Who’s ready for the jungle revolution?
Spearheaded by the inimitable Rebel MC, Congo Natty is back and he’s promising one. July 1st to be precise, via Big Dada. Jungle Revolution is a 10 track opus that reminds us of our scene’s roots… And how it’s developed into all its many full-flavoured forms.
Production duties are taken care of by the likes of Vital Elements, Benny Page and Serial Killaz. While the mic is mastered by every credible jungle toaster you can care to think of… Tenor Fly, Tippa Irie, Top Cat, Daddy Freddy, Sweetie Irie, YT, Lady Chann and, of course, Rebel MC himself.
Jungle albums don’t come ANY bigger. Here’s a taste of what you can expect courtesy of Rinse’s premium jungle representative Uncle Dugs…
What with Rebel MC’s Congo Natty brand being such a huge influence on all forms of D&B that have followed, we thought we’d open out the interview to you lot too. It’s one of the most extensive, interesting interviews we’ve done in a while, so read on and get an insight into the mind of one of jungle’s most spiritual forefathers.
Thanks for all your input!
Tell you what stands out to me the most about the album? The range of flavours and tempos. That, to me, sums up the spirit of jungle freedom…
You’ve got 10 out 10! That sums it up for me. It’s not about tempo. It’s not about rules and regulations. It’s about what fits and what works. That’s jungle.
People get too fussed over mixdowns and sounds and styles and sub genres sometimes…
Yeah man. Jungle ain’t like that. Jungle is like this: jungle is making a tune in an afternoon, putting it on dubplate, taking it to a show and mashing up the dance! It’s only after I’ve done that, I’ll start having a look at the mix. But first it’s about capturing that spirit.
How long did the project take to come together. And why now?
I didn’t think about it like that. It’s like a pregnant woman; when she becomes pregnant, she’s gonna have that baby in nine months, no question. I was that women. I had jungle inside me and I knew I was going to give birth to it. It was natural, you know? There’s a time for everything.
Do you have a personal favourite on the album? I guess, with your pregnant analogy, I’m asking you to choose between your babies!
That’s the truth! People ask what my favourite Bob Marley tune is and I always say ‘there are too many… Each one is my favourite for a different time, space and setting.’ It’s the same with this album, or any album I’ve done; there are no favourites, they’re all my favourites. The whole album is a journey, it’s not about one tune.
Was there any all-star you couldn’t get for the album?
No! Everyone I wanted on the album were up for it and they were free to do it too. It’s like it was planned by a higher power; everyone fit in, no one left out. You know there’s going to be more tunes and co-labs coming, right? This is just the start. We’ve got a UK All Stars Part Two already done. The strangest thing is that when we filmed the video for Part One, we recorded Part Two that night! We were altogether and the vibe was so fire we were all like ‘let’s record the next tune!’ It was so natural and the vibe was just right, we’ve already got new material and the album isn’t out yet!
Wow. Okay, so some fan questions now… (Jamie S23) Congo Natty as a label was always a driving force in terms of jungle music and has always had its unique style. Over the years as music progressed did you find it hard to maintain the same momentum and diversity with each release?
The race is not for the swift but for those who can endure it. Part of you wants to respond to trends and fashions but you must always stay true to what you originally set out to do. As a junglist you can’t get caught in the fashion. When times got hard, we had to try harder. A revolution takes a long time and we’re still fighting for that revolution to this very day.
(Jamie S23) Junglist, Code Red, Exodus and Champion DJ – all huge releases that have certainly acquired classic status. Are there any lesser known Congo Natty releases that you would have expected to hit huge sales that perhaps didn’t do as well as you had expected?
Definitely. When I released the first album, A Tribute To His Imperial Majesty, many shops didn’t want to take it. It didn’t sell that well. It wasn’t because of the music, it was down to politics. The new generation of ears don’t have those politics, it’s just about the music and hopefully when they hear the new album they’ll dig deep and find some favourites among the classics.
Politics?
You know you’re playing a style of music and people start saying ‘ah that’s finished now, it’s about this new style’? That’s what happened. Things move so quickly in this scene that people often forget where it began and who it came from. Back then there was no internet so if we weren’t in the shop, we had a very hard time getting our music out to people.
(Jamie S23) Nicky Blackmarket is well known for his support of Congo Natty, have you ever produced anything together?
Now this is a mystical question! I’ve just asked him to get in the studio. I asked him this week! I phoned him up and went ‘right Nicky, remix time! Get in the studio with an engineer’. So yes, a Nicky Blackmarket production is very much on the cards.
(Nick Lough)What do you see as the future of jungle and drum & bass and how it relates to the overall electronic music scene?
The future is bright. Jungle is a light and it shone very very brightly back in the early 90s. And if you notice, all those who were involved in that light have made great careers for themselves since. They made their lives out of it. Everyone who gets involved in this new revolution will experience the same; whether you’re a DJ, an MC, a producer, a label… Get involved as jungle is getting brighter!
How does it relate to the bigger scene though?
Look at what followed jungle; drum & bass, garage, grime, dubstep. That movement continues and jungle is the roots. We’re the link between traditional soundsystem culture and digital warfare. Classic techniques brought into the future.
(Kevin Cook) Loved the new collaboration with E.M.M.A. How did that come about?
This is an unofficial thing. Emma is a good spirit. I met her through Adamski. I love to support the youth if I recognise their energy and I could recognise Emma’s straight away. I sent her some vocals for something that I’m dealing with on an old school level so this is an old school meets new school vibe.
(Aidan Coxon) Marmite: love it or hate it?
Marmite? My gosh! Give me a spliff any day…
(John Reen Boyd) Do you get offended when people call jump-up jungle clown step?
I’ve never heard that name before. Don’t worry about names! There’s better stuff to focus on than names. Think bigger!
(Doreen Brunt) Do you smoke weed still. If so, what do you smoke?
The highest grade! It’s an important part of many man’s faiths. From the American Indians to the Indians. Peace and inspiration. It’s like you’re under a certain frequency but herbs broaden that range…
(Andrew Tomlinson) Any chance you can give some tips to young producers who don’t know about music theory stuff?
It’s not about theory or what equipment you use. It’s what’s in your heart. If you want to make music the equipment will come. Focus on your inner strengths, stay true to who you are, find your own identity. It’s good to follow and find inspiration but ultimately you must be your own leader.
When did you personally stop following and start leading, then?
When I started MCing. When I started you either had to have a Jamaican accent or an American accent. I got a cockney accent so I made a decision to sound like me. Yeah there’s a little Jamaican twang in there, yeah there’s a little hip-hop vibe in there but ultimately I’ve got a UK sound, I had to represent that.
I think that’s where grime excelled where UK hip-hop faltered; MCs were happy to chat in their own accent and really revelled in the sounds. Early UK hip-hop still tried to sound American…
Yes! Grime is real hip-hop. Hip-hop is jungle. Jungle is reggae. Reggae is jungle. It’s all expressions of youths who’ve grown up in a certain environment. We’ve all had to come with our own sound and our identity which youths of an era identify with. If I was born later then I’d be a grime youth, that’s what I would recognise and want to contribute to. Grime is the realist music around right now…
(Hooch DNB) When are you coming to South America?
We’re hoping to set up a South American tour very soon. It’s time for Congo Natty to speak directly to our South American soldiers!
(Christian Tauschmann) When are you coming to Austria?
Even sooner. We’re looking at European album launches right now. We’ve had a lot of love from Austria and all over Europe and we’ll be respecting that love as soon as we can. I’d also like to say to all the new school junglist youths. Thanks for keeping the fire burning all over the world. It’s an international thing and there’s much creativity and fire out there. Big yourselves up!
Jungle Revolution is out July 1 on Big Dada