hiphoplifeandtimes

Happy New Year!

Your New Year’s Eve any good? Go clubbing and get charged 20 quid to get in, then another 15 for a drink? Or d’you take the easy option and find yourself a nice house party to situate your drunk ass? Or perhaps you thought the world was going to end, so you hurried on down to your local Scientologist temple and prayed to the mighty Bing Bong or whoever Tom Cruise gives all this money to?

Either way let’s start the year off with some legit hip-hop in the form of the truly awesome Leddie & Smoggy. A North England hip-hop duo that makes music you wish you could. We caught up with half of the group, Leddie and asked her slightly silly questions to which she happily answered.

Basics out the way first! Who are you and what are your roles and how did you first get in hip-hop?

We’re “Leddie & Smoggy” (L&S). Leddie is a female Hip Hop artist and beat maker, and Smoggy is a male Hip Hop artist.

How did you two first come together to become the mighty Leddie and Smoggy?

We met in college in 2005, and we were both in a 5/6 piece Hip Hop group for about 2 years before we became L&S. The group started breaking apart due to other members situations, or attitudes, and eventually there was only 4 of us left. I was invited to join The Peoples’ Army, and was put down to support Chester P, Logic and Lowkey at the launch party 3 months later, so I asked Smog if he’d join me. After we came back me and Smoggy decided to go our own way, as we shared the same views, ideas and ambitions. It was hard after doing so much within the group, but it was definitely worth it and I’m grateful for the opportunities I had previous to L&S.

Can you tell us a little something, something about The People’s Army? Jimmy Jitsu’s in it? Tell that dude I’m a fangirl.

Yeah Jimmy is in it. He’s developed so much in the past year, it’s incredible. The Peoples’ Army is a collective of people (Artists, producers, Djs, bloggers, radio hosts, camera men/women etc) who want the same thing. Our overall aim is to show and ‘educate’ with our music, raising social awareness and speaking on subjects which are usually left untouched. We hope to free trapped and unconscious minds and remind people Hip Hop is bigger than the ‘swag’ era of material objects and money you’re fed on TV, radios etc.

As always the underground and original roots of any genre is always better and more self-aware when compared to the watered down radio friendly stuff that gets pumped by majors. In keeping with that fact, you guys are pretty socially and politically astute. Was it intentional or did it just come naturally for you guys to write this way?

It wasn’t intentional at all. In the group we used to write a lot of punch line bars but when it became just me and smoggy we developed ideas and concepts we’re both interested in and we’d like to speak about. As opposed to what other people would necessarily want to hear. We used to label our music ‘political’ and ‘conscious’ because that’s how other people used to describe it …Technically, everything is politics (From the clothes we wear, food we eat etc) so it seemed derogatory. We just make Hip-Hop music.

What’s been going with your game this year, and what are you plans for 2012 providing the world doesn’t explode?

This year we’ve done a few gigs, not many though as we’ve been more focused on writing and getting our material ready for next year …For 2012, our plans are to finish writing and recording and to release our EP and our debut album. We hope to get a few decent collabs and gigs in the pipeline as well as video releases and our website up and running. Then I guess we’ll go from there…

Biggest influences and dudes that you’re currently getting excited about?

Logic’s new album (True Talk) as always. Genesis Elijah too, his old material was sick (Deh Pon Road, Industrial revolution) and his newer material is getting even better. He puts so much truth and heart into his music, and he inspires me so much …I’m definitely looking forward to his next project. I’m excited about Illmaculate’s new project (Skrill talk) because he also writes sick songs aswell as being one of the greatest battle emcees to exist, ever. To be honest, we draw influences from everywhere or atleast try to. If you aren’t inspired somewhere in the life that you’re living, then ther’es something wrong. I love comedy, myself. Comedians like George Carlin, Ricky Gervais, Russell Brand etc because they touch upon subjects we can relate to, whether it’s the ‘political’ aspects of life or simple things. I like to remain balanced. I love to laugh and joke etc and use my music to speak on things I don’t necessarily speak about usually, so inspiration is always high.

Tell us something that isn’t a commonly known fact about Leddie and Smoggy?

Ermmmm …If neither of us had bad luck then we really wouldn’t have any kind of luck at all …Seriously. Luckily, we can shrug it off and keep going.

Who would be your ideal collab?

To be honest, I’ve never really thought about one ideal collab. We’re hoping after the EP and Album there’ll be plenty of collabs with other likeminded artists.

How’s you hometown scene going? Recently there seems to be a massive surge from Northen heads up there.

The hometown scene? …There really isn’t one. There’s people who like UK Hip-Hop etc but they don’t make the effort to go to nights with the acts they like performing. We’re hoping to set up a local night with a few more Middlesbrough artists early next year. There are a lot of sick rappers from Newcastle (I’m assuming the surge is from there!) Suus, Rick Fury, Skrufz, Text Offenders …In fact there’s a North East Hip-Hop documentary “Hip Hop is Dead” (Filmed by Nick Light) that you can watch here; http://vimeo.com/15896666 (British rappers rapping yankee get no love.)

So what’s the reason for your lack in south England touring eh?

Haha, EP and album prep. There’s nothing worse than going to see an artist that doesn’t really like their own material anymore, because to them it’s outdated. We’ll be down there 2012 …That’s a promise!! (If anyone wants to book us for shows, get in touch with us at LeddieAndSmoggy@Hotmail.co.uk)

Shout-outs?

Ahhhh, The section where everyone unintentionally misses people out …Smoggy (My Partner in Rhyme) Jister, Ts17Projekt, Reece, Yosh (#AntiSwagAssembly) …Everyone involved with The Peoples’ Army, and last but not least, the people who support by spreading the word, liking, sharing, downloading, buying and showing up to gigs.

Salute!!

Leddie.

www.Youtube.Com/LeddieAndSmoggy
www.LeddieAndSmoggy.Bandcamp.Com
www.Twitter.Com/LeddieAndSmoggy
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http://www.peoplesarmy.co.uk/