SonnyJim: Interview
SonnyJim is a name you should all be familiar with, as he has been making quality rap records for more than a decade. He set up his label EatGood Records in 2005 and since then he has been responsible for some of the strongest releases out of the UK, including last year’s Mud In My Malbec LP, which made the rare - and successful - leap into the US market. I recently spoke with Sonny about his experiences in the game and his expanding production credits, among other things.
How’s everything going so far this year, man?
Everything is shaping up very nicely for the year. I've got a bunch of releases coming out, producing for a bunch of different rappers, mostly stateside. Staying busy.
You recently released a new album with your old sparring partner Sleaze and it’s a lot different from your solo LP. Is that important to you, keeping that variety between projects?
I mean we recorded a lot of that before he got locked up. In all honesty, nah it’s not that important and I probably won’t be revisiting that bag for a minute. I’ve found the lane I like and I’m going to just keep rinsing it for now. A lot of that material with Sleaze was like three years old. Part of the reason it didn't come out sooner was his fed time and me working on Malbec.
EatGood has been around for a good few years now, as has your solo career. Do you think being a label boss gives you extra insight into how to survive in the game?
Nothing gives you insight like hands on experience. I started the label out of necessity to create an umbrella for me and my people to work under. I was still working with other labels, but felt a need to have a home I could call my own. I wouldn't have chosen to play boss man if i had a good deal somewhere else, but there was no real infrastructure back then and so we built our own shit.
I remember you saying last time we spoke that you don’t really listen to UK rap, so I was wondering how you go about finding new artists to sign to the label?
I dont.
How does it work then with signing new artists, if you’re not involved yourself? Do you have a team who take care of the business side?
Yeah I leave that up to them man. The more music projects I’m involved in leaves less time for the label side of things. We check in every day. I’m still hands on, but the labels been running for a long time and everyone knows the score so the shit is like clockwork. We signed a couple of new artists over the last few years and we’re just gearing up to put their retail releases out. Shout out to Gen Uchicha & Booda French.
I’d say your delivery and flow have changed a lot since I first heard you back in the Soul Trader days. Was that a deliberate choice or just a natural change?
Always natural progression. Any MC that’s been in the game for 15 years is going to sound different to how they sounded when they first came out, that should be expected. And as you grow up, you become a different person, so yeah I think it’s a given that my style of music would’ve changed. I’m not living like I was ten years ago so i cant be rapping like that anymore.
You put Mud in my Malbec out on the Daupe label, as opposed to EatGood. What was the thinking behind that move?
It was really a collaborative effort between the two labels. The vinyl came out on Daupe cos they had the right infrastructure that suited my requirements. Then it just made sense to do the digi under that umbrella to avoid any confusion. But both labels have been instrumental in the Malbec campaign.
As someone who’s had experience running a label, what do you think is the key to Daupe’s success in comparison to other UK labels?
The game is to be sold not told. I cant give you the recipe, but it’s not rocket science. Daupe cant really be compared to these UK labels to be fair, there are only two UK artists on the roster, the rest are from the states. The key to Daupe’s success is not signing every shit UK rapper and their mum.
You were definitely a lot more hands on for the latest LP, compared to your earlier efforts. What brought about that change?
More money. If I do the beat and write the rhymes, I get the cheque. I also don’t really like working with these weirdo producers too much.
But the truth is I've always been hands on, I’ve always been that guy, but for years I just didn’t care about the credit. 75% of the ‘producers’ I worked with were not producers, they were just in their yard making some beats - mostly just four bar loops - and sending them to me on the internet, they weren’t producing shit. I’d get the parts, I’d arrange the song and sequence it, get it mixed, and see it through to the point of retail; that’s what the producer does. I was doing this since my first record in ’05. So nothings really changed, it’s just I’m taking my credit now.
Is production something we’re going to see a lot more from you? Do you prefer it to rapping?
Yes. I’ve got a lot of production work dropping this year. Beats wise I’ve got shit in the works with Conway, Your Old Droog, Heems, Juga-Naut, Vandal Savage, Hus KingPin, Quelle Chris, Jehst, Verbal Kent, Da Flyy Hooligan, man the list goes on. Do I prefer it to rapping? Nah not really. It has its own merits and there is only so much I can rap about how fly I am.
The LP was well received in the States. Is there the potential for doing shows out there as well?
Eventually when the time is right, yes.
Have you got much more on the horizon in 2017?
Just walking my dog and dining at the Savoy on a more frequent basis.
—
You can follow SonnyJim here:
twitter.com/sonnyjim01
facebook.com/sonnyjim01
soundcloud.com/sonnyjim01
instagram.com/mudinmymalbec
youtube.com/user/eatgoodrecords
—
Brapp® is an app that puts a powerful studio in your pocket. Producers can upload beats and anyone can record 1 minute videos on top, mix down the audio with powerful studio effects, add video filters and instantly share with their followers.
Get the App at brapp.tv/app or upload your beats at brapp.tv
