A controversial practise, an awe-inspiring form of expression, a radical form of activism, and for those of you who don’t know: it can also be an extremely fulfilling but dangerous culture and lifestyle for those involved. Graffiti is free art, accessible to anyone who walks the streets. It’s not confined to the walls of museum. Anyone who thinks that graffiti is about destruction and vandalism should swap perspectives and envisage the beauty, time, effort and creation that goes into street art.  As with musicians, writers, poets, mc’s, graffiti is a form of expression and creation where the artist can input and express thoughts, emotion, energy and allow it to manifest in the external world as a physical object.

GET IN THE KNOW

Bomb it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7tdY49nTaI
Kings and Toys: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z871Y3DrI8
Style Wars: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMsu2GHlLh0
Dirty: http://www.graffiti.org/faq/werwath/werwath.html
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I met an extremely intelligent and talented, London based street artist who goes by the tag of FREEGAZA, with some very honourable motives and a shed load of talent. Everyone should read and be enlightened by his opinion:

‘Many people relate graffiti to vandalism; they relate graffiti to neglect, to a forced imposition of a person’s ideals and values onto someone else’s property. For me personally graffiti is a form of escape, it is a form of freedom, it’s a way for me get my voice heard without having to rely on anyone else, without being censored or edited.

I write ‘FREE GAZA’. Gaza represents the Gaza Strip in Palestine which is being oppressed by Israel’s apartheid regime. FREE GAZA is a message against global oppression, although it is just one place, to me it is representative of all oppressed places, we as human beings need to unite against global tyranny, we need to make a stand in the world we live in.

Although it is just writing on a wall, FREE GAZA serves as a reminder, it attempts to physically highlight the issue in big colourful letters, it is my attempt to bring attention to the world that we live in.

Graffiti is a form of expression I don’t have the money to pay some company to broadcast my viewpoint. I’m not trying to sell a product or a lifestyle, to profiteer from my subconscious exploitation of the masses. My voice is just as valuable as everyone else’s and my opinion is just as valid. I personally don’t paint individuals personal property, I wouldn’t ever consider painting some ones home or a church or a mosque. But for the purposes of being an effective medium I completely understand why an individual would choose to paint trains or buses or corporate or public property.

I personally would rather tax payers money is spent cleaning paint off walls and putting money back into this society through communal and social projects rather than buying bombs to fuel this country’s political and economic agendas.

Everywhere we walk within this society we are bombarded with adverts and images, the majority of them are designed to influence the way we think, to sell us a product or lifestyle. Billboards are erected, often illegally by companies but because they have complex legal teams they are able to tie up the courts.

In my mind there is no external difference between a corporation putting up a poster or series of images in a public place, and an individual painting something onto a wall. What is the difference between the two? A company pays large amounts of money to erect an advert; I would suggest 99% of the time it is with the intention of marketing a product/lifestyle in order to make a profit. A graffiti writer goes through a large amount of risk in order to get his point across.

Is a human beings value, their view point, their ability to express them self defined by their material worth?

Because a company can afford to pay large sums of money does that make their statement more important than any one else’s?

Our cities are so grey, all the buildings are un-naturally straight and lifeless. For me personally seeing a burst of colour of raw emotion on this grey canvas is beautiful, alhamdulillah.

For me each tag  tells a story. You can see the physical movement he has had to make depending on the placement of the tag, but also the word he chooses to represent himself (his alter-ego). You can see the shape of the letters he uses, which is a reflection of that individuals own background and environment.’

Utopia Music drop their latest 12" today, and it's a double AA side by misleadingly named trio Mute and Mako. I"m not one that enjoys describing tunes at length when you can just press play on the soundcloud below.  Cali Sleaze reminded me of Autonomic vibes, but the AA. Always has to be my favourite on the twelve. The bassline just does something for me.  This single is Utopia's seventh release and they're steadily building a reputation for quality underground drum and bass. If you missed the free tune they gave away in the autumn you can still grab it over at their facebook.    Check out the single below and buy it on vinyl today. 

With more than 72,000 likes on Facebook and more than 20,000 hits daily Taylor Jones one year old blog 'Dear Photograph' has become an internet sensation.  Inspired by pure coincidence when some old photographs were pulled out at his mother's house. One particular photograph of his brother as a child blowing out birthday candles was of particular interest as his brother was sat directly in front of him in the same position.  

Taylor began taking images of old photographs positioned in their old setting. He posted a few online and his site quickly went viral.  Since the site's success he has begun to plan an accompanying book with Harper Collins. The blog comes in an age where nostalgia and vintageness is becoming ever more popular as we march into an increasingly digital epoch.  iPhone apps such as the incredibly popular Instamatic and the relatively new disposable camera app, inspired by the retro hipster culture,  have turned almost everybodys' once grainy mobile phone pictures into eye catching digital memories.  

Each day Taylor uploads one photograph submitted from viewers around the world, each one capturing a strong sense of longing, sadness, nostalgia and often regret. Check out the full collection of photos over at the blog . . . 

After a few years of going to nightclubs, especially to nights of an underground nature, the things you come to enjoy naturally change. When the biggest names in a scene are a perennial feature (who can't predict at least 75% of the Warehouse Project lineups these days?) its an obvious progression to crave something new. I much prefer to see someone pushing the boundaries of what we expect from dance music, rather than seeing DJ Hype dropping Mr Happy for the 46th time.

One of the nights catering for this need is Selective Hearing. Nearing it's second birthday, this is a night which prides itself on bringing the most forward thinking artists into Manchester (and elsewhere). They don't cater for the masses, they inform the masses. Their mixed musical policy straddling the worlds of techno, dubstep, garage and whatever else they see fit; they are the underground of the underground. It's a night with a gradually increasing popularity which is a joy to see in this world of regurgitated dubstep lineups.

Which brings us to the 4th February 2012 and a Selective Hearing night showcasing three names which all could be worthy of headlining on their own; Randomer- a man who gives less of a shit about genres than the night itself, Objekt- a new name on many folk's lips, especially after his killer mix for FACT last year, last but not at all least is Swamp81 stalwart Addison Groove- a man making some of the baddest bassiest 130bpm beats around; fantastic! One thing that does hit me as the venue fills up is that the relative age in the place is pretty low, contradicting my opening point entirely. I guess some folk got bored of monotonous lineups earlier than me, which is very good to see.

Residents Versa and Shadowfax kick things off, warming the crowd up nicely and pushing some edgier vibes than their usual deep and dark dubstep. Once Randomer steps up the place is full to near bursting and it kicks off with a bang, beats swarming from the speakers and filling the room, hands instictively rise into the air and bodies start shuffling uncontrollably. This is a very different Randomer from the one who released previously on Hospital and Med School, the Leeds based producer is now playing and producing at slower tempos and is very much on a techno-tip this evening, perhaps he has colluded with our next guest…
   

Objekt apparently came to his two hour set tonight having played at a big techno night in Belgium the previous evening, with a record bag filled with suitably fresh and heavy tunes. After about 5 minutes it is clear he is going IN. His two hour set meant that I didn't get to see Addison Groove until 3am which was an initial disappointment but I should have had faith in the promoters as we get a serious set of hard techno from an artist who clearly loves what he does. The crowd goes absolutely crazy for it, Joshua Brooks is now filled to bursting point, crossing the dancefloor to get upstairs becomes a 10 minute mission of pushing past sweaty ravers but who in their right mind would want to leave this room?!? It is an altogether brilliant showcase of music and definitely adds Objekt to the list of producers and DJs worth keeping an eye on.

Although I would happily have let Objekt continue all night it'd be rude to not let Addison Groove have a go too. He is 20 minutes late for his set but his night has involved traversing a snowy M62 to get across from an earlier gig in Leeds so we can let him off a bit. Once his Serato is hooked up he starts what he does best- dropping subby, sparse, electro-influenced (we're talking 80s electro, not crappy electro-house) beats from the likes of himself, Boddika, Pinch and Mickey Pearce. This is probably my favourite niche of dance music at the moment, displaying a freshness which has been absent for a few years- if you get the chance to see anyone from the Swamp 81 camp soon, grab it with both hands. And feet. And your mouth; whatever it takes really.

All good things must come to an end and so as sad as it is to leave what has been a brilliant showcase of music we can only look forwards to the next Selective Hearing. Their gig at the start of March will mark their second birthday and its bound to be good. Don't worry if you don't recognise anyone on the lineup, the promoters do, and you can trust them.

Over the past couple of years we have seen a vast improvement in the quality and number of live hip-hop shows in Manchester. Where as shows were once reserved for the MEN Arena megastars and big festival appearances, in more recent times we have been lucky enough to get shows from, amongst others, Blackstar, Ill Bill, Rakim, Mighty Souls of Mischief (who return next month), Del tha Funkee Homosapien and Jedi Mind Tricks. Friday 17th of January featured another promising night of hip-hop, starting with a Roots Manuva show at the Ritz and culminating in a rare appearance from GZA the Genius in deepest Rusholme.
 
So the night began at the newly refurbished HMV Ritz, the Roots Manuva show was a near sell-out, and everyone around me seemed pretty excited. This current tour is off the back of his most recent LP. 4everevolution. This album was a welcome return to his creative best showing a musical diversity rarely seen amongst hip-hop stars, I wish I could say the same for the gig.

 
Unfortunately, right from the off there appeared to be something wrong with our man Roots. After stepping out on stage he seemed constantly preoccupied with one thing or another. The earphones he had in (I can only assume they were being used as sound monitors) were constantly removed and reinserted and he was wandering round the stage, checking up on bandmates and looking at their equipment with the curiosity of a small child. In fact the only ones who didn’t receive any attention were the paying audience. It would be rude to accuse him of anything without knowing the facts, but at a guess I’d say he was either on drugs or is experiencing severe mental illness; I hope he was high.
 
The audience remained relatively sedate and unmoved until he played ‘Get the Get’, one of the more party-centered cuts from the new album, and followed it up with my personal new favourite, Toddla-T collaboration, ‘Watch Me Dance’ (the slight irony being that we weren’t watching him dance at all). Within the tracks he was virtually on-point, spitting with that laid back flow which has gained him such a following (although occasionally missing a beat or whole bar) and I could sense the whole crowd willing him on, enthusiastically applauding between tracks, but his complete disinterest in engaging them consistently killed the atmosphere.

 
There were a few tracks guaranteed to get a rise out of the audience regardless; ‘Too Cold’, ‘Dreamy Days’ and, obviously, ‘Witness (1 hope)’ all sounded as massive as ever. The audience were saved somewhat by the awesome backing MCs who formed a superb double act throughout, joking with each other, introducing tracks and thanking the crowd at the end of the show, but it was too little too late by then.
 
It pains me to be this negative about a show I was so excited for but I must be honest. Considering there were about one thousand people there who had all paid the best part of £20 for a ticket, the lack of respect from the artist to his fans seems all the worse. Hip-hop is based on a connection with its fans, ‘keeping it real’ as it were, where the audience can feel as if the MC is one of them. Once this is lost so is the soul of the music.

 
Thankfully this gig was followed by an altogether more unique affair. One which displayed hip-hop in its rawest sense.

In one of the most unlikely concerts you're likely to hear of, the night 'Will Not Be Televised…' managed to convince GZA of the Wu Tang Clan to come to Rusholme's decrepit but loveable Antwerp Mansion, to be supported by some of Manchester's finest homegrown talent. I arrive to find the room buzzing with anticipation. D'Lyfa Reilly is flowing comfortably on stage, warming things up very nicely given the sub zero temperatures in the Mansion (seriously, it's absolutely brass- all coats stay firmly on!) and the boys and girls gradually start moving. Following on the inimitable Konny Kon from Broke n £nglish steps up with his usual fayre. Massive hip hop anthems boom out of the system as the stage hands begin to set up for our next act, Manchester's own one man wu-tang clan, Skittles.

As is the norm, Skittles is performing with his full band. This seemingly rag-tag bunch of individuals become more and more in sync with each gig, and considering each is a well accomplished musician in their own right, this is a very good thing. The rapper has a fantastic knack of getting a party started and when him and Mr Fox take to the stage, everybody takes note. The performance is as good as ever, Skittles is firing out all of his well known hits and singles as well as new joints, like T-Man collaboration 'King Kong Ting'. There's energy and recognition and a rapport with the audience - Mr Manuva should really have come down for some pointers- and the band go on longer than expected as our headliner is inevitably delayed.

When they finally step down everyone is suitably pumped for GZA, but just to make sure the Taste the Diff'rence DJ's step up to fill the wait. The interim is suitably filled with absolute anthems and punters hands near enough hit the ceiling time after time. The pace starts to run thin after about an hour of waiting for GZA, people are getting restless but we are constantly reassured: 'GZA is on his way, he's on the Snake Pass!' (Guess the promoters have him tagged or something). Sure enough this is the man's second gig this evening after an earlier show in Sheffield, but I've driven between the two cities before in half the time it took this evening - this man's taking it very leisurely indeed!

About 10 minutes before we would officially have been waiting 'forever', our man finally shows. GZA enters the building and it's all suddenly worthwhile. Nobody cares how long they've waited as W signs get thrown up from front to back. He storms through hits like a tornado - 'Duel of the Iron Mic', 'Shadowboxin', 'Clan in da Front' and a cover of ODB's 'Shimmy Shimmy Ya' are all crammed into a 30 min whirlwind. Things get a little sketchy when, after jumping down into the photo pit, our MC encourages the audience to smash down the barrier separating them from the stage (and the space which I am currently occupying) me and my fellow photographer Adam have to think fast and make an escape onto the stage itself. In a stroke of luck, not only do I end up with zero broken legs but I get to watch the remainder of the set about two feet from the one of the greatest MCs to have picked up a mic. Not bad considering the earlier disappointment!

Welcome to our new monthly run-down of upcoming events in Manchester. February sees things picking up from the Annual lull of January. With exams finished and cash flowing again after Christmas, Mancunian promoters have been busy conjuring up ways to make you exchange cash for rapturous musical experiences, and boy have you been spoilt for choice!

Week Ending 5^th Feb:

Starting on Friday 3^rd we have something for everyone – The Zutekh boys bring you Cassy and Adam Shelton to play out the best in Deep House and Techno in the basement of Sound Control. These nights always go off with a bang and the latest one will be no exception – arrive early if you don’t have a ticket!

For the more Junglist amongst us head over to Alter Ego for S.O.S. featuring big basslines to be dropped by Steppa, North Base & Selecta.

Saturday 4^th sees a welcome return from the highly regarded ‘Selective Hearing’. Their lineups consistently impress as they bring the most cutting edge names from the Techno-House-Dubstep crossover spectrum to various venues. Saturday 4^th of February will feature one of their strongest roster’s yet in the basement of Joshua Brooks; Addison Groove, Randomer & Objekt. This event is sure to sell out so I’d seriously recommend bagging a ticket in advance.

Week Ending 12^th Feb

On Monday 6^th it’s a Hit & Run with a difference as Manchester best weekly Bass night plays host to the Jamaica Party. A night touring the country as part of the celebration of 50 years of Jamaican independence and featuring none other than the living legends Mala of DMZ and Topcat (performing live) amongst many others!! Monday’s don’t get more massive than this – guaranteed hugeness!! Taking place at Factory/Fac251 and a mere £6.50 in advance.

Something a little different now… If fashion is your thing then, on 8^th February, you can check out collections from some of the hottest talent in the North West a the Pitcher and Piano in Didsbury. Tickets are £9 and every attendee receives a goody bag with coupons and vouchers.

Thursday the 9^th is the 2^nd Birthday Party for Idiosync. Taking place at Antwerp Mansion they have brought in Mano le Tough and D/R/U/G/S to make sure it goes off with a bang!

Jumping to Friday 10^th and two massive events are taking over the town. The biggest of these sees the last ever Ape at the Apollo events. For the last flourish we have the usual big names gracing the stage; Andy C, High Contrast, Skream & Jackmaster. Local (just as talented) support comes from Rich Reason & Jonny Dub and there’s a rare UK appearance from DJ Q-Bert, widely regarded as the best scratch DJ of all time. Microphone duties are fulfilled by Tonn Piper, Chunky, MC GQ, SGT Pokes and Youngman. At the time of writing this event is sold out so if you don’t have a ticket, get begging or borrowing (not stealing though, that’s poor form).

Fortunately if you don’t bag an Ape ticket, the Just Skank crew are putting on another huge party over at Moho Live on the 10^th - and it’s about half the price of the Apollo event! Enjoy ear-destroying sounds from Kryptic Minds, DJ Madd, Dub Phizix & Strategy, Killawatt and Compa as well as the usual Just Skank residents (who are no slouches themselves) – definitely one for the deeper heads!

Anyone with any energy remaining on the 11^th (or can’t go out on the 10^th) could do far worse than to check out Lowdown & Dirty at Sound Control – This event sees Manchester’s biggest breaks night showcasing the sounds of Scratch Perverts for their 2^nd Birthday Party.

Week Ending 19^th Feb

Friday 17^th is the start of another big bassy weekend in Manchester. It starts with the latest instalment of Ripper. Following on from their night with Twisted Individual in January, they have booked the biggest names in dark drum & bass Calyx and Teebee for a 2 hour, 6 deck spectacular – this is one event not to be missed!

This evening also sees Subtitled returning after a winter break and taking over the Attic, inviting Kahn for his debut performance in Manchester – a booking many have been waiting for after a string of hot releases in 2011. Also playing is the inimitable Versa, who always brings the heaviest selection.  They are suitably backed up by Catacombs & Knowledge and Bastian & Swede.

The weekend doesn’t stop there however as Saturday 18^th has something for everyone.

Before hitting up any club I would recommend checking out Ghostpoet who is playing a gig at Sound Control- this should be a gig that anyone can enjoy and chill with a drink before the night ahead.

Drum & Bass night Pandemik continues with their trend of hosting the deepest darkest beats with a Renegade Hardware night featuring EBK, DBR UK, Amoss and Cold Fusion at Dry Live. Its great to see a promoter sticking to a sound they believe in and still making big waves- salute to the Pandemik soldiers!

If all that is too fast & dark for you, there’s a night at Sankeys well worth a look. They have Joy O and Julio Bashmore, two of the most cutting edge DJs on the planet, booked in to entertain the masses.

Week Ending 26^th Feb

Thursday 23^rd has two great events: SBTRKT is playing a live gig at The Ritz, this is sold out however so don’t get your hopes up if you have no ticket! Afterwards we have the latest monthly instalment of Heavy Rain at Joshua Brooks. Featuring Deadboy, who played a superb set in the same venue for Forum last September, it’s good to see these guys bringing some bass back. The Heavy Rain guys also do a weekly funk and disco night at The Corner in Fallowfield each Wednesday so go check that too!

Friday 24^th: How do you like your nights? If it’s with the purest of Jungle and Drum & Bass then the latest instalment of Sub-Woofah will be heaven for you! With Jumping Jack Frost & Dawn Raid down, alongside resident & Unity FM presenter Euphonique this is strictly one for the true skankers.

If you like it a little slower then Islington Mill have Pangaea playing at Consortium. The Hessle Audio co-founder knows a thing or two about cutting edge music and this will surely be a show worth checking.

If you are a promoter and would like your event featuring in the Example events rundown, please email the details of your event to events@examplemagazine.com

Our homies at Stamp the Wax down south have kindly compiled a list of ten artists they're backing at the moment.  If you like these artists you should head over to the Stamp the Wax site and see some of their video sessions. 

Marika Hackman
Genre: Acoustic/Folk
Based: Brighton
For Fans Of: Laura Marling, Lucy Rose, Laura Viers
Key Track: You Come Down / You Come Down (Hackman Remix)

Sister of Electronic producer, Hackman, Marika couldn’t create a more opposite style of music. Hers is a charming brand of folk with harmonising vocals, accompanied by a cello and percussion. She was shortlisted for the Glastonbury Emerging Talent in 2011, so the right people are already taking notice.

Annie Eve

Genre: Acoustic/Folk
For Fans Of: Bon Iver, Lucy Rose, Laura Marling
Links: http://www.facebook.com/annieevemusic
Key Track: FishBowlSharkTank

Currently a student at London Goldsmiths Arts College, Annie Eve is also blessed with a lovely voice and fingerpicking abilities. She gigs tirelessly around London so be sure to like her Facebook page and catch her live if you’re around town.

Buggsy
Genre: UK Hip-hop/Grime
For Fans Of: Skinnyman, Jehst,
Links: http://www.facebook.com/OfficialBuggsy 
Key Track: Pure Gas / Connect The Spdif (Feat Jehst & Farma G)

Hailing from Bristol, one of the UK’s Hip-hop hotbeds, Buggsy’s blend of Dub and Grime, delivered with a high-pitched, cheeky and quick tongue is a lethal combination.Check out collaborations with Joker and Jehst (see above).

@Peace

Genre: Hip-hop
For Fans Of: Q-Tip, A Tribe Called Quest
Links: http://at-peace.bandcamp.com/
Key Track: Home

@Peace are Auckland’s answer to A Tribe Called Quest, pure and simple. If that wasn’t enough to entice you, their beats hark back to the best of 1990s USA, complemented by a talented collection of young MCs and Jazz musicians. We’ll be hard-pressed to find a better Hip-hop group in 2012

Ye Mighty 

Genre: Electronic/Jazz
For Fans Of: Hudson Mohawke
Links: http://www.firstwordrecords.com/artists/ye-mighty/
Key Track: Fuse

Ye Mighty are a Brighton duo mixing Jazz and Electronic sounds in a fresh and energetic way. If you know Hudson Mohawke, you might be sceptical if we tell you his dance classic, Fuse, may just have been knocked out of the water by this Jazz cover. Judge for yourself and it will make you think twice.

Larry Achiampong (aka Black Ph03nix)

Genre: Instrumental Hip-hop/World
For Fans Of: J Dilla, Ebo Taylor
Links: http://lookmamarecords.bandcamp.com
Key Track: Gye Nyame / Community

Larry Achiampong was formerly a sculpture and now he is turning his music into art. Exploring his Ghanaian roots, he has created a recorded sampling many of the country’s Highlife musicians of the 1960s and 1970s. The production is of Dilla proportions with a strong personal message behind it.

The Drop
Genre: Reggae
For Fans Of:
Links:
Key Track: Takeover / Looking To The Sky (DJ Rum Remix)

Handpicked by David Rodigan in a soundclash with BBC’s Gilles Peterson, the London 9-piece are riding the top of a wave of resurgence for reggae in the UK. Their brand is organic and genuine and sounds equally as good live. Also worth a listen are some re-works by up-and-coming producer DJ Rum.

Szjerdene
Genre: Future-Soul
For Fans Of:
Links: http://www.szjerdene.com/
Key Track: Leila’s Tale / Avril 14th

Frank Ocean and The Internet might be leading a new generation of Rnb/Soul but that doesn’t mean the UK can’t give a bit back. That’s where Szerdene comes in. She’s recently worked with Mar on the heart-breaking Avril 14th but she can also do a fine job on her own with some help from Dimlite on the buttons in Leila’s Tale.

iZem
Genre:  Electronic/Hip-hop/Brazilian/Dub
For Fans Of: SBTRKT, Bedruit
Links: http://www.facebook.com/djizem
Key Track: Do Avesso

As the genre description suggests, DJ Izem’s brand of music squeezes a lot of different sounds into it. Co-founder of internet world-music radio station Groovalizacion, it no doubt supplied ample inspiration. We guarantee you’ve never heard anything like this.

Session of the Month: George The Poet

Genre:  Spoken Word/Hip-hop
Links: www.georgethepoet.com
For Fans Of: Gil Scott Heron, Benjamin Zephania

Currently studying Sociology at Kings College, Cambridge, George Mpanga was formerly MC Shawalin and has now taken to spoken word using the moniker George The Poet. His lyrics are politicised, intelligent and thought-provoking, and his flow is razor-sharp. Definitely one to keep your eye on.

Chepstow's Elro has made a storm over the last year since debuting his lyrics on popular youtube channel and face of Google Chrome SB.TV.  With over a million views of his Warm Up session video and and a good few hundred thousand more on other videos you could say he's a bit of a youtube sensation. Hes definitely different, so  we caught up with him for a quick Q and A about Chepstow, Looting and why its hard rapping if you dont fit the stereotype image.

Example :  Have you ever been for a chinese buffet on your own?  How many plates can you manage?


Elro : Can't say I have no. I'm shit at eating a lot at once... Probably 2.


Example : What was the first piece of music you bought and why?  

Elro: Cartoons, Witch Doctor. I was about 8 and the whole school was buzzing over them. We came back, whacked it on the 3 tonne cd player and all jammed.

Example : What made you start writing bars?

Elro: Dunno really, I just always liked rap music and then realised I could rap along to it so just thought… why don't I start writing?


Example :  Have you got more exes since you were on SB.TV ?

Elro : Nooooooo, I met my girlfriend since SB cos she's a singer. So man linked up

Example : First thing you do in the morning?

Elro : check my emails, then eat cereal with a cup of tea.

Example : What did you ask santa for?

Elro:  I'm one of these pretentious twats that has no real interest in material things… so I didn't really ask for anything. My girlfriend got me a lovely bottle of single malt whiskey though. Gotta love a whiskey.


Example:  What goes on in Chepstow?

Elro : Lots of pretentious people go out on a Saturday night, weekly, and then moan about how much they hate it.

Example : Do you keep your Ketchup in the fridge or the cupboard?  

Elro : Fridge obviously, cupboard people break me.

Example :  Same question but with juice?

Elro : Fridge… obviously...

Example : Top tune of 2011 ?  

Elro : I couldn't pick one, but… SBTRKT have came with a few.

Example :  Would you rather be an aluminium dog or a cardboard pirate?

Elro :  Do I have my consciousness still? Because surely you need a brain to be conscious and neither of those would have a brain. Weeeey, excessive pedantry.

Example : Did you used to watch SM:TV or Alive and Kicking?

Elro : Rarely watched either from what I can remember.

Example :  Have you ever heard the urban myth that if you spray deodorant on your nipple and flick it it will come off?   Do you think that's true?

Elro : I reckon if you get a knife and then carve it out it would work better.

Example : Have you got any other urban myths from your school days?

Elro : Apparently if you spit at a dove on Friday the 13th fuck all will happen.

Example :  if there was a riot what top 3 things would you loot?  

Elro : Xbox or Ps3… Big TV and a porcelain corpse.

Example : Do you think 9/11 was a lie?

Elro : No. These conspiracy people find correlations in things that don't exist. I've watched all these documentaries and then watched others with people who were there and happily take lie detectors etc etc… it happened.

Example :  What have you got planned for your music?

Elro : Got my first single coming out very soon! Another collaboration with Mike Skinner coming too! Look out for that!

Example : Who do you think is the best rapper ever?  

Elro : Can't pick one, I love Nas, Biggie, Earl Sweatshirt, Andre 3000

Example : Can you swim and if so what badges did you get?

Elro : Think I did a few hundred metres...

Example : Apart from Chepstow whats your favourite city?

Elro : LONDON!

Example : Do you buy tunes or steal 'em?

Elro : Buy, or listen on youtube

Example :  Do you really want to be a big black man?

Elro : yeah it would save me being stereotyped as some 'posh middle class wanker' even though I'm actually broke.

Example :  Thanks Elro have you got anything to add?  

Elro : numbers

Elro Twitter : @elroraps