FRANKO FRAIZE INTERVIEW

Introduce yourself and tell the world who you are and what you stand for…

My name is Franko Fraize. Im an English MC/Rapper from a town called Thetford and I represent East  Anglia. Basically I believe I bring the type of rhymes that everyday people can relate to. I talk about what I see and what inspires me and I seem to get a good reception for it.

Let’s talk about your latest project. Who produced it, who features, where can people grab it and what seem to be the most popular tracks?

2009 saw the release of my first official outing on a CD. It was an EP with another rapper from my town called Lyrical T and the EP was called ‘Something In The Making’. The EP was produced by DJ IC and featured production from Dillijence and Redeye. Redeye also featured on a verse on a track on there. Its getting good praise and the numbers so far have been really inspiring. It can be copped from www.hoodlem.bigcartel.com and the most popular tracks so far seem to be ‘MCs Don’t Know’, ‘Get Gully’, ‘Something In The Making’ and ‘Who Can Draw’. We received a real good response from the internet with blogs and that and also got a few big shops stocking the CD like www.suspect-packages.com.

So what’s your label situation and do you have a manager or booking agent?

Its all DIY round here. I used to have a little dream of getting signed to a label but I feel now unless your looking at a real commercial level of success then that aint really nesecary. The main thing is to just try and get a buzz for your self and then push the Cds independently. Obviously if a bigger label shows intrest and wants to put serious money in me then im willing to listen. Its never a bad thing getting paid to rap especially if you can make it your work. For now tho ill just be pushing the label ‘Hoodlem’ which was founded by me and my cousin Sonny. Were using it to help push local talent and give the youngers a platform to put out there music on.

How did you get into music and what would you credit as your main influence and your main breaks that have helped you to get where you are today?

I got into music from my Dad really. He is a very musically minded person. He listens to all sorts and has always been playing music in the house. As for rap music I was iinto things years back like Ugly Duckling, Public Enemy, Lootpack but I really took it all seriously when I got into things like Taskforce Music from the corner and early Dizzee and Roll Deep. Id like to say I was into Grime as it came up as well as being a keen supporter of the UKHH scene with things like Klashnekoff and Skinnyman. I feel thats why wen it comes to my music I can make all sorts. I prefer the 140 bpm but I also love spitting on a hip hop beat.

As for my main breaks I started taking rapping seriously late 2006 and by early February I was on a competition on the Rodney P and Skitz show on BBC Radio 1xtra. This was obviously a massive look for me particularly so early in my ‘Career’. I was up in 1xtra studios with people like Ras Kwame and DJ Semtex. It was mad and a real inspiration. They helped push my name out and also played my tracks on air. From this appearance I took samples of what the DJs said about me and made the track ‘Thetford On the Map’.  This features Rodney P and Skitz on the hook and did a lot for me particularly around my area. Everyone seemed to have the tune on their phone and local towns to mine even seemed to support it. It did a lot for me weather it put peoples backs up thru jealousy or it made them proud of their town. Also I don’t think anyone really realises who it is on the chorus. They just liked the tune.

We love Hip-Hop music here at Hip-Hop Shizzle… but being totally honest what do you love the most about Hip-Hop?

What I love about hip hop is the ability for someone to say what they want to say in a way that isn’t straight talking or lecturing. People are able to get a message across thru and enjoyable medium. Weather that message is a good one or not its all the same.

A lot of people are moaning with the way Hip-Hop music has gone? What’s your take on how the Hip-Hop industry is at the moment?

I think hip hop is never going to be what it was in the 90s no matter how much we want it to be.  For example Raekwon dropped Cuban links 2 last year and in my opinion that was a massive album. It had everything I have been looking for in a hip hop album for a while but on a commercial level it was hardly recognised. I heard hardly anyone speaking about it. I think at the moment if things aint commercially viable then they fall by the way side which sums up what I feel about hip hop in general. The only hip hop that gets mentioned and debated is the stuff that is commercially viable. Unless people re-invest in the underground then not much fresh will come out of it. As for the underground side in the UK I feel its becoming rather stagnant. There is a lot going on but no one is really interested. However saying that Giggs has done well recently and has been signed to a major after coming up in the underground. Maybe this is a new surge for hip hop?

Do you have a website, My Space, Twitter, Blog and Facebook page?

www.myspace.com/frankofraize
www.frankofraize.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/frankofraize
www.hoodlem.bigcartel.com

That’s all the links you need

Do you have any good footage on You Tube or any music videos?

Yeah search Franko Fraize on youtube. I got few things on there. These are links to the best:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qpsv0WffbU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKwjYOUdTYc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd7O6bZKs9A