Stories about London, Culture & Creativity

This week Marcus Barnes, an author, music journalist and graffiti artist. His graffiti name has been in my vision for about 15 years now, a prolific train painter from South London. We met a couple times over the years but never properly and having him come round here was dope. The last time we spoke was at Aset’s funeral and I talk about it towards the end of the podcast, that conversation made me really want to know more about him and I’ve so grateful he came round and shared his story with us.
Another dope insight to a creatives life and path so far. We get through loads from his really interesting upbringing full of inspirational people, finding graffiti and the moral grounds he had to explore in order to do it, his working life and experiences with Lad Mags to the Daily Mail and his massive passion for music. We also chat about the pointless and yet extensive court case brought upon him by Colin Saycell and BTP for his publication of his magazine Keep the Faith. He travelled the city, painted trains with some of the best and now writes beautifully about music for MixMag.
It’s a dope chat, I loved it.. I’ll tell you more about him at the end of the podcast, for now check him out @mgoldenbarnes on Instagram whist you listen.
Enjoy.. This is f24.

Back again… and this week I had Mysdiggi and as some of you know him by Mystro, UK Hip Hop legend, he’s been in the game for years and surpassed the 10’000 hour rule years ago.. he’s a pro and I’ve been a fan
but never had the chance to really chat to Mys before. We’ve crossed paths, seen each other about and when I saw him at Teach’s show in December I hollered straight away and we worked it out. We have a bit of a different chat this week, for the hour or so there is a lot about current affairs, thoughts on issues, flat earth and community. Mys tells us his experience with Iowaska and we compare with therapy which I love and eventually we get his story and hid first interactions within the UK music scene, near death experiences, MCing to Jungle and Hip Hop, making music, touring the world and his time with Lowlife. We also chat about his music in length, the words he speaks and the messages he pushes through on his different releases and genres.

A real dope honest open chat, a lot of on the spot thinking and exploring.

Go check him at @mysdiggi on instagram whilst you listen..
This is F24..

From London’s most notorious graffiti crews along with many others. His impact on our culture has been felt for two decades, we’ve seen the amazing panels running through the city, one of the flyest tags hitting the streets in his distinct styles, character full throw ups and legendary stories about him and his crew… what a treat.

I’ve known T for many years, we met through a shared acquaintance when I opened my shop in 2003 and over the years we’ve got to know each other quiet well but not as much as the last few months. We’ve been hanging out loads and getting to know each other properly. I didn’t want to be greedy with that privilege, so it took a while, but I got him behind a mic. And what a chat we have. The lives of writers hey! Who’da thought it.. they end up everywhere. I have an amazing chat with T about growing up in West London, his full-on home life, pressure in school and his reasons to start writing. He tells us an amazing story about his first train mission and how he moved on through the scene. We go into his further education, travels, the meanings of writing and everything in-between.
Dope having King Teach round… As I said we’ve been hanging so I’ve been able to see what’s coming to Soho next Thursday. it’s a first and its amazing.. go check @teachdds whilst your listening.. enjoy,

This weeks interview is with Britain’s very own TY, a musician from Brixton. I found TY’s music early on in moving to Brighton, I was in HMV on western rd. with my best mate Nick and we heard some amazing sounds over the stores speakers, I asked what it was and copped the vinyl straight away. It became one of the larger parts of the soundtrack for that time in my life and it was also one of the first UK Hip Hop albums I bought a culture that would become incredibly important to me over the following years, not a bad intro huh Amazing to have him round, a real pleasure. Enjoy!

This week’s chat is with Novar FLIP a rapper, journalist and host of The Flip Life Show on Pyro Radio. We’ve known each other for years but really got to know each other alongside another good friend, Snail when we were all in Brighton and I had the Shop. We have loads of mutual friends including North London’s much beloved Mud Family, and I’ll never forget that he got me on one of his record covers with Old School Don Crymien. He did a dope illustration, I crowed it with a hand style. It was great catching up and talking with him this week, this is his experience with London, culture and creativity. enjoy.

This weeks interview is with musician and producer Simon Franks from London’s very own, Audio Bullys. I met Simon in 2009 whilst painting in East London, but I’d know of him for years having been a fan of his music since the early 2000’s. A pleasure to have him round and have him share his stories about growing up in West London, getting into skating and music, meeting graffiti writers and the forming of Audio Bullys. Dope having him round, enjoy!

This week’s chat is with Done London’s Will and Tom. You have probably seen their clothing gracing peoples bodies with nods to the London Underground and you may have also seen their stickers and pieces about the place. Had a great chat with these two about their journeys, the cultures being chosen and working in a creative world in any way they could in order to be in the position to take an opportunity and go for it with setting up Done. Great story about  their interactions with London, Culture and Creativity.

This week’s conversation is with Will Robson Scott, a British photographer living in New York. I’ve known Will for a good decade now and was really happy to get to sit down and chat about his journey so far. Will tells us about growing up in London and New York, getting into skating and graffiti and finding music. We chat about school and maybe the lack of it, distracted by culture Will found himself having to make a decision and a photography course presented itself and his journey with creativity started. Dope chat, really funny and a pleasure to have him round. This is his London, Culture and Creativity story.

This weeks conversation is with Jack Murray. Jack is a creative force, I’ve known him to put his mind to various creative endeavors and explore and be inspired by them. We had a great conversation, it was a real pleasure having him over. We talked about growing up in a socialist house in Kentish Town, North West London, school life and hanging out in the manor. He tells us about finding music and graffiti and making a big effort to take on culture. We get into discussions about commercial work and other cultures dealing with the pop v’s authentic aesthetic and a great chat about his graffiti career and crew, the moves they pulled off and the creative outlets that they put to use. Great chat, this is Jack’s London, Culture and Creativity story.