Wurrd Jenkins (Interview)

Out now for free download is an EP that has been a long long time in waiting from Wurrd Jenkins. All tracks were recorded in the Summer of 2009 so a little bit reminiscent to those times.

We managed to catch up with Wurrd to ask what the fuck he's been doing?

SSU - Hello Wurrd now before we kick this off how was your new year?

Wurrd - My new year was excellent, i spent it in bed with the flu after spending christmas with a sickness bug. the holidays don't like me haha, had mrs Jenkins to look after me though so wasn't all bad.

SSU - It's always the same new year Wurrd, now let's not beat about the bush what have you been upto seeing as we have had to wait 2 years for this EP?

Wurrd - haha just not been too active as an MC after recording the EP, there was a lot of set backs and then I got involved with a band again and some other things, money problems, starting a new job, a lot was going on in my personal life and rather than juggling things I had to make the decision to let the music take a back seat until i got myself sorted out. I never intended for it to vanish completely like it did, but now i'm slowly getting back into the swing of things. Best way for me was to release Summer Never Happens and then start working on something better.

SSU - Nice one man, now are you still involved as an active Shadow People member, or is that finnished with?

Wurrd -  ahhh thats a strange question that. As a founding member I would assume I would be a member. But Nity's teamed himself up with some talented people and kinda went on and done their own thing. not to say i was never asked, but like i said i'm only just getting back into things, so plan was to be taking a back seat in Shadow People for time being, I would think i'll still be appearing on the upcoming album, but thats really not my decision anymore. I met up with Nity and Kayce just before christmas for a smoke and a drink, I didn't have anything prepared for recording so kind of set the night back for me but was amazing to see Kayce rock the mic, guys definately one to watch! at end of the day if i'm asked to get on a track or 2 then i'll get on them no problem.

SSU - Excellent, time and time again mc's have taken a bitta time out and come back with a better or more focused style, and after 2 years do you feel your rhyming ability may have stepped up or changed in anyway?

Wurrd - Time will tell! haha I think there'll be a definite improvement, mainly because after time out i've listened over the stuff I had done and I know it needs improved, the ego I was starting to develop has now vanished and its like being reborn so to speak. I know what I need to do, and I know I don't need to rush into anything. The plan just now is to start throwing together some tunes and and random verses again without expecting much and really take some time to practice and "re-learn" the craft. The last track I remember recording was "who got the riddim" and listening back I can notice problems with my flow. I'm really using that to better myself, concentrate on my lyrics and rhyme schemes and more importantly have fun and create some decent music!

SSU - have you lined up any producers that you want to work with yet, and have you any idea yet what you wanna do as a project or you jus gonna take it a step at a time?

Wurrd - Theres some producers i'd love to work with but whether it happens or not is another story. I have about 11 Bill Breaks beats that were spare from our Melancholic Misunderstandings release back in 2007, Plan just now is to start working on them, maybe as a mixtape or something. Not really wanting to think about whole projects just now. But definately a few old Bill Breaks numbers! I've got a few beats from Mr Benn that i never got round to using and a couple from Stevie Scant that are pretty banging! So it all depends how the writing goes! Ideally i'd love to work on another whole release with Bill Breaks sometime in the future, but i know he's busy with a lot of things at the moment. That and of course, Big Div! theres not an MC in Scotland doesn't want on a big div beat!

SSU - Thats exactly the case Big Up Div, ok Summer Never happens was all recorded in the summer of 2009, did listening back to that allow you to relive that summer?

Wurrd - emm bits and bobs. At the time of writing and recording that EP I had just been put on anti-depressants (happy to say i was off them come the end of that year) but being in that mind state i just dove into working on the best release i could muster up at the time, all i really remember is the late night writing sessions and recording in the room i was renting off my big cousin at the time, with the sun shining through one of the windows. It was also done around the same time as the sprung a leak releases and just before Nity teamed up with MCF and started gigging round Edinburgh. all in all it was a pretty decent time for me musically, i just let it get in the way of other things, hence my break from music for a while. But it reminds me of being on top of my game for that time, and makes me anxious to get recording music again!

SSU - Whos the guy talking on the skits?

Wurrd - the intro and outro was done by my mate Auld Bean. we were pretty wasted at the time and it seemed like a good idea. guys autistic and likes to get involved whatever way he can so I didn't mind, kind of added a bit of humour to all the melancholy i had going on throughout the EP.

SSU - What's your favourite track off the EP?

Wurrd - would have to be a toss up between I Make Musak and Lookin' Forward.
Lookin forward was the first track I wrote for the EP and I Make Musak was one of the last, both were featured on the shadow people sprung a leak releases just after being recorded roughly for the first time. And I've had Steg G spin Lookin' Forward on Temple of Hip Hop a few times. which is always a good thing! But those 2 tracks kind of represent the beginning and end of the journey for me.

SSU - Are you looking forward to getting back into gigging?

Wurrd -  Definately I just have no idea when it will be! All I can say is the next live set i do will be 90% new material! But as it stands just now i've been out of it too long, need to find myself a hypeman and get the ball rolling again! just now though its all about the writing. but never know people might catch me at some open mic nights in the near future...

SSU - Anybody you wanna shout out before we wrap up?

Wurrd - Definately, just wanna big up all the people i've worked with over the years and all the people i look forward to working with one day. big shout out to Shadow People who are seriously doing their thing right now! and all the people making music for the passion and the artform! Wan Luv


Just wanna say big up to Wurrd for taking the time for an interview and i can't wait to hear some more new stuff from him in the near future.

You can download Summer Never Happens from Wurrds Bandcamp:



Peace

DJ Scuba Steve