Being an MC is something a lot of young people dream of but how exactly can you make those dreams come true? Kidspeak had the chance to sit down with UK HipHop legend Verb T this month to find out more about his prolific career and get some advice.
With 64k followers across the social media platforms and close to 200,000 monthly listeners on Spotify there is no doubting Verb T’s popularity. Reach for any review and you will find glowing praise of the UK’s hardest working HipHop artist, with 10 albums, 6 EPs and the worldwide success of the super group The Four Owls under his belt, his is a star that never seems to stop climbing.
As a writer and producer, which comes first the lyrics or the music?
It’s different each time, I like writing to the music but often I’ll have an idea of what I want to say first and then build the track around that.
Can you share a little about what your creative process looks like right now?
I listen to a lot of music and then sit and let it soak in, then I play my own music and work to find new ideas. It takes longer to write songs now, partly because I’m more selective about what I write but also I’ve made so many tracks I want to feel like I’m progressing or reflecting something new whether it be stylistically or lyrically
What are the biggest changes you’ve seen in the industry over the past two decades?
Streaming has really changed everything, it’s easier to do it yourself without a label now and there are more artists than ever releasing music
Social media has changed the ability of artists to directly access their fans and vice versa, what are the advantage of disadvantages of this that you have experienced, and do you think that this is an area young people should focus their attention on?
It’s good for promotion but I think it can also be a distraction, it can create an overfamiliarity with fans where sometimes it’d be cool to keep some extra mystique. I think it’s good to be able to interact with fans though and as with most things it’s about balance and moderation, certainly don’t let it become too much of a focus, time spent on your craft and creativity is much more valuable.
Which album or project are you most proud of?
Tough to say but Bring it Back to Basics with Harry Love is one as it charted 5 years worth of work, a lot of effort went into the project. Also the trilogy of albums I made with Illinformed (Man with the Foggy Eyes, Land of the Foggy Skies and Stranded in Foggy Times) I feel like they stand together as one larger extended piece of work.
You’ve worked with some amazing producers, Leaf Dog, Harry Love, DJ Premier to name a few. Who is high on your list of people you’d like to work with?
I don’t really have anyone I’m going after, that said I’m not against new collaborations but at this stage I’m just happy to make music in my own world, I’m sure worlds will collide at some point though
Over the course of your career, you’ve acted in the movie Cruel Summer (2016), you released a football anthem for Crystal Palace with Doc Brown, created tracks for the programme ‘Just Another Immigrant’ starring Romesh Ranganathan which aired on Sky Atlantic and Showtime and the Reluctant Landlord which aired on Sky One, and had a track included on the FIFA 22 soundtrack, a feat considered a dream moment for many. What bucket list moments are you aiming for next?
A lot of these things came about through being in the right place at the right time, but to be in the right place your need to be consistent and take any chances and opportunities that show up. I would like to work more on music for TV and Film though, I enjoyed both of those experiences.
What advice would you give to young people starting out in music?
Do it because you love it, it’s not an easy road but if you lead with your heart it’s something that’ll be rewarding way beyond commercial success, fame or monetary gain. Also put the hours in to perfect the craft, some people take to making music more naturally than others but the more work you put in the more results you will see, lastly be true to yourself, take inspiration from others but make sure your art is as authentic to you as you can, that’s what will give you the best chance to stand out in what is becoming an increasingly oversaturated marketplace.
current release
Current release Stranded in Foggy Times is now available on the High Focus website.
Visit In the Balance Records to find out more about the artists Verb T is working with.
brand new
Check the new remix of ‘Four Oh!’ Feat. Doc Brown and Romesh Ranganathan