what would you ask dizzee? (a request made out of nerves rather than laziness)

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Ok I'm sure I'll do fine but what was going to be a minor small promo type interview is now going to my first big feature and probably my best chance to secure more of the same in the future. I have come up with a fair few questions but the interview is in an hour and I'm nervous as hell.

Is he talkative, anyone? This is pretty big for me.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 13 September 2004 14:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Ask him if he's got anything lined up with any American producers and how he feels about his relative obscurity in the US.

Ask him where he sees his sound going in the future.

Ask him what the hardest part of making the sophomore record was.

Ask him what he expects to see in Ireland.

Ask him what he thinks the next big thing is going to be.

Ask him about hiss oddest/most ludicrous experience with being famous.

Ask him about the breakdown between the autobiographical and fictional in his song narrative.

Ask him about the place of music in a post-9/11 world.

Ask him about his recording habits and his sources of inspiration.

Ask him about his most disgusting groupie experience.

Ask him if he expects to stay in music for the time being or if he has his eyes set on other entertainment media.

― Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Monday, 13 September 2004 14:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Who are his favorite American rappers?

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 13 September 2004 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Ask him what he thinks of Mike Skinner.

― Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Monday, 13 September 2004 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Ask him where he feels he stands in relationship to hip-hop.

― Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Monday, 13 September 2004 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Bug em about fish n chips.

― sexyDancer, Monday, 13 September 2004 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Ask him about UK's hip-hop scene and how Roll Deep fits into/relates to it.

― Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Monday, 13 September 2004 14:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Ask him what he thinks of covers. Ask him if there's a particular song he'd like to cover.

Ask him about the musical inspiration that people would be most surprised to hear about.

― Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Monday, 13 September 2004 14:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Ask him what he had for breakfast.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 13 September 2004 14:35 (twenty-one years ago)

dan you are a legend, I have some of those but I didn't have others and it's all good fear allaying stuff.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 13 September 2004 14:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Zig zags or rizlas?

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 13 September 2004 14:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Ask him what he would like to have for breakfast tomorrow.

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 13 September 2004 14:37 (twenty-one years ago)

ask him if he still has his wooden turntables

― mark p (Mark P), Monday, 13 September 2004 14:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Ask him whether Miss Dynamite, who I think he is touring with later in the year, was his choice of Female Grime MCs.

― ___ (___), Monday, 13 September 2004 14:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Scratch that - busy and at work, it is Lady Sovereign. Question still stnads, just my mind is burnt out.

― ___ (___), Monday, 13 September 2004 14:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Definitely ask him about stuff like 9/11/war on terror/Bush etc cos the 'where does he fit in the ukg world/what are his fav us rappers producers etc' stuff has been done to death and i think he'd appreciated being able to talk about that kind of shit. This is the best interview ive read with him and it might give you some idea of how he answers questions or whatever: http://murderdog.com/july_articles/dizzeerascal/dizzeerascal_interview.htm

― scg, Monday, 13 September 2004 14:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Ask him about "Imagine." Anything, really.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Ask him to stop.

When he doesn't, have a plan B.

― the bellefox, Monday, 13 September 2004 15:02 (twenty-one years ago)

ask him if lady sovereign has a boyfriend, if not, then proceed to ask her phone nr. wink wink

― jesus nathalie (nathalie), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Ask him what he thinks of Goldie Looking Chain.

When he was a nipper, what music did he like?

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Ask him to stop.

When he doesn't, have a plan B.

Plan B = shout "HAMMER TIME!" at him

― Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Does he feel pressure being built up as the 'Great British hope' to crack America.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:08 (twenty-one years ago)

If hie team made the FA cup final, would he do a record for them?

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:09 (twenty-one years ago)

ask him, TS: SMiths vs. Anal Cunt

― jake b. (cerybut), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:27 (twenty-one years ago)

believe me jess and I went through every possible funny question!

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:32 (twenty-one years ago)

and decided asking him only about Star Trek the Next Generation was best.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:32 (twenty-one years ago)

thanks everyone, ten minutes until I pick up the phone.

I am practically shaking.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:33 (twenty-one years ago)

ha ha now I'm imagining Dizzee saying 'number one, make it so'.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Ask him what Wiley's dick looks like.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Do you ever truly not mean to hit submit, but just can't fight the instinct?

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:36 (twenty-one years ago)

What do you think of "this is the thread where I say"

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)

ask him to do a rapping telegram for the Pinefox

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)

this is not help or good wishes!

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:39 (twenty-one years ago)

sorry, good luck old boy.

ask him what guitar based music he likes, or his favourite concerto

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:41 (twenty-one years ago)

good luck man, I hate doing phoners so I feel yr pain.

― Josh Love (screamapillar), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:42 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah phoners are so much more nervy. not least cos you can't have a few beers beforehand!

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:43 (twenty-one years ago)

well, you could

― Josh Love (screamapillar), Monday, 13 September 2004 15:49 (twenty-one years ago)

had no idea ILX was so helpful. ronan, could you come back and let us know how it all went, if you used the questions here and any highlights etc?

― splooge (thesplooge), Monday, 13 September 2004 16:03 (twenty-one years ago)

GOOD LUCK RONAN

― Dave M. (rotten03), Monday, 13 September 2004 16:07 (twenty-one years ago)

GOOD LUCK DIZZEE

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 13 September 2004 16:13 (twenty-one years ago)

on a sidenote, i much prefer phoners cos then the person cant judge you.

― splooge (thesplooge), Monday, 13 September 2004 16:15 (twenty-one years ago)

good luck ronan!

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 13 September 2004 16:21 (twenty-one years ago)

I just did it.

It went ok, not amazing but not badly. I think he may have been a bit tired but perhaps I am underestimating the quality of his answers, I just realised I forgot to ask Mark P's wooden turntables question, damn it!

He wasn't so into the political questions, he said he was an artist and something like "politicians are politicians, kings and queens are kings and queens, and me I'm a rapper" which was pretty cool.

I think maybe I was too nervy and didn't do as well as I could have, as usual I was rubbish at asking questions I didn't have written down, or thinking on my feet, mainly due to nerves.

I hope I have enough material for the piece, I guess I can always write about him as well as using his quotes. grrr why was I so nervous!

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 13 September 2004 16:21 (twenty-one years ago)

when is Dizzee's diss track of teh pinefox coming out?

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Monday, 13 September 2004 16:27 (twenty-one years ago)

dont worry, i still get nervous. its sometimes harder if you like the interviewee (not sure if you do or not though). and all too often, the interviews you think went badly are never quite that bad once you transcribe them.

― splooge (thesplooge), Monday, 13 September 2004 16:28 (twenty-one years ago)

I would have been nervous, sounds like there was a lot riding on it Ronan. Glad it went ok.

― stevo (stevo), Monday, 13 September 2004 16:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I would have been way more nervous on the phone than in person. Will the article end up online anywhere?

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 13 September 2004 16:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Who he prefers out of Jessica and Ashlee Simpson, his answer wasn't that satisfactory on CD:UK. Ask him if he's going to work with Jason Donavon in the near future.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 13 September 2004 16:37 (twenty-one years ago)

hey ronan, even if the quotes are a bit crap, you can always make them seem better with careful editing.

― splooge (thesplooge), Monday, 13 September 2004 16:42 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah that's what I figure. And I can write about him aswell as about what he says. fuck it I figure they gave me this interview piece cos I wrote the "Showtime" review and they want more so I can make the best of it.

I'll probably post the interview on my blog at some stage, it will be online but you have to pay to read the online section of the mag I write for.

I would have been nervous interviewing Dizzee anyway cos I like his work but the fact that this is the biggest thing I've ever been given made it ten times worse. I couldn't think on my feet at all, just read my pre-prepared questions.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 13 September 2004 16:56 (twenty-one years ago)

what mag would that be?

and definitely i get more nervous when I interview people i like/respect - i was nearly sick phoning Steve Earle a couple of years back, same w/ Sleater-Kinney.

― Josh Love (screamapillar), Monday, 13 September 2004 17:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Hot Press, it's a small Irish magazine.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 13 September 2004 17:16 (twenty-one years ago)

grrr why was I so nervous!

I always ask myself that question after an interview doesn't go well because I was nervous. And it always happens with someone whose work I really like. But no one else seems to notice (unless of course they just don't care), so I'm sure your interview will be at least fine once it's in print and read by people who weren't torturing themselves thinking about how great it COULD have gone (which is probably an unrealistic ideal or at least usually is in my case).

― Rick Massimo (Rick Massimo), Monday, 13 September 2004 17:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I just realised he must have been at a bar or out for dinner, midway through the interview he said "one second one second" and mumbled and I presumed he was turning down a radio that was on behind him, but the mumble was actually "yeah here here, that's here, thanks".

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 13 September 2004 18:38 (twenty-one years ago)

bit happier now, one great moment is when I ask him, I guess knowing full well what he'll say "who do you think your music sounds like" and he pauses and goes

"I fink I sound like nuffing else abaaaht you know?"

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 13 September 2004 19:01 (twenty-one years ago)

See, that's worth the whole thing right there. Especially if you spell it phonetically.

― Rick Massimo (Rick Massimo), Monday, 13 September 2004 19:42 (twenty-one years ago)

thanks! however one awful moment.

as I sort of bumble over a question about the mood when he made boy in da corner and 9/11 he just goes "no, man." blankly.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 13 September 2004 19:46 (twenty-one years ago)

maybe he was saying "no, man" to a waiter who was trying to put too much pepper on his dinner.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Monday, 13 September 2004 21:35 (twenty-one years ago)

This is a great thread.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 05:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Some of the what you perceive to be the worst i/v phoners turn out to be the wildest!

Some years back, when RUN DMC released that aweful comeback album on BMG, I got to i/v Run from the band. Being last in a long line of structured phoners he sounded obviously pissed off with all the i/vs beforehand and wasn't gonna let me off the hook either!

For the first half of the i/v he was rude, arrogant, stuck-up, non-communitive, and wanted to just hang up, but then... something changed!

As many previous i/v's tended to be the stock-standard questioneering from crappy tv/radio tabloid mags who know little to nothin' on what hip hop IS or WAS, I came at him about a the break that Jam Master Jay had used in one track. Run was amazed I knew the original source and from then on the i/v had an about-face!

He lightened up; he knew that I knew his & Run DMC's history, we chatted about everything and Russell Simmons (his brother) and I was so confident by the end of i/v, that he actually invited me to their Australian gigs backstage and gave me some rare freestyle tapes, and said he would never forget me! Ever!

It was an experience that has stayed with me, though the cassette I recorded it on was of poor quality. Research, and a love/passion for the artist, does pay off and I feel blessed to have done over 200 i/v's in my relatively brief career as a freelancer with some of my personal, inspired faves.

I'm telling ya' I felt so self-asurred and confident then, I could have gone rounds with Jello Biafra, Noel Gallagher & Chuck D - all at once!

Just thought I'd share that. Best of luck with it, Ronan.

herbz!

― herbalizer12 (herbalizer12), Monday, 20 September 2004 07:42 (twenty-one years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.