The name Stig Of The Dump is a name in the UK hip hop scene that has resonated over recent years. Brash and callous with his opinions he probably doesn’t give two squirts of p*** about what you, me or anyone else thinks. A true ‘Northern Soul’, Stig has been on his grind for years first gaining exposure on the UK rap battle scene, now three years after his critically acclaimed Homeless Microphonist EP he’s back with a new album Mood Swings which is out on 11 October. The lager loving MC talks to Jerry Gadiano about his ‘distain’ for Jeremy Kyle and (th)UGG(ly) boots, working with underground hip hop legend RA The Rugged Man and making ‘F*** You Music’.

First things first, how ya been dude?

I been good, I’m slightly hung-over unfortunately but other than that I been fine. Things are starting to pick up and get a bit busy so I can’t complain right now.

You still drinking hardcore or have you clamed down a bit?

I definitely calmed down a bit. When I was a youngin’ I was on another level and I don’t think I can really carry that on anymore. But I’m from Newcastle so it’s pretty much instilled in my DNA that I like a good bevy so I don’t think I could ever be sober.

You still got that angry flow or are you on some progressive tip?

I think I’ve maintained that hardcore angry flow but I also have progressed a bit in a sense that there are more concepts on the new album. I’m quite an angry person, not on an individual basis but generally I have quite a bit of distain for the world around me. Also I like angry music it helps me escape from certain problems, I think for the most part I’ll always have a bit of an anger but it’s not a constant barrage of aggression, it’s channelled aggression there’s reasons for it.

Your new album Mood Swings is ‘BIG’ how long has it been in the making?

It’s been in the making for far too long if I’m honest with you. Life has an uncanny way of getting into things. Pretty much since the Homeless Microphonist EP, which I did three years ago, the more and more I think about locking myself in the studio I’d be a lot more productive. But you know, you get distracted by life and just all that nonsense really and truly. So it’s been a long time in the making but not through a conscious decision and I’m always trying to write and make music.

On I Got Game you say “I make ‘F*** You Music’” is that what the whole Stig demeanor is all about?

‘F*** You Music’ is more about individualism which I’m very much about. It’s about what who you genuinely are and not what you think you should be. When you’re young and trying to be a rapper you think about what you’re supposed to do but really and truly a lot of my favourite rappers are characters who are themselves like Slick Rick, Redman, Sean Price, even down to someone like Dr. Syntax who I tour with. He’s well spoken and educated and that’s who he comes across as on his tracks and I really really love that. That’s what ‘F*** You Music’ is, if you don’t like it cool, I got no problem with people not liking my music but if your gonna come to me and question the reasons why I’m doing it then f*** you man. I haven’t got time for you, I’m doing me and I hopefully people like it but if you don’t f*** you.

On the subject of games, what game are you banging out at the moment?

I think the next album won’t out for the next decade cause I’d be sat just playing Street Fighter. I’ll tell you what game I am unbeatable at as well, Fight Night. My fat arse can’t move around the ring for s*** and I got low stamina but put you me in front of some buttons I’ll box ya and ruin ya on that game.

You hooked up with underground legend R.A The Rugged Man on Braindead, how did that come about?

Beer & Rap started out as a night in Brighton by a close friend-of-a-friend and he brought him down here and I hosted it. As a host I took him around and he’s a good dude. We got him out again, did a couple tracks with him and I built a rapport with him and I’ve toured with him across the UK and Germany. I’m not one for business deals like if I like this rapper I’ll pay him x amount of pounds for a verse – not saying I wouldn’t do it but it’s something I try to avoid. So with Rugged Man we’d built up a rapport and we were in the studio writing together. ‘Organic’ isn’t a word I would normally use – I liked processed crap food – but that was the only way to describe the studio session.

Do you miss the old days when you used to wreck other rappers on the mic?

I turn up to watch some of ‘em, it’s always funny to laugh at a d*** or a mum joke [laughs], but it’s not something that I’d have interest in getting involved with as a participant anymore. Everyone now and then I get a little bit of hunger in me like if I hear a good line or if I see somebody just tearing someone apart, I miss that feeling. But at the same I don’t think that’s progressive for me. I’d rather people know when my next single’s dropping than when my next battle was. It was fun while I did it and my glad I done it and from it I got a lot of exposure but I don’t how much it can propel me forward.

Look for Mood Swings which drops 11 October.

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Tags: Hip Hop, Interviews, Stig Of The Dump