Welcome to BURR. Brickcellphone’s Underground Rap Radar.
In this series, Brighton hip-hop DJ, Matt ‘Brickcellphone’ Leppier, is chatting to some of the underground rap talent on his radar. It’s as simple as that.
Follow him @brickcellphone and listen to him spin some of these artists on Offie Mag Radio.
BURR 39: Natty Wylah
It’s a sign of the times that many of the people on Brickcellphone’s Underground Rap Radar right now, are far from your traditional rappers.
Natty Wylah is the latest interviewee and we’re excited about the new music he’s got coming. Another talent who we first saw thanks to Loudhouse’s Raphouse series, Wylah glides from silky smooth deliveries to more energetic, darker cuts like his recently released single, WHOAMI.
Speaking of which, we get to know exactly who Natty is here, with this Natty Wylah interview.
Ello mate, how you doing? Can you introduce yourself to everyone who may not know who you are n what you’re about.
Ello, my names Natty Wylah. I’m from North West London, now living in South East (traitor!) I wouldn’t want to put my sound in a box so you’d have to listen for yourself. I put myself in all I do, from the visuals to the sonics however collaboration is integral to my work so this kind of synergy is paramount, so shouts out all my friends and family that I work with (Sonny, Srigala, Never Seek Permission and all my band players).
How would you describe your new single?
‘WHOAMI’ is written from a submerged anger: dealing with identity, institutionalised ignorance and disillusionment. It’s heavy and venomous! Growing up as ‘different’ but not feeling a connection with your ‘different’ heritage is something that isn’t uncommon in London with it’s chemistry of culture. This displacement leaves me finding more solace in the moon than China (my mother’s homeland).
What’s your plan for the new year?
I’m quite a visual person so I’d say most recently; Murikami’s stories have absolutely floored me with there meticulous details and candid mystery. If you don’t know already he’s the best author I know hands down, check him out. I rate Kate Tempest’s humanness I definitely don’t listen to her enough! Early reggae and rocksteady, your Upsetter productions, Niney, Studio 1 etc. have been a big part of my life growing up my dad ran these riddims continuously – with a sprinkle of punk and jazz from my Mum.
You perform with a full live band, is this imperative to the Wylah experience?
Artistically I’m on an exploration, the full live band is an extension of this growth and together what we produce excites me madly. I’d been feeling to move along from just ‘beats & bars’ and lo and behold the band set-up manifested: it’s unchartered territories bringing in cross-genre influence and will keep growing in unknown directions. Definitely imperative to the Wylah experience.
I’m just popping to the Offie, anything you want me to grab for ya?
Grab me a scrumpy n 2 sterling superking guvna!
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