Firstly thanks for taking time to do this exclusive interview for www.HipHop4Days.com. Let’s start at the beginning. How did you get into making music and when would you say your career started?
I got into music as a child. My Dad had this thing about buying me keyboards, so I learned all the demo songs. I was into writing poetry as well. The poetry just kind of lent itself to rap. I met my peers whilst at secondary school and college and we formed what was later to be known as Stone Circle – a crew of 4 lyrical MCs.  One of the members of Social Misfits who went to our college introduced us to Sir Prestige who was looking to expand the collective he founded. We became part of the Social Misfits who were doing big things and had a really big buzz circa 2002 when the crew dropped its all star compilation album, “The Society Documented”. I guess this when you could say the career started. Then in 2005 we dropped our debut album, Infrastructure, through the label and things have gone from there really.
 
From when you started to now, what you consider being your biggest tracks or releases?
Wow, that’s a difficult one, because we have always worked on an album by album basis. I have favourite songs, but not big songs as such. We got a bit of love on the Say Ahh remix. The original appeared on the album, Simplicity of Mind by Stone Circle co-founder Ti1. All in all though, it is nice when people just hit you back and tell you they heard something. I done production on the B-side for Pique’s (a.k.a. Manny Moscow) “Just For Her”. That got abit of radio shine too. Right now, I’m stoked off of my solo project, The World Could Wait. As my debut solo effort I think its fair to say its personally my biggest musical achievement and thus my biggest release. I have this sentimental track on there entitled Lost Property, which recounts the ordeal I had with having my son being repatriated and left in Jamaica without my knowledge. This one is for all of the parents out there that can’t be with their children for whatever reason – infact, its one that will touch all parents. I am trying to raise both awareness and donations for a wonderful charity called Reunite International. Lost property as a song was largely made possible by their amazing work. I was on Sky News talking about my situation recently, so this is all really important to me.
 
How would you describe the music that you make?
I am introspective mostly, drawing what I write off of  my life and ofcourse the experiences of other people around me. I just do me really. You get your kudos from straight spittin’. So, battling was an art form I had to learn and inject in my music too. All in all I would say I am lyrical. I can also tell a narrative. The music I make is usually emotive. However there’s a lot of fun stuff on The World Could Wait. The album is really conceptual. I would ‘like’ it to be liked to GZA’s Liquid Swords, but if I say it myself, I’d probably look silly. That album is a considered classic! My album isn’t… atleast not yet. LOL.

Have you done many collaborations, if so who have you worked with and what was your most memorable experience?
I’ve done a few collaborations. We’ve worked with Karl Hinds back in the day and my current project features Smiler. I have also done shows all over the place alongside other acts like Blak Twang, Rodney P., Estelle, MD7, etc, etc. These guys are really talented, so it was cool to work with other emcees at the top of their game. It gives you a more realistic perspective of where your skills are at.
 
Hip-Hop is changing all the time. How do you feel about Hip-Hop in 2010, who are you feeling and how is the game treating you?
Wow, ok… stumped. For the most part, I’m not really listening to current Hip Hop right now. Especially the mainstream – its too much image, image, image. Certain people cannot construct bars properly and have no true grasp of the language. I don’t mean to sound snobbish, but I see myself as a writer first and foremost and a musician second. The important part is that I see myself as both of these things. So, how am I going to spit bars without being able to write, or make music without knowing anything about the art form? From the States though, I like Wu Tang and Ras Kass. Talib Kweli is dope as well and so is Razah (formally Hell Razah). Oh, and Nas is kind of cool too. This list isn’t extensive. From my neck of the woods, got to shout out Smiler. Blak Twang, Kano and Sway are all good as well.
There are so many other emcees who are nice that I haven’t mentioned, so don’t think that these are the only people I check for. I’m not tarring everyone with the same brush and I also don’t think you have to be underground to be nice. It’s just that what’s main mainstream at the mo just kind of turned me off so I just tuned out.
 
Tell me about the label you’re with, even if it’s your own label. Tell us who is involved and how many people behind the scenes are helping you?
I am with Social Misfit Recordings. It’s an interesting set up, where I’ve know Sir Prestige since before 2000, it’s kind of like a friendship… with benefits LOL. He’s like, ‘why don’t you come through and jump on this track’, or ‘do a solo project’, or ‘lace a beat for this remix’? Usually, I’m like, ‘yeah’. At foremost we do this cause we passionate about music and making music.I love writing, so I will always do that and making beats is like pure escapism. The thing is though, I am happy enough doing that for self, so being involved in the label ensure that the work I do gets cast further a field. On The World Could Wait project, it’s really Sir Prestige and myself. Then we got Mani7est and Middleman who have been helping and supporting in a big way as has fellow Social Misfit Ichelmee. I didn’t mention any of my crew in the previous question, but they are all dope as well. I’ve also got some non-label mates putting in the rounds to promote me too.
 
The music industry is changing from CD’s & Vinyl over to MP3, stores are getting closed and on-line shops are starting up. Do you think CD’s are dead or do you think it depends on the genre & artist?
What can I say? I like a CD myself. But, I guess technology has moved on, people have moved on, and everyone is embracing the newness. CD is a good medium and has some longevity left in it due to it’s versatility, but is it dead? See, every so often I pop into the HMV near to my place of daily grind and the CD section is still popping off. I think things like this mostly depend on the consumer. However, when you doing free promotional street albums, mixtapes, or just exclusives MP3s and the internet can be a means of cutting down overheads whilst pleasing potential consumers, promoting yourself and building a relationship with new fans.
 
So where are you from exactly and have you ever done any local gigs?
Me, I hail from sunny South London where it’s all blue skies and grey streets LOL. Yeah, I’m local mostly. I’m a show whore at the mo and I’m loving it. I get out of London where I can, but haven’t rocked a stage abroad yet. I am open though, so to all them international promoters the passport’s is valid and and  the suitcase can be packed in a quick minute – holla!!!!. LOL. I always say home is where you write your raps. I feel most comfortable in South London and especially Tooting. It’s like my muse. My writing inspiration. I call it the ‘Undaworld’, because there are quite a few cemeteries here and in the surrounding areas. I had never seen so many until I moved here.
 
Have you done any big gigs or played live with any big artists? If so tell us what is was like and what playing live means to you.
The biggest gigs I’ve done was at the Hackney Empire and the Sound in Leicester Square at the the UK Hiphop Awards 2003 or 4. Whether the show is big or small, playing live is playing live. For a while I was beginning to consider myself a studio rapper, but since releasing The World Could Wait, I am starting to fall in love with this live thing all over again. You can connect with people in a way that you can’t from a CD or a download. I just love the energy and enjoy entertaining.
 
Hip-Hop is sometime viewed as negative music and in the media often gets a raw deal. Do you think that Hip-Hop should be more positive and that artists have a responsibility to the youth?
You are just setting me up for a fall on this one… yes, yes, yes. Hip Hop should be positive and we do have a responsibility to young people… especially young people of colour. However, it is not right to scapegoat Hip Hop and/or urban music. It pains me to say this, but it is just music. Society is complex as are people and the individual. I have listened to countless songs about drive-by shootings, drug deals, murders and rapes and have yet to perpetrate any of these crimes. I feel that the most important thing to show young people is that they have a choice. They can choose what they put it, which will hopefully influence what they put out. Though, me spitting my conscious bars doesn’t compete with the blingy, superficial lure of the jewel dripping thug rapper. That’s the way it is.
 
Can I get all the You Tube URL Links to all your online videos please?
Since you asked so nicely… try www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VavSZkjMmY for the music video for Endless, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUyuLjvEiNE for my interview on sky news, and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ttNLrOB2Tc for me performing live.

Can I get all your website links, facebook, myspace, reverb nation, twitter, etc.

www.9livesuk.bandcamp.com is where you can download The World Could Wait album for absolutely free. The related myspace is www.myspace.com/waitingworld and you can holla at me on www.twitter.com/9livesuk or www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/9livesuk/140745192617394?ref=sgm to facebook me. Please don’t forget that I am collecting donations for Reunite International. Please go to www.justgiving.com/waitingworld for the full story and to make a donation. Just hit them off with whatever you can. It’s a real worthy cause.

Interview by Stuart Patterson