Author: madamerap

When and why did you change your name from L.S.G (Little Shady Gigglez) to Lil’ London?

I had been releasing/performing music under the name L.S.G. from such a very young age, around 2007 I just felt like it was time for a change. Initially, Lil’ London was just going to be used as an alias when releasing music in other genres (House etc.) but it just stuck.

You released your first solo record at the age of 14. How did that happen? 

I was working with a very talented producer called Bobzee (who was a family friend) he later introduced me to a music manager who worked with a few other producers (Ebey & Curtis). I wrote the raps and the producers came up with a great sample.

I totally cringe when I hear it now though… I had a fake American accent and everything (as did most UK rappers back in the 90’s) lol.

You worked with Ski Beatz. How did you two meet and what did you learn from this collaboration?

I went to stay in New Jersey for a while in 2012. A good friend of mine D. Rilla (also a rapper) flew out to NY to visit his sister, who is a friend of Ski Beats. We all hooked up at the Dojo (Ski’s recording studio) D.Rilla and I ended up staying there, and recording a track with him. Ski is such a kool, humble and talented guy! He just plays around with sounds, scraps them and starts something new, and I’m sitting on the edge of my seat like “but that was sick!”

The track “London’s I” is very political. Would you say you make conscious hip hop?

I do have a conscious side to my music. I’m full of opinions and write what my head/heart feels at the time. I don’t particularly like labels, and I hate being put in a box! It’s great when people can relate to your music, and if you can spread a positive message or teach something with your lyrics, that’s even better, but I’m a versatile artist and tomorrow I might just wanna make something to make people jump about and dance. People have many moods and so does my music.

You’ve featured in several independent movies. What would you say are the similarities between acting and making music?  

I think it’s very similar, learning lyrics/learning lines, performing and being in front of people & cameras. Sometimes you may not want to go out on stage or smile to the camera, that can be an act in its self. I’m actually in the process of learning lines for a role in an up and coming movie “198 Grand“.

You coproduce your music and codirect your music videos. How common is it for UK female artists to do so?

I’m just a control-freak lol! I always have ideas and I really enjoy being involved in the creative process that goes on behind the scenes. I think it’s important as an artist to know what you want or to at least have an idea of how you want to come across, look or sound like, otherwise your just someone else’s puppet! I think a lot of male & female artists leave important decisions to other people to make. I’m blessed to have one person (Rozar) I always bounce ideas of off, and he always seems to share my visions.

Do you consider yourself a feminist? Why?

Again I’m not really with the labels, but I definitely support women! I’m all up for equality, but think we need to be careful not to lose our already great God given attributes, whilst fighting for something more. I think it’s very important that women build each other up, instead of trying to knock each other down! Especially in the music industry, people always want to put women up against each other, and compare us, like there is only room for one female rapper at a time. I’m not about to burn my bra, but I love strong, independent women, and love to see other women do well! I’m always open for collaborating with other talented females, but it seems people would rather see women go up against one another, rather than work together. I don’t compete with anyone but myself! I hate when women go against all that we have already fought for, undoing the hard work that’s been done before us… That’s when I turn on beast mode and will just want to attack & assassinate lol, hence some of the tracks that I’ve got coming out. (“Hunting Season”, “Bang Girl”, “Fight Talk”)

What are you listening to these days?

I’m old school lol…Wu-Tang Forever  is currently in my car. On my laptop you may find Billie Holiday open in my tabs.

What are your upcoming projects? 

I took a little time away from the hip hop scene, and was focusing on session and writing work. I’ve recently got back in the lab with my boy (rapper/producer) John Hectic , we have been collaborating on a few tracks and are in the process of putting some treatments together for some visuals. I’ve got an EP that I’ve just started working on, and will also be shooting videos to accompany those tracks too. I recorded a House banger that we were expecting to be released this summer, and I’m currently learning lines for a film… So lots of new and exciting projects coming up.

What do you think of Madame Rap? What should be changed or improved?

I luv luv what you guys are doing, and think it’s great that Madame Rap are giving females a platform… We definitely need more of that!

Find Lil’ London on Soundcloud, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

© Kay Mills at Captured Studio

Is it true that you started to rap at the age of 13 because you disliked your voice as a singer?

I wrote my first poem at the age of 9 and continued writing poetry for many years. I’ve only recently realised that when I became a rapper, the poet or writer within me always remained. I fell in love with words first. At about 13, some friends and I started a singing group. Didn’t take long at all to realise singing wasn’t my strong point although I’m singing a little more in this album.

You grew up in South London but have Jamaican origins. How did your origins influence your music? 

Jamaican culture is so colourful and engaging that the world is enamoured by it. I’m blessed to have deep rooted connections it. It’s very powerful and beautiful.

You name Tracy Chapman and Me’Shell Ndegeocello as major influences. What do you like best about them?

Their simple eloquence as writers. When they write, they only say what needs to be said. Restraint can be very sexy.

You won the 2009 Mercury Music Prize for your debut album “Speech Therapy”. How did this award help you in your career?

Confirmation I wasn’t crazy or misguided in my belief I came into this life to share words. As artists, we imagine our future and the future of the world we live in. Some of us work toward creating that reality so when people acknowledge your art, it becomes such a relief. Like all things it can be a burden too but balance is life really. It depends what you decide to believe.

As a female artist, have you ever been discriminated against in hip hop? 

The music business like the rest of the world is a boy’s club. Two months ago in London we had The Red Bull Culture Clash. I watched about 100 men touch the stage and mic and only one woman. Being a black woman on top means we are even more ignored although we enabled others to find their own voices. Unfair but not uncommon.

Do you consider yourself a feminist? Why? 

Equality between the sexes and races, that’s the aim. We have been overrun with too much male energy and it’s starving us of our ability to love and have compassion. The balance between male and female energy needs to be addressed. We need more divine feminine.

What are you listening to these days? 

Oh man, Spotify Weekly playlist really helps me discover new music. If not, I’d be just listening to Beres Hammond and old school hip hop and R&B. I’m still listening to Denai Moore album a lot. Today, I started listening to Giggs new album, which I’m loving.

What are your upcoming projects? 

I just dropped an EP called “Breathe” that is streaming now. Then the album later this year called “Tantil before I breathe” which I co-produced. You can check the two tracks from the EP online now: “The Work” and “Terms and Conditions“.

What do you think of Madame Rap? What should be changed or improved?  

I think you’re doing the work wonderfully. Don’t change unless you feel it’s time!

Find Speech Debelle on her website, Facebook, Soundcloud and Bandcamp.

When and how did you discover hip hop?

I discovered real hip hop in June 2011, thanks to a friend and brother Cheikh Diop aka Kaze Blue, who was a rapper and my manager, and introduced me to this world. Otherwise, I’ve always loved music since I was a child.

How and why did you found the GOTAL collective in 2009?

The GOTAL collective was founded in 2009 by one of the members Anta Ba, who wanted to gather hip hop female artists in order to work in team and possibly release some products on the market. I joined the collective in 2013, at the same time as Venus, during a training with Beat Making Lab (a North Carolina label) in collaboration with Speak Up Africa, the label Bois Sakre (training in beatmaking) and DJ Zeyna, who joined the collective in 2015.

GOTAL is made up of Venus, Toussa, Lady Zee, Anta Ba et DJ Zeyna. How are you perceived as women on the Senegalese hip hop scene?

The GOTAL collective is now made up of Vénus, Anta Ba, Lady Zee and DJ Zeyna. Toussa is no longer part of it, she chose to focus on her solo career. I think we are well-perceived, because we are often invited at concerts, radio and TV shows, contests, featurings… It’s true that it’s not easy to impose ourselves, but I believe we worked on it, deserve this place and begin to earn it in the field.

You covered Queen Latifha’s famous “U.N.I.T.Y”. What does this track represent to you?

We covered Queen Latifah’s song because it was a way to convey a striking message, and denounce men who think we make it in this world by sleeping our way up the ladder or give ourselves up to sick practices to reach the top. To those who also think women don’t have a place on the music scene. Let’s not forget that music is international and is for everyone to have. So let’s be united for a one and only cause.

You’re also active on the social field. What type of projects do you launch and how important is it to you?

Actually, we worked on several social actions to help put winning strategies in place that could encourage the population, and especially young people, to have a more positive vision of our goals and behaviors. Like the “remise de dons”, on March, 8, 2015 for women’s day at the Liberté 6 criminal camp in collaboration with Dakar label DD RECORDZ . On October, 7, 2015, for the event “Octobre rose”, through our managers Ina Makosi and Wasso Tounkara, we offered, with Marie Stopes International, a free consultation day on breast and cervical cancers. We also fight against the defects of African society, with the single “Nuul Kukk” (black skin), that denounces skin whitening and many more.

Who are your female role models?

Our female role models are firstly our mothers, who fortunately gave us an education that makes us references in the world we evolve in. Apart from them, and personally,Coumba Gawlo, for her greatness, combativeness, the respect she advocates everywhere she goes and her relentless work, Fatim of BMG44, and there are other examples like Queen Latifah in the West.

Do you consider yourselves feminists? Why?

We consider ourselves feminists quite understandably because we are women lol. There is only one way to prove it. Let’s just do things equitably, so that everybody can get their bearings. Consider us as human beings above all else.

What are you listening to these days? 

I’m currently listening to Matador “Sénégal“, from the album Reewgaal Nation, otherwise we listen to all kinds of music as we have an international style.

What are your upcoming projects?

To have videos broadcast pretty much everywhere, release a product on the market (a mixtape, an EP…), we’re working on it, tour on the national and international scene, keep working on social projects and speak a truthful language to the population through our lyrics.

What do you think of Madame Rap? What should be changed or improved? 

We can only thank Madame Rap for the initiative, that helps maximize the presence and visibility of women in the hip hop world. We are delighted to see you’re interested in us and also to be part of the sections on your website. One love.

Find GOTAL on Facebook, Soundcloud, and Twitter.