Urban World

An Interview with Mystro

Mystro the natural born spitting, hip hop artist has been around the industry for a while, he talks to Urbanworld in preparation of his latest EP and gives an insight into his life. The Digmund Freud EP, which is scheduled for release in September 2010 through Don’t Biznizz and DJ Flip’s Self Destruct Music consists of eight tracks serve as a hip hop therapy session to those in need; which includes the top single ‘Around My Way’.

 

So your new E.P...Is this meant to reflect your ego as Dr Freud?
No, the concept of Digmund Freud is helping people to think in a different ways whether it be in life or in music. The idea and music and vibes in hip-hop are all similar and only going one way, so the EP tries to move away from that ‘one way’ acting as a solution. Sometimes people get depressed with the same sounds but I try to create something with great intensity but still keeping with hip-hop.

Your single ‘Around my Way’ talks about giving away free ‘hip-hop’, in what other ways have you given away hip-hop?
I’ve done free mix tapes with DJ AMES called ‘The Rest of Me’; this mix tape gives an insight to me, with a bit of a history. You can google this and take a look.

The music video for ‘Around my Way’ was clever for example the moment where your rapping, and then you stop half way to get off the tube, how did you come up with the overall concept of the video?
The director, Ian Gamester filmed it around Brick Lane, Seven Sisters and Covent Garden. Nobody knew I was performing apart from a few people; I also performed other tracks, sort of like busking but I did it for free. The tube idea was Ian’s idea it was spur the moment which made it fun to do.

You have been rapping since a young age, how did you know that music what the path you wanted to go down?
I didn’t know at the time that music was what I wanted to do. Back then it for fun, I really liked hip-hop so me and my friends would rap and the rapping would be developing but my friends didn’t take it serious, as I also used to be a jungle mc which many people didn’t know about. At one point I was really ill but got better and started to develop the rapping, it wasn’t easy.

How do you set yourself apart from other artists?
Probably learnt how to rhyme, and with people listening to me they can learn it too and see I’m not one dimensional. I can rap about anything even if it’s about animals I can rap about it and give a better understanding about what I’m rapping about.

Do you have any influences or inspirations within your music?
I find inspiration in everything in life and things. Even if it seems boring I can make it interesting. I would listen to a beat over and over again and see what would work with a chorus and then start thinking about the verses, I try not to repeat anything as you don’t want it to seem corny or boring.

You’ve done a lot of touring in the past years, which is the best place you have ever performed at?
A festival in New Zealand called ‘Splore’ performing on a massive stage in front of 4 – 5 thousand people with the white sandy beach and blue water and summer blazing sun has to be the best place.

What would you say is the highlight of your career so far?
That’s a hard one. In a sentimental way it would be working with Junior Reid and De La Soul, artists that I grew up listening to. With Junior Reid he liked what I did and being paid to work with him was good. With De La Soul they came up to me and I can remember being a kid holding their album and working together, I just thought wow.

In 2009 Rap Up you rapped about a lot of artists from Michael Jackson and Susan Boyle are there any other people you would want to rap about?
You’ll just have to wait for the 2010 Rap Up!!

Spine TV how did you come about hosting your own show?
I used to host club nights called KungFu and SpineTV used to film there every month, and they basically approached me to work with them and have a segment called ‘Mystro Investigates’ there’s everything on there from me horse riding to circus training you should check it out...spinetv.net

You have collaborated with a lot of artists are there any artists dead or alive or both you would want to work with?
If I had to work with artists who are dead I’d pick Big L and J Dilla. Those who are alive I’d like to work with Labrinth and The Roots.

Do you have a favourite lyric?
That’s a hard one. At the moment there are certain verses on the Digmund Freud EP I like but I’d say ‘don’t bother with waiting on what could go wrong, cos when you worry you’re praying for what you don’t want.’ A lot of people tend to dwell on things that could go wrong and the more you do that it’s more likely to happen.

On your twitter you said you like to eat Ginger Snaps, is that your weakness?
YES that is my weakness; there are always crumbs everywhere, also oatmeal biscuits.

What three things could you not live without?
Music
Oxygen
My Blackberry

Which actor would play you in a movie of your life?
Probably Samuel L Jackson, although my friends think I look like Bokeem Woodbine so also him.

Lastly are there any rituals you do before a concert?
I don’t do the whole praying thing, I like to do a warm up, do some breathing exercises open up the wind pipe and warm up the vocals right before I hit the stage.

 

Don’t sleep on the mighty Mystro. Domination is imminent…stay tuned.