Speaker A
So today we are joined by MC Tazwan. Everyone in the Northeast knows who you are. I remember back in the days of the monkey and just your name was everywhere. Obviously, every MC at the time, but I remember just starting with this. I had
MC Tazo shares his journey from early days in Northeast rave culture to becoming a legend of The New Monkey scene.
Ask about this video. Answers come from its transcript only — with the timestamp, so you can check them.
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Key Takeaways
- The New Monkey was pivotal in launching MC Tazo's career and the Northeast rave scene.
- Early exposure through family and grassroots practice was essential to his development.
- MCs in the Makina scene often earned more than DJs, which is unique compared to other music genres.
- Youth culture and community played a big role in shaping the music and social environment.
- Tazo remains passionate about Makina and continues to contribute to the scene.
What the video covers
- MC Tazo discusses his introduction to MCing through family tapes and early practice with karaoke machines.
- He reflects on the influence of The New Monkey venue in launching his career and the Northeast rave scene.
- Tazo shares memories of youth culture, including early drinking and street life in Felling.
- He talks about balancing DJing and MCing, and the financial dynamics between DJs and MCs in the Makina scene.
- The origin of his stage name 'Tazo' is explained, linking to a dog and Walkers crisps collectibles.
- He describes the camaraderie and sessions with friends that shaped his early music experience.
- Tazo highlights the evolving perception and legacy of Makina and The New Monkey rave culture.
- He touches on the challenges and excitement of growing recognition and performing at raves.
- The video captures the nostalgic and cultural significance of the Northeast rave scene through Tazo's story.
- Tazo emphasizes his ongoing passion for Makina music despite changes in the music industry.
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
the MC Tazo and Ace. Yeah. Got it from Spinning Disc and I had on me little home mixers. Used to play that over and over again. We started trying them, the TF, and I used to get, we used to have like different tunes
Speaker A
obviously on the vinyls and we used to, these home mix marks or mark 10's, what they're called, had them little mixer and that. We're all having a gun passing the mic round, but what I was interested in getting you on for, how did
Speaker A
you start getting into that? Because every young lad, especially from the Northeast, wants to do some kind of MC. They think it's cool. How did you go from just that to actually making a name for yourself? So it all started with me older cousins.
Speaker A
I had two older cousins. They both died now. Like RIP. But anyway, I had two older cousins that used to have the tapes from the venue and coliseum and stuff. So when I was growing up, still young,
Speaker A
I was pinching their tapes and going, "What's this? What's this?" Singing all the different MCing and stuff like that. I was thinking this is amazing, this, and that's how I basically got into it. As I was going into school stuff,
Speaker A
getting Walkmans, listening to tapes, and then getting karaoke machines in me bedroom, practicing MC, and I watched tapes and stuff like that. That's how I got into it really, like, and as it just progressed, got to like, um, got to deck
Speaker A
the deck center, like a youth thing, the ones trying, waiting for a chance to get the mic off the ones getting on a little bit with me mates and that, and it just kept going, making tapes and then
Speaker A
like you say, we got the decks on the go. Once the decks come on the go, that's when it started getting more serious, the MCs making more friends, MCs, more DJs, and just have a session in me Mar's
Speaker A
bedroom. Well, me Mar's bedroom, in me Mar's bedroom, just flattered every Saturday, every Friday or Sunday. Were you good from day one? No, not really. No. I think can you remember your first lyrics? I, so I didn't have a proper MC name, so I
Speaker A
was called MC Hoggy. Second name is Hog, so just MC Hoggy, and I used to say stuff like MC Hoggy pumping up your party, just anything that would rhyme. I'm quite good at doing stuff like that.
Speaker A
Do you know what I mean? Like if you name something, I'll just, and just keep doing it with it, like, you know.
Speaker A
So see Hoggy and, uh, but when I started actually trying to do rhymes, stuff like that, tomorrow's just another day, get another way. I started putting stuff together and just kept it tight, and then it just, I think the monkey landed
Speaker A
just in time as we were getting better, me and the group I was in or the MCs and DJs, the monkey came at the right time. So do you think the monkey launched you, like got you?
Speaker A
The monkey did, I. So I went to the afterdark once, but like I say, I was quite, I wasn't, I was quite young and I was with older lads from where I'm from, Felling, and I didn't enjoy it. I was on
Speaker A
edge. I was a bit like skitsy. I was thinking, oh, it's a bit too modern for me. You know what I mean? I was quite quiet as a young, um, but I was into it then, but it was more the monkey, I.
Speaker A
Once the new monkey came on the scene in Sunland, start going there, seeing what was Alibaba boot, and then life got into that way and it just blew up. But that's, I would say the monkey pup put me name
Speaker A
on the map definitely. So what were you like growing up? Because like when people look at Rayan or like even the monkey, there was, as much as people loved it and all that, there was still like fights. It was obviously a
Speaker A
drug culture. There was loads of things going on. What were you like? We introduced early drinking on streets and all that and doing the usual stuff, just exactly that. Um, it's like Felling where I'm from, Gearad, probably what you
Speaker A
would have done, most people would have done on the streets with your Walkmans on, your bottles of cider or Bell Brisk or whatever. We used to drink white storm cider, that's what I used to drink, all the, all the white lightning cider,
Speaker A
this cheap ciders, and then just hanging, running in groups and stuff, listening to music, getting into mischief, people like obviously pinching motorbikes and stuff like that, just staying all that kind of stuff, but more into the music still, and then if we got
Speaker A
into a session or someone's, we saw Mar's house at the time. Sorry. So young's pale in that was it, and we, that was, that was the weekends growing up. But never really got in trouble with the police and stuff like that. Like obviously you
Speaker A
did get bits and bobs, but the circle I was in, some of them did, some of them didn't. But what did you want to do back then?
Speaker A
I didn't have a clue, you know, because I wasn't, when I was at school, I didn't really stick in and out. I only stuck in at school the last two years, and that was because I wanted to be on the
Speaker A
football team. So if I didn't get a good report, I wouldn't let on the football team. So at school, if you asked us what I wanted to be, I did not. But I did, what I, I love the music. So I wasn't
Speaker A
thinking I'm going to be an MC. I'm going to leave school and be an MC. But I was just like, I love this music.
Speaker A
That's the only thing I do care about. Did people take you seriously when you started doing the music?
Speaker A
I didn't think I took myself seriously, to be fair. Not back then. But you know what? Your name got bigger as you were doing these tapes. Like you say, the Taz tapes, the TNT, as a store flirting run,
Speaker A
you start going around gates and people were like recognizing you and stuff, and you were like, oh, I'm buzzing, and you like, oh, it's a monkey on Saturday, and it was just, you know, you didn't take it seriously, so it was just like enjoy
Speaker A
where you can, you know what I mean? This is a good life, this, like, it's a good, good time to be alive, what we're getting here, just let get it done. But so you know, do you know when you, like, from like you're doing them tapes or you, you're going to pick Mars houses and that, you're having a piling, you jump on the decks and all that, was it always MCing that you wanted to deal with?
Speaker A
No, I used to DJ as well. Well, I'm saying I used to, I still can't.
Speaker A
So, one of me good mates, Brownie, who was a good DJ, DJ Brownie, um, he still deemed Dean well for himself. He could MC as well. So Brownie would be on the decks for me and I'll be kicking
Speaker A
loads of bars and we'll get wrecked and drinking cider. It was mint. Then he would see I'm jumping on new, then I'll jump on the decks because we had decks at mine, but we had decks at Brownie's as
Speaker A
well. So, we wanted Brownie's who swim in Maine and then other peoples that just come along. But no, I used to DJ as well and I still can't, you know, I jump on the decks all the time at raves and some
Speaker A
of the DJs will go, "Do you want get the way, the way?" and they get amazed sometimes thinking, well, yeah, he's [ __ ] because I can't mix. Do you know what I mean? I'm probably better on, to
Speaker A
be honest. How does it work now then? Because obviously, like you see the DJs, money than any MC, didn't you?
Speaker A
So, not a Men. So, that's what I was going to ask. Is that different? Because like if you look at normal household names for music, a lot of MCs and that, they're not even a thing now. It's more about producers,
Speaker A
DJs. True. Anywhere in the country, anywhere probably in the world, a DJ is where the money is at. Um, but go to the Northeast for Makina and maybe Bounce, but mostly basically Makina. The MCs make more than the DJs. It just depends
Speaker A
on the MCs and DJs, I suppose. But I like, I'll probably make more than any DJ that does Makina 100%. But, uh, where the name Tazo come from then?
Speaker A
Tazo come from, uh, so I had a dog called Taz. So that's part of it. But there used to be these things in the Walkers crisps called Tazos.
Speaker A
They were a bit like the pogs. I don't remember them. And what we used to do, me mates used to go into like the...
Speaker A
They were a bit like the pogs. I don't remember them. And what we used to do me mates used to go into like the the supermarkets at Asda Tesco and that and then the multi bags used to open the multi. It was
Speaker A
theft really. Like open the money bags, take the tazios. Definitely theft. Definitely theft. Didn't take the crisp.
Speaker A
Just the tazios and we used to collect them and there was like 50 to collect.
Speaker A
Wow. They went together, didn't I? I t I've got the full collection still. I bought them a few year back. I thought I'm going to have to and I bought the full collection off eBay. I just I've never done that with them. I bought them
Speaker A
put them in the cupboard. But I So anyway, I was looking for a name and I was trying all different names and it didn't work and stuff. And then when we were correcting name I was like you know
Speaker A
what that's that's unusual name that you know I'm going to be different to all these other MC's that have league got all these names I say is Tazu I'm going to be called MC Tazu dogs called Taz Tazu it's it's different it doesn't
Speaker A
really mean out but it's a name and that's how I come about and it just stuck and I mean why not call yourself Taz so tu and I was like oh no tazu tazu no I went taz I'll keep the taz for me
Speaker A
dog and it just stuck and then I like people might see oh tazu But there's a tazu or two now. You know what I mean?
Speaker A
I was before that though. Did you all come about together? If you look at like turbo don all them like did you all come out at the same time or you all been working on your craft at different periods and you've all kind of
Speaker A
come together at the moment? I know. So the the original it was obviously me as TNT. So it was us three then you had me at Trance H me future.
Speaker A
There was us like a felon crew doing it. You all right people? Hope you're enjoying the episode so far. Here's a random one for you. Most of you who are actually watching this episode, don't actually subscribe for it. So, just a
Speaker A
favor, will you? Can you click the like button, hit the notification bell so you don't miss another episode, hit subscribe, all that good stuff, cuz we go up and down the country to try and bring you the best show possible. We're
Speaker A
not messing around here. So, just please just show some love, will you? And then you had stretch Scotty J and pulse thing it from like the other side of gates. So, we're like from Felon Le that way. Then we're from like our win
Speaker A
late and wickham dunen way. So then we're doing it but we got on at the monkey first starting the monkey then the hanger come along then we're doing the hanger.
Speaker A
So it wasn't rivals cuz we were dealing the monkey then we're doing the hanger and then I that's so runners come a bit later after that.
Speaker A
MC Jet and that do you remember him? Well I so that was another reason why I got into it. So I got into it properly when I started listening to Jet.
Speaker A
Jet massive at the coliseum and stuff like that. And I was like cuz he was always like I love stomping. Stompman was class. Technote was class but Jet was the one that done it for me like like his voice his reigns and I was like
Speaker A
he's [ __ ] he's the best. He's amazing. And that's who I studied at first.
Speaker A
Mhm. I want to be like him. Do you know what I mean? Like as I was doing my stuff. I could never sound like him but that's the kind of style I like what he was doing and how how he made it exciting
Speaker A
and stuff. Because obviously the sound is for people who didn't know the viewers or listeners like in the northeast it's iconic it's absolutely it is like you know you're from well not s newtheast northeast it is it's iconic and it's
Speaker A
sometimes without being around talking about ra that it's hard to like tell people what it is people are just fast BPMs like what what is it you know what I mean so it's like listen you just need to listen to it
Speaker A
stick a tape on and then you'll know the crack when you were kind of in it and you were getting into it and meeting all these people as much as like you'd see maybe I don't know a singer or a rapper and they
Speaker A
might meet their idols. Was that like that for you or did you just see them as normal people cuz they're from your area? Um, were you like, "Oh, there's Jet. I can't believe." No, when I first met Jet and stuff like
Speaker A
I I was a bit like starruck like, "So that's what he looks like and stuff like like he's [ __ ] he's the boy with him." You know what I mean? Like and I I would say I was probably bit starruck. I
Speaker A
first time seeing Techno Teen the monkey hanging off the balcony and he was like, "D I'm saying I'm techno at the beginning. I'm buzzing thinking that's techno that you know it's I so I did seeing stomping all these people for the
Speaker A
first time. It was like you knew the voices, you knew the name, but you never met them. And then when you become friends with them and all, it was like you didn't feel like that again. It's like it's mint always. Me pal knew
Speaker A
everything's good now. All right. Is where would you rank yourself in terms of like who's the boy? No.
Speaker A
I know you've got to say yourself, aren't you? But who would you would you put yourself up the top?
Speaker A
I would probably say I'm up guy cuz it's just like what I will say and I've got about it that everyone's number one to someone else. Do you know what I mean? Someone say MC Stomping's number one. They say Tazu is number one. Gan uh
Speaker A
Jet's number one techno t I impulse letter Scotty J stretch the list goes on there's that many that would say oh he's number one new he's number one new and all that but everyone's number one to someone else do you know what I mean
Speaker A
like they might say I'm not that fussed on him but I like his rhymes and but I'm up there in the mix like definitely like I'm not going to lie like yeah you've got to if you're ding it
Speaker A
though I've said I put 100% into it so I'm not going to just like it's a hobby but I It's that definitely didn't class it as work, but it's not like I'm not it's a hobby, but if you if
Speaker A
you do a hobby, you got to put 100% into it. If I'm playing football, I'm going to do 100% of football cuz I know that like I was saying to you off air, like when I look at anyone in the RA scene, I
Speaker A
see you more than anyone else now. I don't know if that's cuz you're putting more in or That's right.
Speaker A
What What What is it? Do you think you are just putting more work in now? Cuz obviously you've been 100% time. All right. Um, all these MC's I've just named there, the Al Mint, the Al Unique, and, uh, the Val got their
Speaker A
own styles and stuff, but I did push it more than them by the like. So, obviously I'm on Tik Tok now, Instagram.
Speaker A
I've just signed up to Facebook a month ago. Um, I'm more interactive with the socials. But not just that, I just I don't just do Mckina though, where some of them most of them just makina where I'll do other genres. I'll do bounce
Speaker A
and h do you know what I mean? like some host they just want to stand their rhymes. I prefer to gan host and the festival's new like I have been the last couple of years I've been doing the
Speaker A
biggest festivals g and and and that's why I'm probably more known than them because I'm putting myself out there.
Speaker A
Some of them might look at it and some people might say oh it's cringey what he's doing but then at the end of the day I'm making the it's just marketing the you've got a day same with social media like like
Speaker A
obviously Facebook I know about that. I never wanted to join Facebook. I didn't even want to join Instagram to be honest, but I did um there was some someone pretend to be us on Facebook many years ago and I was like I've never
Speaker A
gone on that because someone was pretending to be me putting stuff on there. I'm getting wrecked new and all that talking on about birds and I could have got in trouble. Do you know what I mean?
Speaker A
And I was like getting them reported or her reported whenever I found out who it was. I had to make a rhyme about it and stuff like that.
Speaker A
Um but now you need to be on these things. Do you know what I mean?
Speaker A
Can can can you remember that though? you know before you got on the socials and because obviously like I say mate everyone knows who you are. Can you remember the first time you recognized?
Speaker A
Oh no no what I can what well when you started getting known and seen on the streets and people stopping you and that um did you like the feeling or do you like the feeling still?
Speaker A
Ah it happens it happens more than you think mate I tell you. I bet it does.
Speaker A
It happens. It probably happens every day to be honest but for what I work I work in gates at anyway so I can knock on houses and look and stuff like that.
Speaker A
It does happen. But I I I didn't say Adam like there's a time and a place if I'm with like I I prefer to be noticed at a rave. So when I got into a rave, oh there's Tazar
Speaker A
and stuff and get pictures and stuff. I didn't mind it. But like sometimes if you're walking through like the metro center and people are stopping you for pictures and that I'll date it because you know they want a picture that
Speaker A
obviously they enjoy me music. It means something to them and and it's but I don't know. I do like it but I wouldn't say I love it if you know what I mean.
Speaker A
Do you listen to Riv? Some names I I'm gonna be honest. I never hammer it though.
Speaker A
I didn't do So where do you get your inspiration from with your rhymes and that?
Speaker A
Um cuz you'd be thinking you listen to Rave, so you're just thinking right there's a chewy I'll write something to that. Do you just How do you get your inspiration? Where do you come to your lyrics?
Speaker A
I just obviously in me daily job flying around and that in me van I just things pop in me and I'll pull out and I'll write something in me notes and I think oh that'll be a good start to write that
Speaker A
or that's a good idea that I'm going to make something with that. And then then I'll search for the music. So then I'll like go on Soundcloud and stuff and search different people's sets and go, "Oh, I like that track." Or or I'll get
Speaker A
someone to make us a track or someone will see, "Oh, I've got a track. Yeah, if you want to jump on it, I'll have a listen to it. I g it's not for me." Or, "Oh, I like that. I'll put that to one
Speaker A
side." And that's how it comes about and then I'll go and write or I just have ideas all the time.
Speaker A
Like I'm I'm in the middle of doing something called Tazo's Top 100 where I've done a 100 tracks that I love in the studio. It's finished now. I done it a couple of weeks back, but like it's up
Speaker A
to 50 odd new, but it was an absolute mission. I done the first 20 and I was like, I wish I never started this new, but I already started it. So, I had to I had to find like another 80. Do you know
Speaker A
what I mean? I had to find 80 tracks, 80 fresh rhymes, if not more.
Speaker A
I thought I'll do one track, one rhyme. It doesn't work like that because some of the kickoffs, some of the bars are longer. So, some some tracks I'm doing four rhymes. So, I was like, "Fucking hell, I'm going to
Speaker A
have to I'm going to have to proper get stuck in." Yeah. Like, and it was I'm not going to lie, I finished it about a month ago and it was a it was a mission.
Speaker A
Like, but it's done and I'll sit there and I'll just post one each day. But these are the ideas I have, you know?
Speaker A
M that like cuz you like where you are. You're a wordssmith, a you know what I mean? That's what you are. You're a songwriter ultimately. And it's like you I look at people like Eminem and that thing. You must your brains must be
Speaker A
wired differently. You just be driving about and think of a tune and write full hour and like do you think it's like an obsession?
Speaker A
Yes, definitely. It's it's definitely an obsession. Does it keep you up at night? Like you know if you think of something you need to quickly get in your phone or you going sometimes I do you know when the
Speaker A
like the morning I wake up in the morning like the alarm goes up I wake in the morning and just bang that's when I get me best ideas. I don't know why I'm s I'm lying there and I'm like and I'll
Speaker A
get me phone and then I'll put stuff in. I don't know why but a morning soon as I open me eyes it's like I've been thinking about it for the night but I haven't in me conscience in a morning is
Speaker A
the best time for me for whatever reason I think oh that's meant that oh I've got a mint idea I'm going to go and do this I'm going to go there I'm going to get Jordan me cameraman do this it's mad and
Speaker A
I'll put in me not then I write I'll think of this and I it's it's just what happens it is obsession once I'm into something I'll think right I'm going to do this and then I start it just but it
Speaker A
just pops in me here it's weird it's like someone's telling us now like put it in me head this and this is a good idea and if you do this this and then the easy part is making the rain.
Speaker A
The hardest part is getting the music cuz I can't make me own music. So I've got loads of producers that give us music and the mint but sometimes I need tracks. I have ideas but I I try and put
Speaker A
it to them but it never comes back the way I want it. But I just use what them get. And then soon I've got a track I can make a rhyme or finish a track in a day and then it'll take us like three or
Speaker A
four days to learn it. sometimes a week. That's the hardest part. So, because I remember I'm just trying to think back, man. It's been it has been a long time since I actually listened to RA.
Speaker A
I remember Rainbow One and two day with the tunes and there was a few others like 99 Red Balloons was wicked and all a few different mixes that I'd heard.
Speaker A
Rainbow one. Did you Did you get to like how did you pick what tune to write to?
Speaker A
Did you meet the producers? Did you know or was it just like talk of the scene?
Speaker A
Like, oh, this is this is going to be this beat. Like you say, Rainbow One, they're all Spanish, aren't they? So, it's like um you never meet the producers cuz they're Spanish and stuff like that. But I would
Speaker A
pick like a tune like that. See, Rainbow One's yours. And I love that. You could just write to that.
Speaker A
But one that stands out on me is like monster sound. You know what that is?
Speaker A
And obviously that's not even Makina. It's people class as Mckina. It's German trance, but because it's been hammered in with a Mckina, people think it's Makina. But Spanish bounce or something. The site. So, Monster Sound is like what I
Speaker A
used to write me stuff to just that one track cuz it's just so many bars. It's good to write and stuff, but it doesn't matter now. Anything that's the same speed, I can write anything.
Speaker A
So, so once you've got one lyric, you can just whack it on any beat if you want.
Speaker A
All right. Just a boot. All right. But I'm doing a lot of commercial stuff now. So, I'm trying to do more 140 150 instead of Makina, which is 170, 180.
Speaker A
Um, I'm starting to write a bit slower. So, I'm trying to It's not rap, but it's slowing it down a bit, if you I was going to say it does sound more like rap, though, cuz when I when I'
Speaker A
I've been watching all your videos and stuff that you've been putting out with different people like that, JMZ and and I've been like, it's like seeing a new version of Tazo. I'm like, it's not the same lad I used to listen to, is it? But
Speaker A
obviously, it is it's you're just trying to reinvent reinvent the wheel, but you're trying to stay relevant, aren't you, as well? You've got to do that, haven't you?
Speaker A
You did. And and you know what? I get a lot of hassle for it to be honestly cuz what people people love the 2002 2003 Taza but because I'm not that person now they're like oh your [ __ ] new your P
Speaker A
commercial and all that even though I'm being better new than I ever was if you know what I mean but I can still switch that on as well.
Speaker A
So if you catch me in a rave I can switch into that Tazo and do all me old rhymes and stuff like that. I done I done a set with Shaq about a year ago called back to 2002. So picture me and
Speaker A
Shaq pretend to be uh Back to the Future. And what Shaq done, he was like, "We're going to the studio and I know to get the best out of you. I'll get you drunk." Do you know what I mean? Because
Speaker A
more so we had a good drink in the studio. He was more drunk than me. I only smiled. You know what I mean? Jumped on the decks. I jumped on the mic. I I knew that was just doing all rhymes. He
Speaker A
played it all set, blitzed it, come out and and it went mad cuz people had never seen that side of us in years. You know what I mean?
Speaker A
So it just shows I still can't. But if he catches at a rev and I'm doing Mckina, I still slip into Old Tasle, do you know what I mean? But I do a lot of commercial stuff and all just because of
Speaker A
me. Do you know from a from a money point of view when you were like coming up? Were you how does it work? Like how were you ming a living? Obviously obviously you're getting paid for your sets and
Speaker A
that. Ah, you made out back then. I was going to say like how much were you ming the monkey and set?
Speaker A
I was making 30 quid. Were you 30 quid? You be looking drink or something?
Speaker A
Well, you couldn't drink. It was just water. So bloody hell. You were trying to like make a king there. You know what I mean? So you could have free everything else if you know what I mean. But uh I was getting
Speaker A
30 quid a set eye and then I left there to go in the hanger cuz the hang off is 50.
Speaker A
Mhm. So I was like at the time you couldn't debuff one had one and one had the other.
Speaker A
So I was like oh well I'll just go on there for 50. I was getting a bit sick of the monkey. I've done it for years and years every week. I was hammer you know what I mean? If you know what I
Speaker A
mean. So but you never made money back then. What about when people buy the rave tapes and you're on them though? Do you not get a cover or not?
Speaker A
Got nothing. You had to buy your own tape still man. So if you had disc that would be it like so in the monkey used to uh if you made the tape the week after you were gone in
Speaker A
and going all right uh the girl that was on the tell the tip she call if I made the tape are on and but I have to charge in it was like a fiverr. So yeah I had to buy t for a fiverr knowing and I got
Speaker A
them out on the line. Oh yeah, you can have a fan out in that. And as you went on, you got a bit more popular and that.
Speaker A
Mhm. You start getting them for free. But I can remember I used to buy them at first cuz you buy young tips.
Speaker A
So have you ever really made money out the music? Now I do. All right.
Speaker A
But I never back then. How does it work now? So now I make money through like uh the Spotify, right? All right. I see.
Speaker A
YouTube, SoundCloud. Would you would you would you recommend getting into music for someone in the Northeast if that's what they want to do? If they're like this is what I want to do, would you say it as a Makina MC? Is it
Speaker A
It depends how far they would have to they would have to do what I do to try and make money when it takes a long time if you if you're not to get there. Um probably more money in
Speaker A
rapping than that, isn't there? If you're going to But then again, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know where it's going to end or where it's going to gone, do you?
Speaker A
I think that's the thing. I think if you're an if you're an MC out of the Northeast, you could probably quickly build a profile now because you can just jump on all the socials, start playing a few rhymes out,
Speaker A
a good catchy tune, you probably get a bit of momentum. Whereas I think in rap, like there's loads of rappers, there's hundreds, thousands, but there's only a few that actually make it.
Speaker A
So the majority of people who are in music, the skint, they're always going to be if they didn't make it cuz it's a hobby and I still work. Do you know what I mean? So I wouldn't say oh leave school and get
Speaker A
into MC and that's it. You can do that for a living cuz you kind of really not in this scene anyway.
Speaker A
Do you know what I mean? But you just never know what's on the corner. Do you know like I don't know. DJs again I so you know like Shaq he he does it a living.
Speaker A
Closest one I would say on our scene Andy Whitney is a bounce DJ. He just DJs for a living cuz he he's got his own podcast in music. He's got his own brand. Um, he does loads of gigs. So do I now, but
Speaker A
he charges like better money and he's all over the country instead of just the northeast. I mean, these other places at Glasgow, London, I've done, you know, they the other play I was at Wigan last weekend. I did get a boot,
Speaker A
but like Andy gets a boot everywhere. Do you know what I mean? So you can Mhm.
Speaker A
probably still make money, but for MC's, no. Does it Does it work everywhere else like it does up here?
Speaker A
All right. All right. mental foot or Glasggo alike. So, do they understand the accent?
Speaker A
Well, I it's when you listen to a Glasgow MC doesn't Scottish. That's fair enough. I know.
Speaker A
So, it's it's the day I But I but I've done London as well. I done I was the first person to do Mina on a boiler room.
Speaker A
So, you heard of the boy room set? All right. So, I took a h I took him down to London and we done a boiler room set there. Was the first person ever to do and it done millions.
Speaker A
It went worldwide and they loved it. And that was London. So you got to think there's not many people in that room when I knew who I was and I had a graft and I had them like that. It was me.
Speaker A
How do you maintain the lifestyle? Cuz were you getting pissed up in that when you were doing all Do you still do that?
Speaker A
I so not always but I So like back then I was just I've done everything to be honest like wrecked. But uh these days I I if I have a drink I'm more loose and I'm more like I don't know how to say.
Speaker A
You have to keep yourself to a point though cuz you kind of get too pissed cuz you kind of start forgetting stuff can you?
Speaker A
But a lot of it just flies. Do you know what I mean? Like I've got that many rhymes right I've got hundreds. I'm not going to say right I'm going to say this one then eat that one then. I can't on I
Speaker A
change. It's mad. Like I like I'm hoggy now and then as soon as I sign on the mic I turn into tazu. It's weird and I just change. And sometimes I like I g in a zone and I might be looking straight
Speaker A
at you but I'm looking straight through you. You know what I mean? You could be because I'm in the zoo in rhymes and it just it's weird how what happens other MC's will tell you like like a build up to a tune someone going
Speaker A
right I'm going to say this rhyme like think of it but I didn't like I build up the tune it just fly it's it's we just I didn't plan any set it just comes out but I've got that many I want to say if you
Speaker A
know what I mean like I'll just it'll just drop in. Have you had any [ __ ] set?
Speaker A
I've had ones when I've been like too drunk. Like you see I fell off stages mortal drunk. I've I've done when I've turned eye and just die. But I'm not the only MC now. I've seen MC's do it now.
Speaker A
But I have I've I've spoiled myself a couple of times like when I've been on the road on the northeast and and I fell like fell off stages and just probably repeated myself loads of times, you know, just drunk and
Speaker A
all that. But it doesn't happen very often. Like I'm done. Was there many fights and all that in that scene?
Speaker A
Not really. Like you know. No. No. What was cuz I think a lot of people who were going to watch this and they're definitely going to want to know if they haven't been to the monkey. What was that actually like? Like being up there
Speaker A
cuz in that scene I must say for people like you are like a celebrity. You are like that. I know it sounds like you probably think I'm not but but you are.
Speaker A
In that world years are the lad. Everyone wants to be like Y. Everyone wants to meet you as the G there. You give people a buzz. The way they feel everything. It's all I guarantee I probably well there's going to be
Speaker A
thousands of people in the north who've literally got a childhood or memories all because of people like yourself.
Speaker A
So like that's a massive impact. Do you know what I mean? I remember like obviously I I knew you I've not you were for years first time I've ever met you did it.
Speaker A
Yes sir. Do you know what I mean? But ever since I left school and it was all the same.
Speaker A
So like how does that feel like to know that you've had that kind of impact? Do you know what I mean? Like is that like or do you not think about that? I I didn't really think about it, but I know
Speaker A
I know what you're saying. It has because I get when I meet people that explain, oh yeah, like I I grew up listening to you or I get messages and and a lot of stuff like that where like
Speaker A
like your music's changed people's lives and stuff now. But back then in the monkey eye like it's just you'll never get it again if you know what I mean like you kind of get away with having these kind of things or it just
Speaker A
everything just fell into place. Do you miss them times? Ah, I miss them. But when you've been there and done it, do you know what I mean? You've been there and you've done it.
Speaker A
But I But I was younger as well. Do you know what I mean? A lot younger. So, so less responsibilities and all that.
Speaker A
No, exactly. When you were when you were performing at the Monkey and that and hanger, did you was it obviously I know you were still doing it, but did you want to be taking it more seriously or did you just
Speaker A
see it as something to do on the weekend? I think a bit of both, you know. I think because it was getting bigger and better and I was enjoying it and it I I started taking it more serious. I did I because
Speaker A
I started writing more rhymes. So if I wasn't taking it serious I would have just been turning away and I let's get wrecked jumping boots and whatever.
Speaker A
I start writing more rhymes and start getting more into it and I I took it serious. I wanted to be the best. I wanted to be like the people I listen to the jets the stompings. I wanted to be
Speaker A
up there and be n is like a like a legend in the scene if you know what I mean. So I did I had the drive for it.
Speaker A
Did you did you get together with the rest of the lads to talk about what you could do with your futures? Cuz like it's a weird one cuz it's so niche. I know it's massive now, but even then it
Speaker A
was so niche that like it could end. You felt like it would end at any minute.
Speaker A
Like I think that's why people look it's like this might just get shut down next week. You could always feel that. I live on the corner from still to this day and you and it did. It got shut down a
Speaker A
couple of times, didn't it? No. You never spoke about it like what would happen after this. Like you didn't No, like you never thought it like a as a career. M really it was just a hobby wasn't it?
Speaker A
So were you working then at all? I would I I would have been but I was probably what was I doing? I was working in factories and stuff just probably driving fortlifts. I was a fortlift driver for a bit
Speaker A
packing in factories and stuff like I I didn't really care about anything else then apart from MCing. Do you know what I mean? Like I was I've just gone I was on agencies getting pulled pill then on a weekend day me thing do that
Speaker A
weekend get wrecked back into an agency Monday to Friday and that was me life. I gam lived at me Mar's house. Jobs a gun 30 quid 30 quid a week. H them were the best times like best ever. I never took myself serious
Speaker A
like I did like like no obviously I'm a gas engineer now but back then I didn't I wasn't bothered about work. I wasn't probably wasn't bothered with money to be honest. Like I just love the life. Do you know what I
Speaker A
mean? Like do you ever I know it's a mad question to ask this but do you ever like not pretend you're not MC Tazzle but like do you ever like just keep that side away? You know, if you're applying
Speaker A
for a job or something cuz it's like it's like something like if you're trying to be I don't know like you're working in [ __ ] Asda but like so what do you do? Like I'm a rapper.
Speaker A
It's a bit m like I've obviously I'm not one so I didn't know. But do you ever try and like just not tell people about that? You know I don't know. You could be talking to some do you do you see I'm a gas engineer or do
Speaker A
you say I'm an MC? Oh that's I see I'm a gas engineer. That's what I do like for a living.
Speaker A
I I would never like big up that I'm an MC, but you kind of escape it anyway.
Speaker A
You kind of like my where I work now know about it. Do you know what I mean? The old followers and stuff. I kind of get away with now to be honest. Like why would you not Why would you not like
Speaker A
say it though? Why would you not big it up like you want? I don't know. You don't need to really do it. You don't need to like bigger it up. You need to say it. Oh, by the way,
Speaker A
I'm an MC and I've got this many followers and I do this and I do that.
Speaker A
Like I No. If I'm speaking to someone in the and they mention music, I would say, "Oh, I do a bit music." Do you know what I mean? Like, and you're quite modest with it, though.
Speaker A
I am very modest with it. I'm I'm very um on your socials, but I'm I'm quite private if if you get what I mean. Like like I've only I only went on TikTok when lockdown come cuz I was just doing
Speaker A
videos in me garage anyway. Someone says get on Tik Tok. I went on there. I've been on Instagram a couple of years now.
Speaker A
H I never had Facebook until a month ago. I I didn't like the social media side of it and stuff like that. 5 years ago, I didn't have anything. So I was just like and I was MCing in the monkey males and I've done stuff
Speaker A
for years. I just I'm quite private, you know what I mean? Like I've got kids and stuff like that and I would never like the odd time that might on me social media with the football cuz I play
Speaker A
football but I would never I never I'm quite private. I'm not I didn't show off if you get what I mean. I didn't I get that. It's wild that you know me because I've had a lot of like athletes
Speaker A
could be boxers could be musicians. They all they all say that as well like for some reason it's like but I didn't like social media. It's mad cuz it's almost like I know but you have to have it like
Speaker A
you have to be honestly now if I wasn't MC if I wasn't MC Taz I wouldn't have social media but I never anyway I never had Facebook and that did I so before I got bigger than bigger than you know what I
Speaker A
mean like I was big back then in the monkey days which was what 20 year ago or whatever. I'm even bigger now. But if I never had so if I was an MC I wouldn't have social media. I only use me social
Speaker A
media for me MC. I kind of get me on that. It's just you have to. No, if you want to be bigger, you have to. I know. But but even like I say back then when you were when you were doing what
Speaker A
you were doing, obviously I know you weren't as big as what you are now, but even then like you think you're the lad at every rave. You're getting off your tits every weekend. Everyone loves you.
Speaker A
You're the boy you. But I didn't really want social. People love that about us, you know.
Speaker A
Did they? They loved how private I was. So I mentioned to me before Let you MC than me. He's like he's a mint MC new um he's like the boy at the minute to be honest like but he grew up listening to
Speaker A
me so he idolizes me and he like tellers and stuff like that and like he loves his MC with him knew it's mint um but he used to see he loved how private I was you know what I mean
Speaker A
because I wasn't on all these things and that and it was dead mysterious how when they would say at the re I would turn up me thing and then that's how you wouldn't have me name me age me anything
Speaker A
you know like you just that's Tazu and then there's where you could but other MC you could go on Facebook and see about them in on that M& M MSN and stuff like back then I was on nothing. I was a
Speaker A
proper I was dead and they obviously knew I'm on [ __ ] every I'm probably the worst one for I knew but because there's you know what's so funny mate there's a there's a bodybuilder called he was Mr.
Speaker A
Olymp who's called Dorian Yitz right he was a beast out out the UK I think he was five times Mr. Don't you and he never obviously you think bodybuilder flexing your muscles and all that you're training used to keep himself covered up
Speaker A
all the time baggy hoodies baggy trous knee once call himself the shadow and then on the stage day whip his kid off couple of minutes and that's it back training so you've walked all your knee one knee one like knee one
Speaker A
knows what you look like that thing and I think that had a lot to do with it that mistake like was that was that something you planned or did you just genuinely not like it I think just where where like I was
Speaker A
where I'm from and stuff like that. How I was brought up and that by me mom and stuff like that. I was there dead like private like that anyway. And just like I said, what were your parents like? What did
Speaker A
they do? Um me used to work at the hospital um at the QE hospital. Um me dad done all sorts. Me dad. But me dad left when I was about seven. So I brought me my br me and me sister out
Speaker A
and all that. Were they not into music at all? And nah not really. It was more me older cousins that got me into it. And it was I it was it was tough times like council estate. I'm from a council estate. Never
Speaker A
forget me roots. Um I but it made it who I am. I think that give us more drive as well.
Speaker A
Did your mother support you when you were doing all that? All the way. She would let me she if like we couldn't afford what I wanted.
Speaker A
So if I wanted Technics decks, I couldn't get them. But at Christmas I got Sound Lab decks cuz they were cheaper.
Speaker A
If I wanted that mic, I couldn't get it. But I could get all So it was a struggle. But you still done our best for it. Then supporting is I'm having a session then eat me and I'm G me room on
Speaker A
the m and decks with the lads Friday Saturday Sunday could be blasting never stopped it once supported it all the way and I think she's got a lot of how I become what I become to be honest so
Speaker A
this is he's a mad one for you I'll tell you so I've never been to monkey right and you live on the corner live on the corner mate all mates went me would never let us go you're not gone
Speaker A
there any chance see what you would had to do but I always listen right Again, I was obsessed with it all and it's so mad.
Speaker A
So, I never I've never seen you before ever, right? And it's mental because there's not a single person who I know who hasn't they've all and then there's me. I'm going the monkey. I'll be bouncing in the hood 7 8:00 in the morning, get to
Speaker A
bed. She knew what was going on. She knew the lifestyle, but she should just go for it. If that's your dream, go for it. Not knowing what was going to happen. Do you know what I mean? But she knew that
Speaker A
was me passion cuz I never stuck in at school properly. Left school. I was just in a new jobs. wasn't bothered making a little bit money. She just let us do me own thing.
Speaker A
Was she never worried about the drugs and all that? I a few times. I a few times.
Speaker A
Did she know the crack? She knew the crack. She knew the crack. It wasn't like a case of like But she knew the crack. But I, you know, I never disrespected it if you know what I mean. Like
Speaker A
didn't have the I suppose that's But she was sound with the monkey. But some of my mates weren't allowed to gone. So, for example, MC TNT, if he's watching this, he used to have to see he was staying at mine cuz his mom would
Speaker A
one of them got the monkey. So, he had he had to pretend he was staying at one of our houses so you could sneak to the monkey indeed. And then, you know, it's it's one of them, but it you know,
Speaker A
it wasn't even that dodge of a place. People thought it was, but it wasn't, you know.
Speaker A
Why did it get shut down? Got rated, didn't it? In the end, I was gone by then. I was at the hang stuff. I I left it like a year before it got shut. Um, how did it not get shut down? It didn't
Speaker A
sell didn't sell alcohol cuz I didn't It had the le license. It was just drugs, wasn't it? Really? Sell bottles of water and pot noodles. What? What? Yeah. The police were in, but then eventually it got raided. I
Speaker A
What What would you say the highlight of your career's been? Um, is it out where you're looking, G? I I'm pleased I done it cuz that happened.
Speaker A
Well, so far um this year when I done Lost Minds in in at uh over Newcastle cuz it was 10,000 people. So I'd never ever done a crowd that big. So me biggest crowd before that was 5,000 with a DJ called Ben
Speaker A
Nikki. Have you heard of Ben Nikki? Massive around the world. Done stuff for Ben Hemsley on him.
Speaker A
That's right. Ben Nikki is big. Big. So, I done Glasgow with him on a Boxing Day many year ago, about four or five years ago, and there was 5,000 people there.
Speaker A
And that was like me biggest highlight, the buzz I ever had. But then when I done 10,000 in my hometown, Newcastle last year in July, that was just that's that's the highlight. Like I say, far as that I can see, singing my range back
Speaker A
and stuff, like you're not going to get better on that. You know what I mean?
Speaker A
The hairs on the back of me neck. Unbelievable. How can you have that feeling, right?
Speaker A
cuz not many people are ever going to experience that in their lifetime. Not ever.
Speaker A
But then be a gas engineer and just like I kind of get honestly me I kind of get that on a Saturday at a festival have 10,000 people singing your rhymes back to you then on a Monday service in a
Speaker A
boiler. Have you have you ever battled mental health because of it? No, you just happy. I'm a proper positive person. I've been lucky, you know. I know people that have went through stuff like that.
Speaker A
um and some of me family and stuff like that, but I'm I've always been I don't know. I'm quite quite positive all the time. Like I'm a positive guy.
Speaker A
Like you can say, do you enjoy your job at all? I don't mind it. You know, you know, it's it's it's quite easy. I used to be a plumber. So the plumbing I enjoyed that.
Speaker A
Mhm. And then obviously I went back to college not long ago actually about 3 years ago when all the youngans and that and got me gas cuz I could I wanted to improve myself. Not not just it's more
Speaker A
money but it's like just better job as well cuz it's you're not ding dirty toilets and baths and that you know it was the best thing I've done. So I've been a gas engineer for a year know and
Speaker A
and I I just I just did safety check servicing boilers and stuff and I didn't mind it. It's not too hard work and I just switch off you in between jobs in me van doing a bit music and stuff like that.
Speaker A
So you're still writing all the time all the time. And then obviously we both me kids play football so I'm like pull the pill p with them and then MC on the weekend. I'm a busy guy honestly. Very
Speaker A
busy guy. I've got a miss I've got a wife as well. Does Does your wife does it do your wife's heading when you're always writing and stuff and you're obsessed with your music stuff?
Speaker A
Not really cuz I date more away from her and the kids if you know what I mean.
Speaker A
Right. So like I like on me dinners and stuff like that or if I'm like you know or if she's went to the gym and stuff then I might just get me laptop or stuff. I I like I mean when I'm when I'm home it's
Speaker A
it's well I take the kids to football every night part on a Tuesday so I'm I'm either with the kids coming home having tea and stuff like that. Shazari with it all to be fair.
Speaker A
Do your kids like it? I the I into that music and all the I I would say the I mean used to like MC he's 12 now when he was 10 used to love the MC and used to do a little bit RA
Speaker A
and stuff and and then he started senior school knowing and stuff like that. He's not that really bothered with it. No, but there still like when I'm turning into football, they'll go on like Soundcloud and they'll play some of me stuff like what I've done cuz
Speaker A
I've done stuff for them as well. You see, I've done like a tune called Mario.
Speaker A
Like it's a fast makina tune, but I made it for them where I'm like I'm tired about Mario. Like it's a story where he's going to boot like Yoshi and all that crap. You know what I mean? Like
Speaker A
they love it. It's, you know what I mean? So they play stuff like that and then they'll play the football ones that I've done like for Newcastle for Wembley and stuff. They love all that cuz we're like big obviously big Newcastle fans.
Speaker A
Did you Was it End or something? Was it was it and and clothing contacted us um and says we're we're looking for someone to do like for a cost. I say I'm allow that and they were like what have that DJ and
Speaker A
that and I was like well look at Shacks your man you know what I mean? He says we're thinking but we can't get in contact with him. I say look I'm good friends with him. Rang him I says we
Speaker A
need to jump on this end club in the kind of pear it's lost. I said, "You're thinking this because I need you to do it." And uh he was like, "No, no, we'll do day with day and we've done it." And
Speaker A
what happened? Uh we done a done an advert for them. But what Sha made a track and I MCed out it a bit more like a rap. It was and uh you've seen the advert and stuff like that. Funny enough, Thursday, next
Speaker A
Thursday, we're going to somewhere a black tie event for awards cuz it's been voted. It might win to a main if it wins. I got to be suited up main shack next week and it might win for the
Speaker A
best track, best advert. So did you do something for England or not? I've done something for England as well.
Speaker A
I so many years ago I done a ring for Jordan Pigfad. So you're being a m. So obviously Jordan Pika likes the rave. Get the rave on. H and years ago that's when I first start on TikTok. I done a rhyme cuz I knew
Speaker A
Pikfad was into it and people were saying oh he's listening to your stuff before match and stuff like that. So I done an England rain for Pigfat like this one's for Jordan Pikat. England's number one and all that and cuz I knew
Speaker A
he loved the RA even though I'm at Jordy it's still it's still Northeast you know but then I when we were at the World Cup I was at the Euros was it last year? Yeah it was the World Cup.
Speaker A
Was the World Cup was it? World Cup that you did it for. I said, "You know what? I'm gonna do another one." Like, and I was going to add Pad and that in it and I thought, you know,
Speaker A
because I got his Snapchat start speaking that wicked kid, you know, down to earth professional footballer and I was like, "Ah, I'm going to do a track for England." So, I got an Hopper to make that track actually cuz Am Hopper's
Speaker A
a good producer. Um, and I've done one for England. So, I've done like a couple for Newcastle, done my gates cuz me some place for Gates and it's just where I'm from and that, you know. Um, and I've done an
Speaker A
England one. I just I'm once again just thinking yeah I'm going to do a track for England right I need a track and for me as a track I like I think it was Bissma you know quicksilver bissma
Speaker A
like a ' 90s track I say rip that put your own spin on it for copyright and stuff like that but along them lines with the balls and uh he had it back of us like within a couple of days and then
Speaker A
I just right I'm going to make a make England right and just [ __ ] cuz I thought we were going to win it we nearly did you know what I mean like where do you record your in me garage or it's studios but in me
Speaker A
garage I've got me my own little setup and stuff so nine times out of 10 I make most of it in me garage but when I'm doing stuff back to back I've only got one mic in me garage I'll
Speaker A
be like I'll go into studios I hire them in that you know so I want to talk about the you know when you gone on stage I know obviously now it's ever going to compare to 10,000 people on the street
Speaker A
I'm assuming you're going to g to do more than that and all mate but what have you gone through in your head to prepare I know you're just saying you didn't really plan out and out but do you get nerves like how do Do you have
Speaker A
to get pissed or could you I did on that on that Lost Minds. Um just going on that that 10,000 you know I wouldn't I love that but I still love the dark and dingy ones and also like like the bar re which is me bread
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and butter which I do most weekends like if there's 100 people in a in a in a little dingy bar anywhere in the northeast and they're just there. It's me and that 100 people.
Speaker A
Sometimes I get even more of a buzz off that because it's it's more in acting you know.
Speaker A
um what came through me head when I on that set I got a bit nervous. I I remember standing on the stage looking out think you know like I was I was shaking a little bit but it was good nerves but you know as
Speaker A
soon as I say the first word it g it's weird but I have had a couple of sets where I felt a bit I'm a bit bit nervous for this like the first time I done club land by the sea and I'm not sure how
Speaker A
many that is but that's that's in the big numbers as well thousands. Mhm. I remember I was a bit skitsy then and all because I'd never done like a big crowd again like like I don't I felt a bit weird
Speaker A
sober for them. No, I've been drinking all day. I' been drinking all day but not drunk just like be just vodka or anything just like you know Corona and stuff. I have a couple of bottles just feel a bit like
Speaker A
Do you feel like you've got to? No. No. So have you done sober gigs or not?
Speaker A
All the time. I I do I do a lot more sober than I do drunk now.
Speaker A
Do you really? I do. I do a lot more now where I drive or see cuz for me if I went into a bar or club or something sober I couldn't handle it. I wouldn't want to be that. I
Speaker A
hate honestly I hate the feeling. Not that I'm a big drinker but I just kind of date when I was younger I couldn't even think.
Speaker A
So how do you manage to like do you not get bored like you want to gain setting foot off like how do you like not because you're there today not a job but you're there to it's uplifting in
Speaker A
it. It's more and how do I say it? Some sometimes, see, I'm doing parties, right? Cuz I do parties as well. Any age party, I've rocked up a parties and there might only be like 10 or 20 people
Speaker A
there. You think, "Oh god." Yeah. And the sound system's not the best. And that you think, "Oh, it feels they graph this." Do you know what I mean?
Speaker A
But then I'll I'll get on and then I'll just start like start by saying, "Yeah, come a bit closer." And I'll warm up whatever I'll say. It just comes like I say, it just flies out. And once I've got them there,
Speaker A
I say, "Right, I'm going to graft." And then I just get them and then and then I go I'll come and I that wasn't that bad that actually there might only been 20 people there but that 20 people have
Speaker A
just been jumping all hour screaming stuff back out of us had a mid time. Got a few pictures at the end and I've done I've done me bit and I don't I didn't I didn't like and nine times out of 10 I'm
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sober. I knew I would say I'm more sober than than than drunk new to be honest like not drunk but drink like just enough to get type of thing.
Speaker A
Has it ever has it ever gone wrong for you? Like as in I know I asked you that earlier, but I mean like as in the crowd just haven't reacted and you've been like I can't it's working.
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I remember that that's like a fe. No, it's always work luckily like I thought that when I went to London mind you I said an prop surprised cuz it is a it's a different culture.
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If you got on YouTube and watch our boy room set something come out. I'm I'm serious. I kind of am a sent to me after it was the best he's ever seen us and I've done probably about 40 50 sets with him and
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he says that was the best you went you just turned it was mad do you know what I mean n that it was the cameras were there it was boiler room's biggest thing and one of the biggest things in the
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world to be honest London I can't remember how many people there was a good crowd I just I don't know but no I've never had a set where I've went and I'm grafting and just like looking or booing you know I've never I've never
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had that touching so Nah. Have you have you had anyone in mind that you'd love to like collab with?
Speaker A
Um I would love to do something with Scooter. Do you know Scooter? So I would love to do a track with Scooter.
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Have you ever tried like to try and get No, he was he was on at Lost Minds when I was on. He was headlining. So I I was the um the host for the day introducing everyone and then I've done Ben Nikki at
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the end. Done Shaq and stuff like that and other DJs, some big names. And then I thought I was bringing scooter on to the stage and that was going to be melting free. I couldn't wait and but they were like oh no there's a break now
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he needs to set up and all that and he just introduce himself kind of thing. So that was the closest I've got to him like and I met him and said hello and that but something like that like that would have
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been Have you had any have you got any wild stories from fans how mad that's happened to you?
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story, a fan, someone in the crowd out just out like someone's ordered a bottle at you, someone's gi you a present, just something mad. Um cuz you've got to think there's been thousands of people in front of you all
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over the years. Hundreds of thousands. There's got to be something that stands out and that was a bit mad like or that skits you out or something. D when I went to Turkey this year and um I had
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loads of people throughout just the season in Turkey which blew me mind away like like come up and see us. we only come to see you and I'm like well we're in a different country like why they're like well we wanted to see you bro and
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we're like coming to Turkey when you were young and that and that that was like mindboggling thinking you've went out your way to book a holiday to come and see me in a bar for an hour you know
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what I mean like um there will be like stories of people telling stuff and I don't know and what about like you know you saying about Pford and that have you had any other interactions where like celebrities are out or people who you
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think bloody didn't I be a fan of me music or I have you not um a local lad from your way, Josh Kelly the boxer.
Speaker A
He's a good m never met him in me life and he comment on some stuff and he followed us and stuff and I was like he's obviously knew who he was. I like sports. I like boxing. I like football.
Speaker A
So that that blew us away as well like people like him. Who else? A lot of people like from Jory Shaw and stuff who I've never met. Do you know what I mean? Like now Scotty T and stuff
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like that. I've met him. But some of the other people, um, there's been a few, you know, like big I'm trying to think who else.
Speaker A
Um, Tom Zanetti. He's a rapper. Oh, that's right. He he he comment on some of his stuff and had a bit crack. Well, there's there's loads, but I'm trying to think trying to think new like I always buzz when I see like a
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blue tick and and someone I'm like, "Oh, they like me music and that." There's loads to be honest, you know.
Speaker A
But what's your plan, Tazle? like gone forward, what do you want to do? Obviously, I know you're doing like these collaborations with people and you're putting people on. I've seen like you there's these young lads you've got on your on your videos and stuff like
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that. What's the reason first actually like why you doing that? Cuz again, I'm not seeing other MC's do that. Why are you doing it?
Speaker A
I think it's g give the younger generation a chance to keep a gun in that. You know, the the reason I end up doing the for them lads there, I've actually done both for the party. So I've done one of the 11 year old parties
Speaker A
and 12 or the 13 for the other one. And when I was there, they were like, "Oh, I like MCing and stuff. Can I jump on?" So they've jumped on with us and when I've been doing their party
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and I actually got good you know like for 12 11 years a mint MC's. So I've just like they've been putting theelves out there and I thought you know what I'm going to help you out. I'm going to
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book a studio bring us along and I'm going to basically put you on the map which it's worked for them. So there was two of them which I done parties and then there was another one that was keep
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getting on with them and I thought well by day one and did the two I'll do the three. So I called them uh NextGen Volume One, NextGen Volume two and three and uh the bus hop it. So obviously spoke to the
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parents, the parents bring them along, met their parents and stuff, tell them what was going on and then I just blew up. And then when I spoke to the parents like they're getting recognized, they're getting paid to do parties, it's worked.
Speaker A
So me giving them that footstep now they're getting bookings. They were getting odds and sods anyway, but now it's just gives them a little bit of a platform to get more. Yeah, fair to like cuz it's nice you're giving back to
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the Northeast. You know what I mean? Like wouldn't it be nice if someone give you a chance that quick?
Speaker A
You know what I mean? It's nice that it's always nice to have people that because if it's if it wasn't for people like you doing and that it could this could die out.
Speaker A
That's that's the sad thing. There's got to be another generation. There's got to be How How does it work? Cuz you must have had some people who try and like rap a few rhymes or whatever in the shite like but they're trying to impress
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you. Do you tell them the shite? No, I would never do that cuz there's I I know it sounds kind of brutal but like say I believe it me you know like by the sun he was [ __ ] I
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thought I' I'd say sh like like obviously want to encourage them but like I think there's got to be a point where you going no it's not for you.
Speaker A
It's not for me. No I'm not that guy. Like I'm not that like I'm not I wish I was more like no m like it's not happening now. I would just I'll probably just be like ah it's good eye
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like maybe give him a few pointers maybe out of an eye. Well, what do you right?
Speaker A
Okay, then if you But I'm not really like that to be honest. Like no one really comes to this and stuff like and say, "Oh, listen to this rhyme and start shooting at rhymes like off the day off the nut. I'll just
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go mate and I [ __ ] hell." What What does it take to be a good MC then in 2025?
Speaker A
Now, you need to be you need to be versatile. You need to be not just the best res.
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You could be the best MC with the best rhymes in a studio in front of anyone with cameras and stuff, but then you're going to a stage and you and you've got a crowd to please. So you go to you got
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to be a hist. So not just an MC, you got to be a hist. You got to interact with a crowd.
Speaker A
You've got to have good rhymes, catchy rhymes, but more more of a hist I would say cuz everyone can do rhymes easy.
Speaker A
Well, not everyone, sorry. But in 2025, you need to have it all to be fairly to be to be the best. You kind of be the best lyrically. Like if I've got 100 rhymes and you've got 100 rounds,
Speaker A
but your 100 rhymes are much better than mine. And in a studio, you done 100 rhymes and I've done 100 and yours would beat mine cuz they're more clever, you know, and stuff like that. But then you would come on a stage in front of 500
Speaker A
people and you stood there and done your clever rhymes and they would be like where I would start getting how get your hands in the air blah blah blah. would start acting back at us and all that blah blah blah and saying stuff there
Speaker A
and they go all these clever rhymes. It's happened. It's happened with MC's. It was a I can't remember his name but a few year back it was MC come from they were like I think it was from Middlesbrough or something they were
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like he's going to be the best and I listened to the set on Soundcloud. I was like yeah really good him and he got his chance. I can't remember what event Mont something and he got his chance and he
Speaker A
stood there and done all these wicked clever rhymes but they were just standing there cuz they didn't understand what he was saying.
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Didn't know how to work the crowd. I so you need 2025 going forward you need to have it all and that's what these little ones are doing.
Speaker A
Mhm. If you know these got the socials and everything on there these little ones but even when they're doing parties cuz I've done parties with them and I've done raves with them and they can do the rhymes but they're
Speaker A
starting to do the well they're copying me but put their own stamp on it and I'm not saying I'm the way to go cuz some people know it's cringey and stuff like that which I've said to you before but
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it it is what it is. You know what I mean? I'm at the top because of that reason. Do you know what I mean?
Speaker A
Well, that's it. I suppose you got look at that and that's the way in it.
Speaker A
But for me, that's what I think. Do you need a manager or an agent or No, no, no.
Speaker A
You don't need a manager. You need to be able to produce to be relevant. You've got to keep putting stuff through all the time. E, but you need to actually be able to produce music yourself.
Speaker A
No, no, not as long as you can. Not not an MC. Not because there's that many there's that many good producers now you can get music. Like I I've never done it, but I could gone on me Instagram or in Facebook and Tik Tok and
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all me socials and g I'm after that track and someone sent us a track and MC. I've never I've never like randomly and I will probably get [ __ ] hundreds of people saying we MC on this cuz I do
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get people see MC on this set with MC on this set and sometimes I do sometimes I didn't like I I've done loads and I've helped people do but I've got people who I like to use. Do you know what I mean? So
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because obviously because they've got look at it whereas if you jump on there you you'll turn it to gold if you jump on it.
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That's what happens. That's why they give us you can make a [ __ ] track sound good.
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That's that's the beauty about someone like but not not only that it make a good track sound even better but it helps me as well because if I love that track I'm buzzing. It helps me get my stuff out
Speaker A
but then like you say I then them will go well I don't want to listen to them singing the day. I just want to listen that mint track done. Then they search the track. Oh it was who? Oh, JGS and
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Intent DMB. These are some of the people I use. Lan, oh, it meant that. I'm going to just listen to the track instead cuz I don't want to listen to them singing.
Speaker A
Then it gets their track well none and stuff like that. So, what what end game for you?
Speaker A
I'm going to do another uh And now you've still got time. I don't know. I'm just going to keep taking pushing it as high as I can. Like keep going.
Speaker A
Would you ever cross genre though? like day something completely different all the time. I'm wanting to do more Slooh stuff, but it's it's just like I keep going back to Makina because that's what I'm n for, you know. But I am going to do more
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bounce, which is 150 and more commercial, which is 140 145 um I'm going to push that more cuz I've done a little bit of it and I like it and it's different and I am going to go down that road um more definitely next
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year there'll be more but I'll always get pulled back into Makina. That's what I do and and I enjoy it to be honest.
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Not just because what I'm for, but the end game is just keep grafting it. I I'll keep pushing it as much as I can and push it, make as much money with it as I can, enjoy it while I still, and if
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I ever get bored of it, I'll walk away from the lot. That's that's the ultimate scenario on it because I'm I'm quite like that now. If I think it's not for me, even if the money's good and I'm bored of it now, I
Speaker A
think, but I've still got the drive. It's it's weird like, you know, you want to say obsession.
Speaker A
I've never really thought about it until you said that. And then I and then I'm thinking actually it is I am addicted of it really like it is it's for I think for anyone to see someone like yourself like how many
Speaker A
think about when you actually break it down it's mental you know if you think about it you've done something for so many years even when there was any financial reward really never I and even like obviously you're still
Speaker A
working now you're still doing your stuff but you're still committ like who who would do that that's a big would you would you do a part-time job that was unpaid you wouldn't you know what I mean you've got to love it you've got to be obsessed
Speaker A
And I think a lot of MC's have done that. So they've they've been done at the same time as me 20 year and they've never done new rhymes cuz they've just they've never pushed it.
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But our the last 20 years I've always done new rhymes. I've always pushed it.
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I've always grabbed it cuz I don't know. It is addiction. What is it? That's that's what that's what it must be.
Speaker A
And you go thinking, oh mate, it's better to have that addiction than out. You know what I mean? Like if you even if you get a couple hours or whatever, you can write a few rhymes better than your brain gone somewhere else. And
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definitely and I don't do it every day now, you know. Like I got weeks where I haven't even thought about a rhyme or or like an idea. I got oh I've got a new idea. I got a couple of weeks where I
Speaker A
just sit back and chill and go and do me gigs on a weekend and stuff and I didn't always write. You know what I mean? It's not like it's every day. Oh, I need to do that. I wake up in the morning every
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day. But in the morning sometimes I do get me best ideas. But it's not like like I've never done now for a couple of weeks to be fair. Like I've never wrote it out. Um, I am doing I'm going to
Speaker A
start something next week. I've got a bounce track sitting there. So, there you go. A bounce track again, 150. It's not Mckina. Um, which I'm going to jump on. I'll probably jump on that next Tuesday. I'll probably start writing
Speaker A
that soon. Um, but all right. So, do you think Riv is in a better position now than what it was?
Speaker A
I think so, but a lot of people say no. A lot of people say it died when the monkey died, cuz I I would have said that. I would a lot of people still say that.
Speaker A
It's just not the It feels like it's not the same now. But what I'll say on that is when the monkey died, there was still it did die cuz the monkey was every week. It was well known, but there was still a lot of rees
Speaker A
kicking a boot and there's been up and downs and then obviously you've got new Makina now as well. So new Makina is just as big as just if not better. I think I I like the old stuff cuz it's
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what I've done for years and I do prefer it sometimes, but I probably do like the new Makina a bit more. It's more exciting for me for as an MC. It's faster and better and more commercially which I'm going doing that road, but
Speaker A
it's bigger now. It's definitely bigger now than it was then. And and a lot of people go, "Nah, it died when the monkey died." It It didn't It didn't die. It's It's been up in Dune.
Speaker A
Mhm. Mhm. But this time now, 2025, it's bigger than ever because you've got people like Ben Nikki playing it around the world that Dimmitri Vegas or whatever. He's playing that Atlantis tune. M I've got that Atlantis tune in the loft
Speaker A
on record. I said it on that track 20 year ago and then when I pulled out on YouTube I got blocked. I got got thing blocked off cuz Dimmitri Vegas has broke it out now and he's claimed that even
Speaker A
though I've had on record for 20 year but that's another story. But he's playing it in Tomorrowland.
Speaker A
Mhm. Biggest raves in the world. He's the Ben Nick is playing Mckina. I think it's probably because it's more commercialized now because of people like that banging them out all over the world. I think the people from the
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northeast especially it was like it was theirs. You know what I mean? It was like this is monkey.
Speaker A
So I feel like because that's died off a lot of people think that's faded and stuff and then obviously when they're saying your new stuff and that they probably think why is he doing that now cuz everyone wants Tazawat 21
Speaker A
that's what they want. Everyone wants that you know Taz that's what they want that's what they want.
Speaker A
That's what I want and all you know what I mean? So it's like they want but I understand times have got we've done we've done a few means like a few a few thingies you've done recently.
Speaker A
That was that was another one I was quite nervous for. The first one I' done of them. H we done a couple sold two out in Newcastle.
Speaker A
It sold out and and that was that was quite that was another time where I felt a bit bit nervous until I signed on and then it was the best buzz in the world.
Speaker A
This is what we are for. But I people hang on to that, you know, but I never did with Jet, you know, cuz Jet's changed. So when I listened to Jet, Jet was better when he was younger as well.
Speaker A
People say Taz was better when he was younger. M it is what it is. But I never ever went to jet and like oh I wish it would be like it used to be. Like people say it to me I like the old Tazo. I
Speaker A
don't like the new Tazo. He's too commercial. Even though I'm doing thousands of people and making more money and and getting more fame if it sounds like you know enjoying it more. And um I never said that with like
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Jet and that like cuz he still MC's Jet and I think he's still mint.
Speaker A
Mhm. But I did prefer him when he was better. So I understand where they're coming from when they g we just want the old tazu back. But I kind of get me voice like that. Do you know what I mean? I
Speaker A
was younger and I don't know. I wouldn't say I was more up for it back then but I had a different life then if you know what I mean like you you met the music I suppose at the
Speaker A
time that suits your life, don't you? Exactly. Do you know what I mean? Do you ever listen to your old stuff? Nah, I did when I done the the the back to back with double vision the ear sets cuz I
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wanted to remember the chemistry between not that I would forget but like just to listen to what he used to say and me say and I listen to a couple of sets then and then when I done the one with Shaq
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back to 2002 uh which went mental like you have to have a listen to that cuz it's the closest you'll get to me back then. So you know if you want the old Taza I recommend that set.
Speaker A
I listened to me old stuff then and wrote a lot of it down in me phone in the beginning of them. Mhm.
Speaker A
So I knew that it was none of the new stuff that I could say. It was just all pure I don't know how long the set is 30 minutes or 45 minutes or something like that and it and it worked a treat
Speaker A
because I knew what I was going to say. I and I just you know when I was staying that set I just flipped me phone into and then to remember there's a few and then I just went for it.
Speaker A
When you were listening to it back to get that feel for it again did you did you did all them fond memories come back up?
Speaker A
Did you think about them? I some of them did like think oh like some listen I must have been right off me not there like but I'm enjoying it I was going to say do you can you tell
Speaker A
when you were off your nut or not when you listen to no cuz yes and no but I don't know I just like I don't know I don't like I can't really remember how like me voice was like that and how
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thing I remember doing it and how amazing it felt and how much I loved it but like how me voice changed it was mad how it changed And I don't know if you could re like if you could go
Speaker A
back to one day, one set, one place, one anything, what would it be? Would it be that last fest you done?
Speaker A
Um, or would it be one of the monkey days or would I think would have to be one of the monkey days, you know, any set in particular?
Speaker A
I don't know. Maybe I used to love the boxing days. The boxing days where I was a full house special, but I can't no because I have I can't remember like sets and stuff. But when I have listened
Speaker A
to tapes and I've I've had I've heard tapes when John the sound technician from the monkey used to put the like the echo on and all that and I'm and I'm proper introverting that I would look like I'm back then and see myself being
Speaker A
that how I must have felt with that being a monkey not a care in the world on like a surro set the mic sounding crystal clear and uh I that would be the one like I that would be a buzz. Tazo, I
Speaker A
want to say thank you so much for coming on, man. Honestly, mate, it was unbelievable conversation that I feel like I even felt younger even just speaking.
Speaker A
I do as well, mate. Oh, there's a monkey on the way home. But, uh, I I actually am. But, uh, no, thank you so much for coming on, mate.
Speaker A
And I wish you all the best with everything going forward in the future. And I think it's meant to see what you're doing for the next generation, mate.
Speaker A
Any worries, man. Thank you very much for appreciate me. Thank you, man.
Topics:MC TazoThe New MonkeyNortheast raveMakinarave cultureDJ and MCUK rave scene1990s raverave historymusic interview
