This week sees two musical heavyweights step into the ring looking to find their form and titles again.

First up Massive Attack look to expunge the dissappointment of 100th Window with Heligoland. With the pressure solely on 3D to deliver the goods I found 100th Window creak under the weight of expectation. The sound was stripped too far back, with the vocals masked by the bleeping electronica. Horace Andy, father of gawd knows how many kids, has never sounded so impotent.

Heligoland, like 100th Window, contains a few eye-brow raising guest vocalists but, with Daddy G back in the fold, initial hype suggests that Massive are back on track and nearing Mezzanine’s heights again. Fingers crossed this is the case for one of the UK’s most original and influential groups.

Meanwhile across the pond and sitting in the red corner is Gil Scott-Heron. The grandfather of rap, Scott-Heron has spent years in the wilderness slipping into a hedonistic lifestyle at an age when most artists are going clean. Indeed he’s has been in a strange position where the tales of despair, loss and alienation he was documenting in his songs in the 70s, were actually foretelling his own recent troubles.

Gil Scott-Heron is where it all started in many people’s eyes and, like the Massive Attack album, I will be purchasing I’m New Here with a mixture of excitement, hey they could be starting a revolution again, and apprehension that maybe…

Filed under: Rap, Rap Celebrities, UK hip-hop, Uncategorized by J.G.
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..did he ever leave us? Possibly going on an epic journey through the Himalayas in-between releasing The New Danger in 2004 and this years Ecstatic while finding time to churn out the underwhelming True Magic in a wooden studio shack on a mountain somewhere in-between. Well, no, probably not but it makes for a suitably striking headline. Mos Def appears galvanised after releasing the excellent Ecstatic earlier this summer and if this sampler of 24 Hour Karate School from Kanye West’s blog is anything to go by the creative juices are still in full flow.

And check out the new video for Supermagic, also proving that Mos isn’t averse to sporting a sartorial favourite amongst 80s terrace casuals, the Fred Perry polo. Nice.

Filed under: Rap, Rap Celebrities, Video by D.K.
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What could be a better than spending Halloween learning to beatbox with tutor and kids entertainer Biz Markie? Gotta love the Biz purely for his ability to make his audience to go WTF.

Filed under: Beatboxing, Rap, Rap Celebrities by J.G.
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A rather chaotic interview from the charmingly chaotic Ricky Powell - dude constantly sounds and looks like he’s in a different place from where he’s at. In this interview he’s in the studio with artist and clothing producer SSUR. This excerpt is part of the excellent Dithers documentary that focuses on street-art innovators. As an aside we’ll be showing the follow up doc, The Run Up, at the Leeds International Film Festival, 9 November.

For Dithers and related goodness check out what Upper Playground/Walrus TV are putting out. Man they never sleep.

Filed under: Artists, Rap Celebrities, Street Art by J.G.
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It’s Tuesday and you know what that (sometimes) means!?! Black Elvis is in the building! Any cool kid worth their salt would have copped the first issue of Bonafide magazine where we interviewed the great man in a so-so example of music journalism, well, in a marginally inferior effort I present to you excerpts from my own interview with Funk Igniter Plus (UMC days..). Where our Tuesday hero displays all the humility we’ve come to expect. Not.

You’ve often been associated with, or even arguably responsible for, the Horrorcore and Acid Rap genres. How do you think they’re doing now? Are there any artists from those scenes that you follow?

Kool Keith: I invented Horrorcore. I don’t listen to those groups who try to sound like me very much, it bores me.

The paranormal and sci-fi influences is a strong theme throughout your work, why do you think it is that some people, or musicians, are better at connecting with their sub-conscious/imagination than others?

Kool Keith: I don’t put limits on my self or my creative flow. I write what I feel. One day I might write about eggs, one day I write about bitches, the next I might write about chopping up bodies in the basement. I’m a creative writer in my music and lyrical genius.

You are also known for an interest in conspiracy theories, one of the biggest floating around at the moment is that 9/11 was engineered by the American Government, i.e. ‘an inside job’, what’s your take on that?

Kool Keith: It could be true, you never know. I believe aliens exist. I seen one in the projects one time wearing a gold chain and smoking a blunt.

One of my favourite Dr Octagon songs is ‘Blue Flowers’. Is it a reference to the killer drug, substance D, from Phillip K Dick’s sci-fi classic ‘Scanner Darkly’?

Kool Keith: No it’s really a song about a blue flower I found one day by a purple pond.

Do you think that drugs are a help or hindrance to the creative process?

Kool Keith: A lot of musicians take drugs. A lot of them died or killed they selves though. I think it can sometimes help open your mind to new ideas or sounds. I used to smoke dust back in the day, that’s some ill shit.

I read somewhere that you are a big fan of Paris Hilton, would you consider a collaboration?

Kool Keith: I’d like to do a photo shoot with her. I got some nice outfits for her to try on…I’m a photographer, I got 1000’s of pictures in my private collection.

You can check the rest of the interview here. NB, never attempt to interview Kool Keith via email.

Filed under: Celebrity Rappers, Rap, Rap Celebrities, Uncategorized by D.K.
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Introducing ‘Kool Keith Tuesdays’! A regular-ish column that loosely celebrates the pomposity, curiousness and ingenuity of the man with a million monikers. Feel free to contribute with your own favourite links to clips of Underwear Pissy by emailing them to info@bonafidezine.com with ‘Kool Keith Tuesdays’ in the subject heading.

Of course Kool Keith isn’t really a Tuesday type of guy, but James pipped me to the congruously named ‘Friday Funk’ and my Saturdays are strictly reserved for sleeping and screaming motivational abuse at what currently passes for Arsenal’s midfield. Not producing copy on raps biggest weirdo. Besides, Kool Keith ‘Tuesdays’ is ironic, you can read more about irony in Vice magazine.

Filed under: Fashion, Rap, Rap Celebrities by D.K.
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As the clock ticks down to one of this years most eagerly awaited gigs, we thought it would be good to post up what can only be described as one the best interviews. Ever. This is like Story Time with the RZA and is an amazing yarn full of colourful little details and embellishments. Obviously it probably helps if you can dispense with your disbelief and just go along with the story.

BTW if the RZA needs somewhere to store his stash of 50 Replicators he can use Bonafide HQ for a cheap commission-based rate.

Filed under: DJ/Turntablism, Music Rigs, Rap, Rap Celebrities by J.G.
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Original thinker Kool Keith is at again, this time finding a solution to the annoying habit of family and friends ransacking your fridge of all the nice stuff. Keith’s tip? Buy lots of bland and unappealing food and drink and then train yourself to like it. The result will be a fridge that, as no visitor will ever be helping themselves to a midnight snack, remains full. An interesting concept and a great way to save pennies in these tough times.

Keith is ace and had the (unfortunate) distinction of being the first person Bonafide ever interviewed face-to-face. Although that interview won’t be winning any awards -  indeed the NUJ would probably hold it up as an example of how not to conduct an interview - we are proud that our first foray into the journalism game involved speaking to a true hip-hop legend. Check out issue 01 to read Bonafide’s first ever scoop!

Filed under: Rap, Rap Celebrities by J.G.
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Fresh from acting in Funny People, this September will see the RZA pack up his chessboard, reach for his well thumbed copy of the Art of War and his mic and travel across the Pond for a UK tour. Starting on the 29th the round of gigs is part of the launch event for his second book entitled The Tao of Wu. The new book details RZA’s own personal enlightenment and how he has sampled various religions and sub-cultures to create his own state of mind and vision of the world. We’re doubtful these dates will be book reading events  - expect bangers galore. Hopefully it will be as good as it sounds, the RZA is a hugely charismatic, articulate and entertaining individual and you only have to look at the diversity and prolific nature of the man’s CV; from his work with the Wu-Tang Clan to his solo work in the guise of Bobby Digital to his superb film scores such as the Ghost Dog Instrumental Soundtrack through to his acting appearances in flicks such as Coffee and Cigarettes; to realise the mans an original. Hey, even Bill Murray knows who he is. Not to be missed.

Filed under: Live, Rap, Rap Celebrities by J.G.
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You may have heard Child singing sensation, Soulja Boy’s latest track ‘Kiss me thru the phone’ blaring from someone’s mobile at the back of the bus. Although the sound quality is probably too poor to hear any of the actual words, you may have noticed him dishing out an Oldham phone number.

Unfortunately for his Lancastrian fan base, ‘Mr. Superman’ has not relocated to the Greater Manchester area. In the same vein as the rest of his music, he simply wrote down the first numbers that came into his head. Unfortunately for Gerry Matley (54) and his wife Catriona Howard Smith (52) the random number that transferred from S. Beezys brain via his crayon to his jotter just happened to be their phone number.

They now receive in excess of 60 calls per day from what can only be described as optimistic half-wits hoping for a friendly chat with their favourite wannabe thug. See what Gerry and Catriona think on the BBC website.

Filed under: Rap Celebrities by P.A.
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