Already heralded as one of our most iconic covers, RWD TV go behind the scenes of Labrinth’s shoot to talk about the design, the concept, his plans for 2012, an epic Earthquake remix, the Kardashians and more…

Already heralded as one of our most iconic covers, RWD TV go behind the scenes of Labrinth’s shoot to talk about the design, the concept, his plans for 2012, an epic Earthquake remix, the Kardashians and more…

Read the full interview with Labrinth in the February issue below…

Eric Turner heads back to the stars after his number one collaboration with Tinie Tempah. This time the pair are bringing Lupe Fiasco with them.

Eric Turner heads back to the stars after his number one collaboration with Tinie Tempah. This time the pair are bringing Lupe Fiasco with them.

London-based DJ and producer Redlight aka Hugh Pescod is back with a new sound and a fresh new single. RWD caught up with the mega-busy music man somewhere between his morning meetings, a studio session with Tanya Lacey and playing a packed out Fabric.

Redlight Music by Redlight UK

So who have you had in the studio recently?

Well I’m with the very talented Tanya Lacey today, Cleo Soul came by last week – she’s got a wicked voice. To be honest with you, at the moment I’m mostly just building instrumentals. I’ll be getting more vocalists in further down the line.

Was it your decision to only work with female artists?

It’s hard to find the right male artist to work with vocally. Do you know what I mean? It’s hard to think of good male UK singers… apart from Maverick and Sampha, there aren’t that many.

How do your singles Vampire and Get Out My Head compare to one another?

Vampire is a lot slower, similar vibes, nice vocals.

So tell us about your new single, Get Out My Head…

Well ages ago I made a bootleg – it was just like a loop break, and I really liked it. I got rid of the bootleg track, got some vocals on the loop, and Nicole came down and did the vocals. Then a few months later I decided to remix it and that’s how Get Out My Head came about really…  most of my tunes happen like that. It’s not like I go to the studio, sit down and say ‘I’m gonna make this sort of tune and it’s gonna be made like this, in a certain time frame’. It just doesn’t work like that. You take things out, you put other things in, and the next thing you know, you’ve made a completely different tune to the one you wanted to make. You just gotta let the creative process happen!

And you got Joker on remix?

Yeah, Joker’s just done a remix of it. I’ve got this guy from Baltimore doing a Baltimore club mix as well, so yeah! All good!

What were your highlights of 2011?

The festivals were amazing last summer – Hideout in Croatia, Glastonbury, Global Gathering, we did like eighteen of them. It was a busy summer! Doing the Tinie Tempah tour was also a big highlight. When you’re doing stuff like that, you’re stepping out of your comfort zone, which is an important thing to do as an artist. If you stay in your comfort zone, you’ll never progress. Roses Gabor came on the road with us, so did Nicole, so we went round as a band and even played an O2 Arena show, which was mad!

What was the reception like?

You know, the audience were a lot younger than we’re used to. Tour support is always hard because ultimately, you’re not the artist people have bought the tickets to see. But it was really good, they were loving it! It’s good practise too. Big up to Tinie Tempah for letting us do it.

It sounds like you’re a busy man. How’re you finding time to get to the studio?

Well at the moment, if I’m not asleep or on the road, I’m in the studio. This room I’m in right now, I see this more than my house. This is my home really.

What gets you through those long days?

God, I dunno… well if you’re really inspired, something will always happen. An artist will come in and you’ll just be into it.

So, your single Get Out My Head is out on 23^rd January through MTA records…

That’s right! They know what they’re doing, and they’re passionate about it too. Good working with them man.

Have you got any other remixes lined up?

I’ve got to do one for Joker, we’re doing swaps. He hasn’t sent me the parts yet but I hope it’s one with Buggsy on. I love Buggsy. I’m from Bristol so I’ve known these guys for a long time. Apart from that, I’m just working on my own music and doing production for other artists.

So after Get Out My Head and Vampires, what are your plans?

You’ve got to just watch this space I suppose!

And who are you tipping artist and producer wise?

Artist wise, I reckon Maverick Sabre’s gonna keep on climbing. He’s a great guy and I really believe in the music he’s making and how he’s doing it. He’s got a lot of integrity. I’m really into a lot of US hip hop at the moment to be honest. Juicy J’s new mix, Portishead, stuff like that, just mix it all up! The house scene is really coming back too isn’t it? Like Julio Bashmore, Future Boogie Records from Bristol. Loads of them.

Any last words?

Download the mix! Support the single! I’ve got fifteen gigs this month, so catch me on the road (check my facebook for details!)

GOMH is out 23 January

twitter.com/ukredlight
soundcloud.com/redlight-uk

Perhaps in parallel with the title, this project is a celebration of cross-country collaborations as Tinie Tempah uses his growing stature to link up with international superstars like Soulja Boy and J.Cole. The calibre of the talent on this tape is unprecedented and every single artist comes through with total commitment, making this one of the sickest mixtapes in a while. It is true that there are only eight songs on this EP putting quantity into question but Tinie more than makes up for this in quality; what he does which so many other artists fail to do is ensure every track is un-skippable. We told you it would be big just before xmas and the music on Happy Birthday EP gives the listener no reason to move onto the next item.

Tinie manages to maintain the love in the UK too with exciting homegrown material from a plethora of talent; Giggs, Krept & Konan, G FrSH, Tinchy Stryder, Wretch 32 and Chipmunk.

Artist: Tinie Tempah

Album/ Mixtape: Happy Birthday EP

Label: Free Download

Release Date: 16 December 2011

Total Time: 00:34:48

Tracks: 9

Previous Album: Disc-Overy (1 October 2010)

On Mayday, Tinie recruits Chipmunk and Soulja Boy. The hook is catchy but this is what we have to come expect from the Plumstead man, furthermore, he illustrates double the confidence and arrogance in his flow compared to the previous mixtape Foreign Object. This is demonstrated perfectly in his solo effort You Know What where he proclaims with bursting pride:

‘Told you I’ma blow up,
N***as get your dough up,
You paid to get in,
I get paid to show up’

Tinie goes from strength to strength in this record showing the world he can keep up with the current rap phenoms such as J Cole, Big Sean and Wiz Khalifa. Whereas Foreign Object was perhaps a warning to the wider world what he was capable of, Happy Birthday EP is perhaps the proof in the pudding and indicates to those particularly in the US that UK artists deserve a level pegging. By enlisting the help of numerous other UK stars, Tinie shows that if he’s being allowed to play ball with the top artists in America, he wants to bring his friends along too. With vibrations of hunger in their voices the UK acts too use this is an opportunity to showcase talent on a scale which rarely comes available.

In 100K, G FrSH, Tinchy, Krept and Konan blaze their verses with lyrical heat and flawless flows; similarly, Giggs destroys his allocation in Leak-a-Mixtape. However, the biggest statement on this entire mixtape is Like it or Love it which was released weeks prior to the EP. Tinie Tempah and Wretch 32 are prioritised ahead of J Cole, arguably the biggest rising rapper on the planet. All three artists do the SX produced track justice, with many bloggers and listeners believing that the UK boy’s rendered J Cole’s verse insignificant on this occasion.

It’s difficult to fathom when Tinie Tempah’s buzz and continuing success may begin to falter. What we do know is that this EP is a special one and it’ll be a long time before the candles on this cake are blown out.

Track listing

1. Happy Birthday

2. Mayday (Ft. Chipmunk & Soulja Boy)

3. Leak-a-Mixtape (Ft. Giggs)

4. Like It or Love It (Ft. Wretch32 & J. Cole)

5. Till I’m Gone (Remix) (Ft. Wiz Khalifa, Pusha T & Jim Jones)

6. 100K (Ft. G-Frsh, Tinchy Stryder, Krept & Konan)

7. Lucky C**t (Ft. Big Sean)

8. F**k It I’m Gone (Ft. J. Warner)

9. You Know What

Rating: 4/5

Track to Check: Mayday Ft. Chipmunk & Soulja Boy

Track to Avoid: N/A

Reason for Buying: Great  for any music collection

Reason for Downloading: It’s free and Tinie on it, simples

Reason for Binning: N/A

You can download the EP at djbooth.net/index/mixtapes/entry/tinie-tempah-happy-birthday/

Words by Riky Bains (@rikybains1)

Chiddy Bang pay homage to the legendary Ray Charles and the similarly legendary Tinie Tempah with their new single.

Chiddy Bang pay homage to the legendary Ray Charles and the similarly legendary Tinie Tempah with their new single.

Tinie Tempah flexes his Rolodex for his free download EP Happy Birthday, featuring Lupe Fiasco, Chipmunk, Wretch 32, Wiz Khalifa, Jim Jones, Tinchy Stryder, G FrSh, Giggs, Big Sean, J.Cole, Pusha T and more.

Download Tinie Tempah’s Happy Birthday EP for free right here.

They might have millions in the bank, a dedicated wardrobe team on hand to keep them looking their ultimate best, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get the look too: check out some of our favourite stylish celebs and grab the look, without maxing out the credit card and giving your bank manager a heart attack. Get the look!

TINIE TEMPAH

The Brit Award winner has not only topped the music charts, but made an impact on the style front as well. Tinie’s successfully mixes fashion trends with his own personal tastes to create a style that has got every one paying attention. Check out how he works the casual look with a body warmer and a shirt combo, simple, but oh so effective.

THE BODY WARMER

Also known as a vest, or a gilet, has been making style waves over the past year, Try something different and inject some subtle colour to your wardrobe and try a body warmer in a colour other than black, shades of browns, navy, burgundy, have been popular this season and can prove versatile with the rest of your wardrobe.

1. Penfield Stapleton Down insulated Gilet £175 asos.com

2. Bape x Harris Tweed Rocky Mountain Vest £750 bape.com

3. Topman Navy Aztec quilted Yoke Quilted Gilet £55 topman.com

4. River Island Red Navajo Hooded Gilet £60 riverisland.com

SHIRTS

Checked, plaid, colour block, denim..whatever tickles your fancy, but a good shirt is a great way to wake up an outfit, and with so many to choose from you’ll be spoiled for choice. The trick is to keep the colours to a minimum: 2 or 3 at the most in a checked/ plaid number, and last thing you want is to look like you nicked Nan’s table cloth to sew up a shirt. But fear not, help is at hand, we’ve picked out some nice number to keep your shirt game at its best.

5. Carhartt Long- Sleeve Croker Shirt £70 carhartt-wip.co.uk

6. Boxfresh Cambria Cadovan £60 boxfresh.co.uk

7. YMC Needlecord Buttondown shirt £125 youmustcreate.com

8. Luke 1977 Mens Crib White Stripe Blue Shirt £65 luke.1977.com

Words by Irene Asanji

Tinie Tempah pulled together his Disturbing London roster including G FrSH, Sasha and Dot Jr to run around London town shooting for his Disturbing London clothing brand.

Tinie Tempah pulled together his Disturbing London roster including G FrSH, Sasha and Dot Jr to run around London town shooting for his Disturbing London clothing brand.

We told you about Disturbing London and MHI’s SS12 collaboration earlier this week [read here] and the range including aviator jackets, crew neck sweats, shirts, vests and lux sportswear pieces will be available exclusively from disturbinglondonstore.com

You’ve disregarded years of knitted jumpers but you might want to consider digging into your closet and finding the remnants of Christmas past this season.

Festive-inspired knits have been seen everywhere the past season, everything from Fair-Isle patterns, snowflakes and just colourful knits have done well. Tinie Tempah & Labrinth have been seen in their fair share of funky knitwear too. But if it’s too late, and you’ve already taken that jumper Nan made for you last year to the local charity shop, then fear not, a few brands are here to help you in your knitwear crisis.

- River Island Fair Isle Shawl Cardigan £45 riverisland.com
- Luke Totness £115 luke1977.com
- Topman Off White Multicoloured patterned crew neck jumper £45 topman.com

The Disturbing London x MHI collective is bringing more mayhem to your wardrobe, with their capsule collection. Introducing The Disturbing London x MHI Chain Shirt.

Disturbing London and MHI recently launched their much-anticipated first capsule collection for the Spring ‘12 season. Tinie Tempah, who is front man of the amazing colab, has put his unique twist on some his favourite wardrobe staples. Exclusively available at the Disturbing London website, the range features a wide selection of hot essentials, including everything from aviator jackets, crew neck sweats, and this shirt, one of Tinie’s favourite pieces from the range, the Disturbing London Chain Shirt. The brushed cotton shirt is available in black, red and olive and features a distinctive chain stitch ‘Disturbing’ loo above the left chest pocket. Write to Santa, tell the missus, you want this for Xmas, it’s just a click away.

Disturbing London Chain Shirt, £60 available at

disturbinglondonstore.com

Words by Irene Asanji