Proverbz is most likely the hottest UK hip hop artist at this time. He’s been getting heavily endorsed by some of the U.K’s raining artists.

Shante and the team caught up with him at his home studio to find out what all the fuss was about.

We’ve done something special you you folks too. We’ve not only given you this interview in video form, but we’ve also transcribed it into text, so now you can read it!

First up is the video, then below that is the writeup.

Proverbz Itch FM Interview Video:

[leadplayer_vid id=”5233E374D9DF1″]

Proverbz Itch FM Interview Transcript:

Shante: What’s your story? How did you get to the point that you’re at now, because you started at about 14 writing? But that didn’t really translate till when you brought out your music.

Proverbz: To explain my journey in a brief sort of statement would be kind of impossible, because it’s just crazy. Obviously as a kid for a small period of time my mum tried to get me off to a good school, but we working class. No money. So I got a scholarship to a fairly decent school out in the sticks, and I was gone probably from the age of 10 to maybe 15. Just off the scene and learning, but I got kicked out of there quite quickly and soon just slipped down the slippery slope to just bad things. It was kind of crazy. And it obviously care, jail you know what I mean? Just down the scale of rock bottom. To eventually getting to rock bottom, but it kind of makes you who you are. Gives you plenty of content.

Shante: And you started writing at the age 14, but you didn’t actually release anything until a lot later on.

Proverbz: About two years ago I think.

Shante: And why was that?

Proverbz: Just because I didn’t feel that I was good enough to have music out. I was one of those artists who are under the illusion that you just put music out, and then you put something out that’s sick and then you just blow up. And obviously from an outside perspective that’s often what it looks like, and while I was grafting, to me in my head I was on my way to my goal at becoming an artist. I’m putting music out working towards anything, and all along I was constantly improving.

Sort of gives you the impression that I just come out the door, and I’m super sick. And I’m not really. I’ve just spent a lot of time on my art form, and that’s it. I don’t really believe in the word talent. I just think anything you work so hard at in the quietness of my own home and my bedroom. Then obviously getting to the point where you think. Well you put music out on YouTube and it don’t go as far as you think it’s going to do. And you don’t get that love that you think you’re going to get, and you think well I’m sure this is worth more than 50 YouTube views.

And you feel frustrated, and that’s when you start to realize the amount of distance that you’ve got to cover; between why I’m as good as I want to be how, am I going to show everybody else that and get that platform. I advise a lot of young artists these days, don’t worry so much about that. You should get out the door as quickly, and start putting your music out. So that way when people ask me about my story like you. Even though it is my story, it’s not a good look. You really should be out there from the minute you start writing putting your music out, and by the time you get as good as you can be you already got[?].

And people like me who leave it to the last minute. Now we’re swinging it out for a spot. You know what I mean?

Shante: So it wasn’t a bad shout for you?

Proverbz: For me yeah, because I like swinging it out. I often come out on top in those situations. So I was just like fuck it I’m going to swing it out, but that’s it. For other people, it’s not a great look.

Shante: So coming through the way you did, did you find that you came up against any prejudices, or any barriers, or anything that would make you reconsider doing hip hop?

Proverbz: Reconsider? No I don’t really do the word reconsider to be honest with you. Barriers are there just to be smashed through as far as I’m concerned, and really they’re just fun. You’ll find anything I do in life is often a challenge. Even the simple things that are claimed to be hobbies are really challenges, and that’s how I just live my life. There’s always barriers. There’s massive barriers. I’m obviously being who I am and looking the way that I look. Being from I’m not a stereotypical rapper. I don’t fit the carbon copy for somebody who’s in the music industry. So I am constantly having to use my skills to overcome those types of obstacles, but it’s fun for me. Other people get frustrated and often suicidal and end up… You know what I mean?

Shante: It’s working for you?

Proverbz: It’s working for me.

Shante: So what are your plans and aspirations with music at the moment, or within the next couple of years? You’ve come out quite quickly. You didn’t come out straight away, but now that you are out you’re doing a lot of stuff. What plans have you got? What have you got out? I know your EP out at the moment.

Proverbz: Yes. I’ve got my EP out at the moment. Go get that. It’s only a five track presentation EP. It’s just a little hint of what I can do. It’s got Devlin on it. Klashnekoff on it. Which is a sick thing for a first release ever to have collaborations like that. Klashnekoff’s a legend. Devlin’s a legend. That’s a great look and afterwards I’ve got Dark Knight are coming out. Which is basically just the gates of hell opening. It’s literally just raw. It’s hip hop. It’s got sick musical value as well. We really got in to make it cinematic. It’s got proper music value, but it’s like a horror film. It’s just dark, and it’s deliberately dark.

Then afterwards we got a lot more like commercial, I don’t like the word commercial, but it is more geared up to the mainstream market. Some of the music I got coming up following that, but it’s not pop music. It’s a solid hip hop. It’s not dark. I’m just trying all different things, and I see myself more as a movie director than a writer. When I write I like to attack projects, and they have a theme and a subject. I’m a man from the road. I brought you to the block. You know what I mean? I don’t talk about that in my music. I’ve been stabbed a hundred times.

You don’t catch me writing about that, and glorifying that. So I like to just do what I do as an artist rather than portray who I am as a person. Which is what a lot of rappers do, and their career is based on who they are as people. And a lot of what I do is more subject based. I like to get involved in different areas of creativity, and I think that’s sick. It’s my way of doing things.

Shante: I have heard a few of your tracks and some of them, I can’t remember I’m not very good with names of tracks, but I’ve listened to one track. I thought that sounds really good. Then I listen to another one, and I thought that sounds a little bit different. But it still sounds good. So in terms of styles, it doesn’t really sound like you’ve got a particular style. Would you say you have, or would you agree with that statement?

Proverbz: No I agree with that statement completely. That’s a spot on observation, but I’m working on developing towards Proverbz, quintessentially Proverbz, type of thing. But I can’t put myself in a box, and I’ve obviously a varied life being from so many different backgrounds. Obviously that comes out in my music. So I find it really difficult to stick to a single delivery. It’s hard. Then I battled with that. I’m coming into contact with labels and different things, and people say to me “Who the fuck are you?” And I’m like I am who the fuck I am, and they say well what’s your brand and all of that.

Don’t talk to me about branding. I don’t know who I am. I’ve been trying to work that out for 15 years. So I’m not going to be able to tell you in a label meeting. So it’s always been a problem who I am, what is your style? What kind of music do you do? What is your thing? I’m like nothing’s my thing.  Lyrics are my thing. Bars are my thing. Words are my thing. So, I tend to not worry about style. I mans are just writing. If you might hear me rapping like mad over different tracks.

Then you might hear me climbing scales and rapping in other things. Even my EP, the Klashnekoff tune, it’s all different. All the other tracks on the Smoke and Mirrors is all depressed and sad, and I don’t know if that’s a bad thing. You get people that might think I don’t like his music because it don’t represent exactly what I am, but then the majority of people probably think I relate to different aspects of that. Because we are all different people with different aspects to our nature. So hopefully, people just see that. Don’t worry to much about who I am.

Shante: Don’t worry to much about it. So if we were to go a bit deeper into your playlist at the moment. Not your personal playlist, but what you’re listening to. Would there be anything on there that would surprise people? Any S Club 7, or anything dodgy on there?

Proverbz: No. I’ve been a Michael Jackson fan since I was a kid. I think he’s sick, because he just goes in. He conquered the planet, and I’m interested in anyone who’s got that sort of ability. You know what I mean. Through talent or whatever other means. Obviously when it comes to music I listen to. I used to just be involved in Eminem. Anything American I’d be on that, because I didn’t think UK and hip hop were bringing it at all. And I wasn’t interested in half of it, but then I got so into it that you start looking back through UK hip hop and realizing there’s actually sick artists out there.

I just listen to a multitude of things. Anything that comes my way. You might catch me listening to R & B. I might listen to folk music. I might listen to… I love Ed Sheran.

Shante: You’ve been spending some time in the studio haven’t you?

Proverbz: Yeah in Jake Gosslin’s studio, it’s a pretty sick place. And obviously I’m good pals with Tommy C., a guy down there. He’s a proper sick guy. He’s helped me out quite a bit, and then he got me into this thing as far as having the drive and the passion to want to do it. Being around certain levels of the industry. Plus I’ve been around certain levels of the industry and realizing it’s not the sort of thing, you’re not doing my thing. They showed me what it was to cross the line, and how to make my music. Just commercially viable without completely selling out. So now being around Devlin, and Tom, and my management team I brought all of that to the table, and created this unique little bubble. Which is Proverbz really.

Shante: That’s who you are. So where can people find out more about you? Where can they hit you up? Have you got any web addresses, or any links where people can check you out.

Proverbz: I got my YouTube channel, ProverbzUK, and most of my stuff in on other channels, SBTV, Link Up TV. But literally if you just type my name into YouTube. I’m all over it. I’m the first two or three pages. As for our website. That’s what we’re working on. All that stuff is all down the line right now. Just concentrating on making the sickest music I can make, and being the best lyricist I can be. So if you ever want to find anything out about Proverbz, you just go and type my name in YouTube. I rank highly every time so it’s not a problem. Sweet.

Shante: And he’s not lying, because I did that. And he was very high up there, like all over the place. If you do want to find any more about him. Do get in contact. The web addresses will be shown. If you need to hear anything you have the EP coming out, well it’s out.

Proverbz: …Amazon, all the main retailers.

Shante: Yes. All the main retailers, so check him out and keep subscribed.

Learn More About Proverbz:

The best links to keep up to date about Proverbz are his Twitter and his Youtube.

One last thing. If you like this post, please share it using the social sharing buttons on this page.

Cheers!