By: Alex Hot Money

Milwall conjures up many images but it would be fair to say that ‘creative hub’ is far from most people’s first choice of description. 

It’s no secret that Milwall and the wider South Bermondsey area has been better known for the exploits of their football fans over the years than creative endeavours – but something unique has been bubbling away in South Bermondsey for the past decade that has had a profound effect on UK culture and shaped some of the UK urban music scene’s biggest acts.

Big sounds from Bermondsey!

On a home match day, there’s a deafening barrage of singing that blasts out from The Den, signaling that Milwall and their vocal legion of fans are in residence but just a quick 5-minute walk away there is an altogether higher musical endeavor underway. 

This is Hot Money Studios – launched in 2008 by musician and UK Garage sensation Patrick Osei aka Bigshot!

A classically trained pianist and composer, Patrick stormed the music scene in 2002 with breakthrough UK Garage hits such as Stomp, Glitch and Deep Down. His innovative musical talent saw him contribute to The Streets critically acclaimed album Original Pirate Material with the remix to the track Don’t Mug Yourself Off. 

It wasn’t long before the music industry sat up and took notice.

Patrick was nominated for ‘Best 4×4 Producer’ at the Sidewinder’s People Choice Awards receiving praise from DJ’s and journalists alike with DJ Magazines Phillipa Reed describing his club smash ‘Stomp’ as an “anthem” which “rippled earthquake- like through the underground” and Deuce Magazines Elle J Small describing him as “Wicked at 4×4 and capable of making the real nasty 8-bar grime with more imagination and intellect than many producers put together”

Launching Hot Money Studios

Patrick recognized that for many emerging underground artists there was a lack of quality studio space and limited opportunities for them to build experience and develop in a professional environment. Seeing the opportunity, Patrick launched Hot Money Studios and in 2009 they moved into the Atomic Studios music complex in South Bermondsey – owned by the acclaimed bass guitar player Robin Rawlinson (Rawlinson has worked with Ian Hunter, Christine Perfect of Fleetwood Mac, Freddie Mercury, Alison Moyet and Rick Astley to name just a few)

Hot Money Studios tapped into the early days of social media, capitalizing on MySpace to build up an incredible clientele during the early boom of the UK urban scene. 

For his part, Patrick embraced the new acts coming through the doors, working as engineer, producer and in many cases mentor. Patrick’s energy and dedication to educating acts on every aspect of studio recording and giving them the environment in which to learn has left a lifelong impression on so many Hot Money Studio clients and seen them go on to achieve incredible mainstream success. 

Stormzy, Stefflon Don, Krept and Konan, Ard Adz, Paigey Cakey are just a few of the artists who emerged from this hotbed of creativity in South Bermondsey.

A decade of international success

When you browse through the back catalogue of past clients, it seems incredible that they all passed through the doors of this unassuming studio hidden away in South East London.

A quick snapshot of the past decades highlights at Hot Money Studios saw SBTV founder Jamal Edwards MBE shoot some of his first 100k viral videos at Hot Money. 

The Brazilian rapper Aggro Santos who signed with Future Records had his single produced and recorded at Hot Money. The YouTube sensation Esmee Denters who signed with Justin Timberlake worked with Hot Money Studios on various songs for her album.

Hot Money has worked with EastEnders actress Preeya Kalidas on her EP and with TOWIE star Jessica Wright on material for the show.

Hot Money Studios has also worked with DJ Poet of the Black Eyed Pears, Rihanna songwriters Rose Benson and Alicia Renee, Jay Sean on a Universal music project and with Letha B.

With a steadfast focus on excellence, zero compromise on equipment and a wealth of experience behind him, Patrick and Hot Money Studios have brought a winning formula to South Bermondsey and an uncanny ability to uncover and develop talent. 

The post Recording Engineer to the stars ‘Hot Money’ Talks About The Founding of UK’s Number 1 Studio appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Jay Sean appeared on Scoop B Radio. Photo Credit: Fan Art

Dreams, how many of us have them?! But how many of us actually follow through with them? Pop singer, Jay Sean did!

Man, I remember being in grad school at Hofstra University when Jay Sean dropped that: ‘Baby Are You Down, Down, Down, Down, Down,’ song!

“Down,” featured Jay Sean and Lil’ Wayne and took folks to a happy place! As pop and hip as Jay Sean is, he’s also quite intelligent. A straight-A student in school, he hit the books hard. Before the fame, some would think he’d stick with books and school, but he chose what he loved.

In a recent interview on Scoop B Radio, I chatted with Jay Sean about potential resistance from his family and friends from choosing it. “You would think so, it is a very understandable question, like so many people say that,” Jay Sean told me on Scoop B Radio.

Check Out Jay Sean & Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson on Scoop B Radio

“And the thing is my parents they instilled this dreaming mentality into both me and my brother they were like listen, too many people go through life and just do the regular things that are expected of you, you know what I mean? Go to school, get the grades, go to a University, don’t really know what you want to study come out of Uni broke don’t really know how to pay off your loans, don’t really know what job you want to get and don’t really know whether it’s a girl you want to marry there’s so many things that we just do because we’re expected to do it you know what I mean?”

So what exactly did Jay Sean’s parents advise him? 

“They were just like if you love something with a passion whether it be a girl, whether it be a career, whatever it is a hobby give it your all so my parents actually encouraged us so much.” 

Solid advice! 

Suggested Articles:

The Next Big Showcase’s Cliff Po & DJ Tarzan Making Dreams Reality in NYC & NJ

Scoop B Radio: Turner Sports’ Steve Smith Talks Career & More

The post Jay Sean Says Parents Encouraged Him To Follow Dreams & ‘give it your all’ appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Justice Crew is an Australian hip-hop dance and pop music group, made up of group members: Lukas Bellesini, Paul Eric Merciadez, John Len Ruela Pearce, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Samson Cosray Smith and Solo Tohi. The six-man  group began their career as hip-hop dancers that won the popular Australian dance competition show, Australia’s Got Talent during it’s fourth season in 2010. The group later secured a recording contract with Sony Music Australia, in late 2010, and gained gold, platinum and multi-platinum success of single releases in their homeland.

Now that the group has a secondary contract in the United States with rapper Pitbull‘s Mr. 305 label imprint which is also distributed by RCA/Sony Music Group, the guys are driven to achieve worldwide success. “Boom Boom” is the group’s first United States single, and their fifth in Australia. The single has already peaked number one on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart, and is the group’s first number one single in their homeland. The single was originally submitted for Pitbull‘s upcoming album, but he decided not to use it. He heard the single gaining airplay in Australia, while there for his Planet Pit World Tour, but decided to check them out further before signing them to a record deal.

What impressed Pitbull was not only the group’s dance moves but also their singing ability and how it allowed them to gravitate towards their target audience. Plus, the group’s ability to connect with various audiences after watching visuals of touring performances. Justice Crew performed as opening acts for tours from Sony’s U.S. and U.K. recording artists including Chris Brown (F.A.M.E. Tour) and One Direction (Up All Night Tour).

Now, that Pitbull‘s record label has released the group’s first U.S. single, “Boom Boom”, domestically the group has gained popularity on radio and music networks across the United States. The song, which was written by Cash Money recording artist Jay Sean, adds a new fusion of hip-hop, house and pop music. It targets hip-hop music by adding the original hip-hop beats to attract urban youth audiences, but it will still cause you to get up and move on the dance floor.

Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCFAC-pBgOk

The post MUSIC VIDEO: JUSTICE CREW – “BOOM BOOM” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.