• Sometime after 10:00pm GMT, a white van reportedly ran into a number of pedestrians, causing at least one casualty;
• There were then reports of a stabbing at Borough Market…armed police have arrived and shots were fired;
• There was another stabbing that took place in Vauxhall (UPDATE: Authorities have confirmed that as a separate incident

)

Suspects are currently on the loose; Prime Minister Theresa May has called the “terrible incident” a “potential act of terrorism”.

You can stay up-to-date on what’s happening via Met Police.

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Hailing all the way from London, Hudson East drops his much anticipated EP EastWay. This pristine and majestic EP, features production from: Syk Sense, NOVA, Bijan, Twenty9, and many more. EastWay is definitely something special that you’ll want to keep on replay, and experience. That’s the thing about this EP; it’s not just a project, it’s an experience. I know most people sleep on new artists, but Hudson East is definitely someone that you do not want to sleep on. EastWay is that cup of coffee that you need in the morning to get your day started. I’ll let the music speak for itself, press play and enjoy.

The post Hudson East finally drops his much anticipated project, “EastWay” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Dionne Bromfield has been making rounds over the years as a singer, collaborating with acts such as:  Diggy Simmons, Mz Bratt, Lil Twist, and Tinchy Stryder, to name a few.

She has a soulful, vintage vibe to her and her sound has definitely matured over the years.  She started making noise around the young age of 13.  Now, at 19, Bromfield has had plenty of time to blossom as an artist.  Put this in perspective: she’s been trained by a legend of our era.  Bromfield is Amy Winehouse‘s goddaughter and protégé. You can hear Amy’s influence in her tone, but she definitely has her own unique sound.

The ballad, Black Butterfly, is a soulful tune that has you following her every note.  When people think of Amy, this song makes a beautiful tribute by the right person, her godbaby.  It was also co-written with hit-makers, Sia (Chandelier, Titanium, Rihanna – Diamond,  etc.) and Chris Braide (Christina Aguilera, Lana Del Rey, etc.).

“There was a black butterfly that flew in at Amy’s funeral and it landed on Kelly Osbourne’s shoulder. It stayed there for the whole service, then flew out as soon as the service had finished. It’s probably the best song I’ve ever written, and I was crying when I recorded it.”  (Source: Amy Winehouse Forever)

I don’t know how true this statement is, but if it’s true, then that’s beautiful.

This tribute allows the soul of Amy Winehouse to rest in peace…

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Richard Young / Rex Features ( 1022731bt )
Amy Winehouse with goddaughter Dionne Bromfield
Q Awards, Grosvenor House Hotel, London, Britain – 26 Oct 2009

(Above:  Bromfield covering The Shirelles’ with godmother, Winehouse on the background vocals.)

(Above:  Throwwwback!! From 2009!!)

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Catching up with UK artist Cadenza, the young producer known for turning classic samples on their heads gave us a deeper look into his versatile world and how he has his hands in a bit of everything. As a producer, DJ, manager and just overall orchestrator of connecting the right people musically, Cadenza is a man of many hats. From working with Busy Signal to Diplo to Ryan Leslie, this music man does not let genres define him nor bound his success.

Let’s talk a little about your musical background.

The first record I did probably would have been around 2011, which was called, “The Darkest Hype.” It was like a dancehall record, like an instrumental, which sampled the Lafayette Afro-Rock Band, which is that famous sample they use in the Wreckx-N-Effect “Rump Shaker” and all that stuff. Jay-Z’s used it. As I put that out, I started doing A&R scouting for that label that put it out called Dummy Magazine; they had a record label called Dummy Records. I worked for them for a while. I was at Universal, as well at the same time [for a publishing deal]. I was busy with my degree work and I liked making records on the side. I would go away for the summer and go to America and work with guys like Diplo over at Mad Decent and so I ended up putting out a record with him on his label. I did some stuff with Fool’s Gold [Records] and MixPak. All through that time, I was still studying; just putting out random singles, or whatever. When I finished University, I was in London and just started working. This year I’ve worked with TALA on her EP and the Kiko Bun stuff, which came through my label. That was the “How Many Times” record, which we did last year. Moving forward with Kiko, I’ve just been involved in his whole album, which he’s signed to Island [Records] now. We went to NY in January to record that and do the first single, “Where I’m From” out there with a band called The Frightnrs and another producer called Ticklah who produces that band, who are like a 5-piece reggae band from Brooklyn. I’ve just been working with loads of people who come through my studio like Stylo G, Busy Signal, other UK club producers…my life’s kind of all over the place so I’m probably not making much sense (laughs).

You’re the music man that brings the artists together; you produce the track and link people up. You’re the orchestrator. Do you take any pride in that or do you feel that just comes along with what you’re trying to accomplish?

Yeah, I find the right people, the right producers, the right singers, the right rappers; yeah, I kind of bring the right mix together. Obviously, production was something I started when I was a little bit younger, but it was never the main thing that interested me. I was never strictly just interested in just being a producer. I was as equally interested in A&R, scouting, that kind of stuff, as well as management. I manage this other guy called BMB Space Kid; he’s a guy we have on our label. He’s from Russia. I kind of always wanted to have my fingers in every side of it as I quite enjoy it and that means I never really get bored. Some days I’m in the studio producing or I’m DJing or going to a gig or I’m sorting out some stuff for BMB or whatever. So, everyday is always different. I’m never bored.

How do you juggle all of that?

I find it all kind of falls into one, if I’m honest. Because I’m looking for new stuff by default, either for myself because I want to work with someone new so, I’m always looking for new stuff. That either mean I’ll have the opportunity to sign them to the label or just to work with them on something for me or for something for them. It all kinda just feeds into each other naturally. I’m just constantly looking so there will always be a right reason for me to be in contact with that person. It could be one of three things: to do something for them, something for me, or maybe if I really like it, help them put their record out.

You did production work on Ryan Leslie’s Black Mozart. How did you two link up?

In 2011, I was in NY and my friend was interning for him. I went to go meet my friend by Ryan’s apartment one night and Ryan came into the deli near where he lives and I said, “Hey, I want to send you some tracks.” He was like, “Cool.” I sent them to him and I got a message from him like, “Hey, come to Vienna and work on the album.” I looked up to him for ages. I use to watch all his YouTube videos of him making beats and stuff so, it was pretty cool to link with him and get to work.

What’s the reggae and dancehall scene like in the UK? 

There’s a big reggae and dancehall scene here; always has been. It’ll get played in the club. It’s always there, but these past few years, Stylo G’s probably been the main guy who’s championed UK dancehall. We haven’t really had a UK artist for that in a while. He walks the line perfectly: he can do big radio records and he can do real street, gully Jamaican records, as well. So, I think he’s a good artist. He’s flying the flag definitely…There’s not too many UK artists. Kiko is probably the next one that comes to mind, but there aren’t really a whole heap of UK-based dancehall or reggae artists that are successful or that are well-known, I would say. Unless they’re coming from Jamaica or America…Around where I live, there’s a big West Indian community, just always has been since the 50s when they all came over after the war. It’s strong…I’m half-Jamaican myself.

Your single, “Foundation” is being released in August in time for Carnival. 

Yeah, it’s going to come out internationally. It may even release a little bit earlier so, possibly even the end of July. It’ll be around that time. There was no intention behind it. It was a record I’ve been sitting on for a couple of years actually. I made the actual beat when I was 18. That’s like six or seven years now. I made it when I was in Jamaica and I just never did anything with it. When I finally set up my own studio in London, Stylo came around and voiced it. Straight away he was like, “Yeah, I like this. This will work.” It took ages of back-and-forth and eventually we got Busy on there and it all kind of came together. I feel like sending it out to people especially people in New York like Bobby Konders and Hot 97 is championing it. Even in Europe…because everyone knows that song. It’s the “Real Rock” riddim. Even if you don’t listen to reggae, you’ve probably heard that. It’s probably in the back of your mind somewhere, like in your subconscious. I think people will, hopefully, naturally take to it.

Will you be performing or attending at the Notting Hill Carnival in London this year?

Yeah, I probably will. Probably have a party for the label, which we’re trying to plan now. There’s always tons of stages all around the carnival route. I’ll be showing up, doing stuff with Kiko and Stylo and making sure the record is getting played out loud.

The “Foundation Mix” is a mash-up of hip hop, throwback classics, soulful house, and more. With so many different sounds, what’s the common theme for YOU?

I don’t know. Growing up my brother was always into dubstep and drum bass so, he would show me that side of music. He used to take me out to clubs with him…So, that was always like a big influence for me and I always liked the intensity of that music. Then, for me also, production wise I find myself when I was learning how to produce and making tracks, I use to enjoy making club music, but I maybe wasn’t that good at executing it well like how I heard people doing it. I always found I was better at more soulful, hip hop, and R&B edge kind of thing where I could find old samples. I had more of a talent for that type of tempo and that groove than I did for straight up club music. I like to kind of showcase that because I like to play the stuff I make then, I also want to play the more club stuff that I grew up on and still listen to now.

Do you have an album coming out soon? 

It’s not confirmed as of yet. I haven’t really started it as such. I have tracks that I’ve written. Yeah, there will be a longer length project coming out at the end or start of next year.

Have you put out an album before?

No.

Being that this would be your first LP, what exactly would you want it to say about you?

Definitely want it to have a classic, timeless feel to it. I don’t want it to be a snapshot of what’s happening right now because I feel like that can be quite disposable. You can be like, “Oh, this is cool now,” and then, you forget about it next month. I definitely want to draw for some more classic features that people wouldn’t expect. People from eras gone by and just bring them back in and also, people that I’ve grown to work with now that I have a good relationship with. Like Kiko, I would definitely have him on the album. I think that it would just be a case of me taking ideas that I have now, which I probably just made on my computer, but breaking them back down into the raw elements of a song. So, literally working them back to just a piano, writing a song around it, and just building it back up. That’s how I see myself doing it. Breaking ideas down and then, just building them back up again.

Do you feel like it’ll be as mashed up as the “Foundation Mix” or do you feel like you’re going to focus more on the whole reggae, dancehall type of feel?

No, it’ll be all over the place (laughs). I think it’ll make sense.

Yeah, because you’ll basically have no genre.

Exactly. That’s kind of what I want. I don’t really want to be like, “Oh, he makes reggae or he makes this.” I think that if you’re a producer you should be able to, in theory, make pretty much anything. You just have to know the right musicians to get the right people and bring it all together and you can do whatever you want. If you can envision a sound, you should be able to create it…I want to get people on a record that you really just wouldn’t expect. I want to get the most out-there collaborations and have people like, “How did he even get these people on this kind of record?” That’s how I want it to feel like.

What has been the most monumental moment in your career so far and what’s the biggest goal you have that you have yet to achieve?

Working with Ryan was definitely a big moment. Then, I think touring with Major Lazer was pretty special, as well just because it was completely out the blue. There was no preconceived plan, it was like, “Ok, come and do this,” and I went and did it. I never really played that much before. I DJ’ed, yeah. I used to DJ when I was at university, clubs and stuff like that, but only to 300 or 400 people. Then, suddenly I was at Roskilde [Festival] in Denmark and we were closing out the Arctic Monkeys and there were 80,000 people! It was surreal. It was an experience I’ve never had and don’t even know if I ever will again, just as me. So, that was really cool.

To learn more about Cadenza, check out his Instagram and Twitter, and Soundcloud.

Pre-order Cadenza’s new single “Foundation” featuring Stylo G and Busy Signal here.

The post RESPECT. Talks With UK Music Man Cadenza appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Recently, we shared Mark Asari‘s new single “Up And Away.” Now the UK based singer gives us new visuals for the positive record.

“Up and Away” has a feel-good factor and leaves you feeling uplifted. Asari’s own flare and individuality are niclely coupled with his melodic tones and recognizable vocals. The young singer’s songs will definitely have you claiming him as one of your new favorite artists, which will subsequently have you adding him to your summer playlist immediately.

Pierre Jermaine Joseph’s direction translates Mark’s lyrics into poignant images on-screen, encouraging those feeling discouragement to hold on, because the only way is up!

Check it out below:

The post Mark Asari Reveals Visuals For “Up And Away” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

UK based singer/songwriter Mark Asari is due to take over your airways with his debut single “Up and Away.” The record is off of his upcoming EP -which is set to be a blissful soundtrack for the summer.

“Up and Away” has a feel-good factor and leaves you feeling uplifted. Asari brings his own flare and individuality coupled with his melodic tones and recognizable vocals. The young singer’s songs will assure him as one of your new favorite artists and will have you adding him to your summer playlist immediately.

Mark will leave you wanting more after streaming his new single below:

The post New Music: Mark Asari – “Up and Away” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

RESPECT: First of all Happy Birthday!
Conducta: Thanks! turning 21 has been eventful so far.

Let’s get straight into it. Where are you from?
I’m from Bristol in England and I’ve been residing in London the last couple of years. But for those who are thinking where are you really from I have Nigerian heritage and two real passports.

How long you have been making music for?
I’ve been making music for just under 4 years at age of 16. I started off in a group with two of my cousins as an MC and producer then I chose to pursue music a bit further.

Who are some of your music influences?
whatever I listen to I usually gain influence from and that list is ever growing. Mainly for inspiration at the moment I’m listening to lots of old school tapepacks from Sidewinder, Cookies & Cream and Sun City events. Having access to them is revisiting my childhood to when my God brother first introduced me to Grime and UK garage. It also helps mould my production as I can gauge what kind of tracks are guaranteed to do damage at a show. As for Artists, producers like Mike Millrain & Groove Chronicles shape elements of my sound.

How would you describe your style?
Whether it comes to me making speed garage or more 2step material, i always look to impart dark basslines with harmonic vocals.

How is the garage/grime scene in your area?
I think in London and UK as a whole it’s thriving due to weekly events and the tons of good music being released and pushed. With Grime it’s great to see the importance of a music producer heighten with many taking their own independent route rather than relying solely on MC’s. Within garage, again I believe the scene is thriving however I see a danger of saturation within the genre as it continues to evolve on a mainstream level and the ease at which anyone can pirate software, a sample pack and immediately become a “house/garage/ukbass/future dj producer”. I attended a masterclass talk from MJ Cole late last year and he spoke of how in the early 2000s garage became a “dirty word”. I’m hoping that producers can retain and develop their craft and that history doesn’t repeat itself rather than tracks bring made just to suit a labels blueprint.

If I was to turn on your iPod right now what would I find?
Oliver du Coque- Identity and the U2 I’ve yet to delete.

My personal favourite tracks of yours has to be “All Night” and “Belong”. I feel like your production on those tracks was superb. What was the process that went behind those songs?
Funnily enough those two tracks were the quickest ones to date that I’ve ever wrote. With those two tracks in particular I believe in was a turning point in my production as I finally felt I could replicate the 2step ideas in my head onto my workstation. Once I had introductory melodies sorted, it was then time for me to experiment with bass riffs then once that was done, I knew what I wanted to do in regards to drums and percussion and with the help of couple of sleepless nights the tracks were completed.





It’s 2015. What are your plans for this year?
I’ve just released my EP “Spend The Night” on Project Allout Records. I have a VIP release of my last project “Let Go” forthcoming very shortly on Digital Pirate Material & I’m just polishing off my next 3 releases for the year. I suffered a few setbacks towards end of 2014 but best way to bounce back is to let the music speak for itself and keeping putting quality music out.

What do you do in your spare time?
If I’m not digging for music or getting frustrated at Arsenal, I’m either studying or sampling chicken shops across North london.

How soon can we expect new music from you?
End of February/beginning of March

Do you have any other side projects going on?
Aside from my next solo releases including a vocalist, I have Joint releases lined up with fellow producers Moony & Deadbeat which i’m looking forward to releasing.

Stream Conducta’s latest joint “Let Go VIP” below which dropped on BBC Radio 1xtra and for all of his music check out his soundcloud.

The post Exclusive: Conducta Talks Production and Grime Going Mainstream appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.