Investors in Talent
Marcus Ramsay is a DJ in his own right as well as the director of NASTY UK Ltd; he also seeks out and nurtures new talent. NASTY is an acronym for Natural Artistic Sounds Touching You and Marcus aims to have his artists creative output heard by many. Marcus Aurelius 2 invited us to look beneath the surface and never let a thing’ s intrinsic quality or worth escape us, and this is a motto that DJ Marcus Nasty lives by in his endless quest to discover the artists of the future. Born and raised in east London, Marcus goes to the places traditional record labels cannot reach, estates, community radio, and small clubs. His reputation on the circuit means that those that think they have something musically, come to him for advice and sign up.
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Investors in Talent
accredited qualifications – the DJ mixing course that Marcus runs is especially popular. Over the years, many have been through the NASTY stable but“ where I went wrong is not writing things down, and when there’ s nothing in writing, you get bumped.”
Marcus is proud of those who have come through NASTY: Kano, Ghetto and Newham Generals to name but a few. For the future though, these are the names to watch: Griminal, Kassimo and G Range. This fledgling business is now on a proper footing, registered at Companies House, and seeking premises and sponsorship – particularly for the training courses which are dependent on outside funding. In terms of role models, Marcus cites David Rodigan – for his longevity, his ability to do what he loved and do it so well that he earned international respect.
High points for 2006
Marcus Ramsay is a DJ in his own right as well as the director of NASTY UK Ltd; he also seeks out and nurtures new talent. NASTY is an acronym for Natural Artistic Sounds Touching You and Marcus aims to have his artists creative output heard by many. Marcus Aurelius 2 invited us to look beneath the surface and never let a thing’ s intrinsic quality or worth escape us, and this is a motto that DJ Marcus Nasty lives by in his endless quest to discover the artists of the future. Born and raised in east London, Marcus goes to the places traditional record labels cannot reach, estates, community radio, and small clubs. His reputation on the circuit means that those that think they have something musically, come to him for advice and sign up.
As Marcus himself says“ NASTY UK provides a stepping stone from the street to becoming legitimate, we have wide audience and we don’ t restrict ourselves to a particular musical style, grime, skaters, Goths, we don’ t mind. Talent is talent it doesn’ t matter where you’ re from or what type of music, as long as you can deliver, that’ s what counts. I’ m a student at the University of East London and this has helped to open my eyes. East London is a cultural melting pot and there’ s a world of music out there on our doorstep.”
Marcus is a relative newcomer to the world of business; he has been running NASTY UK for the last eight months. What started as a hobby, as a teenager eight years ago, now has the potential to be a sustainable business.
What sets NASTY UK apart from others is that it offers not only guidance and support to help open the right doors but, through its partnership with the REGARD PROGRAMME, it also offers OCN
Winning Music 4 U Best Video Award for“ Girls Love Nasty”
Winning an award for most airplay on Radio 1Xtra for“ Girls Love Nasty”
“ I know I have a lot more to do, but from where I started, I’ ve come a long way, I’ m proud to be 8 th in the UK list of top Sidewinder DJs. In eight years, I’ ve played garage, old school garage, grime and now funky house. I would say to those starting out now, be confident, don’ t let people put you off. Learn all you can from wherever you can.” So that’ s DJ Marcus Nasty, in his own words: flexible, passionate about music, resilient, tough and hungry for knowledge.
www. myspace. com / marcusnasty www. theregardprogramme. org. uk
2 Marcus Aurelius Meditations Penguin Books 2004
ISSUE THREE 2007 engage | uk