In the past 10 years UK hip-hop has been through an evolution, rising from the streets of London and beyond to gradually becoming a staple for listeners all around the globe.
The artist behind a great deal of this resurgence is Fliptrix. His record label, High Focus, was born in 2010 out of desperation to publish his music at a time when YNR label boss, Jehst, was too overworked with his own projects to push it forward. Faced with the prospect of waiting a year to get ‘Theory Of Rhyme’ to the public, Jehst gave him the option of trying to go it alone.
Today, his label features rising stars, alongside the veterans of the industry, a tight knit of group of artists producing superior sounds to a dedicated and widespread audience. In the past decade the fans have had a ringside seat to his musical journey, from brash rap artist to exploring the power of human consciousness and dabbling in the possibilities beyond life and death.
Styled with trademark wit and a plethora of creativity, High Focus proudly presents the latest reinvention of Fliptrix.
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‘Patterns Of Escapism’ is your sixth album so far, what does this one mean to you?
As you said it’s my sixth record and it’s been a continuous journey. I’ve grown a lot as a person throughout the time I’ve been releasing music and I wanted to take the sound back to the old school era of classic hip-hop, real boom bap sort of feel. Illinformed for me was the perfect producer, we have a good working relationship and we worked slowly on the album for about three years.
With the title track, ‘Patterns Of Escapism’, I was trying to get across the positive and negative aspects of escaping. It kind of seems like everyone wants to escape their reality and they do that in different ways; sometimes with drink and drug abuse but other times in a positive way, like writing lyrics or creating art.
Is it important to show positivity in your music?
Yeah. For me writing lyrics is a form of escapism and self-exploration. I’m very passionate about us being here to create things, so music is just a medium that I use at this moment in time.
Your style has changed over the years from your first album to now – what was the catalyst for your music changing gears?
I think it changed around Third Eye of the Storm. My first album was just about getting my foot in the door, it was quite braggadocios and rappy. I wrote ‘Theory Of Rhyme’ when I was 18 and it started to get a bit deeper from then on. ‘Third Eye Of The Storm’ was when I was looking for answers, questioning life and thinking there must be more to this than our normal existence.
I also had a particular experience with psychedelics around the same time, which was when everything changed. I realised the power of music and Third Eye was my awakening. ‘The Road To The Interdimensional Piff Highway’ was a very spiritual album, I wrote it in two weeks. ‘Polyhymnia’ was about exploring life after death, so that was darker. I’ve brought it back and this one isn’t as serious. It’s an uplifting record.
From that experience do you view life in an entirely different way as reflected in your music?
I would say so. Since then I’ve had other experiences, I went travelling to South America and we spent some time in the jungle and did a few ceremonies out there. I wanted to try to expand my mind and explore the depths of human consciousness.
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Last year you worked with DJ Premier… how did that happen, any plans to work with him again?
Leaf Dog is a massive fan of Premier and through his manager we were able to get his number. Premier already knew about us, he’d played our first album on one of his radio shows and in an interview with Front magazine a few years ago he named me and Klashkenoff as his favourite UK MCs…
After speaking to his managers for quite some time, we finally got through to Premier. He sent us one beat, which was real good, but we didn’t think it was right for the track, and then he sent us the one for ‘Think Twice’. We all spent some time writing our verses, sent it back to Premo, shot the video and history was made!
Was there a particular time when you realised High Focus is going somewhere and it’s going to be big?
I always believed it from the beginning, but I would say from when we did the first Four Owls album. That popped off in a way we didn’t really expect, back in 2011. I felt we were on to something there, then throughout the years we played bigger clubs, sold more records. It’s just exponential growth. It’s getting bigger, so we have to keep on putting out quality music.
High Focus is known for having a tight roster of artists, what’s the process of trying to find someone new to join?
I’m always listening to music all the time; I’ve always got my ears to the ground. The whole roster has been a very natural and organic experience, everyone who is on there I know on a personal level. Even with our new signing, Ocean Wisdom, Dike produced his first album and he’d been on the label for years beforehand. I’m always looking for new talent though.
Are you looking to expand any time soon?
If the right person comes along I am open to signing new people. I’m happy with the roster now though. We just signed Strange U who I really rate, they’ve got an album coming out next year and so does Ocean Wisdom. I’m keeping my eyes open; I hope to find a female MC to sign, so I’m hoping that happens at some point.
Outside of travelling and performing what are you doing to hang out? Where’s your ideal city to get away from everything?
If I was going somewhere it probably wouldn’t be a city, it would be somewhere in nature. Without any people around, I like being around the sea a lot so probably a nice tropical beach.
Finally after this album drops what are you plans for the future?
Hopefully going to do a decent tour from January to April, then maybe go out to Australia again. As a solo artist and in terms of the label, we have tonnes of stuff to release. We have new Leaf Dog album, new Dike album, Ocean album… the list goes on. We have plenty of releases on the label and I want to keep on working on material as I have been. I have half of another new album already done, so I’ll continue working on that. I want to do some collaborations with people outside of UK hip-hop as well. Just keep working.
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'Patterns Of Escapism' is out now on High Focus.
Words: Louise Brisbane
