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PICTURED: Bad FX

WHOOP WHOOP... who doesn't love a bank holiday, a long weekend and a four-day week?! Imagine having a four-day working week every week – more time to rest, relax and recharge. I hope you all had a great Easter weekender, and enjoyed feasting and indulging in plenty of chocolate! I’m wondering, would a shorter working week lead to more stress and less productivity or would it motivate you to waste less time and develop better work habits to get everything done?

In recent years I have been DJing for the 10K Karate Clash. Founded in 2002, the concept is simple and the atmosphere was electric with 32 elite open-weight competitors competing on one night under full WKF rules for the winner-takes-all prize of £10,000 (the richest prize in traditional Karate history).

KARATE COMPETITION: Mr Play and Joe Long, the organiser of 10K Karate Clash

The Ritzy in Brixton was filled with spectators and supporters and I was spinning on the decks. Shout out to Joe Long, the promoter, good seeing you bro; well done on another successful Karate clash and keeping it going! Big congrats to second-time winner Joe Kellaway!

CHAMPION: Joe Kellaway, the winner of 10K Karate Clash

This week, my music discovery is taking it way back... to an old school vibe with Bad FX a hip hop artist from north London. His new video, Cyphers with Lighters came out a few days ago to support his EP. It’s rare to find artists keeping the old school vibe going these days, so I was definitely intrigued by his music journey. Having listened to the EP, I found it quite nostalgic, taking me back to my days of growing up in the 90s. Here’s more on our catch up:

Q: Who is Bad FX?

A: A British-born Jamaican raised rapper MC/producer based in north London.

Q: Who and what has been your inspiration?

A: I’ve been a big fan of hip hop and music in general since I was a young kid...from the band at church, watching Yo MTV Raps with Ed Lover and Dre, to playing in sound systems in Jamaica as a teen and even from my peers out here who do music.

Q: Tell us more about your new music video?

A: It just dropped on YouTube April 20 [it's] called Cyphers with lighters, which is the title of the album also. The track features myself, Ray Vendetter and Vague the Torchbearer. It was shot by Tommy Birtle at my place. The song is about kicking it with fellow emcees doing what we do best in a rap cypher, rap an Shmoke!

Q: Tell us more about your style and sound?

A: I do the more traditional sounding hip hop we all know and love from the 90s, although I do chop it up sometimes with newer styles (check the bonus track on cyphers). The reason I stick with this is because it’s what I prefer. I’m down with new sounds but that boom bap feel just does it for me, and with this art I think it’s better to do what you as the artist are most comfortable with and enjoy. I don’t subscribe to keeping up with what’s out there, that’s how you end up sounding fake. I just produce, produce, produce and those that love it, will. Do it for the love like Chronixx said.

Q: What’s up next for Bad FX?

A: So this video drop is for a re-release of the album as I did a limited amount of CDs with Prestigious at request of a few heads surprisingly, it came out last July digitally. Other than that, I’ve completed an album with a dope Brazilian producer SONO TWS. Hoping to put that out later this year on vinyl as well as digital. Stay tuned for info.

CYPHERS AND LIGHTERS: Bad FX's new EP is out now

Q: What advice would you give up and coming music artists?

A: Master your craft, know the business and do what you enjoy rather than chasing current waves...be the ocean, create the waves!

Q: Where can we follow your music journey and get hold of your album/video?

A: All releases are on badfx.bandcamp.com

I’m part of a four man group, [you can] also find us at theomniverses.bandcamp.com

SoundCloud: Badfx/Ziplock
Instagram: @badfx
YouTube: omniverses

Additional contributions by Steph D’Sa

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