Crack

Within the unrelenting realms of the underground hip-hop music scene Beat Butcha is just about as prolific as they come right now. This dude has collaborations coming out of his ears, side projects coagulating at each and every end of the musical spectrum, part-time soirees into the grime scene and solo projects swinging on refrigerated meat-hooks. It is fair to say that the hype surrounding Butcha's multitasking activities is wholeheartedly justified.

I first met Butcho Banton at the Amersham Arms in New Cross, South London. Sporting a doorag, Karl Kani hightops, yellow-string-wife-beater and a shell suit with a picture of Kriss Akabusi on the back, he was sat at the bar drinking a pint of cherry Lambrini and holding a cross. He informed me that one of his many pre-gig rituals involved praying to his life guru David Hasselhoff and as he rocked back and forth asking for the Hoff's guidance towards achieving his dreams of euro pop dominance, I sat and drank most of his cherry lambs when his back was turned.

Butcha later took to the stage as one half of the synth laden wunderband Saturday Night In Frankfurt. With a back catalogue made up of tunes such as Biggest Penis in the World and Steffi Under Her Crumpets, it became clear to me very quickly indeed that Butcha was no ordinary hip hop artist.

It’s brilliant someone with so much clout in the scene can still act like such a joker. I have never had a conversation with this guy that hasn't descended into a complete joke. I caught up with Butcha over a mixed grill at a greasy spoon in Lambeth to see what he had to say about recent escapades across the pond, the state of hip hop this side of the pond and which meat products he most enjoys mincing in his own private abattoir.


So tell us about how you first got into beat making and production?

Well I was born in a cardboard box in a squirrel pickling factory on an small island in the middle of a pond in Wiesbaden, Germany. This is where hip hop started back in 1726. My father was a wrestler called the Iron Sheik and he had a friend called Gary who wrote the track for Sven & Miker G's hit - Holiday Rap. He taught me everything I knew at a young age.

I believe I was about eight months old when I became a world famous star. I made my first beats on an early synthesizer called the sack of potatoes (that’s what they used back in those days), which I believe was made by Yamaha or Roland before electricity was invented. I never liked rap really, I have always dreamed of writing my own Japanese quiz show.

Were your first efforts mad sketchy or did you have a knack for production?

There was potential from the beginning really. I was a DJ when I started making beats so I had the feeling for grooves and what sounds work well together. In any case it's been more than 10 years since I started and I am still learning. As I see it, it would be boring if I wasn't still learning new shit and constantly getting better.

Originally, how sample based was your work and how sample based is it now?

The original blueprint for my sound was Wu Tang, Mobb Deep, Premo, Pete Rock, Bootcamp and Large Pro, so yeah it was extremely sample based. But in the last four years I’ve really got into playing instruments, so you won't find a beat of mine nowadays that doesn't have some sort of played element. I have a lot of original compositions (for instance: the new Skandal single), the only thing I sample and chop in is drums. All of my drums are chopped from breaks as I can’t stand the sound of keyboard preset drums.

I also tend to chop and screw David Hasslehoff records to make beats nowadays.

So where did the road to success really kick off?

Urm, well I ain't as successful as I'd like to be, but there are definitely some defining moments that helped me get this far. My first work that helped me get some love was with Paragon (Rap6 from The Jump Off's group) back in 2002/3/4. We were one of the first groups to catch some serious love off Channel U.

But in my opinion, the first power moves were working with Jehst on Holy Water, K-lash on Git Down, Dj Mk/Roots Manuva/Rodney P/Plan B and Ghetts on So Damn Dedicated, You and Me, and Braintax on Run The Yards and All I Need. More recently, I did an EP with Brad Strut called Fallout Shelter and that release got me love a lot of love in Australia. I am continuing to get a decent body of work done in the US with established hip hop artists.

Still got a long way to go though trussst!!!!!!!!

You have clearly achieved a lot in the game and built a strong reputation, but where do you aim to go next? What is your next move?

It's nice to hear someone thinks I've achieved a lot, but for me I'm nowhere near where I wanna be. The next move is getting some more mainstream placements and releasing some solo material. I won't be happy until the cheques are better and I'm actually free to work in the studio with the majority of artists I'm submitting music to. Other than that I have some side projects which I'm working on outside of the genre which I hope to get hits from!!!

As for the solo material I will start to put some out soon, as I gain more attention via some of the bigger placements I have coming.

Tell us more about the moves you are making in the US? Who have you been collaborating with and what can you tell us about the way the scene works?

Well I have just ghost produced a whole new high waisted jean range for retired jews from Florida called the tuck your dangly nips into your jeans collection, under the designer name Simon Cowell.

Other than that I have material on forthcoming albums from Sean Price, Havoc, Killah Priest. Also I got material with French Montana, Cappadonna, Cam'ron, Tek, *Smiff N Wessun*, Serious Jonez, Ty Nitty (Infamous Mobb), Agallah, Jaz-o, Big Lou, Immortal Technique & J Arch.

Plus I'm working closely alongside my homie Lil' Eto for his forthcoming project with Jai Black & D.wayne Collins, (Green Lantern's new singer) as well as working closely with my Harlem homies V Don & Ar-15 (factorymedia) for their projects with Virginia based crew Steady Fam and their Harlem crew AKG. Their scene is big, but from a networking perspective it's small. Everyone knows someone that knows them. It is a great feeling going out to NYC, I feel very inspired every time I'm out there.

What about UK artists? I know you have recently left the UK, but this hasn't stopped you from working with a number of UK artists recently?

I have a general rule nowadays: I only work with people where I feel the creative process is fluent and the communication is good. I work a lot with Skandal nowadays and I'm trying to help him get his shit off the ground. I enjoy working with him because we have a good musical chemistry (even better than my chemistry with Kid & Play). Also Klashnekoff, Blade Brown, Triple Darkness and me & Little Dee of Roll Deep/OGz are talking about doing some music.

What is your take on the state of the UK scene?

The UK scene is in a good state right now in my opinion, despite the huge separation between the road, grime & underground scenes. I'm happy to finally see some UK rappers get in the charts internationally like Estelle, Dizzee and Tinchy, even if not all the music is really my cup of tea. I think the current climate in the music industry means it's easier for you to be in charge of your own destiny. In other words if you work very hard you can make this shit your career.

Having said that, the London underground scene has been driven even further underground and I think the majority of the underground scene is getting held back by some negative attitudes.

Tell us more about your production style. How do you continuously roll out thugged out banger after banger? What are your secrets?

Secrets are secrets so I won't speak about them. However, I will disclose my process involves a wheelbarrow, spag bol, a tweed bag full of crusty socks and midget strippers with keytars. My style is like a mix of Euro-pop techno (the type which you hear in Magaluf in the summer) and satanic death metal for gangsters who live in villages.

If you could invite a handful of famous people (past or present, dead or alive) to a beef ladened dinner party at your yard, who would you invite and why?

Erm dinner party? That's not realistic as I don't do dinner parties bruv, lets try wrestling. I would invite Gordon Brown to wrestle an agitated bear in a cage to the drumming from the drummer from Def Leopard and i'd broadcast it live on BBC.

But then again I don't really like anyone so probably wouldn't invite anyone...

What does the future hold for Beat Butcha? Any upcoming releases? Collabs? Projects? Saturday Night in Frankfurt? Film roles? Mankini modelling?

I've just secured the lead role as Joseph Fritzl in the Joseph Fritzl Story which I'm excited about. Plenty of ish, I've secured a couple good placements I won't disclose yet because I haven't had the paperwork, but the material has been recorded with Rolf Harris! Yep Saturday Night In Frankfurt is coming soon too, we've got four videos and an EP on its way.

Who is your favourite producer? Who do you aspire to emulate (if anyone)?

Producers like Dave 'rappy da beat twizzlah' Webb, Steven 'The Gerbil' Speng, Killa Thug Mollly Murkathon, Skull Drilla Herbert, Derek Stabvest, Beefy Fishflap, Lengston G. Skengblonger, DJ Goat Nose & Rappy Shankfinger to name but a few.

But my fave is Rod Hull. Not many people know this but Rod Hull was an amazing producer before Emu bullied him into children's TV. He in fact produced the majority of techno rap records from the years 1788-1988, including the legendary classic pop artist Johan Sebastian Bach, who was of course known for his hilarious German accent back in the days when Jesus was still mashing up the dance with his sound system.

Favourite bars ever?

"Think ur big boy coz u've got a beard / bullets will make ur face go weird.......think ur a big boy coz u go to the gym / bullets will cave ur whole face in." - D Double E

Why don't you make more grime beats?

Because I don't feel like making grime, I rate grime though. I did do some ish with Badness, Ghetts, Wretch & Scorcha though.

Anymore big ups, shout outs?

Hold tight Ciph Barker, Skandal, Chemo, Skeptik, Jehst, Ghost, Chay, V Don, Ar-15, J Ronin, Sav, Wahid, Lil eto & Cold summers, big Mehmet & all the Zumpis out there, keep up the outstanding work.



Words: Thom Hawkins

http://www.myspace.com/beatbutcha
http://twitter.com/beatbutcha

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