On this week’s Sidetracked with Annie and Nick, out today, Ghetts and Annie discuss Skepta’s recent tweets about the current state of the UK music scene, which inspired an article which ran with the headline: ‘UK Rap Needs Fixing’
Ghetts: “I don't know if I agree with all [of Skepta’s] statements, but I definitely can see the perspective.”
“Coming from the time and era that we come from, [collabs] is all we kind of had to rely on, you know what I'm saying? Each other - and I guess collabing came about, maybe a bit more easy [back then]. But I haven't had trouble collabing so I can only really talk about my personal [experience].”
Ghetts: “I [do] just feel like when money arrives and I mean this respectfully but when money arrives, what then happens is that you get people that are businessmen and they go where the money is. So now you've got people that are super talented and passionate about what they do, what they've done and what they're going to do. [But] they also want to make some money as well. And now you've got people that are making the business decisions and [that] sometimes could cause friction, man. [However] the people that are in it for money, they won't be here when the money's gone.”
Ghetts: “I don't feel like any good comes from conversations online.”
Annie and Ghetts reflect on the legacy of Quincy Jones
Annie: “Quincy Jones [is quoted as saying] "Your music can never be more or less than you are as a human being. Work on being a good human being first, musician second."
Ghetts: “That kind of spoke to me. Cause I always like feel like, when I feel like I'm the best music version of myself. I'm possibly not the best human. Yeah, I feel like I've been distant. I'm not around. I've not been a great friend. You know what I'm saying?”
Ghetts: “Being [a good producer like Quincy, is about being] able to give someone the freedom, the space to do what they're doing but also knowing when to kind of just give them a hand because it’s hard for some people to collab sometimes right - egos and different things you know I'm saying so you have to kind of know how to navigate through those situations as well.”
Ghetts praises Tyler, The Creator’s bravery and honesty as an artist who’s breaking boundaries
Ghetts: “When I see him do something, I'm always left with a feeling like: I like my man. Like I like what he represents and how detailed he is in what he's doing you know I'm saying? I've always respected that.”
“I think that's amazing [that he put his album out on a Monday]. I feel like somebody just being brave and saying I want to put my music out on Monday and it coming back number one in the UK and the US [with] huge numbers - not just number one - but actual huge numbers. It's amazing. And it just, it should inspire us all to be brave. If you've got an idea, go with your idea. And sometimes when its against the format, a lot of people are not going to be able to be, like, snap - that's a great idea because it's not been done before. But yeah, just be brave!”
