Hello C-Mone. Much as we love UK hip hop, we can't help noticing it doesn't trouble the charts too often. Do you think British rappers need a bit of a helping hand?
Yeah, definitely. I can't force UK hip hop on people, but I think they should give it a chance and if they like it, support it. But some of the reason UK acts don't sell as well as they should is down to the record companies. The big strategies they use for indie or pop acts aren't applied to hip hop.
They tend to keep it quite low-key and keep the campaign quite one dimensional. Pop acts tend to have a lot of money pumped into the marketing, but I don't see anyone doing that with UK hip hop. They don't seem to be plugging it to radio stations as they should. We get one UK hip hop artist promoted per year and that's your lot, the gate closes!
Is that really what the scene needs? Wouldn't you get accused of selling out and losing your underground appeal?
I have a theory that you can secure an underground fanbase and be overground at the same time. You can see that happen with hip hop in America.
But it can only happen if the team behind your record are willing to cover both bases. I've seen them take someone from the streets then promote them in a really mainstream way, forgetting about the underground. And I've seen it kept as a street thing, where it doesn't crossover to the mainstream and so obviously doesn't make enough money to sustain it. Neither way works.
Do you think Lady Sovereign could be an example of the former?
I think she's an interesting case. I didn't hear much of her stuff before she got signed and the stuff I'm hearing now is mostly pop. I can't hear any underground there at all. She seems like a normal girl, having a laugh, but she's in a difficult situation.
Personally, I can't quite relate to what she does. Someone asked me about that whole 'Hoodie' concept and I felt perhaps it should've been looking at the type of people they're profiling with such discrimination, look at the way people are being treated and take it to another level. But there's plenty of time for my girl to grow and do whatever she wants and that's every artist's right.
Why do you think an artist like 50 Cent is so popular here even though he says nothing about life in England?
It's fantasy! It's like watching a movie, playing video games and, of course, there's a major marketing strategy behind 50 Cent. He is everywhere.
It'd be interesting to see if that much money and support was behind myself or Skinnyman or other UK rappers what could happen. With the underground, it's all off your own back, it's DIY! It's hard to even get records to the people who want them. We're trying our best though!
But the quicker the major labels realise what's happening, the better. We're making homegrown music for the people by the people. It's a reflection of what we're living.
You're British, you're female and you're from Nottingham. Are the odds stacked against you?
I try and stay really positive, I think I need to. As you say, I'm not from London, I'm a woman, I'm black, I'm from Nottingham... But that's where I come from and it's all I know so it's my fuel for my fire. It's what keeps me going. The more people tell me I can't do something the more I'll keep at it. So far, it's all been self-funded and independent.
What I've learned is just to enjoy the music. I've seen really good artists going through tough situations with their career and it reminds me to keep my focus. The most important thing is the music, all the reaching for fame is a distraction. As long as I'm here and I'm breathing and I'm doing my thing, it's all I can ask for.
Thank you very much C-Mone!
No, Slashmusic, thank you.
Bless!
See more C-Mone at her official website.
