1. How did your Love for music grow beyond your eclectic music collection since the age of 15? I suppose growing into reggae music has allowed me to feel the essential root of most music I listen to today essentially the Drums & bass gives way to all sorts of possibilities. 2. Do you check for beats or lyrics first, and how are they equally important to a good song? I used to listen to a lot of dub when I was younger so a lot of it was instrumental.The trojan label probably has one of the biggest catalogue as far as I'm concerned lovers rock, rudeboy & Ska so basically my acceptance level for instrumental music has grown from there, lyrics of course are always important in getting the story of a song across whether it be a love/heartbreak experience or political statements- I think the music can stand alone though without the interference of a badly placed vocal. 3. How did you get hooked up with Pure DM and how did that experience open career doors for you? Even before Pure DM I was doing pirate radio on climax Radio, and had to travel to east london for the graveyard session with my partner Jason wells, we also used to do squat parties in the 80's all around south london brixton/Tulse hill to be precise- there I met a lot of people one such party was dreamzone a jam where colin dale used to spin & boy george and friends used to come by and hang out. 4. How did you get on the UK global hip hop album Speaking in Tongues? Yoruba people was the group name in which I produced the track check my paradise minimal beatish number it was one off track, and we didn't mind being known as an act from the ivory coast either..lol The featured singers on that particular song were Pheboe who now sings for Nouvelle Vague, and her own project Pheobe Killdeer & the short straws and tatiana heintz singer of the group "Okou" I also knew some of the producers and also the associates that were working within that label Drew horley was one, producer of Natalie williams (secret gardens) & Uk rapper TY's awkward & upwards albums as well as a stew of Remixes we knew each other for ages when bluebird records was still opened up in streatham and shop manager was ross allen- the connections could go on at this point so either way I had this track and I submitted to the label thru a close friend at the time Chloe Tolmer phoebes sister. 5. Explain the different level of respect you have for Indie labels versus the big industry labels? You have to respect the major league mechanism its just ancient, and has its claws in all sorts of lobbies and company rosters. As with the primary "indies" they can experiment a little more, and of course they're the ones that are generally signing all the great acts that majors pick up later after you have done the footwork. 6. What personal aspirations do you have for your own independent label UBeat and how did you come to team up with Onur Engin? I hooked up with Onur via myspace seems to be the most obvious place these days so anyways I did a mix for his show Monotape. com that was the first encounter then came a chat we had months later about working together on a label at the time my services were more of an aid then an actual partner so we'll see what comes of the efforts we have invested so far-- first releases should be expected shortly now that the distro is locked down. I suppose we'll use the label as a launch pad for kids/bands that haven't really got a clue about where their music could be taken into account whether its genre dynamics or just people not wanting take a chance on them we'll be there to do that. 7. What key advice do you have for up and coming artists looking for a record deal, but desire to maintain personal integrity without compromising their creative vision? Keeping personal integrity probably means aiming towards an indie directive, most majors want glossy looking model types 18-25. The internet is like the biggest online library of information it can teach you everything you need to know about making it on your own I'd say use it!! 8. What are your personal predictions for the UK hip hop scene, and do you see more collaborations and expansion with the US hip hop scene? If you're including Grime,Dubstep,U.K funky & Wonky as termed by the press then I'd say that the hip hop scene has hope for sure. Estelle seems to be doing well Lady Sovereign,Kano,Sway,Wiley and dizzie rascal yeah so I would say you have to expand your horizons, and definitely thinking about matching markets. 9. I know sneakers size isn't everything....lol But how important is it for you to make real music and not commercial-trendy-strictly for the Love of money not beats music? Most the guys I expected to be putting out serious music have turned to making music for commercials & advertising agencies there's just better money involved in that side of the industry like what you would get for an album these days you could make a 1min piece of music for the same fee plus there's certain amount of satisfaction if you see your name up on the screen credits, again some say music is just music at the end of the day, I'm still trying to figure that one out myself cause I thought it was so much more..lol. 10. Why was J-Dilla important to you, and how did his music influence you on a personal level and from a musical perspective? There so many things J-Dilla brought to my life one being the freedom in sound movement the way he swings his sound, the drums he puts down are just the best also the way he chooses his samples meaning from the point in which he chops them not like most who go for the obvious loop points, but he just takes those essential notes and makes them his re composes them, plus he's just a dope all rounder and humble with it most importantly he brought some of the most enriching music in to my life at this point and gave me a direction to work from even. Thank-You! Jay Scarlett for your time and talent :) God Bless You! jaxx :)