After notching up another number one with their latest single Green Light, we speak to Roll Deep’s DJ Target about new album Winner Stays On, what he’d do if they don’t top the charts again, and what we can expect from their set at this year’s Turning Point Festival alongside the likes of Professor Green, Ms Dynamite, JME, Donae’o, Devlin, P. Money and many many more… Interview by Rajveer Kathwadia… Also enter our exclusive competition to win one of two pairs of tickets to this year’s Turning Point festival!

How are you doing?

Yeah I‘m good man.

Firstly congratulations on another number one single with <Green Light>.

Ahhh thanks bruv, it’s mad. I just can’t believe it [laughs]. When you see other people doing it, it looks kind of big from the outside, but when it’s us it just doesn’t feel real.

Does it feel strange cos with The Avenue and Shake A Leg, Roll Deep have released catchy, commercial singles before, but they never got the same love that Good Times and Green Light have got?

I think they were just before their time. I think the country and the mainstream weren’t as ready for it as they are now. We were the first ones from the grime scene that tried to do anything like that and people were still trying to get their heads round these guys rapping over commercial beats. So I think those singles probably got the ball rolling for what’s going now, which is that our scene is the main scene at the moment.

Yeah it’s mad cos now when a song from the scene doesn’t get to number one, it’s like ‘Oh that’s weird, what happened there then?’

Yeah the expectations have changed for the whole scene and everyone expects more and is trying and striving to get top 10s and hits now cos other people you used to be on pirate radio with are doing it. Everyone wants a piece of the action don’t they?

Which number one did you celebrate harder after?

Definitely after Good Times. We haven’t even celebrated Green Light yet. This week we’re literally putting some finishing touches on our album Winner Stays On cos it has to be finished this week, so we were advised by our label to not have a party and miss the whole next day in the studio, cos that’s what would have happened. Cos with Good Times we had a big party and everyone definitely partied very very hard that night.

We always get a bit confused… are you even aware of everyone who is in the entourage?

Yeah I think I can manage it. J2K was the last member to officially join and that was a few years ago and there hasn’t been any departures since then either. But on the album you can expect to hear everyone you’d associate with the Roll Deep name. From Flow Dan, to Breeze, to Wiley, and I’ve produced on it, Danny [Weed]’s produced on there, Wiley’s produced on there, we’ve got some tracks from other producers and some guest spots to mix things up, there’s some grime on there, some commercial stuff, a mixture – it’s like a 2010 In At The Deep End and it shows the progression.

With In At The Deep End, you also put underground singles like When I’m ‘Ere and Heat Up out as well, but you haven’t really done that this time.

We shot a video for Swagger for people to soak up and enjoy on an underground vibe, but there’s gonna be plenty of stuff on the album for the underground. In fact listen to this track in the background… [plays us a hard grimy number down the phone – we hear hard spitting!].  Don’t put that up the net! That tune’s called Team and that’s one of the harder ones and the concept is just about teamwork and it’s a word we’ve been using a lot lately. Scratchy produced that one as well and everyone’s going in on that one. And then we’ve got tracks like this… [plays another song down the phone for us – this time a bit more slower and soulful]. That one’s called Over The Rainbow featuring Cherri V, so yeah that’s like a ballad so we’ve got bits from all of the stuff we’re known for doing, but it’s just better basically.

Who are some of the other features you’ve got on there?

We’ve done a track with Eliza Doolittle, Toddla T is producing on there and so is DaVinChe. We’ve got a few others on there as well, but we’re not necessarily getting big names. The third single’s got a feature on it, but I don’t think I’m allowed to say who it is yet.

What’s it called?

<Take Control>.

We know you’re playing The Turning Point festival at The Roundhouse this month. What can people expect from the Roll Deep set?

We’re gonna take the band down there, perform some of the new stuff, some of the classics, and some things that haven’t been heard before including the third single. It’s interesting cos we’re not known for performing with a band so it’s new and it’s exciting for us as well. We’re looking forward to it. And it’s a good warm up for the national tour we’ve got planned for early next year.

Tickets for The Turning Point Festival are on sale now on 0844 482 8008 or from MySpace.com/turningpointfestival

Taking place at London’s famous Roundhouse, the Turning Point festival will see Roll Deep joined by the likes of Professor Green, Ms Dynamite, JME, Donae’o, Devlin, P. Money and many more at the only music festival to be completely created and controlled by young people aged 25 and under.

Taking place from 17-19 September, the three day festival will kick off it’s opening night with a headline set from Professor Green who shares a bill with dubstep and dance supremos Toddla T, Redlight, Breakage and Jakwob.

The second night takes a grimier turn with Roll Deep, Ms. Dynamite, JME, Donae’o, Devlin and P. Money topping Saturday’s bill.

The weekend comes to a close with an eclectic mix of music, poetry, comedy and artistic interventions throughout the Roundhouse’s more intimate spaces and pioneering independent promoters Eat Your Own Ears head up Room 2 with the best up-and-coming new music talent from London and beyond.

For your chance to win one of two pairs of tickets up for grabs, simply send your details (Name, age, address, contact number) to (subject: Turning Point) by 12pm on Monday 13 September and we’ll pick two winners at random. Good luck!

MySpace.com/turningpointfestival

Roundhouse.org.uk

Tags: Competition, Devlin, DJ Target, Donaeo, Grime, Hip Hop, JME, Ms Dynamite, P-Money, Pop, Professor Green, R&B, Roll Deep, Wiley