Joe Blow, from Barry, is a true great of Welsh Rap, he and Mr Substance, from Cardiff, have recently teamed up to give us a solid EP titled Born Leader. The EP contains 5 tracks and the songs on this EP really show Joe Blow has style, word play and can kick it with the best in Wales. The EP is produced to a very high degree and the instrumentals are top quality. The tone of the project is that classic era rap which of course we love and the tracks really do take you back to this era. It’s great to hear music like this. Joe Blow is funny, lyrically orientated and is 100% having fun making his music. Check out the release here:
We had the chance to speak to Joe Blow and Mr Substance this week. Here’s how it went:
Joe Blow
How did this project come to be?
This is part 2 of a 3 part trilogy. Part 1 Alpha Ego is already out on all digital platforms,
And part 3 “lone survivor “will be out sometime in Feb/March 22.
Where was the audio recorded for this project and who produced the audio for the tracks?
I record all the vocals in my studio then fire them over to mr substance who produces everything so he can work his magic.
I need to be able to record as soon as I’m inspired or the excitement will pass and I will lose the energy to do the track and then it just becomes a chore. I feel that you need to have fun when you make music as it will show in the recordings.
You are a prominent name in the Welsh Urban Scene. What drives you to be so active?
I have to be creative or I feel really down and depressed, I’ve suffered with my mental health for many years now and music production helps me cope and makes me feel alive. On the track Born Leader one of the lyrics is “I'd be dead if it wasn’t for this music”. I’m always brutality honest with myself, I know what makes me tick.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
I never put labels on my music hence the reason I float between so many genres, it’s just music from the heart that I have a deep passion for.
What music are your listening to lately?
I love jazz music so Charlie Parker and Mingus are always on heavy rotation. I love 90s boom bap so I’m always playing classic albums from that era like Redman Muddy Waters and Wu Tang Clan enter the 36 chambers, I think you can hear those influences in my music that i make today.
What is the best advice you’ve been given?
My dad once told me “if it has tyres or tits I guarantee you you’re gonna have trouble with it one day” never a truer word said.
Where would you like to visit?
I’d like to go to New York and see where the whole hip hop thing started but I cant get in country unfortunately due to my colourful past, I have applied for visas in the past but they keep getting denied. Hopefully one day they will let me go there.
How has the pandemic effected you?
It has been a massive pain in my arse, outside of music I’ve always been a self employed entrepreneur, my car and van hire business got ruined financially and I’ve had to close it down which was a major blow to me and my family.
I also run a regular DnB night called Circle Eight and with most of the clubs being opened and closed again I haven’t been able to put as many events on as i had hoped to do.
I’m currently preparing for a new business venture for film and TV so I’m hopeful I can bounce back.
What do you think of the pandemic?
I think its just being used as an excuse to push in new laws and gradually take away our liberties.
I honestly think its all part of a plan to reset the world and change the way we live.
What’s next for you in 2022?
More of the same to be honest, we pretty much finished the trilogy EP’s before Xmas so we can go into the new year with a clean slate to be able to start fresh projects. One thing I want to do is re-release all 3 EP’s on a ltd edition CD as an album with a few bonus tracks and call it the trilogy or something along those lines.
Joe Blow has also released this single this week featuring Mr Substance and Maizie Welsh. The song is dedicated to Staggas memory. A truly beautiful song.
Check it out here:
Mr Substance
What has been your favourite part of doing this project with Joe Blow?
It’s never a chore, I think we define being on the same wavelength musically, we are inspired by each other’s creativity and motivation and it’s just seems to spew forth good results.
How did your journey with music start?
When I bought WUTang Forever when I was 14, closely followed by a Tribe album, that’s the first time I heard and fell in love with the drum swing of boom bap.
What music are your listening to lately?
I listen to a lot of Jazz music and Big Band, I always have, Tribe called quest and many other groups from that era are on constant rotation too.
How long does it usually take you to write your songs?
Not long at all, I’ve been making music in the same way for 20 years so I’ve got a process down, I’ll often get 5/6 beats out of one track I’m sampling and Joe and I’s work rates are matched so I often don’t have to wait more than a day to get vocals back from him.
What do you like doing in your spare time apart from Music? Honestly I have no other hobbies other than making music, it’s both a love and one of the only things that settles my anxiety. Who is your favourite artist in Wales right now? There’s so many, bard Picasso who I have the privilege of being involved with is packed with talent and I’m of course I’m a massive fan of Joe’s since way before we started making music together. What are your thoughts on the handling on the pandemic? I don’t think about it, it upsets me, I lost my sister as a direct result of the AZ vaccine, so I live in my own bubble with my loved ones. How has the pandemic effected your music career? It gave me more time at home to make music, I haven’t been involved in any cancelled gigs or the like so musically I guess it was a plus for me. If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be? There’s no filters any more, anyone can release anything they want so I feel there’s times where quality is watered down and an anyone can out any old nonsense out attitude, I feel quality is sometimes lost as a result, like it’s no longer a privilege to be able to put stuff out as anyone with the internet can now. What’s next for you in 2022? Plenty more with Joe, and numerous EP’s and projects on Bard Picasso.
Stay up to date with our latest blogs by following us on Facebook.
Click the logo below to go to our Facebook page.
Sign up to our newsletter below.
Comments