LATE is an old time friend of sturban clothing, he's been in the hip hop game more years than anybody cares to mention and he has a new release about to drop sponsored by sturban clothing called "2 Thousand and LATE" we caught up with the legend and put a few questions to the man.
Where are you from and what was it like growing up there? I’m from Wolverhampton AKA Wolftown, The city of broken dreams and failed dodgy schemes its like any other working class area of the UK, I've done fair share of dodgyness, been around all the wrong things, lost a lot of people on the way, just like anyone that hasn’t grew up in cotton wool.
How did you get your name and is there a story behind it?It was my tag back in the day, I was a graffiti artist back in the day, I was all city, I was wanted, my tag was mentioned on the news
Was there a situation or a person who inspired you to rap? It was a natural progression from dj’ing and mastering the 4 elements of hip hop, B-Boying, graffiti, dj’ing right thru to mc’ing, my first influence to rap was when I heard ICE-T on the song 'High Rollers'.
Tell us about your latest release.Its basically a mixtape to help promote my forthcoming album “ Below Street Level” But '2Thousand & LATE' is a mixture of new tracks, collaborations, freestyles and Remixes I featured on, it features KB DA KIDNAPPA from the group STREET MILATRY, JT THE BIGGA FIGGA, JON CONNERS, BRICK SAAVY, LO–KEYS, STRESS, FAMOSO, MOKEOUT, JAI-BOO, SIZE8, RICKY LEE, CONMAN, CEE-ROCK “THE FURY”, NUT-RAGEOUS, PANAMA, JAK DANIELS, and S.P.C rappers THUGSTAR, MURDER ONE & KUWAIT, there is also a bonus chopped n screwed track on there by DJ LOON
What do you prefer; playing live, recording in the studio or battling?I'm basically an artist so the studio is my ideal environment, I love creating that’s what I like to do.
How would you describe your personality? What do you enjoy doing?I'm either in it or not, if Im in it, Im gonna do it to my best ability, if im not I wont do it, I just love creating things, Cause I came from nothing, I love making something from nothing, I just love hip hop all 4 elements that is what I do.
How did you go about setting up independently?I never sent a demo out I just wanted to do this my own way and with the help of my bro Tricksta we made it happen, If you believe in what you’re doing it will happen.
What’s your favourite clothing label?
I got so many, Ive got a beer belly so I like the USA labels they cover my gut better, LOL, labels like Pelle Pelle, Southpole, Rockawear, Zoo-York, Phat Farm, I wear a lot of labels that are hip hop based, I don’t wear lable's that don’t respect hip hop, People need to understand that Hip Hop is the most watched culture in the world, designers all over the world watch what hip hop kids are wearing and try and copy that, There is a lot of people today wearing clothes by labels that don’t respect them as a people and a culture, So I try to labels that understand and respect our culture.
Forget the budget, what would be your dream collobo?AAAHH man, no budget, I would wanna work with all the cats I grew up listening to, like GETO BOYS, all of SOUTH PARK COALITON , all of the SCREWED UP CLICK. ICE-T, ICE CUBE, MASTER, KRS-ONE, SPICE-ONE, MC EIHT, CELLY CELL, ABOVE THE LAW, KOOL G RAP that names a few the list just goes on and on.
With so many artists out there, what are you doing different to get heard?I'm just being me, im not trying to do what everyone else is doing im just doing me, I'm trying to make music that’s gonna be understood worldwide
Now is your chance to get something off ya chest! Anything getting you down or any opinions you need to voice?If you wanna get in the game Understand the culture, be yourself, and get in where you fit it. And if it doesn’t happen, still work in the industry because not all rappers are rich but some of those that work behind the scenes are. I think were at a stage where everyone wants to be a rapper and famous and when we get beyond that that’s when we might build an industry out here.
Okay, before you go please give us you’re My Space details LATELabels: 2 thousand and 8, Late, Wolftown Recordings