Aftershock consists of Terror Danjah, Bruza, Elrae, Gemma Fox, Tinie Tempah, Royal D.E.Velopment, 2Nice, Badness, Mz Bratt, Krucial, Loudmouf, D.O.K, Specs, Joci and manager, Flash. They’ve built up a large underground following over the past couple of years and are now ready to unleash their new album ‘Shock To The System’.
We speak to Terror Danjah, Magnum Force, Youf, Redz, Elrae and Loudmouf. Being trapped in a room with 6 of the Aftershock guys was nothing far from interesting and for the record, they were punctual and professional!
How did you become a part of Aftershock?
Youf: My brother brought me in. I’ve only been spitting for a year. I’m 16 years old, one of the youngest in the camp. I started spitting through my family, I’ve got a very talented family. I’m on Catch Up and a few other tracks on the album.
Let’s see if you’re true to your name, Loudmouf…
Loudmouf: I’m a new recruit to Aftershock, I was brought in before Christmas. There’s a bunch of us who haven’t been around as long as the others. Everyone needs to buy Shock To The System!
Terror Danjah: The first Aftershock release was I Can C U which was produced by Magnum.
Why is the label called Aftershock?
Terror Danjah: We’re the shock after. We bring out our stuff two years after we’ve made it. We don’t do things just because everyone else is. What you’re hearing now is from 2005, 2006…
You’ve produced for so many people, are you going to continue doing that?
Terror Danjah: Producers can’t really get away with doing their own albums like Timbaland can. I’m going to work with artists instead. Magnum and Loudmouf are working on their own projects as well. Elrae’s doing his own album as well, you might have heard him on a couple of Sway’s tracks already.
You had a track signed with a major label, what happened there?
Terror Danjah: Let’s just say it was conflict of interest and ignorance. When money’s involved things become like that. If you’re going to signed to a label it’s best to do it through a production team. If anyone here from Aftershock wants to be signed to a label I can’t stop them.
Are you hoping to make Top 100 with this album?
Terror Danjah: Every sale is an achievement but if it succeeds your expectation then it means that people are feeling it. If we don’t make the charts then it just means we have to try a bit harder and get more people involved. If an artist says they don’t want to be number 1, they’re lying or they have to get out of music and work in Tesco’s. It’s OK to make music on your Playstation but where do you go after that?
How’s the rave scene at the moment?
Terror Danjah: I want to go and chirpse [chat up] nice girls, not ones with hands down their pants. Girls used to get ready properly for raves and came out in dresses. I don’t come from a culture where the girls smell worse than men! We don’t make music for barbarians. We’re making music that you can make love to, fight to, get married to…
Seriously, there are tunes on there you can get married to?
Loudmouf: If you’ve got problems, this album will help you.
Terror Danjah: Put on contraception before listening to this album. It’s counselling for the people, really.
Who’s the most noticeable in Aftershock?
Terror Danjah: Bruza is like the McDonald’s ‘M’ because when you see him you know it’s Aftershock and the meals are coming with it.
If you were a McDonald’s meal, which one would you be?
Terror Danjah: I would be the Big Tasty [crazy laughter].
Who is featured on the album that isn’t with Aftershock?
Terror Danjah: We’ve got Gappy Ranks, Maxwell D, Skibbadee, Shabba, D Double, Laurissa, Wiley, Sadie Ama, Shola Ama…
Is Shola Ama going to make a comeback?
Terror Danjah: Boy! We’ve got one banger in the pipeline. Loudmouf just did something naughty with her, not like that though!
Do you want to clarify that?
Loudmouf: Nah, otherwise it wouldn’t be a shock to the system!
Youf: This tune with Shola isn’t just a normal after shock. It’s like the shock after the after shock!
What about the rest of the album, who does it cater to?
Terror Danjah: We’ve got the white side, Asian side and the music we grew up on. At the end of the day what is Grime? We were making this music before it was even labelled as Grime. If Jay-Z rapped on one of the beats, would it be called Grime? No, it would be called hip hop. Elrae had a tune that was 100bpm but they still called it Grime.
Loudmouf: If you get arrested, they call you a Grime artist. Have you noticed that? When a singer gets arrested they’re called a Grime artist. That’s how people label things.
Terror Danjah: It’s the media influencing peoples’ perceptions. There were journalists trying to make a name and face out of it.
Youf: Grime means dirty, it’s a dirty word.
Have you ever thought changing your name from Terror Danjah because it’s associated with Grime?
Terror Danjah: Yeah I did at one point but now I just think it doesn’t matter how long it takes to make it, I’m going to do it on my own terms, with my own name.
Are any of you studying music at college?
Elrae: I studied Music as well but it didn’t really help me. They took it from a more academic angle. It was good from the business angle but I felt like I was in a straitjacket when I wanted to be more creative.
Youf: I’m doing Music Business. It’s helping me understand a lot. We basically learn how not to be screwed over by a label and things like that. I was also on the last tune that Wiley ever did [Catch Up] which is a big deal.
Is that it for Wiley?
Terror Danjah: I think he’s being a daddy at the moment and you can’t really do music at the same time.
Has anyone here got kids?
Terror Danjah: [Dead silence] Only the album, the album is our child.
You’re the male singer in Aftershock, did you teach yourself to sing?
Elrae: I’ve never been asked that before. I can’t say I taught myself but I would emulate people like D’Angelo and Omar. They were my idols when I was growing up. I’m the odd one out in the camp because I’m the main singer and I don’t interact with as many of the MC’s as I should. I have to structure things more than they do so it might take me a bit longer.
Magnum, what have you been doing with yourself?
Magnum: I’m working on a couple of mix tapes and tracks right now. I’m on the Shock To The System album and Mz Bratt’s album as well. I’m looking to work with everyone from the camp and get my music out there.
I’m working on a couple of mix tapes and tracks right now. I’m on the Shock To The System album and Mz Bratt’s album as well. I’m looking to work with everyone from the camp and get my music out there.
Redz, you haven’t spoken a single word, anything to add?
Terror Danjah: Watch out for the Aftershock condoms.
Redz: I’m promoting that, still.
There you have it!
The new album ‘Shock To The System’ is out March 19th 2007
