Tricky situation
Bristolian legend Tricky is hitting the road to perform his 1995 masterpiece Maxinquaye in its entirety. He talks to Stuart Clark about the album’s eventful creation, the current state of hip hop and brazenly flouting ireland’s no-smoking laws.
Stuart Clark, 18 May 2012
Electric Picnic.
“I’ve met Chuck D and I’ve met Flavor Flav. They’ve been on stage with me, which is just unbelievable ‘cos starting they were such a big influence on my music. They’re totally, totally good people.”
Does Tricky agree with Chuck that hip-hop needs to stop yo-ing, ho-ing and bitchin’ and start focusing on community again?
“He’s totally right, mate. Calling a girl certain things on a record is just not possible for me. I’ve got a daughter and sisters and cousins. I’m not interested in your cars or your money or how many gold records you’ve got.”
Here’s an idea for Kanye, Jay-Z, P-Diddy and Fiddy – let’s take it as given that you’re richer and fucking more girls than us mere mortals and move on?
“Artists get to a certain point of success and start surfing on their ego,” Tricky ventures. “I’ve just been listening to the new De La Soul record which is incredible – there’s a song about the relationships in the band that’s the hip-hop equivalent of Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid – but it’s never going to sell as well as Kanye West because you’ve so many people buying into that bling nonsense.”
Music aside, Tricky’s last visit to Dublin was notable for the posters dotted around the Academy, which proclaimed: “Please note the artist may use herbal cigarettes during tonight’s performance. These will be a prop used in keeping with the theatrical nature of the show. Any herbal cigarettes used will not contain any nicotine or tobacco and will not contravene the current no smoking laws under the Public Health Tobacco Act.”
I was about ten metres from the stage and the aroma was, to quote his old mates Massive Attack,
distinctly Jamaican.
“Hehehehehe,” he cackles. “I’m an adult, I should be allowed to smoke on stage if I want to. I’m not promoting anything, but I smoke puff so I had to be a bit creative!”
Page 3/3 <Previous 1 2 3 Next>
©Hot Press 2012. Why be a member? | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | About Us Jobs @ Hot Press