StayFresh are a record label collective from Wolverhampton and Birmingham. They release music on their own label and in the words of their main producer, 17 year-old S-X, “We’re called StayFresh because everything we do is original – we do things that haven’t already been done and keep it fresh.” StayFresh originally formed in 2005/2006 but they didn’t take off much. After a chance meeting between S-X and label co-ordinator Jamie Dred at a radio station in Wolverhampton about 3 or 4 years ago, the two decided to start everything back up and they “went hard”. Having brought a whole new sound to the UK’s underground scene and produced what is widely considered as the biggest grime beat of 2010 Woooo Riddim, I recently caught up with S-X for a chat.
S-X – where does the name come from?
Well S is my initial, my name is Sam and the X can mean anything: X-factor, X-files, X can generally anything.
Tell us about Woooo aka “biggest grime track of the year” – how did it come about?
I made the beat about three years ago but we only started sending it out last year when it was two years old. We had Stay Fresh versions done and then it started picking up. It had its first ever radio play on radio 1 on Ras Kwame’s show, which gave it a kick-start. It was Raider from stay fresh’s version and because he already has a following in the midlands that helped. Everyone liked the beat and everyone started doing versions and its kind of became “the thing to do” to see who had the best version. We never expected it to kick off like it did. Especially being from the midlands because I wasn’t in that circle. Obviously the fact that it has is a great thing.
And which is your favourite version?
Well obviously the StayFresh versions but outside of StayFresh it has to be D Double’s. He’s just a sick MC.
It’s weird because it’s a grime beat with a fresh sound but it’s also three years old. Its old but new – how does that work?
It’s just my style I think. If you listen to all my beats they’re all like that. They’ve got a big 808 bass.
Who are your influences?
Well I mainly listen to American music so I guess my main influences producers wise are American – obviously we grew up on hip-hop. I listen to mad things though from Oasis to Linkin Park and all that rock stuff, obviously I like grime and hip hop, people like Young Jeezy but mainly for the beats though. I listen to everything.
And what inspires you to actually make a beat?
As soon as I hear a sound, a beat just forms in my head. I know exactly what I want and how I want it. I’ll flick through sounds until I find the one I want and then the ideas flow and the tracks start. I try to make 5 beats a day minimum and some days I even make 10. I stay in the house and zone out. I always had music around me so I knew I wanted to get into music. I played drums in school and violin and on some of my new tracks I play bass guitar and I’m recording drums at college because I sold my drum kit years ago.
So you’re at college as well at the moment. What are you studying?
Yes, I’m at college and I’m doing Music Technology. The tutors know how my life is going and because I’m so busy I cant really go to college all the time. Every time I go though, I get random people walking up to me telling me how much they rate my work which is really mad.
Obviously you’ve worked with some big UK names. Who have u enjoyed working with most?
JME. He was the only person I really wanted to work with in the UK because he’s different. You can have fun with him on a song. Like if you listen to CD is Dead its funny but its still a good song. He’s just different. He’s a funny guy. I’ve got a track on his new album coming up called Music Ting.
Is there anyone else you haven’t worked with but would like to?
There’s no one else I particularly want to work with but whatever comes up I’m doing. I want to move to America really and start making hip-hop because that’s my main passion. I’m always going to make grime and I also make chart stuff, like Marvel Music for example which many people don’t know I produced. Obviously I’m working on all the StayFresh projects, Trilla’s album, Roll Deep’s album, Newham Generals, other members of Boy Better Know like Frisco’s new track. I’ve also been working with some big American producers as well and have some other big things coming up, which I can’t really talk about. People will see. Time will tell.
And do you think the gap between the Midlands and London has finally been bridged in terms of music?
Yes I do to an extent. It’s become more of a grime scene – it’s just one big scene now. I think we’ve definitely played a part in that and it feels good because that’s what we do music for – to get known and be part of something big and it’s happened. Its about time really as well because I’ve been making beats since I was 11 and I’m 17 now.
Being so young and already having so much recognition, where do you see yourself or where do you want to be in the next 10 years?
I see myself in America working with the top people. I want to work with American but to push a UK sound and take what we have over here and make it global. I want to be an A-List producer up there with Timbaland and Dr. Dre and if I keep that mind state I’m sure it can happen because it’s the law of attraction so it has to happen. We want to take things to a whole new level and take music somewhere it’s never been before and we’re doing it.
The Woooo EP is available now on iTunes, Amazon and all good online music retailers and is soon to be released on vinyl.
Follow S-X on Twitter: www.twitter.com/producersx
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