Not grimmed...

[Claw75]

you're very good, but just wondering why, if you don't want to be compared to eminem and are plugging yourself as a UK artist, you rap in an american accent?  is it simply that rapping like an englishman sounds rubbish?

[thetank]

I really like it.

Would be cool if the person who put the video together for $5 got a credit, or did he not want one?

[MC]

you're very good, but just wondering why, if you don't want to be compared to eminem and are plugging yourself as a UK artist, you rap in an american accent?  is it simply that rapping like an englishman sounds rubbish?

Hard to answer this, it just kinda comes out how it does. Perhaps because almost all the rap I listen to & like is American. My first couple of tracks I sound more English but also sound weak and crap, so maybe it is that I dunno.

I don't think it's American exactly, for example the word "can't" stands out as very English on one of my songs.

These tracks are all pretty ancient, might try something new when I finally do a new bout of recording.

Tank - he lost his credit when he doubled his fee!

[AndrewT]

I don't think it's American exactly

You're totally rhyming in Yank - if Dizzee Rascal can sound English then so can you.

[outragous76]

I don't think it's American exactly

You're totally rhyming in Yank - if Dizzee Rascal can sound English then so can you.

i couldnt decide if it was american or rapper - i went for rapper

james - my original question was based on the fact it just doesnt sound like you  - at all!

[Boba Fett]

Have you never listened to a Tim Westwood show?  All rappers and rapper wannabes talk in a fake american accent.  Its a rap thing.

[rex008]

It's a shame Stars in their Eyes isn't on any more. I was sure that was Eminem.

[MC]

i couldnt decide if it was american or rapper - i went for rapper

james - my original question was based on the fact it just doesnt sound like you  - at all!

You mean it doesn't sound high pitched and whiny?

[paulhouk03]

my best mate from America is a rapper also

http://www.myspace.com/bignate904

[AlrightJack]

James, when did you last do an MC battle? How would you rate your chances against Professor Green?

I like your lyrics, but think it's a shame that you don't have more interest in UK rap, as you might have ended up with a distinctive sound of your own if you had, rather than sounding almost exactly the same as Eminem.

[BAM]

Nice effort

[thetank]

Just going by my interpretation of the lyrics in the song here obv.

I don't think it's the comparisom with Eminem in and of itself that bothers him, more what usually goes alongside it.

ie, an assumption that he is copying Eminem, emulating Eminem, that he wants to be Eminem. That he doesn't have anything individual to offer of his own, that he is essentially a rap kareoke artist, or writer and performer of Eminem fanfic. That he should go on Stars in Their Eyes as Eminem.

I suspect he's happy enough to sound like Eminem and for people to comment on that, but not at the expense of them not viewing him as being his own distinct artist.

He's writing things relevant to him and not artificially creating high drama ("my tracks about exes aren't wanting them killed") because he thinks that's what rap lyrics should contain.

Fair enough I say, the middle class white British kids doing rap and the whole wigga thing is a well worn narrative and it's tough to break free from the stigma of all that. Maybe it's impossible, (but everythings impossible till somebody does it)
We let middle class white British kids make indie music though, so why can't middle class white British kids who are into into rap use the same kinds of themes that the indie artists use in their music?

That being said, it's a tough sell in this track to break that ground as another of it's themes being the pursuit of fame and all the glory that goes with that.
It's hard not to think wannabe and, while a sepearate thing really, it's easy for the connotations that go alongside this bringing your mind back to the wigga thing and thusly provide negative reinforcement for the stigma that he's trying to fight against.

Chief reason I like it is it's brave enough to be serious. Other rap that's come across my radar screen from guys like MC all seems to go down the comedy route, with quirky lyrics or creating some sort of self-parody. Fair play to this artist for trying to stake a credible position for himself.

I'm not a complete fanboy, the track gets a bit whiny near the end. This was a shame for me as the part where he's aggresively declaring his impending ascencion with 'no more quiet progression' I love but it just doesn't fit well with going on to moan about he can't get the breaks coz he don't live in the London.

[MC]

Just going by my interpretation of the lyrics in the song here obv.

I don't think it's the comparisom with Eminem in and of itself that bothers him, more what usually goes alongside it.

ie, an assumption that he is copying Eminem, emulating Eminem, that he wants to be Eminem. That he doesn't have anything individual to offer of his own, that he is essentially a rap kareoke artist, or writer and performer of Eminem fanfic. That he should go on Stars in Their Eyes as Eminem.

I suspect he's happy enough to sound like Eminem and for people to comment on that, but not at the expense of them not viewing him as being his own distinct artist.

He's writing things relevant to him and not artificially creating high drama ("my tracks about exes aren't wanting them killed") because he thinks that's what rap lyrics should contain.

Fair enough I say, the middle class white British kids doing rap and the whole wigga thing is a well worn narrative and it's tough to break free from the stigma of all that. Maybe it's impossible, (but everythings impossible till somebody does it)
We let middle class white British kids make indie music though, so why can't middle class white British kids who are into into rap use the same kinds of themes that the indie artists use in their music?

That being said, it's a tough sell in this track to break that ground as another of it's themes being the pursuit of fame and all the glory that goes with that.
It's hard not to think wannabe and, while a sepearate thing really, it's easy for the connotations that go alongside this bringing your mind back to the wigga thing and thusly provide negative reinforcement for the stigma that he's trying to fight against.

Chief reason I like it is it's brave enough to be serious. Other rap that's come across my radar screen from guys like MC all seems to go down the comedy route, with quirky lyrics or creating some sort of self-parody. Fair play to this artist for trying to stake a credible position for himself.

I'm not a complete fanboy, the track gets a bit whiny near the end. This was a shame for me as the part where he's aggresively declaring his impending ascencion with 'no more quiet progression' I love but it just doesn't fit well with going on to moan about he can't get the breaks coz he don't live in the London.

Wow dude, that is some pretty sick insight. I wish I could articulate myself this well. Or maybe I did and that's why you got all this.

Thank you for that post tank ... perhaps I shouldn't have whined at not living in London, it's more my fault I haven't done more with the rap thing (poker has pretty much dominated my life the last 5 years)

Jon - I've never really had an official battle. I remember getting into my groove dissing some Stoké in the crowd at Uni who was booing one of my performances, and I thought I was going to get decked and snuck out and ran home just before the end of the night. Lol. Not very hip-hop of me. I'd get beaten pretty badly by Professor Green if he's as good as he was a few years ago in some clips I've seen.

[rex008]

Thomas just wants to go on Stars In Their Eyes as Melvyn Bragg, IMHO.

[thetank]

Thomas just wants to go on Stars In Their Eyes as Melvyn Bragg, IMHO.

sick read