CARRUTHERS: UNDERGROUND HIP HOP UK STYLE

Carruthers may not be a household name in the U.S., but he’s making waves in the U.K. as a hardcore rap artist. His brand new video “I Need” tells the story of what the scene’s about and in our interview with Carruthers we learned alot about what it’s like to be a hiphop MC across the pond…

DZ: I see you have a long history in the Hip Hop scene, describe some of your background and how you got into hip hop?

Carruthers: Have been into hip hop for over twenty years, I started off as a body popper , to a breaker , and everything else fell into place, have been in a b. boy film called electro rock, with my crew THE ROCK CITY CREW, from Nottingham

DZ: What made decide to become an artist?

Carruthers: I just always use to be rapping, and dancing less and less, and made a decision to go all out and become a artist

DZ: In your new video “I Need”, it sounded very underground with a mainstream message. Was this intended? What inspired you to write that song?

Carruthers: No, it wasn’t intended to be a mainstream message, it just came out like that, I was inspired to write the song because I was just weighting out my needs, and my people’s needs, plus weighting out a few problems what occur in my world, with me and people around me, and piece it together

DZ: You also did some b-boying in the past? What out of the two you like better? B-boying? or Rapping? How does it relate together in your experience with the hip hop culture?

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Carruthers: Its a hard one”   cause I had the best time of my teenage life b. boying , and super passion for rapping, and have had a amazing experience with rap as well, it relates deeply to world experience, it’s just about my   whole world right there, and I know ll’ be a hip hopper forever

DZ: Do you meddle with production or do you use in-house producers?

Carruthers: Nah, I don’t meddle with production really, maybe 10% here and there, but I do arrange the tracks sometimes,   and did go college to do a sound engineering course but didnt finish it, I mainly use producers now

DZ: About your recording proccess, describe how you go from ideas to the finished process? Do you normally have time limit on yourself?

Carruthers: Well I usually write to a beat, and meditate for a few days and picture what I vision to the music, and take it from there, and won’t stop till I feel everything is right, then am ready to go, sometimes I push myself to a time limit, then other times I just wait untill the right ideas pop into my head

DZ: What do you say is the biggest difference being a hip hop artist in the UK compared to being an artist out in the U.s.? What is the music scene like in comparison?

Carruthers: Wow! It’s a hard game being a hip hop artist in the UK nowadays, the problem is there isn’t a hardcore rapper who’s a household name, it’s like if don’t mellow down, doors won’t open for you out here. The USA hip hop scence is naturally stronger,   you can just about say whatever you want and still blow up, and I think the people support their own more in the States, than they do in the UK

DZ: Where do you see yourself taking hip hop?

Carruthers: I haven’t really thought about it, am just gonna try to stay original, keep doing what am doing , and see what happens from there.

DZ: What would you say to any aspiring artist in hip hop artist looking to come up in the rap game?

Carruthers: I would say , do what you got to do, move with the times, and try to be different,   trust your own judgement , and stay focused.

DZ: Thank You for this chance to interview you here at Skope Magazine! It is a awesome experience! Be sure to check out Carruthers @ http://carruthershiphop.co.uk

By: DZ – lcirecordz2013@gmail.com

Edited By: Douglas Garnett – douglas.garnett@gmail.com