If you are looking for a fierce and empowering hip-hop record, look no further! TeejArtist is here to cater to exactly that. Based in Leeds, the talented rapper crafts a dynamic and groovy anthem with a strong introspective flair, ‘Privilege’. Teaming up with fellow creative Mista Whippy and producer RodgerPlayz, Teejartist builds a hard-hitting jewel that will certainly resonate with a large audience out there.
Intrigued by the project, we caught up with Teejartist to find out more about the record and his future goals… interview below!
Hey Teejartist, how is it going? some of our readers might not be familiar with your project, how would you describe yourself, in a few words?
Hi, firstly thank you for taking the time out to do this interview for me, it is highly appreciated! I am a British rapper/singer based in West Yorkshire but working alongside some of the best in Coventry. I have written and performed songs since around the age of 15, my roots are primarily in grime music but as I’ve grown I have found myself trying to incorporate that into a somewhat more commercial setting in a bid to try and create a more unique vibe as well as looking to collab with individuals from all different backgrounds and genres to find what works and what doesn’t.
You are part of a strong collective, with fellow creatives Mista Whippy and RodgerPlayz featuring on your latest single ‘Privilege’. How did the collaboration come along?
To be honest I had put the music game behind me and had no intentions of getting back into the scene. When my family started growing, Rodgerplayz, who is an amazing producer I worked with in the past and managed to get a song called “Smoke in the Breeze” on BBC radio, made contact with me and told me the idea of The UK sound collective. After checking the talent of the members of the group, it was easy to see it would be stupid not to get involved. Since then we seem to be doing better and better each month and everything is going in the right direction!
You are lucky enough to call Leeds your home, a town with an incredible cultural scene. How would you define the rap scene in it?
I think the best part of the scene in Leeds is its diversity, it’s not just stuck in one genre, every artist I hear or that I’m in contact with seems to have their own unique take on current genres, which gives a lot of options when it comes to collaborations, and is a massive help toward creating a genuinely original sound.
‘Privilege’ is playful, electrifying and fierce. What does the track mean to you? what was the inspiration behind it?
I think the main inspiration was just things that I have seen in my past and I think the divide in social classes and what that means for relationships is something that would resonate with the people who would be listening to my music, it also helped massively that Mista whippy has had very similar experiences to my self, so the collaboration really helped the track pop.
Do you feel more confident writing music alone, or within a team?
I think the way we do it in our team is perfect for me, it usually starts with the root, which of course is the beat normally created by Rodgerplayz. One of us will then generally put an idea into the group chat on that beat and another person who likes the idea and can work with the concept will then work on their verse ect until a full song is created. All in all, it seems to be a perfect system for us so far.
There’s sort of an old-school hip-hop flair in the single – are we correct? Counteracting, is there any modern-day rap icon you are using as an inspiration?
This is a hard one, as there is no single artist or icon I tend to get my inspiration from, but more local artists or the beat itself. I think the beat defines the style in which I would write, so adapting the style to whether it’s old school hip hop or modern-day house music but still trying to maintain my own spin on it. If there was one icon from when I was younger, as cliche as it sounds, it would have to be Eminem!
Artistically speaking, what challenges have the last two years presented you with?
I think the lack of instant reward for the hard work you put in can sometimes be deflating as an artist, especially with the amount of overnight explosions you see on social media now. If I could say one thing to other artists, it would be take it one small step at a time, slowly but surely things will get better and the more recognition you start to receive no matter how little will reignite that fire inside you in no time.
What are the next steps for your project? Anything exciting on the horizon?
I am currently working on an EP with RodgerPlayz, which we are hoping to get out in the next couple of months. I also have a new release pending on Spotify, called “Tabago” as well as collabs with artists in the team such as Karma and Potter. We’re also looking into potential live events soon thanks to the PR twins in the group Marcus and Anthony Bowen. All updates will be on my socials so it would be highly appreciated if any readers want to go drop a quick follow!
