Big Narstie Shows Us His Serious Side

Just as I was finishing this interview, Akira The Don handily dropped off the brand new and very excellent video for "Tits and Wine" featuring Footsie and, the man himself, Big Narstie. Convenient much?

Big Narstie's become one of the most discerning and articulate TV reviewers the UK has ever had the pleasure of reading. But after talking to him about Max from EastEnders' hairline and wanting to spit on Joffrey from Game Of Thrones, I thought it was about time to get serious and talk about his music. From relative obscurity he's become a stalwart of grime in 2013, so we sat down to talk US hip-hop versus UK grime, council estate inspired EPs and my knickers.

Noisey: So, we've done a shit load of funny articles together. Are you ever worried your wit overtakes your music sometimes?

Big Narstie: If I had shit music, then definitely I’d be scared. But good music is good music regardless, like, even if the person is a twat nobody can deny great music.

Has the Uncle Pain series helped?

It’s definitely helped; at first I thought they’d see it as two different things but it's had a domino effect, some people who are part of my fan base now never knew about me at all until Uncle Pain.

True. I'm going to ask you my first ever music question…tell me about the new EP!

The making of Don’t Fuck Up The Base was really quite weird. I got back in the studio wanting to make some proper ASBO music and the first draft was filth but, literally, it didn't have enough bass. I was like rah, how can I call my ting Don’t Fuck Up The Base if it’s got bare snares and kicks but no bass? The first draft was good but it weren’t as high octane. I really wanted to make sure there was a big difference between #pain music and #base music. Pain is reflective and deep, base stuff is straight council estate.

ASBO music! Who else makes that?

Tempa T makes ASBO music, he’s gassed. Chronic makes ASBO music…a few people.

Do you think people are reacting differently to you since this kind of garage and grime revivalism has taken over the charts?

History has its own way of repeating itself. At least this time now, the people doing grime should be patrons. Nobody coming up now should be like "rah, let me do summin' with David Guetta then."

Yeah, but it must be tempting to go down that path.

There's no substance. Imagine if Noel Gallagher did that, after the first album being all like “Liam…this type of music is popular…let’s start being rappers”.

Ha! So, do you think there's more longevity in sticking to your guns?

Some people don’t understand the problem with jumping ship because they don’t see the reason behind grime. In the grime scene they see music as an escape, a lot of kids think if they’re not an MC or a DJ or playing football, their life is all over. People don't see how else they can get out; so yeah, as soon as you see a way of making big money like that, you'll just lose faith in the music.

If grime is such a part of that world, how do you feel about people who dip their toes into it when they’re not from that background?

Tony [his manager]: I think ten years down the line that everyone is going to view it as just British music, it doesn’t even need to be from the hood.

Big Narstie: Yeah, it has become bigger, it’s universal…which is a good thing. But it's just how you portray it, if you’re going to come dip your feet in it, it’s like, have some respect in the house. You've got to see the grime scene as a home. Y'know, take your shoes off, wash up the cups after you've used them, don’t leave the kitchen like a shithole…common courtesy!

And how about US artists taking an interest? I've noticed guys coming over now, like Flatbush Zombies and Danny Brown, are really up on their grime knowledge.

It's definitely good. If you make grime music now, it shouldn't matter where you’re from. If my grime music gets successful in the charts that means any other grime artist who decides to put out music has got a chance. Regardless of if I want to help you or not, I am.

And it’s the same with hip-hop, but hip-hop understands just because it's Rick Ross that's popular one week and whatever the next, it's still all hip-hop. If grime starts to understand that mentality more, then it can develop even further. It will thrive if we're not like “rah, he’s not in my crew, not part of my thing so I can’t promote that”.

How are you, personally, going to move it forward?

I think I've helped in changing the stereotype that all grime had to be about aggression, drugs and killing people. I’m sure you can make songs that are real and funny at the same time. Yeah, lots of grime artists have had hard lives and made quick money from selling drugs, but it's not everything.

So it's a case of talking about what you know, even if it's not typical subject material?

You can only ever talk about something that you know. If you was to be an MC and talk about journalism, people would be shocked, because the stuff you probably know about journalism I don’t even know the half of it. I don’t know how it is to be sitting there on a day when you don’t wanna write five hundred fucking words, so imagine if you did bars about that? You'd be the sickest journalist MC.

HA! That'll be my new sideline project. I find that to talk to one-on-one, you've got a Jekyll and Hyde thing…one minute it's all funny but you can be serious and eloquent too…

I don’t try to be funny, it's just act how I act. It’s a gift and a curse. But looking back in the days when I was a fan growing up with music and I started getting into grime music, or even when you saw artists like Tupac, there were characters. It was more than their music; you wanted to know what they was wearing, what did they listen to, you were intrigued by them. A lot of artists now, what is there to be intrigued by? Nothing, so what if you can spit? Lots of people can spit but what more substance is there? I'm outspoken, yes, but I think I have the right to say if you was walking down the street and you had a big hole in the back of your skirt and I could see your knickers, I’m allowed to say that right? Because I can see it.

I'd hope so. Do you think people are coming round to that sort of attitude?

You've got to remember from one comes many and a lot of people are sheep. The thing that is a concern for lots of artists is they put all their effort into getting in the limelight, pleasing everybody, then once they're in it…nothing. People don't like me at first because I'm outspoken, but at least I'm being me

Is it like when you’ve got to meet someone a couple of times before you’re like “actually, you’re not a dick”. You say that you let people come round to you rather than the other way?

Long story short; I’m fat, I smoke a crazy amount of weed, I like to watch porn. I’m a reckless person but my heart’s clean and I’m honest. I’m not really that whole industry guy and never will be.

The industry’s depressing anyway.

I’d feel like a caged bird if it weren’t for Tone. I’d be trying to organise my schedule and the music but because of him my mind is free. You need that if you're in the music industry.

Life’s a funny thing, I’m quite a religious person as well and I give God thanks every day because I could've been one of the normal statistics. So the fact that I’m not and I’m doing something I enjoy and can start helping my little brother, sister and mum out, what else is there? I just want to be able to walk into the shop and be able to say I want that drink, because trust me, it’s the little things.

Amen to that. I'll have a can of Lilt. Thanks Big Narstie!

Follow Narstie on Twitter @bignarstie

Follow Jo on Twitter @FUERTESKNIGHT

For more Big Narstie read:

Big Narstie's Guide To…EastEnders

Big Narstie's Guide To…Game Of Thrones

Big Narstie Speak Up On The Man With The 10-Stone Testicles