Alibi Feat MC Coppa - Trunk (Exclusive Promo Interview)
First up we have DJ Chap and Level 2, thank you very much for your time and congratulations to yourselves on the release of, TRUNK, We cannot get enough of it, huge respect to all who have put in the hours in to make this happen, no doubt that 'Trunk' is a ground shaker easily hitting 10 on the Richter scale.
Q. MC Coppa always looks like he enjoys his art, what was he like to work with?
A. Hi everyone! Firstly, thank you very much for the support! We're very glad about this release. We worked hard in 2016 making some tours in Europe and at the same time producing music and work out with MC Coppa was very significant to us! We respect him as an artist and we think that his voice timbre was perfect to the track. And means a lot that he believes and trust in us to make music with him.
Q. How did Alibi and MC Coppa come to work with each other? I believe it was fate!
A. We wrote "Trunk" (At this time "UNTITLED" haha) and we started to think about to put an MC making rhymes over the track. We really like Coppa's voice and we think about; Why don’t we try?
We spoke to Bryan about the idea to have MC Coppa and then Mr G opened the doors. And it was very nice because Coppa embraced the idea in working with us and with V Recordings.
Q. Did either of you challenge him to an MC battle?
A. Haha impossible! We would lose every Round!
Q. When settling down for a production session, what essentials must you have before you start?
A. Maybe a good coffee, good samples and empty mind ready to create.
Q. What is your favourite piece of equipment or software to create music on and why?
A. At the moment, both of us enjoy to working out with Logic Pro 9. Also, we are starting to explore Logic X. Sometimes we also use Ableton Live 9 just to get out of the comfort zone and to learn more about mixing and stuff.
We love Logic especially because of the native stuff. External plugins will always gonna help you but Logic has lots of native stuff that are essential us like Tape delay, Overdrive, compressors, Reverbs, Esx24...
We have almost the same equipment in the studio: Basically, we use Yamaha HS80 Monitors, Focusrite audio interfaces (Saffire Pro 14: Chap / Scarlett: Level 2) and Apple computers.
Q. Drum and Bass is getting bigger every year, and so are you guys, where do you see 'Alibi' in the next 5 years?
A. We just want to work with the things we love. We love drum & bass so we imagine our future making gigs and making good music with good people.
Q. Where was your first ever gig?
A. My very first gig was in a club called "Coke Luxe" in my City (Mauá / SP) in 2006. I was very nervous until I drop the first vinyl and after I drop it I screamed like you do when your favourite football team scores a goal. I was playing b2b with my friends DJ's Andrezz, Luy & Mjazzy.
Q. Do you have any tips for people having a go at making their own music?
A. Keep doing it and follow your heart! Be patient and Keep the focus. Always try to remember that the sun shines for everyone.
Q. Do you think it's ok for fruite / pineapple to go on a pizza?
A. In Brazil, when you go to a Pizzeria they have “Sweet Pizza” as a dessert and usually is with chocolate or vanilla cream and not with cheese or Salty things. It looks like a crepe. If it’s like this it’s ok to have a pineapple on it!
Q. Top 5 producers?
A. Calibre, Marcus Intalex, dBridge, S.P.Y & XRS.
Q. Top 10 tracks?
A. At the moment we are enjoying to play these following tracks:
01) Alibi - Trunk feat. MC Coppa (V Recordings) Get it here
02) Metrik - We Got It (SPY Remix) (Hospital)
03) Alibi - No Escape feat. Nitri (V Recordings)
04) L-Side - Bricks feat. Stapleton (V Recordings)
05) Total Science & Break - Big Time Winners (CIA)
06) Think Tonk - Setman (V Recordings)
07) Alibi & Disaszt - I Got You feat. Zarah (V Recordings)
08) Andrezz - Rigel Brightness (Liquid V)
09) Alibi - No Lights feat. MC Fats & TRAC (V Recordings)
10) Urbandawn - Power Scheme (Hospital)
Contact, bookings and requests: alibidnb@gmail.com
Recording credits - V Recordings
As we know the brimstone hot release of Trunk is supercharged by the vocals of long time firebringer, MC coppa, here is the man himself with some answers for our readers.
Quesions With Coppa :
Q. While getting ready to record, do you have and weird or wonderful warm up techniques?
A. First thing is to turn my phone & tablet off.. there’s nothing worse than having a great recording take interrupted by my Notorious BIG "Juicy" ringtone. Also, i repeat a few lines over and over in my head to really get into the mood and frame of mind for the song. Usually, means walking around for about 5 mins getting to the "zone". It might look weird to some people but its important to me to not hit the mic "cold", I want to be ready to kill by the time we press record. (Metaphorically speaking of course!)
Q. What music did you write your first lyrics too?
A. My first venture into writing lyrics was hiphop, I used to and still do, listen to a lot of 90s stuff like Ice Cube, Redman, Ice-T, Public Enemy, Cypress Hill, Wu-Tang etc... Drum and bass kinda was the first opportunity I got to really to take some rhymes off the page and into a club setting. I fell in the love with the energy of the music immediately and have been hooked ever since.
Q. Why did you choose that song? (Alibi's song)
A. Well in the case, the "song" chose me :) I got a phone call from the one & only Brian Gee about one of his artists who´d mentioned to him about getting connected with me for their new single. I´d heard recently some of their stuff out & about and was really feeling it and I know Brian really knows his music, he´s someone I've respected a lot since day 1, so it was definitely a no-brainer to get involved... and then when I heard the riddem...damn! it was love at first listen. I actually had the "Bumps like a body in the trunk" line for about 3 years, I'd said it in a conversation with a friend when I was trying to describe a tune to him that I heard...as this Alibi track really fit the description, I finally got to use it on a record:) The rest just happened naturally.
Q. I believe Drum and Bass gets bigger ever year, as do the elite artists involved, where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A. Definitely part of that evolution. This year I'm going to start doing more Live PAs of my tracks in club settings, as well as the bigger Coppa Live show that I've been doing at festivals with my guy Akira (Deadly Viperz) which is a totally different setup & show in its self. So for me, live performance is very important as people can get the unique experience of hearing me doing the stuff live that they like on the records. I´ve so much released catalog and new material to showcase in Live PA form that for me it is exciting to be able to bring the music to people in this way. For me, it's a logical evolution as a long time recording artist.
Q. You have a brilliant ability to apply yourself to different styles of music. Is there any other type of music you would like to get more involved with?
A. I've literally done it all it seems, garage, house, hiphop, ragga, even minimal techno (had a vocal collaboration that got signed to Len Faki´s label Figure Rec), & Dub Techno (another 2 collabs signed to Francios K´s Wave Music in the States). At the moment I try not to take on too many different styles at once as it's difficult to keep switching between so many different styles of writing always. But if it's a hot record and it vibes me, I'll consider all forms of music. I´m very open minded that way, guess it's served me well over the years.
Q. Does pineapple go on a pizza?
A. Most definitely, I used to think it was weird... but its an acquired taste...takes a while to process it mentally.
Q. Where was your first ever gig?
A. Maan.... tough one, but I'd have to say was at a warehouse in Bradford. First one I ever got paid for, was in Leeds at night called "Cheeky" at place Bar Phono (RIP). Shout outs to my guy Jof for giving me my first fee to MC!
Q. Hosting an event is a frontline as it is going to get, what would you like to see more of at events, and what would you like to see less of?
A. In general... better & more consistent monitoring situations for the MCs and perhaps less mosh pits.. not that I'm against people having fun and being rowdy.. its just if you do it right in the middle of dancefloor your likely to unintentionally involve people that are not "into it", which is kind of not fair.. Maybe if there was a designated roped off area or like a mini MMA "cage" in the dance that people could opt-in to and get it on then this would suit all the ravers equally... Peace, love and less flying elbows.
Q. Any advice for the aspiring MC's out there who want to get started?
A. Well I actually did a little video blog post on my Instagram on this the other day :) Mainly to be original with your craft and to study the "art of mc-ing". Which means learning as much as you can about drum and bass, DJs, timing, observing crowd reactions, different phases of the DNB DJ set, the natural energy curve of a dancefloor & evening... there so much involved if you want to do it right...most of all practise and put the time in!
Q. I have a place where plans come together, I call that benworld, what is coppaworld to you and where did the name come from?
A. Pretty much the same concept actually :) just with the added bonus of being able to do whatever I want in it without being judged or feeling pressure to conform artistically.
Q. Top 5 Producers?
A. Really tough one... would prefer top 50, some current and all time :)
Prolix, Alibi, L33, BCee, Current Value/Machine Code, Concord Dawn
Q. Top 10 tracks?
A. Snuck in a few personal fave collabs – not in any particular order
01) Concord Dawn - Morning Light
02) Concord Dawn - Man for All Seasons
03) Muffler - Dribble
04) Muffler - Can you feel
05) Prolix feat MC Coppa - On Like that
06) Jade & Mindscape feat Coppa - Friday the 13th
07) Telekinesis feat Coppa - pocket full of drops
08) Dkay - Serenade
09) DaVIP & Encode - High Technology
10) B-Complex - Beautiful Lies (original & VIP)
Q. Before I let you go do you have anyone you would like to mention?
A. Would like to say a special shout to the Pedro & Fabio for their amazing vibes & to Bryan Gee for linking us up together on this track, V-Recordings, my Eatbrain & Comanche Fam… and drum and bass fans and artist worldwide.. who are keeping this wonderful culture of ours so strong. One Love!
Thank you all very much for your time, all of us here at www.jungledrumandbass.co.uk, wish you the very best with your new single (links available below) and anticipate plenty more filth.
