Disorda - Interview

So I was just Disorda and nothing else.

AQ: "Can you give a run down on who you are and the whole bla bla bla?"
Disorda: "I am Disorda, ‘The Original U.K. Hustler, I said it every time because people like Westwood, certain DJ’s they claim to promote British HipHop. But they don’t at all. They play little bits here and there. They give you like 20 minutes on their radio show. And he (Westwood, ed.) got a national radio show in this country. And he plays twenty minutes of British HipHop once a week. And he got two three hours shows… And he wonders why he’s been shot. Nah, that is exaggerated."

Somehow it comes out once more that music is universal and so are its problems.
Disorda: "Well basically, I first started doing what I’m doing with regards to British HipHop, six years ago. I moved out to London and was always checking British HipHop. I do not know why, but as soon as it came out I could relate to it. I grew up on HipHop when Breaking started. What first came out, was like Demon Boys, Blade, London Posse, that sort of things., I started to buy their tunes. And when I moved out to London I just emerged in it. It was just the case… I was promoting ‘Mind Proof’ at that time, we released an EP. And I was in the right position and area to promote our EP. It was a lot easier for me to move to London because I was just living an hour outside of London. So it was a case of getting in touch with all the magazines. I started to promote my own material, my group ‘Intelligent Madness’. We putted a lot of names on list from people who wanted to buy it. We did our mail order. And from there I started to realize that people could not really get their hands on British HipHop that easily. So I thought, ‘lets put together a tape of British HipHop’. I was constantly buying British HipHop. I was never playing out as a DJ and till this day I never claim to be a DJ as such. Because I am a MC as well and doing promotion and that sort of things. So I was just Disorda and nothing else. But some people think, because I play out, I’m DJ Disorda.

Their only real platform to be heard.

So, that is how it started, I did the tape ‘U.K. Hustlers Vol. 1’. Just pulled it together. Did a few little flyers, sold the tape through the mailing list. Built it out from there. People where like: 'Yeah, this is really good, a compilation of British HipHop.' Some people could not get their hands on it. So I expanded on it. Doing more and more. And now I’m with ‘Volume 6’ of ‘U.K. Hustlers’. Vol. 2 of ‘Mind The Gap’. I got sent so many demos from people that wanted to get on the tape, because that was their only real platform to be heard in this country. Unless they release their record their own way. And even than it wasn't a viable way to get it heard. Because you can release a record and it’s still the case that in obscure places of England all they get is Tim Westwood and HipHop Connection Magazine. They don’t hear it unless they buy my tape, which is a shame really. But that is how this country is. So that is what hit me on to carry on doing a tape of demos that I got sent. And built it from there. A few people on my tapes got signed to certain independent labels, got show from it and got recognition from it. Which was basically what I set out to do. To get people heard, because they did not get heard. That was my main focus and what I achieved."

That is where it is going now.

AQ: "You could say, it is becoming a record company."
Disorda: "The view now is to release it basically on a label. I came this far and I did basically all this work on my own. No single person is helping me doing what I’m doing. And I work full time as well. Soon as I finish work I’m dealing with HipHop. People think that you just release the tape, sell it to the shops and that is it. But I still got people that owe me money from two years ago. And that is the one thing that got me annoyed, because everybody is like: "Yeah, yeah, yeah. You are doing a real good thing and yeah we want to sell your tape in our shop." Being in Scotland, the very South of England or in France, Holland, Germany and even Tokyo now. And certain people who I considered friends, even more so in this country are not paying up the money they owe me. And they sold my tapes. And that is one little aspect of what is making me think I’m not going to do this any more. Because I’m working my guts out, working like 15 and 16 hours a day sometimes. And not getting really a lot from it, you know. And on the same time I still want to do what I’m doing. There are people saying that I have to carry on, that I worked six years for it and made a name for myself. They got respect for what I’m doing. So now I’m looking at is to get a major label or an independent label to release what I’m doing now on vinyl. A double LP compilation album, not mixed. Just UK artists, whatever they heard or unheard and freestyles. That is where it is going now. That is how it built up and it is going well at the moment but it is just too much work to do now on my own. So I need to get help or I have to move to vinyl which I think is the next progression, get a label involved and get a distribution deal.

The money that I make goes back into the next release.

AQ: "How does it work with the artist, if there is money coming in, how do you split it up?"
Disorda: "On the money, I've been very lucky that I know everybody. I only had a couple of incidents where people said: "'re we going to get any money of being on your tape?' To be honest, I make back what I put in it only with the last two. ‘Mind The Gap Vol. 2’ and ‘U.K. Hustlers Vol. 6’. I put in 2.500 Pounds (Euro 3977.27, ed.) That is just for 500, including ±80 for promotion, of each tape plus adverts, promotion and postage etc. etc. That is a whole lot of money. I intend to make my money back each time and a little bit on top. The money that I make goes back into the next release. So in theory, I’m, not really making money. It’s just purely for the love of it. If I was in it to make money, I would have stopped two, three years ago. We all know that. I’m not in it to make money. I’m here to make a name for myself which I've done. I’m really pleased that I have done that and it is giving what I want. That people are calling me for an interview because they want to know what is up with the U.K. scene. That is what I only wanted to do. To promote it because nobody really has done that in this country, in a way I have done."

I want British HipHop to be recognized.

AQ: "Are you not afraid that people are going to say that Disorda wants to be in the spotlight himself?"
Disorda: "Well yeah. I will always say that I want my name to be part of it. But that is not what it’s about. I want the people that are working hard in this country to be recognized. The artists, the DJ’s, the promoters and the MC’s. It’s not just about me, there are a whole lot of people. It’s not just only artists. There are a lot of promoters out there that are putting out jams and working their butts off. And they are doing the same thing as me. Putting in money and are not making a lot back. Purely for the love. It’s nice to see my name but I want British HipHop to be recognized."

AQ

Suspect Packages
P.O. BOX 16077
London SE1ZX
England
Tel: 0044-(0)374-600252
e-mail: disorda@hotmail.com


		Disorda The Original U.K. Hustler We finally meet him, in the same pub a day later where we interviewed Travis Blaque also. Never saw him and he never saw us before. Walking in we immediately recognize each other. Disorda: "You can always tell who's a b-boy." A warned person counts for two. So we take it easy on the beer. Although, the man goes by the name Disorda, I only asked him one question and he answered all the questions I had on paper. Now that is top order condition in easily going interviews. Writing it down took me longer, I ran run out of batteries. O.K., finally got batteries, the machine it self is not working that fine. Aaarch, could I just be rich and do nothing. Well ‘doing nothing’ is not our mission. Disorda The Original U.K. Hustler is on a mission. Putting out tapes to push and promote underground U.K. HipHop. So I was just Disorda and nothing else. AQ: "Can you give a run down on who you are and the whole bla bla bla?" Disorda: "I am Disorda, ‘The Original U.K. Hustler, I said it every time because people like Westwood, certain DJ’s they claim to promote British HipHop. But they don’t at all. They play little bits here and there. They give you like 20 minutes on their radio show. And he (Westwood, ed.) got a national radio show in this country. And he plays twenty minutes of British HipHop once a week. And he got two three hours shows… And he wonders why he’s been shot. Nah, that is exaggerated." Somehow it comes out once more that music is universal and so are its problems. Disorda: "Well basically, I first started doing what I’m doing with regards to British HipHop, six years ago. I moved out to London and was always checking British HipHop. I do not know why, but as soon as it came out I could relate to it. I grew up on HipHop when Breaking started. What first came out, was like Demon Boys, Blade, London Posse, that sort of things., I started to buy their tunes. And when I moved out to London I just emerged in it. It was just the case… I was promoting ‘Mind Proof’ at that time, we released an EP. And I was in the right position and area to promote our EP. It was a lot easier for me to move to London because I was just living an hour outside of London. So it was a case of getting in touch with all the magazines. I started to promote my own material, my group ‘Intelligent Madness’. We putted a lot of names on list from people who wanted to buy it. We did our mail order. And from there I started to realize that people could not really get their hands on British HipHop that easily. So I thought, ‘lets put together a tape of British HipHop’. I was constantly buying British HipHop. I was never playing out as a DJ and till this day I never claim to be a DJ as such. Because I am a MC as well and doing promotion and that sort of things. So I was just Disorda and nothing else. But some people think, because I play out, I’m DJ Disorda. Their only real platform to be heard. So, that is how it started, I did the tape ‘U.K. Hustlers Vol. 1’. Just pulled it together. Did a few little flyers, sold the tape through the mailing list. Built it out from there. People where like: 'Yeah, this is really good, a compilation of British HipHop.' Some people could not get their hands on it. So I expanded on it. Doing more and more. And now I’m with ‘Volume 6’ of ‘U.K. Hustlers’. Vol. 2 of ‘Mind The Gap’. I got sent so many demos from people that wanted to get on the tape, because that was their only real platform to be heard in this country. Unless they release their record their own way. And even than it wasn't a viable way to get it heard. Because you can release a record and it’s still the case that in obscure places of England all they get is Tim Westwood and HipHop Connection Magazine. They don’t hear it unless they buy my tape, which is a shame really. But that is how this country is. So that is what hit me on to carry on doing a tape of demos that I got sent. And built it from there. A few people on my tapes got signed to certain independent labels, got show from it and got recognition from it. Which was basically what I set out to do. To get people heard, because they did not get heard. That was my main focus and what I achieved." That is where it is going now. AQ: "You could say, it is becoming a record company." Disorda: "The view now is to release it basically on a label. I came this far and I did basically all this work on my own. No single person is helping me doing what I’m doing. And I work full time as well. Soon as I finish work I’m dealing with HipHop. People think that you just release the tape, sell it to the shops and that is it. But I still got people that owe me money from two years ago. And that is the one thing that got me annoyed, because everybody is like: "Yeah, yeah, yeah. You are doing a real good thing and yeah we want to sell your tape in our shop." Being in Scotland, the very South of England or in France, Holland, Germany and even Tokyo now. And certain people who I considered friends, even more so in this country are not paying up the money they owe me. And they sold my tapes. And that is one little aspect of what is making me think I’m not going to do this any more. Because I’m working my guts out, working like 15 and 16 hours a day sometimes. And not getting really a lot from it, you know. And on the same time I still want to do what I’m doing. There are people saying that I have to carry on, that I worked six years for it and made a name for myself. They got respect for what I’m doing. So now I’m looking at is to get a major label or an independent label to release what I’m doing now on vinyl. A double LP compilation album, not mixed. Just UK artists, whatever they heard or unheard and freestyles. That is where it is going now. That is how it built up and it is going well at the moment but it is just too much work to do now on my own. So I need to get help or I have to move to vinyl which I think is the next progression, get a label involved and get a distribution deal. The money that I make goes back into the next release. AQ: "How does it work with the artist, if there is money coming in, how do you split it up?" Disorda: "On the money, I've been very lucky that I know everybody. I only had a couple of incidents where people said: "'re we going to get any money of being on your tape?' To be honest, I make back what I put in it only with the last two. ‘Mind The Gap Vol. 2’ and ‘U.K. Hustlers Vol. 6’. I put in 2.500 Pounds (Euro 3977.27, ed.) That is just for 500, including ±80 for promotion, of each tape plus adverts, promotion and postage etc. etc. That is a whole lot of money. I intend to make my money back each time and a little bit on top. The money that I make goes back into the next release. So in theory, I’m, not really making money. It’s just purely for the love of it. If I was in it to make money, I would have stopped two, three years ago. We all know that. I’m not in it to make money. I’m here to make a name for myself which I've done. I’m really pleased that I have done that and it is giving what I want. That people are calling me for an interview because they want to know what is up with the U.K. scene. That is what I only wanted to do. To promote it because nobody really has done that in this country, in a way I have done." I want British HipHop to be recognized. AQ: "Are you not afraid that people are going to say that Disorda wants to be in the spotlight himself?" Disorda: "Well yeah. I will always say that I want my name to be part of it. But that is not what it’s about. I want the people that are working hard in this country to be recognized. The artists, the DJ’s, the promoters and the MC’s. It’s not just about me, there are a whole lot of people. It’s not just only artists. There are a lot of promoters out there that are putting out jams and working their butts off. And they are doing the same thing as me. Putting in money and are not making a lot back. Purely for the love. It’s nice to see my name but I want British HipHop to be recognized." AQ Suspect Packages P.O. BOX 16077 London SE1ZX England Tel: 0044-(0)374-600252 e-mail: disorda@hotmail.com © 1999 ART12/VanderHoek Publishing. All rights reserved.