Link between reggae, the boom bap lovers, and the bass music of the 2000s, Dj Vadim, the man who traveled 3000km to buy wax continues to amaze us with "Feel Up Vol.1". The prolific producer, supporter of the 420 culture, still nurtures and treasures his Caribbean influences, between digital and organic. This interview was made for Star Wax's special hip-hop issue, so let’s take a look back at his beginnings in London and his trips to the hip-hop Mecca.

Did you first discover reggae then rap?

Probably rap in about 83/84. I grew up in Kingston which is kind of a middle class suburb of London with a big university. I came to reggae by going to places like Brixton, Streatham, Clapham, Lewisham in London where there were more Caribbean people living.

Your first encounter with Hip-hop culture during the 80s, in London…

I was probably around 9 when the movie “Beat Street” and the documentary “Style Wars” came out in 83 and I was blown away. I became a fan listening to early Run Dmc, Kool Moe D, Fat Boys, Stetsasonic, Beastie Boys, Marley Marl from the Juice Crew, BDP. A lot of New York rap. There was stuff happening in the UK but it had not developed as much as the US at that point. The first UK things I got into were music of life releases like Asher D and Daddy Freddy, London posse, Son of Noise, Hijack, Blade...

Have you been to hip-hop block parties in London street or elsewhere?

Yes both back then and as a Dj later. It was amazing because I remember going to Soul 2 Soul warehouse parties in 1989. I was like 15 and their parties were the best. It was hip-hop reggae, dancehall, early house music, soul, boogie, disco. Just a celebration of great music and there would be 2000 people at the rave. Maddd this was my musical school.

Who wrote the Dj Vadim tagg with the crown?

That’s me. I used to graffiti a long time ago but to be honest, I wasn’t good enough. Plus I did not want to run from the police in dark train tunnels. Much more fun to be the Dj and go home with the cutest girl in the party ! (smile)

Have you ever been to the Bronx, birthplace of hip-hop?

Yeah many times but back then it was a shit hole, the shittest of shit holes like they’d just had a war. I went in like 1992 on one of my first NYC trips just to see. It was so rugged. One of my favorite memories is of all the murals and graffs. Amazing, but I never went to any block parties. Not sure they were still having them in 1992.

Tell us about your meeting with Company Flow?

Their first single is “8 steps to perfection”, I believe - well with Big Juss, El-p and Mr. Len as a threesome. That was like 95. I met Sarah Jones around that time in Nyc and also Anti pop, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Black Thought. In those days there was a park in Manhattan - Washington Square Park - where there were always mad mad mad mcs who later would become famous like Mos Def… but back then they were unknown… so Sarah’s manager was Amechi and he looked after co flow. so we met and we were all on the same plane. They were amazed that a British kid was in Nyc and wanted to come to the US. I don’t know if there were other producers from Europe or from anyone apart from Nyc there because looking back now it feels like I may of been one of the first to meet the underground indie… like the starts who started their careers in mid 90s so because I was releasing records they were so hpe to ust record… I never managed to record with Mos Def but I met him back in London in like 96 when Juliano from creators recorded with him and Talib and they slept on the studio floor for two nights… mad session.

What did hip-hop represent for you at the beginning and what does it represent today?

It’s hard to put into words because I don’t know if there will ever be a movement like that. Not saying this rap cos punk was there also in late 70s but being here in the midst whilst this new wave is brewing. Perhaps being in Croydon (ville de la banlieue sud de Londres – ndlr) in 2004 as dubstep is being created? But dubstep never had the force or color of hip-hop. The 90’s were crazy man because it was not just that but working with Ninja Tune and them doing instrumental hip-hop 15 years/ 20 years before this lo-fi buzz we have now. I hear producer now doing stuff I heard peoples already did 20 years ago. And then there was people creating jungle and early d’n’b. People like shutting up and dancing. So London was the fucking place to be to be honest in 1993 - 2000. So much going on musically. I mean it still has and how urban music just took off is amazing to see. I remember the head boss saying that uk rap would never be big and now u have stormzy and such selling out stadiums worldwide. As for what hip-hop represents now. I’m still there listening to the new school. Some I like and some not. Anderson Paak is amazing, Joyner Lucas, Logic, Tobe Nwigwe... and so many Uk artists I love too. Also now its quite hard to say this is rap and this is soul etc. It’s become like a hybrid with artists like Ms Banks, Stefflon Don, there blurring the lines between reggae, soul rap, dancehall...

What is the first rap record according to you?

Well it’s “King Tim III” with Fat Back Band out March 1979. I know some people say Gil Scott-Heron or Last Poets or “Here Comes the Judge” from Pigmeat Markham. Of course rapping as in the word already existed. James Brown used it many times when he spoke - rap to me he would say but meant it more like speak to me. So the songs prior were of course the blueprint and the precursor to rap music but I would say that “King Tim III” is the first proper rap record released and then it’s “Rappers Delight” from the Sugarhill Gang. Don’t get me started on the Jamaican angle because they were already toasting at this time so you got a whole lot of different things coming together… at the same time.

A friend says that hip-hop became electronic music only after the new school (90’s). He differentiates the culture of the sample and that of electronic music. What do you say ?

Well no, because when it started on those first records it was live and there was no sampling. All the first rap records were live bands. The technology was not there. It’s quite an interesting conversation to discuss the relationship between tech and music. As one piece of kit is invented, it opens the doors for new music, the advent of certain drum machines and being able to sample...

Admittedly, toasting influenced rap, but the 80s rap instrumentals, even if there were sometimes dub versions on Eps, sounded more funk, electro funk. Even afterwards there were a lot of soul and then jazz samples, but only few rap with reggae sound…

Rap and reggae have very similar roots, styles, and struggles but very few collaborations in the grand scheme of things… You are right that in the early days there are very few reggae inspired tracks. This is a time before the Internet. What the fuck did people in the Bronx know about Kingston or London or Paris? Those are places they would never have the chance to go to… so some people who had families would bring tapes, etc between major cities and countries and that is how the music spread and developed.

It's funny as if humans always want to have what they don't have! The Europeans want and play the roots reggae sound and the Jamaicans sound is more Edm-style electronic sound, what do you say?

I think reggae is a massive tree with many branches. It’s grown from a tiny seed and now is global with so many varieties. It’s easy to lose focus because we always think something is better somewhere else. Some Jamaican artists are into crossing over to US market and others don’t give a fuck about the US. But music has to progress. I think that’s important. We can’t live in the 1973 world with Bob Marley, John Holt. It’s 2022!

I'm wrong or not, I find that your drums of "Feel Up Vol. 1” sound more digital, less organic than those of “U.S.S.R. Life From The Other Side”? Did you play all the instruments, especially the horns of “Lift Off” or Bun Out Boris”?

Well that depends on what you mean by digital, etc. I work very hard on the drums. I still sample and play everything with a sampler. I guess the way I mix has developed a lot. That’s the advancement of music technology. If you put 70’s / 80’s / 90’s / 2000’s music, etc, in a wave analyzer, you will see that modern music is mostly in the red. So when I listen back sonically to what I did in 1998, etc, I hear many faults. I hear good things too. Feel Up is also sonically very different since it's much more reggae inspired, etc.

During the last interview for Star Wax you said you were scratching on reggae but there is no scratch in this album…

(Smile). I guess I need to do a remix album with loads of scratching. The funny thing is that 20 years ago I would practice 2 hours everyday scratching…. not so much these days.

Regarding the lyrics which topics are discussed, in particular on «Fear, no Evil», Rotten Fruits» and do you give directives on the writing of the lyrics, the choice of topics?

The singers write the words. I don’t really have very much to do with that. Maybe I say - let's do a bridge or change the order of the verses. Or extend, shorten, etc, but the actual theme of the song, they choose.

What is your favorite “Feel Up”vol1 track and why?

That’s so hard to say because I really do like them all. Perhaps “Feel up” because I love the horns and the concept of the song. I met Dajla in Geneva in like 2006 at Couleur Trois radio in Lausanne. We fell out of contact then my friend Dj Theory from Paris who has been living a french playboy life in California texted me like 3 years ago and told me to check this singer out. I watched the video and thought, fuck I know this girl. I hit her up and we reconnected 10 years later and recorded this.

How and with whom will the tour take place?

If you would’ve asked me pre-covid, I would’ve planned something wicked but with covid, I have very few plans simply because there’s not much going on except for big artists…. Maybe for summer 2022. Let’s see. I always love to bring a show but it all depends on budget, etc.

You have a partnership with kannabia.com, do you want to talk about it?

Well! I’m a big supporter of 420 culture so it was a natural fit and they liked the vibes so why not. We need more green and less white!

After all, are you more old school, mid school or new school hip-hop?

hahaha I’m just me bro. I ain’t old school or mid. I’m everything. I try to embrace what’s good. I hate when peoples talk this old school shit like every fucking record released in 84 was amazing or 94, etc. No there was also aweful records or un memorable records. I think in some ways some of the songs back then where too simplistic whearas now peoples are thinking about musicality, etc.

You are also preparing another album…

I released “Vads Beats Nice Vol.2” two months ago… and “Feel up Vol.2” is already finished. I had too many songs to go on one album and wait for the song with Big Red. Maddd

I recorded like 7 tracks with Tikaf, 10 tracks with Maddy Music, also with Tom Spirals, Abstract Rude, Dub Fx, Javada. I got 8 songs with Lasai. I just need to finish them...

Today when you receive your new album on vinyl do you still have the same pleasure as for your first vinyl?

Yeah of course. I know too many great producers who gave up and I’m still here doing it...

What do you think of the very long delays in pressing vinyl today?

Well at least we are fucking alive. Too many friends died in the last 24 months through covid and bullshit. So let's keep our heads high and celebrate life !

You always seem to have been more European than American… Why did you choose to live in Budapest, it's not sunny like Jamaica?

(Smile). Budapest is a lot safer. I came here because of my daughter. I was in Barcelona for 5 years prior. I always wanted to live in France. Maybe Marseille. I always had a fascination with Marseille. It’s like a big sunny shit hole but in a really good way. I feel there are so many talented people there and good vibes. Paris is great but it's hard to explain briefly the difference between Marseille and Paris. You must know, you are french. I love Paris but it’s the capital, it’s rich and people go around in groups and if you are not in those groups you are excluded. Marseille is more down to earth, less posh.

You are always into Italian food, do you cook?

I love all food not just Italian. I’m not vegan or veggie. I just try to eat healthy but yeah i still love burgers, pizza, etc. I just try to make them healthy and no babylon Mc Donalds Frankenstein shit… (smile).

Is it true that you want to open a bar-restaurant?

Well I wanted to but that’s a huge challenge. Perhaps if I find the right partner and right opportunity but I’m not rich enough to just throw 100 thousand euros into a project that might fail and the competition is so great nowadays...

If you had to teleport yourself, which period would you choose?

Would I go forward or back? I guess forward. Or maybe back to the 90s with all my knowledge from now and go back and kill it in the game!

Any last word ?

Big up the massive, always moving forward.

Interview by Dj Coshmar / Photo by Hadizspictures.