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Stereo MC's. Paradise Right Now
Интервью · 10.07.2006
By Iovik
Stereo MC's are pioneers of British raves and distinguished moguls of British hip-hop. Last year they returned to relevant music with the album "Paradise". This year, as part of their world tour, they'll give two concerts in Moscow. A 44100Hz correspondent called one of the leaders of Stereo MC's - Rob B - in London to find out what the group is like now.
Rob, some media call Stereo MC's the benchmark of white hip-hop. What do you think of that? Do you divide hip-hop into black and white?
Of course not. I don't divide music into black and white. Like many musicians, I'm put off by certain musical terms. I understand that terminology is of course needed to describe music in words. So that people can better picture what they're dealing with. But sometimes it just doesn't work. For example, I can't say unequivocally what style our group is, and I think few people can. Actually, trying to fit into some style limits you a great deal, which for me, as a creator, is unacceptable.
Stereo MC's have been around for quite a while. How has your lifestyle changed since the 90s?
Well, of course, radically. We've got families, we have children. And financially we've of course become richer. But honestly, we've stayed the same simple lads, and bourgeois pleasures aren't our thing. We have no goal of driving around in a Mercedes or a Bentley, flying a private plane to the Bahamas and so on.
At one time your single "Elevate My Mind" became the first British hip-hop single to make the US R&B charts. Would you like to do that again? And what do you think of contemporary American R&B?
Of course I'd like to repeat our successes. Show me a person who doesn't like success and popularity. After all, it means that a great many people heard and understood your music. As for American R&B, there's a lot of everything there. There are great groups, but there's also plenty of mainstream. Most of the mainstream stupidly and monotonously preaches to teenagers about money and sex. Naturally, I don't want to have anything in common with music like that.
You parted ways with the label Island Records (a division of the international giant Universal) and recorded your new album on the little-known Graffiti Records. Did you grow tired of the corporate pressure demanding songs about money and sex?
Well, on the whole that's how it is. We changed managers, and Island, after it became part of a huge corporation, turned into a money-making machine. I think Stereo MC's is a hip indie band, and it's not fitting for it to keep company with corporate monsters.
You and Nick were born on the same day (June 11). I'm curious - do you put your faith in astrology?
(very seriously): Astrology... hmm, not much, I'd say. Although, of course, there may be something mystical and fateful in the fact that my best friend and I were born on the same day. But honestly, I don't really believe in it. More than anything in the world I believe in music. It's everything to me.
Your latest album is called "Paradise". And as I understand from your previous answer, for you, personal paradise is the chance to do music.
For me, yes. But in general, with our latest album we wanted to tell people that paradise happens here and now. You just have to be able to notice it. Take us, for example: we live in London, write music, tour with concerts, and for me personally that's paradise. It's important to be able to listen to yourself and understand what paradise is for you. Hearing yourself, though, is quite hard; the television, the other media and society, with their empty chatter, create an incredible noise. You have to understand that none of it actually exists. There's only the here and now.
Stereo MCs, July 12 and 13, club "16 Tons"