Slickmouth

London born, California raised Slickmouth is now living back in the UK. With support from DJ 279 on Choice FM amongst others, he is definitely making noise. His swagger and style is somewhere in between Jay-Z and Lupe Fiasco, and we love his style. HHB Radio sent Jonathon Miles to get all the latest from this talented rapper…

Thanks for passing through and doing this interview. Loving the single ‘I Made It’. Who produced that track and how long did it take to make?

Honestly I heard the beat and it was a wrap! The horns where speaking to me so the hook pretty much wrote itself and then the verses where introspective, so they just flowed nicely to the drum pattern which was my total source of inspiration. I wrote the both verses in about 3 hours cos I couldn’t tear away from the rhyme book until I had it finished...ha! The beat was produced by a Soundclick producer named Puzzle.

How did you get the name Slickmouth?

I was actually thinking about that the other day! Hhmmnn well I am a slick individual naturally, be it through my clothing co-ordination (the swagger’s always tight. ha!) or verbal articulation, I just exude slickness, so I guess when it was time to step in the game the name really was a no brainer, plus I just rhymed slick, so why not  SLICKMOUTH?

You spent time in the USA and in the UK. Which do you prefer and what’s the main difference between the two countries do you think?

Wow! Well with this question it’s really hard to break it down without sounding like a tour guide! Both countries are culturally diverse and the way of life is totally different. Everything in the States is on a larger scale i.e. music, entertainment, food etc, while in the UK things are on a smaller scale in comparison. A major difference would have to be the weather and hot beaches... (Now I’m having a nostalgic moment ha!). All in all, both countries have elements which are extremely unique to one another so they have collectively shaped my experiences and provided a broad pallet for my artistic depiction. So I don’t prefer any country over the other, they both offer different aspects and therefore expose me to a different scenery.

The music industry seems to be on a downwards spiral at the moment. Shops, distributors, magazines, labels all seem to be going bump. How you viewing the industry?

As an artist and a business man I just see it as supply and demand. If I got the product that’s in high demand based on the quality and uniqueness of it, it’s sure to force open the market. If the buzz gets to a certain level the labels will have to come knocking so basically I just intend to keep doing me which involves being a nuisance to the industry, being at every show available, every interview, every CD shop I can possibly get into. I am just flooding the media outlets. That’s how I view it and with the downloading spiral that’s a new wave in the industry now so I just have to tailor my strategy to accommodate that.

I see you have going to be doing some showcases in New York for Def Jam. Is your eventual plan to get signed to a major label?

Definitely... that’s definitely my plan! To get a major deal so I could share my message with a larger audience but this is only if the deal is right and it has to feel right from within… you feel me?

So this single ‘I Made It’ is off a forthcoming street album. What kind of topics do you cover on this release?

Well the CD is titled ‘SUPERSTAR’ which touches on a great deal of topics, mostly introspective. I have a track on there called ‘BARE YOUR SOUL’ which talks about how I feel about the music industry at the moment, my long grind to where I am right now and how I intend to make it in the biz, while I switch it up on ‘HOT FIRE’ a club banger talking about a hot girl I spotted in a club, down to ‘UNIVERSAL SOUL MUSIC’ which just goes on to express my interpretation of what hip hop is about i.e. its not just for hustlers, or street dudes..You could be a white indie kid, a rocker, a skateboarder and connect to hip hop. So the CD touches on diverse subject matters and it’s sure to deliver...trust me...ha!

How would you describe your musical style?

I think you did a good job on the introduction already...ha! I’ll just add unique, charismatic and everyday guy rhymes. Nothing about me is imposing... so its either you could vibe to it because you relate to me or you just find yourself bopping your head cos its great music and I just makes it sound slick… ha!

Have you been doing many shows?

I have been back on the show circuit now for the past few months and I have been hitting them hard, from major ones to small open mics. I have been hitting them all and getting amazing feedback from the potential fans, so thank you all!

What’s the live show entail and how can people book you?

Right now the live show is pretty basic. No extravagant costumes and stage props just yet… ha! But a definite guarantee of excitement and soulful blessings after every performance. As for bookings people just contact me directly via my Myspace page (www.myspace.com/slickmouth22) or my Facebook page.

So who are you feeling in the UK at the moment?

This is a hard one, hmmnn... I’ll have to say a little bit of Wretch32 and my boy G-Frsh but I think that’s about it for now besides classic MC’s like Skinnyman and Klashnekoff. 

Is there anyone in the UK you would love to work with?

Definitely will love to work with the jazz saxophonist Yolanda Brown. I think she is so talented and it will be a crazy unpredictable union.

Do you listen to any music that isn’t Hip-Hop?

Yep definitely. I’m a big soul guy so you’ll catch me listening to the likes of Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye as well as some African songs, down to the light indie stuff. I’m actually into some electro stuff at the moment so I’m definitely outside the box man.

So the street album is due out soon. Where can people buy it from? Will it be on iTunes?

Hopefully it would be on all major online outlets, most street record stores and hand to hand street sellers you’ll definitely see us in your town… ha!

Do you have a website?

You could check me out at www.myspace.com/slickmouth22 and search for SLICKMOUTH on Facebook. 

Is there anybody you would like to shout out?

My PA Kiran, the executive producer for the Superstar CD Emman, the whole ILLSET camp, and finally, shout out to Tricksta and the whole Wolftown camp… Peace!

Interview by Jonathan Miles