Tomas Olesen checks out the Saigon and Statik Selektah show at Madam Jojo's and grabs a quick chat with them too.
Having braved the cold and dodged the advances of a flyering transvestite and a host of guitar playing Christian fundamentalists, I arrived at Madam Jojo's for the eagerly anticipated Saigon and Statik Selektah show. Initially the room seems pretty cagey, with nobody being prepared to fill up the pit-like dance floor, whilst Spin Doctor brings the classic bombs. But once Statik Selektah gets on, and the build towards an unveiling of Saigon begins, people fill the pit and suddenly the room seems really full.
Saigon bounces on stage with explosive energy, a world away from the mellow and softly spoken guy I'd met earlier. He runs through a selection of his biggest tunes, Pain in My Life is particularly good, Favourite Things gets everyone singing the hook. At one point he stops to say 'I got a lot of songs for a guy with no album don't I?' and it's true, he has a surprisingly deep catalogue for someone with no album. More surprising maybe is how many people know all the words to his tunes, clearly lack of an album is no barrier to fandom. For a chilly Tuesday, this is a really lively gig, so much of a good hip hop show relies on audience participation and the crowd clearly really appreciate the chance to see this legend of the underground.
The smell of some kind of exotic incense fills my nostrils and looking around I notice a bouncer on the side of the stage glaring at the front of the crowd. Pretending not to notice him and properly getting down and rapping along at the front is Skinnyman. You know it's a killer show when Skinny is at the front, he's like a barometer of dope, and when Saigon finishes up after an emotionally charged dedication to his departed mum he reveals that afterwards he's 'rolling with Skinny', I hope he made his flight!
Before the show I got a moment to shoot off some quick questions at each of them, here's what they had to say:
What was the first record you bought?
S.S: Either it was Redman - Time For Some Action or it might have been Pharcyde's Runnin' I know that came out the week I started DJing.
Sai: Shit I don't think I ever bought a record...first things I ever had my moms bought them for me, I think it was UTFO, LL Cool J and The Fat Boys.
How do you feel about the state of rap at the moment and where do you see it going?
S.S: I don't think there is a state of rap really, everything is hip hop now. Wherever you look, T.V, magazines, the way people dress, cartoons. As far as music is concerned it matters where you look. If you only look in the right direction you'll hear good stuff, if you look the other way probably all bad.
Sai: I don't where it's going man, but people are going to have to get creative again 'cause record companies don't know how to sell CD's right now. It's going to come back down to who's creative and who's not. Who's got talent and who don't.
If you were going to collaborate with a non hiphop artist who it be?
S.S: I'd like to work with D'angelo, Raphael Sadiq, a lot of R'n'B cats, as far as rock goes, I dunno, probably older cats I don't know many of the new guys...oh Adam Levine, I'd work with him he's cool.
Sai: Can it be someone who's dead? Bob Marley.
All time favourite piece of music equipment?
S.S: Technics turntable!
Sai: The Microphone!
Who are the artists to be looking out for in 2010?
S.S: Jay Electronica, but I think a lot of people are going to have come-backs so we'll have to wait and see I guess.
Sai: Jay Electronica, he's dope.
If you were stuck on a desert island for the rest of your life with just one record for company what would it be?
S.S: Probably kill myself! I dunno, probably Reasonable Doubt or some Dilla beats or something.
Sai: One record!? I'm going to need some suicidal music! That's some depressing news...probably some Machiavelli or something.
You get to the big gig in the sky, who's on the line up?
S.S: Dj Premier, Q-Tip, whole Show Off crew Consequence, Saigon, Bun B
Sai: Marvin Gaye, Big, Tupac, Big L, you know, all the classics
What's the one thing you regret buying more than anything else?
S.S: Ha, an engagement ring! Nah, that's not even an answer...a college education!
Sai: I regret buying my baby momma dinner that first time 'cause that fucking ruined my life!
Who are your all time favourite DJ and MC?
S.S: Premier, and right now it's got to be Jay-Z
Sai: Jazzy Jeff, Jay-z
Have you got anything in the pipeline for 2010?
S.S: I'm just trying to be on everyone's album, a lot of collaborative albums coming out. Me and Termanology got one called 1982, me and Sean Price, Bahamadia, I can't really talk about much of it, but a lot of stuff coming.
Sai: My album!
What's your favourite rap lyric ever?
S.S: Common' I used to love her! (shows the 'I Used To Love Her' tattoo on his arm)
Sai: got to be a Nas one...
I switched my motto -- instead of sayin fuck tomorrow
That buck that bought a bottle could've struck the lotto
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