The Year was 2001

SOUNDS SO FRESH

I was a young man, ready to take on the world of Hip Hop. My biggest fans were my sister Funmi, my best friend Sean and my cousin Spyda, it was time to get the word out. I’d been building up a name for myself on the London scene and was the host of a popular monthly open mic session called Urban Griots in South London (started by 2 lovely ladies, Fatimah and Julianna). It was an amazing arena to grow as an artist and was an integral part of the London spoken word scene between ’97 and 2003. In 1999 I made a demo track called “Underrated” and a few DJs were playing it, in particular DJ 279 played it on Choice FM radio station for 9 weeks straight! The feedback was brilliant and really encouraged me to take music more seriously…

“…menacing prejudice I faced at 15
took my retakes in Kilburn college canteen
it was Femi, George, Skitz and RIP Armstrong
Steve Austin, Bunny Bread and Spyda made me strong”
–Push

A few years before this I was in Kilburn college escaping boring Maths classes by Mr Palamedes, playing black jack in the canteen, playing arcade games on the high street or playing penny up the wall with friends in a nearby estate. During these years, I began to come out of my shell and started digesting Hip Hop culture and soon realised the art of freestyling. I was hanging out with my own cool crew but started chilling more and more with my cuz who knew some serious Hip Hop aficionados. He kept telling me I had to meet some artist called TY (that was to happen later). He also knew two members of the Espionage crew that also attended Kilburn college. A really cool, loud mouthed DJ/producer/graffiti artist called Bunny Bread and a booming voiced friendly giant MC known as Lord Omega 7, later as Steve Austin. I thought to myself I’ll be as Hip Hop as these guys one day.

One day finally came and I had the privelage of having Bunny Bread come up with a track for my debut single. Bunny, Daz-I-Que (from Bugz in the Attic), Steve Austin, Motet, Adam Rock, Toprock and Darren started Uprock recordings and wanted to put out the single. I wanted to show my lyrical skills, personality and pay homage to my Hip Hop and musical elders like Rodney P, Jonzi D, Black Twang, TY, MCD, Omar, Beverly Knight and the numerous poets I’d met through Urban Griots. The result was “Sounds so Fresh”. I was finally getting the word out. 10 years on and it still sounds fresh!

To be continued
01 Sounds so Fresh by Breis