’d get to know more about Quest Rah. Tricksta asks the questions…

How ya doing fam, hope you’re good. How’s life and how’s everything going with the project?
Sup Tricksta, all good brother. The project has had a real positive response. As it’s an independent effort, it’s been pushed a lot through internet and now I’m just trying to sort out dates for some performances and get interacting with the people.

There are some amazing producers on this project and it definitely has an Eastern influence in the musicality. Tell us more about the producers that contributed towards this project.
Word, thanks man. I drew the best beats I was given and made sure there was a consistency to the sound with all the production, even though I wouldn’t even consider this an album! I try and put attention to detail like that and felt like the consistency of the production on Vol.2 would be one of the improvements over Vol.1. Ancient Arts contributed 4 beats. He is always consistent and matches my style perfectly. Insomniak and Silent Trigger are two British Asian producers who just released their debut dubstep project called ‘No More Trouble’ . Ayman Raze is from veteran UK hip-hop group The Planets, who have been reppin’ the UK since the late 90’s, so I was definitely happy to get a contribution from him. I produced like a third of the joint too! Plus I got a contribution for Saadoun who is a popular North African musician in the UK. It was great working with a non Hip-Hop artist and seeing how we could blend styles. I think ‘El Ijaza (Vacation)’ is quite a unique track.

There are some great collaborations too. I loved the track with Phoenix Da Icefire; I think together you sound good. How did the track come about and can tell us more about the other emcee on the track Phonetikz?
Well I had a lil’ cipher with Phoenix after a show once and I offered to send him some beats I played him. I heard some of his stuff through Masikah who was in the group called Orphans of Cush. So a few months later I contacted him to see if he was interested in doing this ‘Opium Warz’ track and he came through. The track is basically using the metaphor of an incident in the history of China when in the early 20th century, Britain was smuggling in Opium from India and making a lucrative trade out of it at the expense of the populations health, wealth and productivity. In the same way in these days and times we are pumped with all different types of “drugs” like the tel-lie-vision, celebrity lifestyles, negative music, materialism, the drug and drink culture, and even iPhones! Haha. Phonetikz he’s my younger brother! He’s a deep lyricist, really sharpened his craft over the last couple of years. And he should be coming with a project very soon, so keep a look out ‘cos it will be ill…

You style seems deeper and more conscious than materialism, battle rapping and punchline type rap. How would you describe your music and ‘Ancient Tapes Vol.2 – The Lost Art’?
My mind is deeper and more conscious than materialism! I’m tryna deal with reality in the music. Tryin’ to find solutions to problems. Even some of the more conscious raps deal only with problems rather than solutions. All these guys rappin pure materialism are rappin pure animal instinct. Even worse than animal instinct actually, because at least animals act according to their nature. We are humans, and our reality is much deeper than materialism and desires. 

A lot of artists are doing music videos now to promote their products or are doing freestyles for channels like SBTV. Do you have any music videos or any footage up on You Tube?
Yeah there’s a fair bit of my stuff on YouTube, including an SBTV type clip I did for New Sound Era. I’m also planning to do a video for 5th Element and The Weak & The Strong with Global Faction, so look out for that! I’m also lookin to do a new piece breakin down the financial system, look out for that!

Politics in music, especially Hip-Hop is becoming a lot more popular, with every UK rapper having a track about wars and oil, the illumanti or the London riots. Why do you think UK Hip-Hop has got so political and does music really change people’s opinions on issues?
Yeh the UK scene artists are dealing with a lot of issues, and that’s what hip-hop is about in its purest form. There is not as much money involved here in the UK – artists have much more freedom to say what they want because they have nothing to lose. The only thing I will say is that, it shouldn’t become the fashionable thing to do to gain popularity, because just like any ‘faze’ it will die out and people will move onto the next thing. Also we all know what can happen when money gets involved. Anyhow yeah I think it does change your opinions because there is a lot that can be said in a hip-hop record. I aint tryin to change anyone’s opinions necessarily in my music, I’m just trying to get people to think whilst enjoying some good art. My new project aint too political, its dealing with many issues and its also dealing with lyricism and wordplay.

So you’re a London artist and recently the riots and looting kicked off down there. It’s all calmed down now, media-wise, but what’s the real vibe like in London at the moment between Police and people in your ends?
The problems haven’t gone away. The riots were crazy, it was a vibe in the air. I was in Ealing when it was all kickin’ off. I don’t agree with what the looters did – they went for their own communities, but its a reflection on the state of society and what they see the ‘higher powers’ doing. There are many who have a genuine discontent for the way things are at the moment, and some who just take advantage of a given situation. We tried to kick start some work in the community to use the opportunity to do something positive but the response has been slow so far. I don’t think this is the last time that a riot will take place, I think there is more to come, but people need to stop giving a damn about Nike, Gucci and iPhone and start thinking about being independent of banks and consumerism and learning how to do for self. Also this media promotion of celebrities is a mad distraction from reality.
 
Do you think that the Riots were dealt with properly? What are your thoughts on where we go from here?
Already they are saying gangs are being formed in jail of people that were locked up for looting. The problem isn’t just going to go away. As always those in power don’t deal with the root cause of the problem, but instead tell us how tough their punishments will be and how many targets they are meeting. There was an ex-gang member on radio the other day saying he had a meeting with the home secretary and they didn’t want to hear what him and his organisation had to say but instead surrounded themselves with people that have no experience with the people they are trying to reach.
I think it’s up to us to simply start doing work in the community in whatever way we can. Talking to people, campaigning to build modernised youth centres, focusing on arts and technology for kids etc. They are cutting funds for youth clubs and arts initiatives but wasted money on war campaigns abroad. That’s their nature and not much will change, we gotta do what we can in our communities. I think Tariq Jahan the father of the murdered Birmingham brother – he really calmed the situation and gave people a reality check.

So apart from making music are you involved in anything else creative and tell us about some of the people who help you with what you do.
Yeah I do some youth work locally, I keep creative. Right now, I’m just focusing on the music but am looking for it to lead to other things too.

Okay then bro, been superb speaking with you. Thanks for talking the time out!
Big up Tricksta and everyone at www.HipHopLifeAndTimes.com much love for the support!

Interview by Tricksta