Tricksta from UK Runnings

Tricksta has been putting in work in the UK Hip-Hop industry ever since he started DJ’ing back in the late eighties. From radio to clubs to eventually putting on nights, Tricksta went on to work in record shops and independent record labels before founding Wolftown Recordings and Rago Magazine in 1999 with his business partner, rapper and long-time best friend LATE. In 2001, Tricksta started the mixtape series UK Runnings and has never looked back. His "hard work ethics" have inspired many and his genuine love for all things home-grown has to be admired. Now with his new series ‘The National Anthems’ mixtape out and about, as well as being ‘Head Of Urban Promotions’ at the well-respected PR Company "Park Street PR" Tricksta is as busy as ever. Brendan Deane went to get the low-down on what’s going on in the world of UK Runnings.
So Tricksta, how are things going at the moment?
Yeh man, can’t complain. I have running UK Runnings now for five years and have put in the ground work. Now I am unleashing the mixes on proper CD’s with four page booklets with full distribution as they officially get released on Wolftown Recordings. This is something that means a lot to me, as it means everyone in the country and gets to hear the mixtapes instead of just The Midlands and London.

Yeh after reading the sleeve notes I realised that UK Hip-Hop is something that has always interested you ever since the ‘golden era’ of Music Of Life Records. What’s the big attraction?

The UK is where I live so when I heard rappers from the UK talking about UK things I think it really hit the spot. I feel at home with British rappers, and I love the vibe our music has. There’s a great passion in the UK and a great sense of ‘proudness’ for what we have all created. It’s a dominantly independent run scene too which is something I like too.

So exactly how many releases have you dropped with UK Runnings?
I have the underground series which are titled as volumes. I have dropped Volume One, Volume Two, Volume Two Point Five, Volume Three (hosted by LATE) and Volume Four (hosted by 10Shott), as well as the "Old Skool Mix". As per normal the full track-listings and more information is available from Wolftown Recordings and are all available to buy from this direct link…

How is ‘The National Anthems Mixtape Series’ different to the underground volumes?The main difference is that embraces British Hip-Hop on all levels. The first volume features acts such as Baby Blue, Bigz, Sincere, Def1, Craze24, Sway that have come more from the Channel U generation, as well as featuring some of the original UK Hip-Hop legends such Skinnyman, Klashnekoff, Ty, Estelle and Moorish Delta 7. I have also embraced the cutting-edge artists, the mans doing it big on the streets. From Mr. Ti2bs, Suparnovar, Wordsmith, Blemish, TB, Conspicuous, P.A.C and Lowkey, to the healthy amount of ‘non-London MC’s’ such as LATE, 10Shott, Jai Boo, Conman, Size8, Big Wayne, Juttla, Trz & Souljah Clique, Ruckus, Baby J, Yogi, Izzy G, Reload, Alex Blood and Dass. I have tried to put the whole vibe on one mixtape, and I think I have done this well!

Are you going to release a Volume Two?
No I am going to release a ‘Part Two’! Ha Ha, I am leaving the word ‘volume’ for my underground mixes which I still intend to do. I am going to do three parts to this mixtape then concentrate on doing some more artist based mixtapes that are hosted as well starting the UK Runnings full album which will be all produced by myself. This project will hopefully be a UK Rap Classic and drop autumn 2007. I got a serious amount of work to do!.

How hard is it actually doing UK Runnings Mixtape Series?
I just think it’s a shame that some of the artists out there can’t get the studio-time they need. Trying to get a freestyle or drop sometimes can be a nightmare, but I just keep on at man! I’m like that nagging wifey they don’t wanna hear from! The communication is one of the hardest things. But I try man, I always try my best at everything I do.

If I was a UK rappers, producer, label owner etc., how would I go about getting on a UK Runnings Mixtape?
GET IT TOUCH! Don’t waste time hitting me up and saying I am a rapper!!! JUST SEND ME THE MP3’s!!!!!!!! Seriously get your music over to me info@wolftownrecordings.com and if ya old skool don’t want to do that, then use the old "snail mail" and post CD’s to Tricksta, UK Runnings, PO Box 1668, Wolverhampton, UK, WV2 3WG. I’m on My Space too at www.myspace.com/trickstawolftown.

Please remember what I like is any unreleased material. Any unreleased collobo’s, remixes, freestyles over USA or UK beats, as well as a drop and shout-out! So bare that in mind, I am always looking for exclusive and rare!

Apart from UK Runnings what other mixtapes have you done recently?
Well I have mixed 10Shott’s classic "Ghetto Brick Road", mixed and hosted Reload’s "Up Hill Struggle" mixtape, Two volumes of "Steppin To Tha Streets" (a mixtape that promotes American clothing company Mob Desinz), I have also just done "Hustlers, Ballers, Shotcallers" and "How We Do It On The Westside" with LATE which are both for Wolftown. I am working on a New York mixtape too which is coming together nicely.

Apart from the label, producing, doing mixtapes, DJ’ing and writing for tons of magazines and websites, you have also started a PR company. Tell us more about Park Street PR.

It’s simple. Over the ten years I have been making music and releasing record independently I have built up a database of useful links in the UK Hip-Hop industry. So basically anyone making "decent Hip-Hop" music wanting to break this UK market can use my services to build up awareness and go on to maybe get distribution, signed or do live shows.

Who are you promoting at the moment?
UK wise there is everything on Wolftown Recordings and UK Runnings, as well as Café Recordings, Dropzone Records, Occupy Your Mind Records, Trz & Section8 Records, Swift It Major, Geebag, amongst others. Overseas there is Assassin with the 2Pac album, Geolani from NYC, Bigg Steele from LA, the legendary K Rino and SPC from Houston, The Jacka from The Bay, DJ Vlad, DJ Rondevu, The Next Level from Brooklyn, Iceman Records, Agallah The Don Bishop & Ikeyes from Purple City, and many many more!

What has Park Street achieved so far do you think?
Well Assassin’s Tupac ‘The Way He Wanted It’ album got full European distribution as did DJ Rondevu’s ‘Napalm’ series. 334 Mobb went on to get signed to Def Jam, Geolani has is doing a UK mixtape, as well as two of clients here in the UK, Reload (a Wolverhampton rapper) and Occupy Your Mind Records (a Birmingham based record label) have actually hooked up and are recording a mixtape together. All my clients normally get reviews and interviews on websites and print magazines, as well as radio play, mixtape features and club-play. It’s affordable. Interested? If so hit me up info@wolftownrecordings.com and I will forward price-lists and more information.

So Tricksta is there anything you’d like to add?
Yeh all the haters who still say British Hip-Hop is wack and all those heads on those forums having their subliminal digs – you man have tooooo much time on your hands! You are living in dark ages and need to get up on what’s going on – I represent the real! Respects to all my Wolftown family and everyone who has helped me UK Runnings. I couldn’t do it without ya! For more information please check out all my weblinks and get in touch!

www.myspace.com/trickstawolftown
www.wolftownrecordings.com
www.ukrunnings.com
www.ragomagazine.com
www.parkstreetpr.com

Shouts to Glyn at The Urban Shop for all the support and major respects to you Brendan for letting me have my say!

No problems Tricksta, it’s been a pleasure.

Interview by Brendan Deane