Issue 31 / September 2011 EXCLUSIVEINTERVIEW
HIP HOP / RNB
www.guestlist.net
CLEO SOL
39
Collaborative songbird flies solo, with debut single signalling big things to come
Cleo Sol, the West London singer-songwriter, releases her debut single ‘High’ this September. 20 year-old Cleo was discovered by celebrated producer Davinche (Kano’s ‘P’s & Q’s’) and went on to record ‘Tears’ with Tinie Tempah, and ‘Riding for Love’ alongside Bashy.
Cleo also made an appearance on the UK funky house scene, featuring on songs ‘Addicted’ and ‘Time to Let Go’. Cleo’s mix of the styles reggae, R&B
RODNEY P
Chinelle Alexander-B
chinelle@guestlist.net
Did you hit the carnival this year? I went down there late on Monday, yeah. It was a good vibe.
Have you got an album in the pipeline? We read that you signed a new album deal on Tru Thoughts; when can we expect to hear your new stuff? Yeah, I just got signed to them and I’m working on three projects, one after the other. My album is one of them, but the other two are closer to being released than my album though [laughs]. I’m also working on remixing an album, so there’s a lot of things going down right now.
Where do you think UK hip- hop is at right now? It’s in a good place right now, yeah. I think we just need more people
and nu-ska come together on her debut single, a track about “having a summer crush” that was produced by legendary Studio One producer Chris Peckins using an original piece of music from the 1960s reggae heyday.
To celebrate the release, ‘High’, featuring Gappy Ranks, will also be available on 7” and digital download on the 18th September. Check out
www.cleosol.com for more information on the London lady.
The home grown hip-hop talent from Battersea is back on the scene with some fresh projects; we chat to ‘da riddim killer’ about what’s up next
to use their initiative and make it happen instead of waiting for the next big thing to come along. I think at the moment every one is on this commercial hip-hop, which is good as well, but there is other hip-hop out there, you know? So yeah, we’re definitely in the right place right now in terms of really good artists coming through. We just need a platform to get them heard and up there. I want to see more of the underground coming up, yeah...
When you first started out, who were your biggest influ- ences? Everyone from LL Cool J and Run DMC to Kris One... Hip-hop was good back then, old school.
Tell us about your new TV project with Toyota Yaris. That was cool, they used my voice for it. I don’t really do endorse- ments but it was cool to work with the people on this and get my name under a few things. It
comes out in a few days. There are actually three adverts and I’m on the second one. I’m just rapping in a small part. The car is amazing, very high tech; it’s got everything in there.
Did you get to test drive it? [Laughs] No, not yet. I have been inside it and it’s crazy. It’s definitely got everything you need to enter- tain yourself when driving.
What random act have you done in the past week? It could be anything... Let me think... Oh, I bought a wallet from Peacocks the other day. It’s dark brown, nice leather. I have never bought a wallet myself before. I’ve had them but they’ve always been given to me so, yeah...
If you were invisible for a day, what would you do? I think it would have to be hanging out in the girls’ locker rooms, man. It has to be done... [Laughs]
What’s your take on the riots? I don’t agree with the looting and that sort of thing, but I do say this: if you don’t listen to the youth, this is what could happen. No-one is trying to hear what they have to say and you can see the frustra- tion of the youth, so I’m definitely for giving them an chance. The problem is the labels that they put on them, as well. If you keep refer- ring to them as thugs and thieves then, sooner or later, they will be like, okay, let’s go out and do what they say we are...
Can you give us an exclusive? Yeah man, I got a new track com- ing out about the London riots. The video should be out this Friday actually, so check that out.
HAPPY BBE DAY!
A celebratory compilation album for the hip-hop happy...
For news, tracks and remixes check out
www.myspace.com/riddimkilla
Barely Breaking Even is a Brit- ish record label that was started by two DJs, Peter Adarkwah and Ben Jolly, in 1997. They have a hefty roster of classic artists such as Pete Rock, DJ Marky, J Dilla, Mr Thing, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Gilles Peterson, David Rodigan, Madlib, TY and the list goes on... They are releasing a compilation to mark their 15th year of releasing top quality music.
If you are a hip-hop head, cop this, but don’t shy away if you aren’t into hip hop music be- cause this celebratory mix trav- els through all sorts of genres such as house, reggae, drum and bass and more. BBE is a widely respected underground urban record label in the music world, so if you haven’t heard about them until now, this is your chance to check them out!
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