Name: King James the 1st.
Age: 8 days BW.(before Wiley)
Occupation: Mc/Artist
Ends you rep: London..All over.
Career Highlights: This interview.
ILG: You are now back with Modern Warfare, where have you being prior to this release?
B-Live: I’ve been doing what I’ve always done. Hotting up raves and parties all over the world.
ILG: You are also known as Evil-B who do you prefer to be B-Live or Evil-B?
B-Live: I don’t have a preference. It’s all me. I am him and vice versa. I love what I do.
ILG: Many Mc’s have vanished from the scene, what is the key to a long career, how have you managed to stay relevant for so many years?
B-Live: Keep evolving, listen to who is firing at the time and compare what your doing to them. If your below par or would be embarrassed by them if you were b2b then your swag and you will die quickly.
ILG: Grime or Garage?
B-Live: Grime for spittin and Garage for alot of other stuff mainly woman, but still a old school garage rave is a vibesers if the Djs playing the right music.
ILG: In recent years the music we love has had alot of bad press, being a performer have you ever worried about your safety whilst performing at a Garage or Grime Event?
B-Live: Around 2003-2006/7 there were shots at almost every big Garage dance, people running and screaming left right and centre. It’s natural to be concerned about guns because bullets don’t have names, but more time you just have to remember that it’s professional I’m there to do a job. I concentrate on that.
ILG: What are your views on form 679 do you think it is needed and has it affected you?
B-Live: The last thing the police need is for us to take these events underground. So if they are worried about an event they should offer a presence at the venue. Shutting down events because they have heard a rumour or becuase a Dj is playing there is counter productive and effecting how men feed their children.
ILG: You have being tearing raves up for years, what club night will always stay with you and what made that night so memorable?
B-Live: Gas Club in Central London. Only a small venue it held about 300, Me and EZ done a madness in there so many times, people banging down the walls and the cage of the Dj box. Sidewinder at Sanctuary played a huge part in the birth of Grime. I’ve seen alot there, someone made the roof convertible in there for me once haha. That was the maddest reaction to a bar I ever had. Eros in Enfield because it was the spot in North for a while. I used to be a King in there, for a while that was my favourite venue.
ILG: Many people would like to know what is happening with Modern Warfare, is it getting released and what are your future plans?
B-Live: Modern Warfare 1 and 2 will be released on an EP on September 6th through Logan Sama’s label. Also a hood shoot coming for that soon. Me and Skepta have already filmed our parts.
ILG: The remix for Modern Warfare features Skepta and the Newham Generals how did that link up happen and what was it like working with them?
B-Live: It’s mad, Footise and Dee have been involved in this music for as long as I have. Apart from Wiley, Newham Gens are the only 2 other Mcs I can remember starting as young as I did. They used to spit over Garage as well. When Grime branched off and we had to make choices they chose Grime and I stayed with Garage. We all became bosses in our fields so when the time was right I knew I had to holla at them. Everyone on the remix is a boss.
With Skepta it’s kinda mad how that worked out. He used to go to my brothers school, and they were all wrapped up around music when they were young, I think they even made a couple of dodgy old tapes haha they would be gold dust now. I never knew him then, I used to listen to his Dj shows and listen to him rapping over beats that he was playing while he was DJing. I used to think WHO IS THIS GUY. I knew about his Meridian movements etc. I heard his productions and I wanted to work with him. Sometimes he would holla me for guest list or meet me outside Rudolfs in Tottenham if I was working there, it was always a bless vibe, then 2 years ago we started rollin out just a bredrin vibe, no music. By this time he was already a Grime boss, so when I done the remix I didn’t think who to ask, I knew I had to holla him and it happened exactly how it did on the tune, he came through and murdered the tune.
ILG: What are your views on the Grime Scene do you think it will be out around for years to come or do you think the paper chase will be it’s downfall, as many respected and key figures from the scene are now making tunes with aims of getting to the top of the charts?
B-Live: I don’t know what people mean by selling out? If I go and make an Electro tune or a Hip Hop tune with a Pop chorus would people honestly think I was doing it for money? I make music that I like, so what if I like Electro. Too many youngsters wanna believe that these artists sit at home in some dark world selling skengs and listening to gun man music all day. Most mandem are normal people who enjoy all aspects of music, Grime has offered them the opportunity to work with some huge producers etc, who’s gonna waste that? I don’t know who people are talking about when they talk about selling out. That’s nonsense to me, you have to give me an example because I don’t see no grime/ex grime artist signing the Macerena, That would be selling out!
ILG: By selling out I mean Mcs who claim they are Grime then when a deal comes along they no longer do grime and forget the fans and people who supported there music at the very start of there careers the ones who gave them motivation and helped kick start there careers by buying there early mixtapes and seeing them at events and raves?
B-Live: How does anyone know they weren’t makin that type of music while they were making Grime? Thing is people have to make a living, the same people complaining about artists signing deals are the same people who illegaly download music. I wish people would just say names when it comes to this shit because I don’t know who has just gone and sold out, Skepta? Definitely not he makes music he likes? that I like so who cares if its not grime all the time, it’s music I can vibes to and he still puts out grime, So who then…Tinnie? he wasn’t really involved heavily in grime anyway? Tell me who it is?
ILG: Over the years have you being able to live off booking fees or have you ever had to juggle your music career with a job?
B-Live: I’ve always had to hustle, but it’s always been music, when all the raves were getting locked off because of gun culture it hurt my P so much. I had to revert to doing stuff I swore I wouldn’t do again, but music has been good to me, Its been the longest relationship I‘ve ever had.
ILG: Many people believe you and Mc Viper b2b are the best Mc combination of all times what was it like working with him and do you have plans to work together again?
B-Live: It was never a on purpose thing with me and Vipes, it was just he was coming through at the same time as me, when I first came into Garage he was a boss for me at them times. We were the beginning of a new era. We were attacking Mcs who spoke a bit about violence and street life. The music changed with us to, the beats became less soulful and more Mc orientated. So Solid are hugely responsible for what UK Mc’s are now and the way the games turned out but some people won’t know that so are me and Viper. We changed alot. When we came through it was us, HLC and Preshus really, PAUG and So Solid came a lil after us. We bridged the gap between the old skool Mcs and Grime.
ILG: What is your favourite tune of all times? (garage/grime tune)
B-Live: MJ Cole-Sincere. Everything else is 2nd, there’s not enough space here for the answer.
ILG: Who would you say is the top Mc in Grime at the current moment in time?
B-Live: There isn’t one, there’s a few. Ghetts, P money, Skepta will always be a boss. Dee & Foots, Frisco, JME to be honest, I could name about 20 names. I heard Maxsta recently and I thought he was good.
ILG: The summer season is near enough over, what is your favourite island and what are your top holiday tips?
B-Live: Ayia Napa. Water, food and condoms.
ILG: Do you have any regrets about your career is there anything that you wish you did differently?
B-Live: Not regrets really, I remember along time ago, I was in Denmark with Wiley and Maximum and Purple on a madting and Wiley said to me ‘you should be over here with us’. Meaning I shouldn’t of done Garage and should of done Grime. I don’t have any regrets about grime. I done Merkers in 2004, but I never got fully involved. Garage paid me well and I love beautiful woman haha. Grime was a tiny scene back then. Anyway I‘m here now and I’ve got alot to do.
ILG: What is the future for the Grime scene and what do you think of the Dubstep scene?
B-Live: The future for Grime is bright, Grime is honest street music. Certain man need to lay off talkin about AK47s and Bazookas in every bar, but the best music will and always has come from pain. Grime will never die Its owned by the streets. I like Dubstep its like slow drum and bass to me.
ILG: What do you think about gun and knife crime who is to blame the government or are people just cold and heartless?
B-Live: Life is about choices and that’s the realest talk I can give any human. Choose wisely. Beef gets people hyped like a drug, but when the drug wears off you will be the only one facing the come down. Don’t let it be 25 years in a cell.
ILG: The new football season has just started who will win the premiership and what team do you support?
B-Live: Man Utd will win it this season I think. I support the realest team in the world, THE ALMIGHTY TOTTENHAM HOTSPURS and before any gooners start hyping, I’m from north London, Tottenham and other places. NONE OF YOU ARE FROM ARSENAL.Cha
ILG: What did you think of Englands performance at the World Cup, What went wrong?
B-Live: Everyone stopped being sore, maybe we could play ball, but the brudder with the wedge jawside needs to do one.
ILG: What words of advice would you give to young Mc’s who are trying to make it?
B-Live: Dont copy anyone, listen to everyone and never give up.
ILG: Clashing is a big part of Grime, over the years I do not recall you having any lyrical wars if a Mc sent for you would you reply or do you have any plans to send for any Mc’s in the future?
B-Live: People have slyly sent for me. No one came out and said my name fully. For me to clash someone, they would have to be bigger than me or be a boss. I would never retaliate to someone who I couldn’t benefit from. I’m gonna send for Faction G soon. On a real though I can only thnk of 3 names that could help me raise my level.
ILG: What is a normal day for B Live what do you do on a daily basis?
B-Live: I don’t have normal days. Everyday is something new and fresh, I could tell you about the week I‘ve had but I think Shorty would be upset. But this Saturday I fly out to tour Malia and Zante with Maximum and Shorty then back home on Wednesday to play a Drum and Bass rave that same night. On Friday night I’m in Norwich then I fly out to Germany on Saturday for another show. (Week begining 30 August 2010)
ILG: That sounds like a very hectic lifestyle is it difficult to manage family time and what do you miss the most when you are away from home?
B-Live: My daughter and my bed
ILG: You have stayed true to your roots unlike many others what do you think about people who forget and neglect there roots are they sell outs?
B-Live: True to my roots? What are my roots? I love all music, if I could make it all, all genres then I would, would people call me a sell out then?
ILG: I want to seduce a lady im into, what advice would you give me i’m considering Nandos and maybe a film is this approach correct or is my game all wrong?
B-Live: Nandos to ur nice up a girl? Cuz…lol…Depends fam, I cant really help you…I don’t know what kinda girl your dealin with.
ILG: She is the sophisticated type 21 years old a sexy browning still, I just want a beat but she is on that im not easy playing hard to get vibe I just wanna nice her up and get in there, you must have some advice imagine im Faction what would you say to him?
B-Live: Hahahahaha you don’t wanna know what I would say to Facts, but still. If shes acting like a princess that means she wants to be treated like one, Tek time, nice her up then when you get her into bed just make sure you give her the wickedest ting.
ILG: What do you think about artificial breasts being given away on the NHS?
B-Live: I know a few MCs that should cop a pair from the amount they’re bitching.
ILG: I get the feeling your not a fan of Twitter very much?
B Live: Nah I love to read twitter if people are catching jokes, talking about music or being productive, I hate the subliminal shit and the internet threats dickhead ting.
ILG: Any last words shouts, big ups and websites you wanna plug
Faction G, BBK Fam, PHM Mandem, Slaughterhouse and everyone doing positive shit. Love dat…Peace.
Make sure you follow B-Live on Twitter and buy the latest release Modern Warfare which is out now
