100 BARS MAGAZINE 004 Dec/Jan 2013-2014 | Page 103

Novie Blendz: Now lets start off the First Question with where are you from? Villun: Well, I was raised in South London but born in Zambia where both of my parents are originally from. Novie Blendz: That’s Awesome!!! Now when were you first introduced to hip hop/rap? Villun: I don’t even know what year it was or much to the extent that most rappers seem to do, Or even how old I was. I just recall being in my uncle’s car one summer before a new school and hearing Dead Presidents off of Reasonable Doubt. Eventually I heard the whole album through my uncle then just sort of went from there. Writing that made me wanna listen to the song (haha). Novie Blendz: (Lol) I definitely just started hearing that song in my head right after you typed that too ( lol). Strangley I too ended up liking Jay Z from that song, and his song “Feelin it”. Villun: That and Can I Live are in my top 5 Hov songs! Novie Blendz: Yess !!! Sometimes I wish Jay Z could get back to his old self in the studio (lol) I mean his newer songs are cool, but it aint nothing like the classics!! Villun: Yeah, but I guess he’s at a new stage in his life. What he wanted at that time, he’s got now and a lot more so we can’t get that old shit back (lol). Novie Blendz: After being inspired by Jay Z when Did you start rapping? Villun: I wrote my first verse when I was 16. It wasn’t hip hop though, it was Grime which is a UK thing, almost like a subgenre of hip hop but it’s very British in terms of sound etc. I was on and off with it until the time I turned 18, I’d say between those years I probably wrote about 4/5 16s mainly because I wasn’t into it to the point I wanted to take it seriously and I’m sure I wasn’t very good. After that, I went to University in Birmingham, started getting into the habit of writing daily but this time it was hip hop and as I wrote more, I got better and enjoyed it then began taking it seriously, now I’m here. Novie Blendz: Sweet...So was it when you were in Uni that you decided you wanted to battle rap? Villun: Yeah, as I was leaving University I wanted to challenge myself from what I thought in my head to what was at the time and felt battling would be a good way to do so. Novie Blendz: Its always good to share your creativity. Now what do you feel is easier, making music or battling? Villun: Writing music is definitely more of a task. With a beat, you’re working within a construct, your villun international bars feelings go into music, there are just more levels to it than in an accapella battle because there’s little constraint other than a time limit. You just have to write, learn but also perform in a way that people will listen or be entertained which isn’t always the easiest thing but I wouldn’t say it’s as difficult as getting right the amalgamation of things that fall into writing music. That’s just my personal take though (lol). Novie Blendz: And a great one at that because your are right about a song being more about feeling and a battle being more about presentation. Villun: Presentation! good word I’m gonna have to borrow that for future use (lol). Novie Blendz: lol Cool fine by me :) After Your very 1st Battle how did you feel about your performance and your opponents performance? Villun: Force of Habit haha. I thought I did ok, nothing groundbreaking but better than how bad it could’ve been and it was well-received which was nice. It’s the basic best you can get in your first battle really, especially when you’re so nervous because it’s new to you. I think he was much worse than his shit talking leading up to the day, than he made me think he’d be. 94