Thank you for taking your time out to do this exclusive interview.
No problem at all fam, thanks for inviting me thru.
What’s your name and where you from?
Da name’s Fdot1 (formerly known as Floriginul), originally from Barbados via New York, Toronto, Manchester (UK), Harare (Zimbabwe) now living in London.
What releases have you had out to date?
I’ve released records both as an emcee and a producer. My 1st release as an artist was a mixtape in 2007 called “Da Worst Kept Secret”, followed by my first studio album the following year, “Part Of Me” (mostly produced by myself and features production by Vivid Beatz, Beats Galore, Richie Spitz and Point5), you can find it on iTunes under da name Floriginul.
There’s also a track I feature on by the Indie band The Phoenix Rose entitled “Sick and Tired”. I took a break in ’09 but bounced back in 2010 on a couple of collabz produced by my boy Configa, “Hot Off Da Press” a single which was completed in under 24hrs via da interNET lol (keep in mind that Configa and I ‘met’ on Twitter). Then I featured on his 2Pac remix album “Configa Presents: ‘Pac To The Essence Vol. 1″, go get both of them from iTunes too, looool but that’ll be my new tag, Fdot1. … confusing, I know. lol…
As a producer I’ve had a reggae album released featuring da likes of Sizzla and Tony Rebel. Then there’s “Mus’ Bus’” which features one of my favourite UK emcees, Durrty Goodz on DJ MK’s (Kiss FM) album “Above Board”. There’s plenty more you’ll find out about in da future.
What’s your favourite part of being a rapper/MC?
Errr.., probably da fact that as an MC I get to speak on a lotta sh*t and express my point of view.
What do you think you bring to the table as an MC?
Creativity, flows, personality, punchlines, intelligence, humour and quality content. I most certainly ain’t your average emcee.
If you was not involved in music what do you think you would be doing?
I studied mechanical engineering but I knew that wasn’t what I wanted to do. I would’ve probably been either a footballer or basketball player, if I made da cut that is lmaoooooo…. I did some mentoring a few years ago, using music to show kids a different focus and a means to express themselves without feeling the need to be disruptive and violent. One of the young offenders I worked with is now a huge star in the music industry, and another I still work very closely with as a producer… sorry no name dropping on dat one!. That was very rewarding so I think that’s probably what I’d be doin’ coz da young’uns need guidance.
Let’s talk about your current project. When’s it out? Can you tell who is involved?
Sure…., at da moment, I’m in da process of gettin’ ready to drop a 3 track EP, “So Grimey” next month (March) which will include 3 videos, one of which is XXX-rated so will probably only be available for viewing online lol. The EP will be followed my 2nd studio album “Money MusicK”…., so titled coz I’m fed up wiv da ‘formulaic’ phase Hip-Hop and music in general is goin’ thru. Everybody sounds da same, same flows, same content etc. If I’m honest, most artists bore me so I don’t listen to too many of them. Anyway, my album features production by myself, Vivid Beatz and Malarchi (both UK) as well as a couple joints from my boy Strat Carter outta my birthplace, Barbados. Also on da album are a few of my favourite ‘up and coming’ UK emcees, 2Amplified (two female emcees I’ve worked with in da past), Dray Delta, Stat-Us, Malarchi and Kyra Simone. I think people are gonna feel this project coz it’s full of good music, sh*t to cruise to.
So what type of music do you listen to mostly?
Of course I mostly listen to Hip Hop but I do like what I call Hip Hop Soul, you know people like Erykah Badu, Anthony Hamilton, Dwele, D’Angelo. I like Linkin Park and Lenny Kravitz too. Sometimes you’ll catch me listenin’ to some classical sh*t too, like Beethoven and I gotta say I really like Nigel Kennedy’s music (for those that don’t know, he plays da violin).
I’m open to all good music, if it speaks to my soul, I LISTEN…!!
Where would you like to see yourself 5 years from now?
Still makin’ music and movin’ beyond da level I’m at now coz I been doin’ my thing for a lil’ while now. If I’m honest, I’m quite happy with what I’ve already achieved musically. I’d like to be able to just bring thru more talent on to my own label (fM Inc.), you know kinda finding artist and let ‘em keep their creativity and identity. What a lot of people don’t realise is when they sign to a major label what tends to happen is they lose creative control. The labels only see them as a commodity and would rather them sounds like what’s currently hot than to let them continue being creative and original which is what drew them to the artist in the first place.
What have you been most proud of in your career so far?
There’s so many things in my career that I’m proud of, like opening for Immortal Technique, De La Soul and Ms Dynamite, Omarion in Munich. Producing for people like Sizzla, Durrty Goodz, Asher D, to name a few. I won Ras Kwame’s Homegrow competition on BBC 1xtra, sh*t I could give you a long ass list but I’m content with what I’ve done. Music has allowed me to travel and do things that most people only dream about and I’ve done all of those things I mentioned without bein’ at da forefront of da game.
If you could pick one producer to work with in the world who would it be and why?
That’s easy….., it’d have to be Dr Dre coz sonically his production is second to none. Timbo & Primo a close second though lol.
What’s your opinion on the current state of the charts?
Charts….?! I don’t pay attention to da charts loool…!!
How do you view Hip-Hop right about now?
Right now, huh… Hip Hop’s missing creativity and originality, it’s that simple. There are a few still being creative but da vast majority are clones.
Would you like to see yourself in the top ten?
Looool… Who wouldn’t like to see their music in da top ten..?! Sure I do but I won’t compromise ‘my’ sound for da sake of numbers. You gotta like what I do da way it is, I ain’t changing it and doin what Tom Dick and Harry do. Fuck naaah…!!
What is your opinion on the current UK music scene?
Da UK scene’s definitely goin’ thru a growth spurt with collabz poppin’ off left, right and centre. Giggs and B.o.B, Diddy and Skepta so that can only be a good thing. Hopefully it can be maintained with ‘quality’ music and not bullsh*t, then again some are only in it for what they can get in da ‘short-term’.
What’s next for you as an artist?
Like I said earlier my EP’s out next month “So Grimey” and da album “Money MusicK” will follow hot on it’s heels on da 4th May, after that, it’s all about touring lol. I got a few collabz to do too, as well as producing albums for Malarchi, David Mensah (neo-soul singer) and a few others but I ain’t sayin’ who ’til we in da studio grinding..!! lol
Okay before you go please tell us how we can get your music and how people can get in touch with you.
You can get my last album “Part Of Me” on iTunes under da name Floriginul as well as da collabz I mentioned before with Configa & The Phoenix Rose. A sampler of my new album’s available for free download along with some ‘remixes’ and other tracks from my website :
http://fdot1.com
Once again, thanks for letting me have my say..
Interview by Franko Fraize
