A Few Words With Dabbla

It's been a while brewing in the cellar, but this one is fresh as fuck. Hip-hop legend Dabbla was in the studio-in-the-sky to have a few words about nothing. Big ups and wreck yourself.

What's the script? Introduce yourself, bru.

Hi, I'm a dabbla, I put words together to make you smile.  

I have to ask, where did 'Dabbla' as a name come from?

No interesting story behind it, just sounded cool at the time.

How did LDZ come into existence?

Good question. Started with myself and Pierre Green and grew from there.

Likewise, what's Problem Child?

Problem Child is my latest project with Illaman, Dubbledge and Sumgii. Get on it!

Your sound is a lot more 'industrial' than others in the scene you work with. In a contrast, your features, 'Dabble does...' sound a lot more old school. Do you have a particular style you prefer working with?

130-140bpm, that’s my shit.

Do you have a particular process for writing lyrics, or just let her flow?

First line has to be killer then yeah, she just does her thing.

If you had to pick a particular fruit to personify you, which and why?

Melon. All round amazing. In both solid and liquid form!

Which goat from the screaming goat compilations exemplifies you the clearest?

I'm not too familiar with the screaming goats but probably the one that drinks heavily and tells kids to fuck off.

Is there anything happening in the Dead Players camp at the moment?

Bare happenings! New EP in the making and another album on the way!

Favourite artist/s to collaborate with?

Haven’t had my fingers on the pulse lately, I’m too engrossed in my own hype.

Dead Players got great reviews for Boom Bap 2014. How was it for you?

Illegal.

What's the furthest a tour has taken you?

Never been on a proper tour, hopefully soon I'll be able to answer this with amazing tales!

How you start rapping?

You go ‘yo’ then begin…

You're pretty prominent in the loungekore scene. You have a favourite loungekore artist?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA, Loungekore.

Can I have a fag?

Certainly.

It seems like everyone in the UK hip-hop scene is one big family. Is there any beef in behind the scenes? Everyone loves gossip.

Fuck Uk HipHop.

You working on any projects at the moment?

Yeah, my debut album titled Madman’s Lullaby.

What about doing 'Dabbla does Miley'? I could see it.

Me too. Link it!

I'm sure fans can be a bit strange at times. Any funny stories from tours or just randomly meeting people?

Ummm… At a festival Baxter dragged me over to this girl who was reciting one of the first rhymes I ever wrote.  It was one of those 64-bar-long-story-telling lyrics which my mind had long forgotten… Listening to someone reel that shit off after a decade is pretty amazing to me.

Who's the biggest asshole in the game?

Harry the Bastard.

Would you consider yourself a mad egg?

From time to time.

Aguilera, yes?

Definitely. In the face.

Anything else?

Madman’s Lullaby. 2015. Potent Funk.

Script.

As always, my brus, links are here. You heard it, new album in store. Hup hup.

Sunday Top Five Hash Two

Another edition of nothingness is back, although there's a sever lack of nothingness. Only three tracks made it this week, being new and all. I promise to try harder; please, stop hitting me. Jam Baxter has a new album out, as does Smellington Piff, and Leaf looks like he's gearing up for something big. An exciting week it is. I'm a walrus. Moo.

Jam Baxter - Leash

   Produced by Chemo, off the new album '... So We Ate Them Whole', which is set to drop 1st Decemeber. I shall look forward. Baxter being Baxter, it's a strange release. The video is pretty wacky, and I'm sure I've missed the point of it. Fuck it. I shall let you endure and see your own meaning. Looking pretty spaced behind that desk, the video is minimal but effective. It seems to be a step away from his traditional style, being a lot more reminiscent of the American scene, with a much more industrial feel. Trap almost. Those flies coming out his ear are a bit, um, weird. And disgusting. I still have yet to decipher a lot of what Baxter says in his songs, and this one is no different. No fuckin' idea whatsoever. The girl dressed in latex makes it look like a mad freaky porno, haha. Yes, yes, quite disgusting. Being unfamiliar with the visuals of Chemo, I'm wondering is that him acting as the butler? It's a basic beat, but it works. The synth introduced later in the song reminds me of something out of the CAS back-catalogue. Baxter is in lazy mode here, with the rhyming just falling out of his mouth. It's a lot more relaxing than one might be used to; change is good. Back to the desk, or drawing board, he's happy again. What is up with that vidya?

Leaf Dog - The Man With 1000 Dice

   Rapped over a Kev Brown instrumental, Leaf is back. Is this tidings for a new album? Let us hope so. Leaf dropping a new album would be the biggest thing since stale bread. I hope this is only a snippet though, as it sounds like it's cut short. With no video, it sounds like it's part of a bigger project. Oh, I hope so. That strange guitar riff is nice, sounds a lot different to the usual Leaf old-school stuff. A nice scrappy beat is a change too, always good. There's a lot more 'yo's on the snippet than lyrics, which mean it must have been cut short. The lyrics are fairly random, reminds me of Baxter, haha.

Smellington Piff - Site

   Coming straight off his new album dropping 8th Decemeber, Site is a perfect example of an artist who has honed his skill. It's a suitable first release, making us expect more. It's dirty, loud, and spat at you. And viscous. A big contrast to the likes of Piff Land, Piff himself has steered in quite an angry direction. The chaos in the video only exemplifies the lyrics, and the song in general, and the copious amounts of herb being consumed keep the old familiar Piff close to hand. That Rhodes-style steel guitar throughout the song is more infectious than the latest epidemic. Look out for featured appearances from BVA and Leaf. I'm pretty sure it's them you can see. Leaf is sat around the campfire, and Beaver is in the van. Sharp eyes. Check out the dynamic rhyming on top of the caravan haha. Giggles. The way he screams 'Site' during the chorus is just perfection. The lyrics of the track are honest, with such features as 'If home is where the heart is I live on my sleeve'. With a lot of references to how shit life was for him growing up, it makes a difference to just rapping about getting stoned. Ending with a sort of half-verse, the song is the perfect introduction to the new release. The beat is simple, nothing wrong with that. The use of strings is exceptional, and it's clear Leaf is definitely back too. With the album cover saying 'Produced by Leaf Dog', it would be fucking incredible to see a whole album produced by him again. Four Owls anyone? I truly look forward.

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