NABA
SUNKEN TREASURE WORDS | Dr Khan
Original champion of the underground and the current trends. It’s a gamble to a degree He moved to South London in the late ‘90s and
founder member of the Procryptix crew, Naba but I figured that the ‘70s had some cool vibes hooked up with DJ Pogo and Sparki to form the
Napalm is back with his debut solo album and funk has got its own flavour. Procryptix crew. “I’ve been writing since 1983,
‘Underwater Aqualung’, which explores the but I had no interest in making records until
world of hip hop from a totally fresh angle, “Hip hop today is thought of as a product that we started Procryptix and I ended up having so
like a much needed breath of fresh air. can be put inside a store,” continues Naba. much fun,” says Naba. “We made a couple of
“It’s all about merchandise, baseball caps, records and it was a buzz I hadn’t experienced
“The concept of ‘Underwater Aqualung’ backpacks and suchlike. If you can rhyme and before, having other people like what you’ve
is about using the ocean as a metaphor,” you’ve got a bit of business savvy then you’ll done. It was a spiritual thing, I really had a
Naba begins. “I’m using the need for water do well, if you can breakdance then you’ll connection to these people and I thought I’m
and the need for air. I want to connect with get to do exhibitions. But it’s all presented gonna do this record making thing.”
people, a fluid connection which isn’t just as separate parts rather than an ensemble
about me standing on a podium. As far as which it really is. I think it’s a shame if we Procrytix’s debut EP ‘The Inkyfist Assassin’ was
production goes, I got quite a few producers allow the next generation to come up thinking released in 1999 and was immediately hailed
to give me beats and I gave them different that hip hop is just about being on the TV. It’s as a classic. “We went on quite a journey,” he
concepts: a thunderstorm, a boat, a beach; healthy for people to make money out of it, explains. “We were big in Asia and some parts
just to inspire the producers with different that’s cool, but like anything that’s popular of Europe and it got to a certain point where
themes. It’s about finding things for yourself there are a lot of people taking up space...” we’d done so much, but nothing lasts forever.
and connecting with people who aren’t I wanted to explore my own thing and do my
necessarily into hip hop. I want to connect Originally hailing from Jamaica, Naba own album.”
with people who read Kerrang magazine!” spent the majority of his youth growing up
in New York, where he was exposed to the And what an album it is. A breathtaking brew
The album has a timeless, classic feel and early sights and sounds of the fledgling hip of new ideas and fresh approaches, it manages
sounds totally unlike anything else in today’s hop movement. “When I started doing this to retain its underground credibility whilst
hip hop marketplace. “I tried to pull the it didn’t have a name, it was just a way of still being accessible enough to appeal across
producers back to the ‘70s,” Naba reveals. “I life,” he explains. “We used to go to jams at the board. With vocal collaborations from the
deliberately didn’t listen to any radio, didn’t night sneaking out the house, hoping we likes of Faithless’ Maxi Jazz and MC Dutty
watch any videos on cable for over a year or wouldn’t get beat when we got home! We’d Skill and contributions from beatsmiths such
so, I wanted to be isolated in this ‘70s bubble. be dancing to Blondie, Kraftwerk, all these as Shyrock and DJ Billy Biznizz, ‘Underwater
Those joints out of my childhood had the ‘it’ alternative bands, the weirdest people on Aqualung’ looks set to do some considerable
factor, everybody knows about funk music! I earth wearing suits with sharp business damage on the hip hop scene.
tried not to worry because I’ve never followed haircuts from Germany.”
www.kmag.co.uk
|
53
K53_Naba.indd 53 4/7/08 17:09:28
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65