Check outUrban History X here

Firstly on monday I attended an event hosted by 360 Records called Dubstep1 TV, which was a showcase of dubstep artists with performances from Harry Shotta, Turbulenze and Fleur. Harry Shotta and Turbulenze were also filming scenes of a music video for a track called Outta Control. See the behind the scenes footage filmed by GrimeScene.Tv

Here is Harry Shotta with his Avit goodie bag

On Wednesday I went to interview Benny Banks at the Social in London. I have been a fan of him for a few years now after being introduced to his music, so I was quite excited to interview him. I brought Benny a choice of a few Avit clothes as a gift from us, and he picked the white Adaggio t-shirt with black print. Whilst I was there I also bumped into BBC 1Xtra presenter and DJ Gemma Cairney.

Benny Banks

Gemma Cairney

Lastly on thursday I went to YoYo’s at Nottinghill Arts Club to watch my new favourite act Clement Marfo + The Frontline. I only became aware of these guys when I went to interview them backstage at their MTV Brand New for 2012 gig a few months ago. I was late, but now I’ve discovered them and spoken to them in person, I am a massive fan and you seriously can’t beat their live shows. I gave Clement a red snapback, which he also wore to a gig on friday at Loughborough Uni. Mikill Pane was the headlining act on thursday with his witty rapping skills. Here at Avit we have been fans for a little while, giving him a Copyright t-shirt.

Clement Marfo

Mikill Pane

The week before we also bumped into the lovely girls from Stooshe who were filming in Brick Lane.

Can you remember the first tune you ever MC’d to?
Yes I can, it was with these boys and it was called Storm I think, it was on Channel U. Embarrassing times (laughs), I was young and at the time I thought the bar was good. When I look back now it was like oh my God, what were you saying (laughs).

You took time out of your music to focus on education for a while; did it feel weird not doing music for that period of time?
It did, I would always do music, but I would always be sidetracked and not doing it fully. For me music’s a hobby and me getting my thoughts and feelings off of me and onto paper. So I’d do that when I was stressed or whatever, but in terms of taking music seriously I couldn’t because of school, A Levels and uni. Now I’m doing it full time. I went to uni and in lectures I just wasn’t paying attention, and I was writing bars. I just thought do you know what if I’m going to be here and paying for this, let me take it seriously or let me just go.

Did you feel that by having an education it would make you a better MC?
No not necessarily not at all. I know some people that haven’t been to uni, or got kicked out of school, but they still do music. If you can read that’s it, you don’t have to go uni to be able to read. To be honest I don’t read, I do feel a little bit thick now (laughs) considering I don’t go to uni anymore and I don’t read that much. No you don’t need education to be able to do music.

When you started out you were quite young, did you feel ever that people weren’t taking you seriously being a female?
Yes I did. They would just be like what is she doing here, or why is this girl here, then I’d go to the mic and they would be like alright cool, but still why is she here. They would never be like ahh she’s actually good. One time when I went pirate radio, and a lot of the girls back in the day just used to go with the boys, and they would be like hoes or whatever. That’s probably what they thought about me, she’s probably one of them type of girls. Then when I went up to the mic they were probably thinking, why this girl so inna, like whys she near us taking the mic? They didn’t want to just be like ah she’s good.

What’s the best advice you would give to a young female MC?
I feel like we’ve paved the way. So for any up and coming female it’s alright, you’ll be able to do your thing. No one is going to tell you to get back in the kitchen because it’s accepted now. Just keep going and don’t listen to people, just ignore it.

There are many female artists that do well in the US, but often sexualise themselves and their lyrics. How do you feel about this?
Maybe that’s what they feel they have to do in order to get recognised. It is true sex does sell, but for me the reason why I do music is because I just want to get stuff off my chest. If you happen to like what I’m saying whoop de doo for me init. If you don’t there are other girls you can go listen to, that fine. I don’t think anyone needs to do it, but if you want to and you think that’s going to get you further then that’s your prerogative. I’m feminine and wear heels and stuff, people say it’s nice that I wear heels and be a girl but really you’re an MC. In the UK a lot of us are tomboys.

Yourself Lady Leshurr and A.Dot make up 367. Are there plans for an EP?
All we need to do is sit down for a day and the EP will get done, because it’s so fun the environment being around them. It’s like ‘listen to this instrumental,’ or we could do this or this, its just fun, so we just literally need a day. It definitely will happen. We all got our tops ready for the launch. We just need to find time in all our schedules to just make it work. When we do it will be big.

Are there any plans to go more mainstream with your music, and how do you think you would make the transition?
There are plans; obviously that’s what I want to do. I’m not prepared to alter the way that I am at all, so I’m just waiting for a sound that’s still me, but I can pass over. I don’t know what that sound is yet, so I just need to find myself in that respect. Once I do that, I think I’ll start doing full on singles etc., but I don’t want to put out a single that I’m not 100% happy with.

What do you think about the current state of the grime scene at the moment? Do you think it’s in a healthy position?
I think it’s very healthy. I think everyone is still doing grime, but they’ve done there on spin on it. I think I still do grime, but it’s my take on it. I think a lot of people do that. Everyone says grimes dead grimes dead, but it’s not its just really evolved. What grime used to be is pirate radio vibe and anger, clashes, because that’s all it was about, but now we can see it can go much further. People just want to stick to how things used to be that’s why they said its dead, but its not dead, its healthy.

Do you think anything needs to be done?
No I don’t think anything needs to be done. I know a lot of people are trying to bring clashing back, because obviously LOTM3 has come out. I don’t see the point in clashing for fun; I don’t think that’s fun. I remember when I was young and I used to clash, it wasn’t fun, it was a real problem. For the person that I am if someone’s done something to me, I’m not going to want to write a song about it, I’m going to want to say ‘why did you do that for are you mad?’ Everyone still needs to be making tunes, and working together and bringing the UK back up there. The US can keep their tunes now to be honest, the UK were doing our thing at the moment.

Apart from London, where do you feel is the strongest city for grime right now?
Birmingham most defiantly. I rate everyone. I fully rate Trilla because I feel like he brought Birmingham completely on the map. I think Leshurr came and cemented it, and I think them two really paved the way for Birmingham. C4 I love him, all the Stayfresh love Stayfresh. There are a lot of producers up there like TRC, TC4, and Bassboy. Big up the Midlands gang!

In terms of the future, what do you think the next step is for you?
EP, iTunes, I haven’t had a CD on iTunes. I’ve been doing music for 8 years, I’ve only had 2 CD’s, and so my third CD is going to be the EP King Of The Jungle, April 18th on iTunes. Hopefully there will be some singles from there. Everyone says you should call your CD Queen Of The Jungle, and I think that’s so obvious for 1, 2 why Queen? So I’ve decided to be King Of The Jungle. All lions do is eat, sleep and beat, those three things that’s all they do, and the lioness does everything else. I feel like lioness might as well take the title, and I feel like in music you don’t need to say female MC’s, were all MC’s I’m on the level as a lot of the men out there.
There are collaborations with Ghetts, Mercston, AL, I really want to get Ms. Dynamite, probably Leshurr and A.Dot too. I want to try and put some people I haven’t worked with on there, there’s a singer called Baby Sol, I really like her.

Interview By Shireen Fenner @shireenxoxo

Our new snapbacks Rival is wearing are available to buy at our shop in various colours , along with the Grime Scene T-shirts and new hoodies featured in the video.

One of the most talented rappers to emerge in the UK, Mic Righteous is fast, steady and on point with his lyrics and sound. His lyrics show us his world, and his delivery proves he is hungry, but ready for it.

‘It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
…The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.’

By Dr Maya Angelou

Celebrities who own and have been seen with the I Love Me include Alexandra Burke, Emeil Sande and Kalenna from Diddy Dirty Money

Olympic style games including sprints, relay races, endurance races, and more were held and also roller soccer and barrel jumping. Winners were awarded with trophy’s and Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. Also given out on the night was a ‘Special Award,’ and various ‘recognition awards’ for contributions to UK skating. The night also included a ‘showcase’ RollerDerby match between Derby’s Severn Torrent and Birmingham Blitz

Skatefest UK was founded in November 2010 by Darren ‘Sweetnees’ Louis and aims to promote and increase awareness of roller skating in the UK. Skatefest UK can be enjoyed as a competitive sport or as a hobby. Avit Clothing look forward to supporting Skatefest in the future.

Skibadee says, ‘iRave is for the average raver who likes to go out a lot, whether it’s grime, dubstep, dnb… whatever your flavour iRave caters for you. It covers everything urban from hard core to funky house and hip hop… Look out for some more to come from the iRave range.’

Skibadee is known throughout the world as one of the best Drum n Bass MC’s in the business, and knows the raving scene more than most having been an integral part of it for over 15 years now, winning many top MC awards and a lifetime achievement award. So who better for us to collaborate and launch this new range with?

Check out the full range on our shop where we are currently doing Free delivery to the UK and Europe.