SOUTH WEST WARRIOR: MC BUGGSY

Having grown up in Bristol writing poetry, surrounded by bass and Rastafari culture and generally making the most of all the city has to offer, Buggsy is most definitely a modern emcee. Whether spitting bars over garage, grime, dubstep or hip-hop, Buggsy not only has an original flow but the need to tell a story, avoiding the obvious pitfalls and mindlessness of your average club emcee. Closely involved with current dubstep darlings and Purple Trinity members Joker and Gemmy, big things are expected from Obi Chin.

So, ahead of our Bristol vs. London friendly at Hyp!Hyp!Hyp! next Friday, we thought we’d email the South West’s leading emcee to see exactly what’s floating his boat, and what we can expect from him at HHH next week.

Hyponik.com: Buggsy, introduce yourself – where you from, what do you do, what do you call yourself?

Buggsy: Wa gwan. I go by the name of Ras Buggsy AKA Bugnum1 fresh outta a few streets, roads and avenues called St. Pauls, in the Southwest City of  Bristol.

H: Bristol is live right now – what is it about the culture there that makes the bass scene so strong?
B: Well it dates way back to the day [West Indian immigrant ship] Windrush sailed in. The Rastafari culture of roots music dominated the streets along with dub, ska and reggae, bringing on ragga/dancehall. Its always been a place for bass. These backgrounds mixed with the urban emulation allowed people to create such sounds as dubstep, a sound which is breaking though big time.

H: If you had to name 3 Bristolian influences, who would they be?
B: Hmmm.. I guess Joker - he always showed me we can make something outta nothing, Lightman (RIP)- at one stage I quit but Light’s gave me the push I needed to take me through life and lastly, Joel thompson - this guy supported me from the very start, and put me on first rave when I was 13.

H: You’ll be hitting Hyp!Hyp!Hyp! with a set from Gemmy and yourself – how long have you known each other and what vibe do you two try to create?
B: Agagagag! Gemmy is a soldier I’ve known for a long time. We do this, does this, done this! Gemmy has been deejaying for about the same time as I been an emcee. We linked up one day at his local residency youth club in Lockleaze 2003 time. Our former crew Kold Hearted and Gemmy’s MC’s done a back-to-back set. Since then Gemmy and Joker linked up musically but as i said, we know gemmy from day dot.

H: What got you into music initially?
B: I was a poet for a longtime. my friend DVS was always saying ‘write lyrics, write lyrics’, but it wasnt until me and my Code D Pegusis went to Exmouth camp I decided to actually write a bar.

H: You were both a poetry fan and a garage MC – how do you see the two feeding off each other?
B: Well I wouldn’t have called myself a garage MC as I haven’t for years now. The lyrics came to a level where it was straight all out tougue twisting inter-rhyming poetry. That’s when I said ”agagagagagagag” just to break up bars! It was a laugh I could always do from school time. I call it the last laugh…

H: Would you call your bars poetry?
B:Yes.

H: Where do you see the place of an MC – too many people either follow a path of mindless rhyming all over a track or put out an overly aggressive persona that just ruins the vibe. Do you feel the need to tell a story, get people involved, or do you prefer to just toast a track, adding your own touches to it?
B: I just do me!

H: What producers and MC’s should we be keeping an eye on? Who’s got your vote to blow up?
B: I don’t have a clue :o)

H: What can we expect from you in 2009?
My actual mix CD is going to be done by the end of this month. I think I’m gonna get it out there early May - it’s called LISTEN UP! Look out for the Kapsize Mixtape coming May on Joker’s showaa label Kapsize. Also catch me peakin’ on dubplate drama. BLESS!