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MC, DJ & producer J-Live has over 10 years’ experience in the Hip Hop game. Having worked with producers including DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Jazzy Jeff, Prince Paul & DJ Spinna alongside MCs including Mos Def, Talib Kweli and El Da Sensi his back catalogue of 4 full length albums, 2 EPs and countless singles and guest verses has seen him perform across the globe. J Live will be preforming in London this Friday and Saturday and will be releasing a new album this spring.

You have over 10 years’ experience as an MC, DJ and Producer. Can you tell us which art form came first and how your music career came about?

I started scratching around the same time I started writing my first rhymes. A few years later I had my 1200s and the rest was history. I didn't call myself a producer until I got my own MPC back in 2000. A 2000XL coincidentally.

Who has been a great inspiration to you in your music career?

The engineers I have learned from like David Kennedy, Elliott Thomas, Probe DMS. Producers like DJ Spinna, Jazzy Jeff, Prince Paul. Emcees like Kane and KRS

On Friday 18th March you’ll be playing at ‘On the Real’ in London and then on Saturday 19th March in Brighton at ‘The Doctor’s Orders’. What are your experiences of doing shows in the UK?

I love performing in the UK. I've been all over from Manchester to Nottingham, Limrick, Edinburgh. Haven't been to Wales yet. Wassup with that? Been all over London from Brixton Mass to the Scala to Jazz Cafe. I always look forward to the atmosphere.

You’ve had the pleasure of doing shows in the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and South America. Is there a country that you haven’t yet visited that you would love to do a show?

I'm hoping to get to China this year. We'll see if that comes to pass. But that's a place I'd love to see. I want to see more of Africa as well. North, east west and south.

Having performed in countries outside the USA what is perspective on Hip Hop in other countries?

Every country and every people has its own different take on the foundation. Adding stories to the building so to speak. Applying their language and culture and dialect to the music that already has its own. Making it an ever expanding universe of art.

For people that may not have seen you perform live, tell them what a J-Live show is like.

Nope. They have to catch the show. I will say this. It is an all inclusive give and get back experience. I feed off the crowd and stoke the flames to keep things going.

You’ve got a new single out which is available from iTunes and is produced by Diamond D called ‘No time to waste’. Can you tell us about the single?

It's a song that sort of acts as a manifesto to the album SPTA. It speaks to the power of music to inspire the people to provoke change where it's needed in society.

‘No time to waste’ is taken from your forthcoming album which will be dropping this spring. What can we expect to hear from you on the album and what other artists or producers feature on there?

There is production by me, Soulive, RJD2, Diamond D, Nicolay and some names that might be new to you. Korede (who produced The Way that I Rhyme and Home or Away) Illastrate from Black Noise, and Locsmif whom I've worked with in the past. I approach the album with a split personality as if the producer emcee and DJ in me are three different people who are at times at odds.

Do you feel that being a fully qualified English teacher and an Academic has helped with the business side of the music industry as well as the lyrical side?

I joke that I was an English major and business minor. So I write the rhymes and count the money. In that order.

What advice would you give to those trying to get into the game thinking that they can become an overnight success?

Don't

I know this may be a difficult question but what are your top 5 Hip Hop albums of all time and why?

Ever changing answer. I won't attempt to lump a lot of the great new records in with the past because we've had longer to live with them. So here are 5 oldies.

Death Certificate
Midnight Marauders
Let The Rhythm Hit'em
Lab Cabin California
Edutainment

Do you want to shout out your websites?

www.j-livemusic.com  

Interview by Jai Boo

J Live will be playing live in London on Friday 18th March and Brighton on Saturday 19th March details below:

J-Live live in London

with Spin Doctor
DJ 279
and Chris P Cuts

On The Real
Friday 18th March 2011
at Plan B
Brixton Road
London SW9 (Brixton Tube)

Tickets are £7 in advance
£10 on the door

For more information please visit: www.thedoctorsorders.com