Suspect

Social media has changed the way we interact with our favourite artists. More than just musicians, they’re now personalities, people we can interact with on the daily. Now more than ever we’re aware that musicians are pretty normal people, they just have a weird job. Every week we get to know one of our favourite SoundCloud heroes, internet dating style, in our new column, Internet Crush.

UK rap has always been blessed with a sense of humour. Even the grittiest, greasiest MCs in Britain have their moments of self-awareness, whether it’s Giggs’ iconic ‘Batman’ line or Big Narstie’s entire steez. Despite this though, few MCs look like they’re having as much fun as Suspect. Having built a name for himself over the last couple of years he’s hit the road with all ten toes in 2018, picking up huge support for his new single ‘Say It With Your Chest’. We’ve been rinsing it in the office since it dropped so naturally, we decided to get him in for this week’s Internet Crush.

You worked with BAFIC on your latest video for ‘Say It With Your Chest’, he’s been doing a lot of good visuals lately. How did you link up?
Yeah him and Hector.  I wasn’t even aware of that, we all collaborated on the idea but I needed them more for their knowledge of camera and what way to shoot it, you get what I’m saying? I can have an idea but you’ve gotta tell me the way to capture that.

The reaction’s been pretty crazy right?
I did a thing a Bussey Building on Friday, the day after it dropped and I opened with ‘Say It With Your Chest’ and already I was feeling that love, it can’t be matched. That’s not the first time it’s happened, even with ‘FBG’, three days after it dropped I ended up doing a show in Selfridges with Skinny Macho and I didn’t even know you could perform in Selfridges. I go there all the time and I never knew! It’s just the powers really, I just walk with the powers.

When did you start rapping?
I’ve always felt like I could spit but properly about 2015. When I dropped ‘Rage.’

You get compared to US MCs a lot – do you like the whole SoundCloud Trap thing happening over there?
Some of these artists, I see them as products of 2017 like what we were accepting and what we were on. So there’s things I’ve just not been on and stayed the same and people have gone on it and got off. Tekashi’s got a banger though but I don’t really feel them. They’ve got mad followers and shit but I don’t really watch them.

A lot those rappers have face tattoos. What would you get tattooed on your face?
Nah. I wouldn’t get a face tattoo. Never.

On ‘FBG’ you said your yeard smells like sardines. Why?
Cause the shit’s boiling in the water G… you know like sardines stink innit.

You freestyle all your bars – do you ever think about what you’re going to say before you get in the booth or does it just come to you?
Sometimes if I have beat ready it can set the mood for me, it lets me know what part of my life I’m gonna draw from on this track. Even my producer could say “you need to give them the pain on this one” and before I know it I’ve pieced together how to annihilate the ting.

Your music seems pretty much designed to shut down anywhere its played – what’s the craziest thing that’s happened at one of your shows?
There was a mad thing where some girls were trying to climb on the stage, I don’t know what they were trying or what they were coming to do to me. One time there was this crazy fight at some place in Northhampton and in the middle of my set, everyone starts spreading out and I had to cool it down. My thinking was ‘you’re all uni students anyway, what are you doing?’ Then ‘FBG’ bought everyone back together, I couldn’t believe it.

Who do you roll with?
My guys. The Street League, they’re coming and they’re a whole other dimension.

Describe your sound in just a sentence:
Very original and this sort of original is very expensive.

Favourite colour:
To look at might be green. To wear it’d probably be black.

Favourite movie:
Belly. Menace to Society. Better Must Come.

Last book you read:
Rich Dad Poor Dad.

First single/album you ever bought?
Probably a Giggs’ CD. I used to steal off my brother and that. When Walk In The Park came out I had to go to Tesco and grab that.

First band/act you ever went to see live?
It was 2Chainz.

What do you do in your spare time?
Living my life. Making plays and power moves. Hanging out with little man.

Are you a morning or evening person?
I come alive under the street lamps man.

First song you ever wrote?
Some tune with Tiny Supreme, time ago.

Favourite song of your own?
They’re all hard. I’ve got one tune though, called ‘Flamboyant.’ My favourite ones end up being the ones that took a lot out of me.

Favourite lyric?
I’ve got bare sick ones. “No more pyrex vision now, more like jets and we’re skipping clouds. At this rate little man will never have to worry about his pops sitting down.”