KILLA KELA: Good morning ladies and gentlemen this is the Killa Kela podcast, live and direct central London or central as you need to be be. Big Shout out to Graffiti Kings inside and everybody else supporting us. Well, I've had many a guest pass through but none of them have come more than once and as punctual as this man, right here.
DJ IRONIK: I’m on point man, I’m on point.
KK: The man like DJ Ironik inside the place. How are you?
DJ IRONIK: Yeah man. I'm good, just staying creative, staying safe and just making sure I guess my mental state is on point during these times man, so yeah, I'm all good though. To be fair, if I'm being honest, I feel kind of like refreshed and like rejuvenated a bit during this time
KK: Yeah.
DJ IRONIK: I guess I'm just thinking about, I guess I've been because I've been in and out of the clubs for the last ten years every weekend in the clubs DJ and all performing just have a few I guess, month now off it's been good man, it's been nice being able to do other things and kick back has been nice one, how about you bro? how you doing?
KK: I'm kind of the same, you know, on one hand I've got used to operating within studio environments, whether it's the you know the podcast studio setup, or the music studio set up. I'm just so, I'm a bit like you in that you've all you've always worked from home and you've always done what you do creatively from your home but there's something to be said of you know, when artists, they have to stop doing a gig or have to stop doing a circuit. It's normally because of like one of a handful of things, mostly about their well-being and they just have to stop.
DJ IRONIK: yeah, yeah, they are ill or yeah.
KK: Yeah, they don't want to stop but they feel like they are obligated but when this, yeah like you say I mean we don't want to kind of over emphasize the we're all right jack kind of thing.
DJ IRONIK: Yeah, exactly, yeah.
KK: I mean we, we haven't got a worry about emotions you know.
DJ IRONIK: Yeah, yeah, yeah, obviously it's a crazy time right now there's a lot more going on around the world you know, I mean people are passing away and stuff so obviously it's a sad time at a moment and I think the first week, the first week of the whole lockdown thing you know when they were announcing it, oh that was a time where I was worried if I'm gonna be honest and and I was thinking like what's next and.
KK: I think that's where I'm at bro I feel like the initial panic you know, what are we gonna do, oh my god…we’re all gonna .
DJ IRONIK: Yeah that first week and second week that's what it was, every yo, every time I coughed up for what's all right? what's wrong with me? like just panic everywhere but like you said we got used to it now, I think I'm just I'm even more used to just being indoors now yeah yeah so it's crazy bro, it’s a crazy time.
KK: It just goes to show like if if you do as you're told quote-unquote and you just thug out that first initial month, I mean I got you know I got, I got it covid.
DJ IRONIK: Did you?
KK: Yeah man I got it, so I wasn't exempt from being hit by it you know but I wasn't it wasn't in any way you know.
DJ IRONIK: what was your what was it like for you then what cuz I don't think I've met anyone that's had it before I spoke to anyone about it what was it like?
KK: It was kind of like, it was like a heavy, heavy uh flu achy pain like if you ever had an injury like play football or cycling or anything like that.
DJ IRONIK: Yeah yeah.
KK: Maybe even eight years ago all of a sudden, it's suddenly reoccurring what the fuck and it's just it's just the virus attacking your weakest areas you know what I mean?
DJ IRONIK: Yeah do you know what's crazy like I said this through my missus the other day, like I got ill or similar to that in January. I think second week of January I was coming back from Amsterdam and I felt exactly like that bro I'm barely entire bearing in mind that this is wintertime when I got home I was sweating and I could.
KK: You could have had it.
DJ IRONIK: Yeah, I might have had it earlier, I don't know it sounds like sounds like it so yeah but yeah now luckily, you're good bro you're all well in that and you recovered bro.
KK: Yeah we all good man, we all good out here and you know what as well as right with with the whole podcast thing and chatting to people yeah it's like all of a sudden we don't need to be spending five pound coffee's to go to a meeting.
DJ IRONIK: Yeah everyone's realizing that now we're spending so much money on these office spaces and we could just do meetings from home and zoom that.
KK: Yeah, yeah listen, I mean listen again again you know the glass is half-full for characters like you and me because you've been studio even that studio headspace for a while plus you you know you do DJ more than you you perform so you're like you're in that world where you're a recording artist, do you know I mean. Yeah, you're like in that world and I'm in this world you know.
DJ IRONIK: Yes, yeah man even though, the other day I did a studio session on zoom, it was crazy like the other rapper I was working with he had his setup at home yet his mic set up and we just Thunder zoom and kind of we've done like a virtual studio session, it was weird but I guess it's just about getting used to the way things are heading and where we're at now so it was all good, it works in it. Um yeah you know I mean like I guess we was in that time anyway because people don't really recording studio sessions together anymore anyway people just sending emails back and forth.
KK: Bro, it's the way, it's the way it's a luxury if you can get people out the door and it would become more like this.
“Working with Elton John to Snoop Dogg, that's one thing I appreciate with what I do you know, not just staying in one lane.”
KK: You know for those that don't know the man like Ironik, well I mean to where to begin I remember, I mean first and foremost producer, DJ and vocalist, lyricist and collaborator across genres and this is something that people don't seem to… you know what I'm saying.
DJ IRONIK: Yeah, for real a lot of my collaborations have been very like all over the place but I love that and even my music, like a lot of people find it hard to put me in one genre, coz even me I don't know what I would call the genre, like obviously I've MC I guess, rapped but you know I can, I can MC on like a you know rock record or whatever you know, I mean and we like like you said we were Elton John to Snoop Dogg to you know different kind of artists man and I that's one thing I appreciate with what I do you know not not just sound in one, staying in one lane just kind of being all over the place I love that.
KK: Yeah, yeah 100% there was a few there was a few tunes that really rocked the the foundations and already bought things to a forefront and we'll get into them in a bit but um yeah, yeah we, we spoke maybe about, pushing on about.
DJ IRONIK: about Decemeber.
KK: yeah and yeah, Christmas time right.
DJ IRONIK: yeah, yeah, yeah.
KK: And we we kind of pulled together a synopsis in a real brief short of time I don't know maybe I had one too many sherberts, but I was totally like oh my god had an epiphany, like you're, you're at the time when you were coming up through channel U and all those other outlets your your style, I felt was so much more based on emotion, like not anger was an anger was like it was music to to love with you know I mean.
DJ IRONIK: To love to express yourself and just let your emotions out, before me like you said are a lot of the emcees that came out you know there was a lot of anger you could hear they never really touched on the you know emotional side, even though anger’s an emotion as well, but they would have really kind of lit out there you know, I guess like you know when I came out I was doing records for the girls a lot but not just that just talking about my life and just things I've gone through. Yeah, you know I mean I guess the only other artist around that time that I can remember that kind of done it was like Kano, Kano was kind of that kind of rapper I guess but you know.
KK: You know a hundred percent, yeah he had that too, didn't he.
DJ IRONIK: Yeah but before that it was just so you know especially in the grime scene a lot of it was just you know spittin bars just, an angry grime lyrics and just you know I mean I'm coming to tear off your head kind of lyrics but you know I wasn't brought up like that so when I when I first started writing my lyrics I just wanted to um, one sound different to everyone else and two kind of just I don't know just write how I felt you know I mean and not be afraid of what any anyone else thought of it and I think I've been like that for at my whole life during school you know, I was away I just wore my heart on my sleeve so I kind of just carried that in the music. I wonder if that was in America they've always had that side I guess right.
KK: Yeah they have you know what I think I think what drives a lot of American stuff is funk, but, but with with grime music and at that time with channel u people and I think you'll appreciate this as a producer as well they always gravitate to the low notes, it's actually really hard to get into the happy notes yeah make music with happy keys that's really hard for people sometimes because you just want to get aggressive or low.
DJ IRONIK: Especially with grime like you said, that’s true. Yeah, so maybe that's why a lot of the MCS kind of found it hard to find that that side of them you know, with a lot of the instrumentals with dark and grimy and do you know I mean.
KK: Yeah and there's a tack to it they wanted to there was a statement to be made and it had to be one of aggression or else it would it would fail the mission brief you know you get fuck out and make noise you know.
DJ IRONIK: Yeah exactly and then I guess when I came out a lot a few of the producers that I was working with one I'll give a shout-out to flukes from crazy cousins he made an instrument or called um wifey you know and and that was one the first time I heard a instrumental like that and I guess like like you said that had like happy-ish kind of sounds but like it was touching in emotions you know in a way which, we'd never heard before you know the high-pitched sample in the background and things like that so I think that was kind of a start of my journey and kind of touching on my emotions and recording it and putting it down.
KK: That that, it’s not, listen he's underplayed because it doesn't sound easy hard to do but that shit easy to do. It’s not easy to do.
DJ IRONIK: especially like you know like even even now like I have to be going through something to write about it you know, I mean um and so a lot of the time even you know when I was writing my first album I would write I would ask my friends situations about what they've gone through or you know my parents and then just write about that because I personally have to be going for it to write about as well so, yeah man.
KK: Really so yeah, man. yeah yeah no I know this I know there's sort of characters is there has always been a case you've always kind of held your lyrics on your sleeve sort of thing.
DJ IRONIK: yeah I have to bro like I have to man like everything I write has has to be real has to have come from somewhere I can't just make up be from being honest that's what sometimes I'll go in a studio and I'll just struggle to write because I won't have any inspiration from anywhere even like now during this time if I'm being honest I haven't really haven't recorded one song I don't think because there's even though we got such a tragic thing happening it's not much going on for me to actually you know write about.
KK: I feel that I feel that um I'm kind of, I mean I must admit I've opened up a few projects that I haven't opened for a while and I'm I'm kind of looking at them with a different perspective more
DJ IRONIK: yeah.
KK: you know you've removed yourself from the theatre of doing it, and you’re like actually, actually I know what was trying to do there but you trying to try and figure out like something fresh off.
DJ IRONIK: it's hard right now it's hard. yeah yes especially right now man I mean I think over one one record and that we actually released that we're like a charity single for the NHS is called letter to the world but that was the only time that I felt any sort of like inspiration to write something recently so.
KK: well that's super sick that you got the inspiration for that that's fire, that’s fire. where did you go up was your home.
DJ IRONIK: I'm North London man so I grew up in Highgate Muswell hill whole area, you know my mum, my mum born and raised me there and yeah I said I was an north London kid though man, everything like we're starting out all my stepdads friends were all around North London and then my uncle was a club promoter for a garage that called twice as nice.
KK: Ah right, okay c’mon.
DJ IRONIK: the Heritage was there you know I mean the background of music was there and I remember you know early memories of going to my dad's friends houses and they were just you know had had the decks are and they were just playing a garage music there that's that's what I first remember and then wanting to get into it into DJing from there.
KK: Dude, that is mental that like I love stories like that as well because you know is is it's like a an access pass to something that you had no idea was any different to the you know I mean, like that’s crazy.
DJ IRONIK: Literally. Yeah, yeah.
KK: Like part of your DNA.
DJ IRONIK: It’s part of me and and like you said like I guess before I was 14, I never had a clue that that was something I wanted to pursue up until now like I wanted to do for the rest of my life but now looking back like you know hey I remembered it's my mom blaring music every day, blaring garage music, all the twice as nice compilation CDs and I was just yeah there was just embedded it in my head from early.
KK: Mandatory mandatory compilations of those massive clubs nights, like I used to have loads of them. That's awesome say so your family you generally would call call ravers would you call them ravers?
DJ IRONIK: My mum's still a raver but she still thinks she can go out and rave now but yeah yeah the proper like, my mum grew up on like the acid, acid era and then like and then like I said the garage and drum and bass and jungle you know I mean the Skipadee the Brockie like all of them yeah them raves she was going too from early man and yeah and then eventually it kind of went on to me like from a young age being in them raves my uncle was letting me go to twice as nice about 14, 15 you know.
KK: Stop it
DJ IRONIK: You know just hiding me in the VIP but just kind of letting me watch what's
going on and then eventually being introduced to So Solid Crew at age and actually going on tour with them when they were touring with 21 seconds.
KK: Jesus hold on, hold on. Wait a minute, wait a minute, hold on cowboy this is my first rodeo here this is .
DJ IRONIK: this is where it starts bro, trust me.
KK: so, hold on you at twice as nice and then through your creative music and doing stuff and and this this platform being here so solid came into play and this was like a burging like scene and you you were just like creating at the same pace at the same time.
DJ IRONIK: yeah.
KK: At very a younger age and they took you on.
DJ IRONIK: literally yes so well I wasn't I wasn't producing yet and I wasn't an artist yet so I was just the DJ at that point but that was what I love to do so I was watching all the you know the DJ around that time to heartless crew.
KK: Of course.
DJ IRONIK: and then like I said then meeting so solid crew and there was another DJ called little Charlie he was like another young protege DJ like it was me or him we were like the two young DJ's coming up around the garage scene.
KK: right
DJ IRONIK: but then so solid crew decided to take me on tour on to promote their 21 seconds tour but it was just under 18s gigs they were letting me do so we would do all that under 18s around the UK and I wasn't my early memories of you know DJ and in the first clubs man.
KK: That's amazing, what do you remember is it all a little bit kind of grainy?
DJ IRONIK: and not really because I have a lot of pictures like my mum took a lot of pictures, so I've got a lot of that, but I remember just having to stand on boxes in the DJ box because I was too short.
KK: I still do that now, bruv.
DJ IRONIK: Yeah, trust me, I remembered that I'd actually I had dreadlocks then, so I like little dreads.
KK: Oh, for real.
DJ IRONIK: I just remember all the girls like all the women, would just be like oh he’s so cute behind the decks.
KK: Oh, I can only imagine my friend, only imagine.
DJ IRONIK: Bro that was just the start, I remember that was just a start but yeah and then and then obviously just seeing so soild crew they rode they road in such a big team and entourage that from there I was like wow and I think that was the early start of me seeing in a way it takes to be a superstar in the UK you know cos I just knew you had to be a DJ at that point out at 13-14 but actually see these guys are superstars when they step in the club they are screaming for them and that was the first time I seen that in the UK because obviously I heard of it in America like they've got superstars over there but we never really had that here at all until I saw that .
KK: there was there was something really powerful about I guess I guess yeah I guess like a garage music was the last genre to experience that Top of the Pops SMTV live era of of being high-profile because of people's you know coming together on on it on watching a show like those you know.
DJ IRONIK: literally yeah I never got to experience the Top of the Pops world man but .
KK: Jesus can you imagine.
DJ IRONIK: even just seeing that on TV like although that was just just all that watching a Moba awards you know watching So Solid Crew when all of that was kind of gearing me up to what I wanted to how far away to take it I guess.
KK: what was your, what were your disciplines what were the things that you you at that age were you installing in yourself, what it was it was it just graft, was it right place right time was it the music what was it that was spearing you on.
DJ IRONIK: a lot of it was just like you said the grafts are putting and work you know my uncle even though he, he had such a big platform he never would put me straight at the front or try and you know give me any handout, so they were always teaching me I still have to put in work for my own brand and my own name you know DJ Ironik from early, my mom's but she was the same she managed me from from that point she started managing me and my dad my stepdad started tour managing me so they were teaching me as we go along just to have a good team around me and make sure you work hard and keep the keep the team strong I guess.
KK: Yeah that's amazing, like I admire I genuinely admire situations like that where I don't know when it's such a close family's unit that are working together.it really is a all-or-nothing thing is like literally like not I have any you know experience in it but I would imagine the shortcomings of like something not going right or something not being achieved I'm sure it's a lot more personal.
DJ IRONIK: You know, when the whole family's involved that's why probably a lot of artists find that their parents aren't really supportive of it because they probably want you to be doing something that's a bit more secure you know they have to really believe in your dream and where you're trying to take this, I can’t lie my mom's believed in that from the day I said I wanted to do music. Yeah man.
KK: Yeah wow. I mean okay yeah go hand it to I gotta hand it to parents man so likely like you you're this place where Channel U, just like start popping off yeah how many Tunes did you have kind of milling around because I just I mean it feels so organic now you know. There was hardly any kind of for all of the you know the characters that were of that that you know of that channel and at that time it just felt like one massive organism it was coming up.
DJ IRONIK: yeah it did it looked like it was like orchestrated in a way but all of it was just even myself like finding out how I have to submit my songs to channel u and stuff like that I remember just gone online and I mean you know this is the start of the social media era, so just Google how do I get my songs on on channel u and things like that. but yeah man that that was a great time there's so much so much talent that came out from that platform for some people that don't know that's channel aka now by the way.
KK: is it channel aka?
DJ IRONIK: yeah that’s what it called now.
KK: um do you remember and this is only a personal question.
DJ IRONIK: yeah yeah.
KK: who was the girl that was always on channel u and I think she was a singer slash rapper kinda thing and she had this slowdown song and speed up song.
DJ IRONIK: ooh I kinda remember that.
KK: and she starts singing and rapping like really fast.
DJ IRONIK: yeah, what was her name though?
KK: do you remember, who I'm talking yeah.
DJ IRONIK: I think I remember what your talking about actually was that…
KK: blond hair girl.
DJ IRONIK: yeah.
KK: that blond blond hair I think dyed kind of like extensions kind of thing going on and she was a dancer as well she kind of did the whole thing.
DJ IRONIK: was that the only song she had on there?
KK: yeah.
DJ IRONIK: I remember seeing it. That was another good era so like I said so I went from the garage kind of start for me on old solid crew and then and then like I said I went on to produce in about 15-16 and was producing for the likes of you know chipmunk when he was so young Wiley around that time, Tinie Tempah just some of the people that we seen go on to do amazing things.
KK: Like yourself.
DJ IRONIK: yeah yeah we were just young just having fun recording in my home studio like now and you know just starting off and then and then eventually I just kind of thought you know what I want to start writing myself and then around like like you said watching channel u and stuff I was like yeah I feel I could do this.
KK: that's just crazy yeah I mean all these characters they were you know I guess all of us all of her like Wiley I think is slightly older than me I think I've got a check but you know we was all so young.
DJ IRONIK: Yeah we were just enjoying it right, you know.
KK: yeah yeah, I mean like I was I never really ventured into the channel u world I was slightly more on the athletic side of the street culture. I was into I was more about the graff and the UK hip hop. I liked it, I liked the drum and bass that the emerging of all different genres but it was different when you're a when you're coming into a scene and channel U is already fixed as a portal, do you know what I mean.
DJ IRONIK: yeah yeah, I know what you mean.
KK: Yes, for the up and comers. It's there for the new young guns and I remember gonna watch it and you know this is fuckin sick and then Boy in Da Corner came out and then Wiley stuff came out, and your stuff.
DJ IRONIK: And then it was like out of nowhere, there was loads but it was still the odd kind of UK hip hop or underground hip hop is that was having their videos on channel u, I think I remember some like skinny man a couple skinny man.
KK: Kalashnikov.
DJ IRONIK: Kalashniko was on there quite heavy so there was a few.
KK: mm-hmm.
DJ IRONIK: but yeah, you're right. yeah, man.
KK: it was a bit of a melting pot wasn't it, was a melting pot for vibes and just I, I used to watch it with bated breath man I remember when POW came out and I was like what the fuck.
DJ IRONIK: Yeah the video was mad as well,
KK: Crazy.
DJ IRONIK: yeah no it was um you know they had some they had their good stuff and their moments like you said but they also had their say stuff where he could be like I'm gonna flip over to the next channel now.
KK: yeah yeah yeah they wasn’t like you said, listen, listen they also some questionable pieces and not gonna lie.
DJ IRONIK: but that’s the same with everything, that you got to ying and yang it.
KK: I'd love to watch it back you know yeah like just to see because obviously that you know when you put stuff out and you mix it for TV is a hell of a lot different to what you expect it to sound like once it goes out right.
DJ IRONIK: hundred percent yeah.
KK: but be really keen to like check out cos it cos I, in retrospect you can go back and listen to the ideas that they had and you're just like wow that that kind of created this for that to happen and shit like that.
DJ IRONIK: yeah I mean like like like every moment I would say in the UK so far from what we seen I think has opened the doors for the next you know generation or the next step you know if it wasn't for like I said the so solid crew and me seeing them then I might not even kind of had my moment and then open the door for the next artists and then up until now we're we've got to stormzy and you know I mean.
KK: yeah, oh yeah let's get into that for a second because you were and still are in my mind you say, I think is your character.
DJ IRONIK: yeah.
KK: yo, you you in the short time I've known you I you can tell when someone's well driven you can tell when someone's serious, you can tell when someone has a good heart, one of the real ones, wants to get involved and just make make shit right the way it should be.
DJ IRONIK: I appreciate that bro.
KK: You know what I mean?
DJ IRONIK: well It did used to be like that for me it took a lot of learning you know I mean and like you said like being in the game for so long to kind of learn it that's the way to be but
KK: yeah, I think it I think that reflects though like the chipmunk and the n-dubz and these this this pool of of artistry you guys all stuck around you know there was some identifiable characteristics and work ethic.
DJ IRONIK: right yeah.
KK: You know what I mean I fazer a big sho out out fazer as well you know.
DJ IRONIK: Big up Fazer.
KK: Yeah, bad boy producer. we got amazing man, badman so again like yourself and a multitasker, he gets it he's punctual, he's gets down into the dirt he gets his hands messy you know.
DJ IRONIK: he's willing he's willing to go for it you can always tell when Those artists, it like they would they live for this you know I mean.
KK: like you said yeah and you and you and you've made you you've made a lane like what point did you say to yourself right I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna spearhead myself as the fronting of of an album or of a single when did that happen.
DJ IRONIK: okay so so up until like at all this point all these points I've said there was all natural everything has been natural the natural progression or the natural step to take next and then I'm I was putting out all these records. I was putting out records on MySpace and you know they were going mad and online on MySpace and stuff and then I sent my first video to channel U and then that went to number one on channel you for about 18 weeks and then from there me and my mum kind of looked to each other I was like we were I was somewhat here because you know we never seen it get this big yet this is probably the biggest moment I ever had, so we was like this is cool let's keep this going and then and then I just kept on recording and I made another record called stay with me and we we caught up some guys from college guys they filmed a video for us for like 100 pound and then we put that on Channel u and then you know that I think from that moment it kind of changed my life. and then I knew this is something after start taking seriously and this is gonna be a career so it went on Channel u and I think it was about three four weeks into it it being on channel on rotation every week every day and then my my mum's house phone rang and it was it was someone from Atlantic Warner records and they said they want to have a meet and we us immediately in the next week or two and then from there I was like this is this was crazy to me because I only knew Atlantic Records from America he knew you know P Diddy and T.I. and all those.
KK: yeah, yeah.
DJ IRONIK: and I signed to Atlantic so I was just like this is crazy I didn't actually believe it if I'm being honest until we actually went offices.
KK: It’s one of those things innit you don’t expect them to call.
DJ IRONIK: yeah and I guess like nowadays it's not that crazy to be signed to amajor record label in the UK but like I said for me at that time I hadn't seen it much so but from there and obviously the record doing amazing from there we got signed they signed an album deal and then I started taking it serious to be a artist you know every little thing every little detail I had to think about you know how I'm presented how I'm dressed on videos and you know I mean everything I started you know thinking about where and I hadn't before that so.
KK: how old were you at that time?
DJ IRONIK: so, I was… 2007 I was about 19, I think.
KK: was it that was it as articulated as you remember what you know I wanted to look like I remember seeing you can quite dapper gear you were yeah like straight out twice as nice or something.
DJ IRONIK: yeah that was quite that flashy you know, out there vibes.
KK: yeah don't tred on my shoes, sort of thing.
DJ IRONIK: yeah, the Moschino. yeah the label said to me you know like the look that I have because I had quite a big ladies following, I guess from the channel u thing and look like you said the music I was putting out so they were like we really want you to always look sharp and look out there you need to look like they told me you you are gonna be the UK superstar rapper that we haven’t ever had you know so they said everything you do needs to be bright you know that's why in the my first major video the first thing you see of me I'm in a bright red jacket you know I mean.
KK: Yeah, yeah yeah.
DJ IRONIK: yeah they said they said that we're gonna make you into a superstar in them from from that day they said that my life changed man.
KK: yeah, you was like Ma$e.
DJ IRONIK: yeah, yeah it was that vibe.
KK: yeah that's way I remember it was like you would like a Ma$e kind of character.
DJ IRONIK: okay yeah.
KK: and if anybody did our town has never never checked out Ironik definite go on YouTube and check out somewhere to back catalogue and the legacy to date because you know the trail blazed that genre it was almost like an another if Wiley and Dizzie had one like you know organ you had the other organ, you know what I mean. You know what I’m saying.
DJ IRONIK: that's funny because Wiley actually contacted me this week and he says something like that actually similar to that.
KK: So sick, it was his true cos like you on one hand you had N’Dubz you had Chipmunk you had you .
DJ IRONIK: Tinchy Stryder as well, I gots to big up Tinchy Stryder.
KK: oh yeah hold tight – G, my guy. He’s a badman, big up, Tinchy. Yeah yeah wicked wicked like so many names. It’s crazy.
DJ IRONIK: so many different characters you know nowadays, it's kind of hard to pinpoint each artist in the UK because there's so many which is a good thing you know. There's there's much more opportunities but back then you had the individual characters and everyone sounded different and that's what I loved about them man.
KK: yeah yeah yeah thousand percent like identifiable characters maybe that's some maybe that's rose-tinted perhaps all all genres start out that way and if you're Young and impressionable you know what I mean.
DJ IRONIK: I mean early hip hop was probably exactly the same you know man.
KK: Yeah, but I can't stand, and people are always complaining about Golden Era of hip hop, it’s like nah man, I love it you know. It's there were so many characters in you know early channel u era of grime and garage, and I love the merging of it to where which ,is where we come to like these key like and anchor moments of like you and chip doing the tune with Elton for starters starters like mad, mad.
DJ IRONIK: yeah, yeah that was a moment that was a moment man so that was um so that was the back of stay with me we just done really well with that record. Went top ten, top five record and then my A&R at the time he said we really need another massive record. I've got an idea he called me at like 2:00 in the morning, he was one of them crazy a&Rs, but I love him, he called me at like 2:00 a.m. He said I've got an idea, he sent me the he sent me the original Elton John record, the tiny dancer one he told me a bit about it and how Elton John wrote it and stuff like that and then um he said I think we should sample this and make your next single. So, I kind of I didn't really know the vision that he was going for at the time because remember I'm coming, I'm a grime kid, I'm coming garage music. I love Elton John, sir Elton John but I never I wasn't really I didn't know his music like that you know, I mean. of course I knew who he was but it was it's not my generation so yeah anyway, went to the studio and we we you know we started producing the record and then I laid my vocals and then after that I was like you know who we need on this we need just to add that cool factor, I need someone who's a young MC coming from the streets, early on, he's fresh and he can spit and I'm a a&r at the time said yeah, anyone you can think of let me know. So, I went home and I had been working with Chipmunk for the last couple years after that since that so that's right yeah so I hit him up, I was like well what do you think about jumping on this. He said yeah let's do it, he came he came to the studio the next day and then that was his first I think I was Chipmunks first top five record as well and the rest was history man.
KK: Yeah, he went on would not to do like, what's that, was that um diamond rings song?
DJ IRONIK: diamond rings which was straight after that yeah and that was massive for him, I think I was a top ten. And yeah and like another thing like I always remember from that time we when we done the tiny dancer video chipmunk, he that we were wearing suits in the video I told him, yo we gotta wear suit we have to look dapper in this video.
KK: yeah.
DJ IRONIK: you know we're coming straight from the streets and he was was that I don't I don't know about the suit thing, Ironik man. I like I want to be wearing the tracksuit you know. He wore it and and you know the next video diamond rings he was in a straight full-on suit and everything just to see that growth has been mad. Sick man.
KK: I love that thrend setting, trend setting, and then came and then came like number one with Tinchy and and dubz right yeah?
DJ IRONIK: And then that that changes his world that changed a lot because none of us a number one record, you know I had top fives but I had never seen anyone then have a number one in front of me and I knew Tinchy as well so I was like this is crazy now that was even more kind of inspiration for me to go even harder now.
KK: Yeah, yeah, yeah so what came after that? what happened directly after that for you like work where was your life at that point?
DJ IRONIK: so that was around probably I'll say 2008, 2009 and then I put another record called falling, I put out a few records and the album which done really well went went silver.
KK: Brillant.
DJ IRONIK: no point in wasting tears and then that the label kind of said we want to do a second album, let's work it out but they kind of Tinie Tempah, started releasing music and he was doing more of the dance kind of stuff the Calvin Harris and TinieTempah vibe and the label you know how labels are had they said you know we we want you to go this direction we think that you should be making a bit more Dancy records and I said to them, you know now looking back I was probably a bit more ignorant then. I just said that that's not really my style of music that I like to make, and I couldn't see myself on it so we kind of butted heads a bit at that time if I'm being honest.
KK: Right, right.
DJ IRONIK: which kind of like it's not my music, it's not the music I sit and listen to all the time so you know that was just my mind frame at that time although I would try out more things now I've got older you know I mean.
KK: yeah, hindsight is 20 20 though.
DJ IRONIK: So yeah and then you know we kind of parted ways but not in a bad way, we just kind of had disagreements oh and then I went on to being independent so I started releasing records independently for a record called falling in love, hmm and things are still massive you know at this time you know I'm still doing shows all around the UK was still touring and it was still massive.
KK: Yeah yeah well you were part of the year you you were part of that think the wheel of the the wagon when it comes to like getting on a bus and touring you know.
DJ IRONIK: literally.
KK: You’ve done that with so solid from the jump and yeah that thing just trans it must have I mean look you know parting ways butting heads with labels that come with the territory and and nine times out of ten you you can always tell the integrity of a good artist by how long they stay in the game afterwards.
DJ IRONIK: yeah.
KK: you know what I mean. it's like that's like a soldier complaining he's getting shot at
and like if it came down to the crunch you know that what had happened there with a label actually served you right because as long as you've recouped as long as you've done what they did you told they told you to do you've got now a whole new platform which is essentially like major credibility but you can go and do your own thing.
DJ IRONIK: literally yeah so, we had built to that stage yeah yeah.
KK: you built it.
DJ IRONIK: yeah, that’s true. yeah so it wasn't it wasn't the end of the world for me but you know just it was a shame because that was obviously not my first record deal and I was I was an excited kid you know. I mean, I was like this is this is amazing that I've got a team here and then for them to kind of when I when I wasn't really happy with the way I want they wanted it to go they kind of was alright let's leave it. That kind of kind of made me lose a bit of confidence but then we just had to build again from there and I would say that was probably around 2010 and then I had a I had a bit of an incident after that which was in the newspapers and there was a robbery outside my house.
KK: oh yeah.
DJ IRONIK: which is yeah, it was quite a big big thing and the press and stuff and and yeah basically like those people waiting for me outside my house and then I got stabbed and it was a crazy.
KK: Wow, yeah why I don’t remember that.
DJ IRONIK: yeah it was mad and you know that kind of gave me a chance to just sit back for about a year and a half two years because I needed to just reflect on just life.
KK: Actually, that does ring bells that does ring bells now that I think of it like did you have any clue they were or what for what reason.
DJ IRONIK: um I was I think it was set up here now looking back it was set up by people that I knew I had around me at that time so.
KK: Right, they must have got the wrong end of the stick.
DJ IRONIK: yeah like from from from what I told you from the start always just been a music man you know I mean I've never been involved in any kind of violence I'm a lover not a fighter so for me it came to came as such a big shock you know that isn't that isn't why I got into music to be to be to have things taken away from me so I had to sit back at that point and just think is this even what I want to do anymore you know I mean.
KK: I don't fucking blame you man, if it's any consolation I also got like mugged at knifepoint didn't get stabbed nothing but like nothing in itself makes you re-evaluate how you operate.
DJ IRONIK: yeah 100% .
KK: yeah, I feel your pain there.
DJ IRONIK: yeah, I'm all good now man but so I had to take a year and a half or two years break then and a lot of people you know kind of say like what happened to
you there man. won't you know cuz this is at a peak like I said the peak of my career to take two-year gap especially at that time when people are putting out music so often it's like where have you gone so but I needed that for my own sake for my life and just you know just to mentally get back to where I needed to get to I needed that.
KK: Yeah I feel that and you know what brother as well time flies like you don't worry when people say oh you've been away for ages in your head it's like well yeah I took us I took a space but before you know it what's crazy is like three years, five years. that shit flys, that goes quick.
DJ IRONIK: So quick.
KK: It’s crazy. I took some hiatus out and you got to you have to.
DJ IRONIK: well but yeah we can rethink that but the consumers they don't get it they don't they don't understand that we have to live our lives as well you know.
KK: yeah, yeah, yeah did you always feel like you'd come back you would always because because you have like and I don't mean like all of a sudden bang like I you can you just I mean I follow you on Instagram of course and it's like it's like you've never stopped, do you know what I mean?
DJ IRONIK: yeah, I mean after the two years you know just I'm moved so basically I moved out of London for after that and then and then I kind of moved back into London off to two years and then I kind of just started getting my spirit back you know. I lost it for a while if I'm being honest just the whole Superstar thing everything went out the window at that point man for me. And then you know I just started getting it back my confidence back you know and then I met, I met my lady around that time my fiancée now and I'm kind of just she put like you need a good woman behind you man because she kind of boosted me back up have that confidence to come back to start releasing music again, to make music you know. Before that, out during that two years I was recording but everything I was recording was so negative like really sad songs.
KK: What was it like when you listen back?
DJ IRONIK: yeah actually just gets to me because I could tell I was in a dark place at that time you know and I didn't I couldn't tell at that point but I was probably depressed you know.
KK: I get embarrassed with some of the tunes that I've wrote back then.
DJ IRONIK: yeah.
KK: and I’m like no put them away thank you.
DJ IRONIK: Yeah, I don’t want to hear that right now.
KK: Yeah, yeah. even if you put them out on people like it you're just like why? Why?
DJ IRONIK: No for real. you know and at the same time I do like, I like, like I said I'm right about what I'm going through so that was at that time on my life but we're in a different place now so I just started building again from there I'm signed to independent label in around 2014 and and then yeah we started putting out new releases more releases and then 2017 I put out truth be told my second album.
KK: Yeah, yeah and what's your what's your feelings on the state because like you say like Wiley’s he's been in touch you know what I mean like yeah there's still a resonance of like of an era that collectively is still joined and this is the thing as well. Maybe he's onto something that will be yet to be discovered but there's always this space of like it's like people are in defence and midfield and all sudden they come up to attack, do you know what I mean, like dude at least like you guys seem to just like as long as you're in the game like all the sudden kano’s in front and then you know fazer’s in front.
DJ IRONIK: and I mean, and it just keeps going I think I think you can tell with the… those artists you mentioned, they are artists that never give up for all you know. I never stopped, certain artists that do do you know do music for a few years and then think you know what this isn't my life. but the people that you mentioned really live the music you know especially especially the scene that we are talking about like Wiley I know for example that he checks one for new artists all the time he's, he lives and breathes grime music you know, I mean Fazer he's a real music man. He's always producing never stops even if he's going through something he comes back and you know I mean and I think you can always tell when them artists are the ones that kind of have the longevity because they never stop even chipmunk you know I mean so.
KK: yeah, it's almost like a itch like they're never yeah you can never be satisfied.
DJ IRONIK: that's what I definitely have that yeah yeah it's a good thing I guess.
KK: yeah, yeah. yeah but when also you're given you the keys to an opportunity at an early age as well which I think you and me share very similar thing you know I got my beatbox thing went fucking crazy, madness.
DJ IRONIK: how old was you when you started bro?
KK: um I was about 19 I went on my first world tour yeah at 19.
DJ IRONIK: 19, wow. I see what you mean yeah how do you feel like how do you feel like you know having Fame and being on such a big platform at that age has how do you feel like that's took a toll on you as you've got older do you feel like or if it hasn't even?
KK: uh the same as you like when it happened you're thinking is the last forever what ?!?
DJ IRONIK: yeah yeah .
KK: such a level you think well my life's never gonna be same again yeah but it does and and that's not to be played down because I think what's important is that as long as like you've got like a strong head and you know that it's just a fucking ride then you know you can gather your you know as long as there ain't no because I reckon, a ha, I got one I think there is a small level of PTSD.
DJ IRONIK: yes, I think so.
KK: of coming down so for being so high .
DJ IRONIK: From being so.yeah a hundred percent I think so yeah it's like it's like you want you want that again but then you don't want it that that I love, that that era at that time. When I was superstar simply couldn't walk in the shopping malls or anything but then at the same time I think I did I don't really want that as I'm a I'm a grown-up now. wouldn't really enjoy that you know, I mean it was cool for when I was nineteen, twenty but just to maintain my career, I think for me is the drive that I'll always have just always make sure on current and relevant and but just like you said making sure I know that it will never be that level ever again you know.
KK: Yeah, yeah I think this there's a there's a shock to that yeah can you imagine being can you I think someone that's that is totally out there and can never walk I mean the only person I could think of is Ed Sheeran like that can could never walk down the road.
DJ IRONIK: Yeah, he just he looks you could ya he'll get spotted anywhere.
KK: bless his heart. our he'd get totally like he would actually be passed as a looky likely if he was the real thing do you know what I mean.
DJ IRONIK: did you see that thing on Youtube where the guy just stopped as ed Sheeran and got into like mad events and stuff.
KK: yeah yeah like a more power to em, I remember seeing him come up again another channel u character.
DJ IRONIK: Yeah, he was early a lot of people don't know he was there early.
KK: he was there super early like he and it be forgiven not to because you wouldn’t remember him to well - and then the SP TV things slowly picked up as well it was another was another platform.
DJ IRONIK: yeah exactly and my a and my old AnR actually signed Ed Sheeran and he signed signed to same label that I got signed too.
KK: It’s a small world man. It’s a small world. and you've got to appreciate you’re the paddock in which you like rolling, I mean you and me fucking here you know we're not from the same words but we we know we operate in the same ways and yeah it's a small world you know, we are very lucky.
DJ IRONIK: Yeah, we are man. Yeah every day, I just think you know I've been blessed to be been able to do what I do and as long as I can keep it going whether it's not even just you know releasing music, whether it's just something involved in the scene you know I love this UK hip hop or UK grime so much for I'm so passionate about it whether it's you know becoming an A&R at that you know header add a NRL label or you know lead that one of the labels or something you know that would be my dream to go to next.
KK: that's fire who you looking out for the moment music wise.
DJ IRONIK: Um, there's a lot there's a lot do you mean like real up-and-coming artists or the ones that are already out like who am i listening to?
KK: either or, either or you'll be interesting to see what coz you know some people have like different tastes that get filtered into their music and then regurgitated in a different way you know.
DJ IRONIK: so some of my favorite artists that about at a moment I would have to say is like Dave Dave’s one of my favorite uk artists at the moment you know his lyrics are just mad on point and his album is the way he shapes a body of work is just amazing to me for his age.
KK: yeah fire.
DJ IRONIK: you know I mean like we've been talking we've been talking about the UK scene from early, from So soild crew to now and to see how far you know we've took it and how we can actually put bodies of work together was amazing so Dave I say Jay Hus for me he's so unique as a uk artist.
KK: Yeah, Jay Hus is bad.
DJ IRONIK: yeah, I've never heard anyone like him you know, so I put him up there. there's a couple of uncommon artists that I've been listening to one called Millions some people should check him out if you ain't.
KK: Oh, that rings bells I think I've seen him on Instagram recently millions, millions
DJ IRONIK: yeah, he's doing quite good at the moment
KK: yeah, yeah, yeah.
DJ IRONIK: Simba, um there's a few. I finished my third album at the moment um and we've got a few artists on there so.
KK: Sick. I’ll have to send some beatbox parts your way brother.
DJ IRONIK: bro I love to you it we've got to do that you know, that’s be sick. Up the game.
KK: so that's the future then so the future is more records will releases and just staying in quarantine.
DJ IRONIK: staying in quarantine staying safe yeah, the show's I'm not gonna be here for a while so that's gonna be our window.
KK: Yeah, yeah, might as well lock up your cupboard in it there's only three pairs of tracksuit bottoms you got that's all you rockin.
DJ IRONIK: literally yeah so but yeah albums finished so put that out soon and like I said hopefully get a roller or a job you know doing A&R work soon I'm just helping behind the scenes a bit more finding new talent up and coming talent and just go with whatever the next step is naturally my life like I said from the start everything has been a natural next step in the music for me so you know.
KK: Dude I'm so excited that you want to do that I mean I'm like yeah that makes sense that's such a good idea.
DJ IRONIK: that's my dream man. that is my dream like to have a big office in one of them labels, not to be too corporate because I'm about to music but just to have my own space and find the freshest new talent you know develop them get an album going like that for me is the dream man.
KK: yeah sounds to me like its only a matter of time brother.
DJ IRONIK: hopefully bro, God willing, man, hey by the way bro that mix up I love that picture with a mixer behind you. I swear, I think I've got that mixer you know.
KK: Have yeah? The Newmark?
DJ IRONIK: yeah the Newmark one yeah yeah.
KK: That’s the shit bro. I won that well I said one that my crew in the DMC world champions they won and they gave me they gave me that.
DJ IRONIK: For real that sick. That’s actually sick man.
KK: Yeah, man. I get a buzz, I get a buzz when I thought I got a drill rappers sitting here and then he's looking behind him is like a rocksteady crew t-shirt. You know what I mean? thank you so much for passing through Ironik man your total gem, absolutely Don.
DJ IRONIK: come on bro you're a legend man I appreciate you having me as well we have to chop it up some more bro come on.
KK: I am I'm ready we got time on our hands and and beats in a chamber let's do it.
DJ IRONIK: yeah, yeah, I'm gonna send you over some bits soon man definitely bro.
KK: fire them over, I’ll embellish, how’s that. Ladies and gentlemen the mighty DJ Ironik thank you so much brother this is the Killa Kela podcast big shout to everybody listening watching, tuning in staying out of trouble. Alright take care of yourselves people next week peace.
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