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Hussla Dandymite Interview 

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HPR: When and why did you start singing?  

Hussla Dandymite: Initially I started rapping back when I was in middle school and would perform to an audience in the playground with my childhood friend and cousin Lickle J, who I still do music with today. I began rapping because I was influenced by the choice of music I listened to at the time which was Hip Hop.  

I listened to artists like Wu Tang, Slick Rick, Snoop and Dre. Coming from a Jamaican background, the music most commonly played in my home was Reggae so my style was a fusion of the two.

Around 1998 I set out DJing and building my own sound system and group. Keeping up with the popular musics of the day we came into the UK Garage era which required MCs to host sets with the DJs as a lot of the songs were instrumental.

HPR: Which genre of music do you do?

Hussla Dandymite: Reggae, Dancehall, Hip Hop & Soul

HPR: What was the first tune(s) you learned?

Hussla Dandymite: The first tunes I remember singing is from albums like Bob Marley “Exodus” tunes like Heathen & So Many Things to say and Songs like “Up Park Camp” by Winston Jarrett on the Studio 1 record label.

HPR: Is your family musical?

Hussla Dandymite: Yes

HPR: Describe your family member's musical interests and abilities.

Hussla Dandymite: Music has always been a essential part of the family, all my uncles and aunties have their own large music collections whether it be records or CDs and a few of the members have turned to DJs, Singers and Rappers.

HPR: Which famous singer or musician do you admire? Why?

Hussla Dandymite: Garnett Silk for his lyrical content and the positive messages in his music, especially when you watch his live performances, it’s like your at a Church service the way how between his songs the only talking he does are quotes from the scriptures and then he follows up with another powerful song linked to the scripture quote.

I admire this because its very rare you go to what the Christians would class as “worldly” events and hear these types of messages in the music which I feel is very important when spreading the word of God as it not only about preaching to the converting.

HPR: Which famous singer or musicians have you learned from?

Hussla Dandymite: Style wise I’d say people like Super Cat, Sean Paul, Charlie Chaplin and rappers like Slick Rick.

HPR: Who was your first teacher? Other teachers?

Hussla Dandymite: As an artist and music producer it would have to be man like Ras Xprshn (UK Jamaican Reggae Artist).

HPR: Describe the first song you wrote.

Hussla Dandymite: It was a Rap song called “I’m Not Having It”. The backing track was Dr Dre’s and Snoops “Nothing But A G Thing” which had a similar type of style. As the title says the song was about things that was happing around me which I was not going to allow, but being only 8 years old you could imagine it was things that would be happing at school and at home.  

HPR: What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighbourhood or town?

Hussla Dandymite: In my house would be probably feeling a vibes between my mother & father and I went in my fathers record selection and began selecting some songs and it quashed the vibes between them and its there my father told me I have a talent of talking to people through music.

HPR: Were you influenced by old records and tapes? If so which ones?

Hussla Dandymite: Yes, most of the Bob Marley albums and songs like Mighty Diamonds - I need a roof, Dr Alimantado - Sitting In The Park, Big Youth - Hit The Road Jack and Hip Hop song like Slick Rick - Childrens Story, Hey Young World, Wu Tang - Ice Cream ….. many more.

HPR: Who are your favourite singers or musicians? Groups? CD's?

Hussla Dandymite: Mostly 70’s music both reggae and soul groups like Mighty Diamonds, Abyssinians, Wailers, Isreal Vibrations, Temptations, Stylistics, Delephonics, Jackson 5, just to mention a few.

HPR: Have you been in competitions? Any prizes?

Hussla Dandymite: Back in 2009 I submitted a documentary on the Black Music Industry in Northampton to the MTV Boom Competition using my music for the soundtrack. The documentary came 3rd in the whole of the UK for best Soundtrack.

HPR: Do you perform in public? Describe those occasions? Concerts, radio, TV?

Hussla Dandymite: Yes, majority of my performances are DJ sets in clubs, parties and occasionally I perform as an artist to backing tracks but in recent years with a live band and over the past 12 months I have recorded my EP “Ignite” using mainly live instrumentation.  From this we produced The Ignite Band who back most of my performances now.

HPR: How do you handle mistakes during a performance?

Hussla Dandymite: Handling mistakes during performances comes with experience and the methods I have developed to maintain professionalism is to not panic, show that your in control of the situation at all times and resume the performance as swiftly and seamlessly as possible.

HPR: Do you get nervous before a performance or a competition?

Hussla Dandymite: Again through experience I feel I have learned to conquer nerves although occasionally nerves does kick in when performing at a new and different venue that I’m not used to or in front of a difficult audience.

HPR: What advice would you give to beginners who are nervous?

Hussla Dandymite: As I said, how I deal with it is to not panic and put across that I’m in control at all times. Also taking a care free approach helps.  That is, tell yourself this is your show and if people don’t like it thats their problem.

They don’t have to listen to you, then if you end up with no listeners then this game is not for you. But once you can accept that not everybody is going to like your material then it helps you disregard those who won’t support you and focus on your fans that will support you.

HPR: How often and for how long do you practice?

Hussla Dandymite: I practice everyday and the duration depends on how my days are schedule.

HPR: What do you practice - exercises, new tunes and hard tunes etc.?

Hussla Dandymite: I go through my song catalogue usually singing to different backing tracks and in different styles and I also work on new material depending on my vibes.

HPR: Do you teach music?

Hussla Dandymite: I teach music and industry activities such as DJing, Songwriting, Music Production, Event management and Artist Development.

HPR: How do you balance your music with other obligations - mate, children, job?

Hussla Dandymite: I have always tried to link my other obligations with my music, so most of my friends are also musicians so socialising time for us is working on some type of music activity. 

Also my previous jobs have all been music related, but in the past year I have set up my own Social Enterprise Company called “InMusicInMedia” which focuses on developing young people using my experience and current music activities which directly links my day time work with my music.

In addition, my family time is the only time I take out from music but with my family all being great lovers of music it is still slightly involved.

HPR:  Hope you enjoyed the the interview with Hussla Dandymite as much as I did, we wish him all the best for the future!  The contact details for Hussla Dandymite is listed below.  Peace and Love. 

Contacts Details:

Artist Web: www.husslad.net

Artist fb: www.facebook.com/hussladandymite

Artist Twitter: www.twitter.com/husslad

Artist SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/tags/hussladandymite

Artist Email: hussladandymite@gmail.com

Company:

web: www.inmusicinmedia.com

email: info@inmusicinmedia.com

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