Interview w/ DJ TMB

Whether you have heard the name DJ TMB (most of you will have) or not, the sheer feature & collaborations list make him one of the most "celebrated" DJ's, not just in the UK, but of the whole underground Hip Hop scene. It is a great pleasure to be able to get his words & opinions for you all to see right here, and as one of my personal favourite DJ's around a lot of this will come over as a fan speaking to an artist instead of any old interview thrown out there. So, let's not draw this out longer than needs be...

MYSTI: DJ TMB.. Its a name to remember really, but how did you come up with the name?

TMB: It's kind of a funny story, many years ago, a buddy came thru for a session, we regularly got together to throw beats on, smoke a ton of weed and drink a crate of lager, this particular time we got wasted and I threw on some ragga beats, as my buddy was freestlyin over it in a ragga style (which was hilarious) he came up with this name 'KillaMans Biro' (kill a mans biro) and I jokingly replied with the name TerraMans Bookup (tear a mans book up) and after we sobered up we kept it and started rhyming under those names. I later shortened it to TMB. These days it can stand for many things, The Master Butcher, The Mad Bastard, The Mean Brother, The Master Builder.. etc...

MYSTI: Whether you or anybody else knows I'm not too sure, but there is another DJ TMB mainly on Youtube who does competition entries & cut sessions. 1. What do you think about sharing the name? 2. If you already knew, have you ever been mistaken for the other DJ TMB?

TMB: I am aware of the other dude, I don't mind sharing the name, When I started using the name I was unaware of him or another TMB. He has great skills and I have nothing but respect for him. I'm not into the battle scene and doing scratch videos, I don't really find the time for it, to be as good as some of these turntablist out there you need to practice and be on it all the time, I used to be on it all the time but these days I got a family and other commitments which take up my time. I do get the odd person on Facebook who thinks it's me but i do correct them, it doesn't happen too often.

MYSTI: Ok, onto the more serious questions now lol.. Your feature/collaborations list is HUGE, I mean if you can imagine how big a list can be, it pushes the boundaries of that.. Now, instead of "who is your favourite person you've worked with", I'm going to ask who was the most interesting person you've worked with, who and why did it take you out of your comfort zone?

TMB: Hmmm thats a good question, I like producers/artists that send beats that are always different, some are experimental and I appreciate that, because experimenting with music and pushing the boundaries are what makes it interesting. There are also dudes who have sent me beats that I have had to decline to work on because I don't feel it. There are a lot of interesting artists out there and I like a challenge..




MYSTI: You have a couple of mixtapes/cd's out there including The Machine & I See Red People which both got a lot of acclaim from pretty much everyone who heard it, will you be putting together another collective project like this in 2015 or in the future?

TMB: I am currently working on a series of EP's with different producers beats, 5-6 tracks each, the first will be 'The Grand Imperials' with JBL the Titan, and it will feature my good friend Edd Bundy on the verses throughout along with a plenty of guests i've roped in.. I have planned it out very carefully, from selecting the beats to hand picking the artists for each track. No set date for release yet. Mixtapes, I will be dropping more throughout the year so keep 'em peeled.




MYSTI: Region Of Kings, ROK Muzik, ROK LDN.. These are common names that you are associated with. For those that don't know, what is it & how did it get started?

TMB: Region of Kings started around 2009 I think, It was my creation, I wanted to start a crew with actual heads I knew in person, originally the crew started off as me, KillaMans Biro, this dude named Carey the Lone Soldier and another dude called Breeve Eazy, then came Edd Bundy, we put together an album called Kingdom of Godz, which I made beats and rhymed on. I kinda lost touch with Carey and Breeve Eazy over time, and KillaMans Biro stepped away from the scene, So that left me and Edd. We are still making music under the ROK name, in fact the EP series we're doing will be under the ROK umbrella.

MYSTI: Being a UK DJ first and foremost but with mainly a US collaboration list would it be safe to assume you like US Hip Hop more? If so why?

TMB: Yes I pretty much only listen to US Hip hop, It was what got me hooked on it from day one, having said that, I do like a few UK artists, Task Force, Blak Twang, Stig and a few others and of course my team, Edd Bundy and Sam Tafari. But my heart is with the US, always has and always will.

MYSTI: Who would you say are your favourite US underground rappers & UK underground rappers right now?

TMB: Well UK would be Edd Bundy and Sam Tafari, I've been lucky enough to watch these guys flourish and grow first hand both here in the UK and in the US underground scene. As far as the US, right now for me I gotta say Skrewtape, his latest album with Us Natives 'No Filter' is my album of 2014. He also directs video's too, and is a real stand up guy, I met him at Marsten House recording studio last year. Also Vas is one of my favourite artists too, his flow and delivery stands out, I like everything he does and again he welcomed me into his home in Philly last year and fed me Krimpets. Pryme Prolifik, Tone Liv, Godilla, Adlib and UG all put in work and I enjoy all these guys music.

MYSTI: A lot of people won't know, but as you have said, you used to be an emcee also, what made you stop? Is it something you would ever go back to?

TMB: As I mentioned before, I used to rhyme and I enjoyed it, I see it now as a path I took to find where I fit in, I've loved Hip hop since I was 9 years old, Breakin' got me started, I used to bust moves with my piece of Lino, then I started DJing and scratchin' on my 'one deck one cassette' step up, then I started reciting Run DMC, LL, Beastie Boys lyrics which eventually turned into writing my own verses and recording them onto cassette, I also dabbled in the graffiti scene too so I have sampled all the elements of Hip Hop and found my lane. I enjoyed the concept of writing and recording tracks but it never really took off. I wouldn't pick up the mic again or go back to any of the other elements of Hip Hop but I do really enjoy them all.




MYSTI: As a DJ/Producer & 'retired' (so to speak) Emcee, which one do/did you have more fun doing?

TMB: I enjoy the creative side of things the most, being creative is mad fun, but the DJ side of things has always held my interest the most, I love doing cuts and being in my studio but I also really enjoy the live sets and being able to DJ for artists too. Being a DJ is great because I'm a fan first and foremost, so I love listening to Hip hop, and being part of the scene however big or small is a blessing and I'm really enjoying it. I've been collecting Hip hop vinyl since around 1984 which is another aspect of being a fan and a DJ I love and enjoy.

MYSTI: On the production topic, you produced a few amazing beats for Dead Rabbits projects and a lot of other places, what has been your favourite tracks you have heard created over your beats?

TMB: I don't make many beats, maybe 4 or 5 a year, not many artists out there have my beats, I would say Edd Bundy is my favourite artist on my beats, we've had a few bangers, he gets first dibbs on 99% of my beats.




MYSTI: What is the most difficult thing about being a DJ, and what is the best thing about being a DJ?

TMB: The most difficult thing is vinyl storage, my studio is full and I won't stop buying! There are many 'best things' about it, the creativity, the fun, the buzz of playing live, meeting great people, travelling, the diggin', it's all good!

MYSTI: You have had a lot of success as a DJ, do you think it would be something you could do full time if you put enough into it?

TMB: Yes I'd love to give up the day job and become a full time DJ, but having a family and responsibilities means I need a guaranteed income every month, If I became a resident at a nightclub playing Hip hop very week then yes i'd love that and would discuss it with my family. But for now it's a hobby, a passion that puts a few more pennies in the pot.

MYSTI: What do you prefer, performing live or featuring on a very reputable emcee's album?

TMB: Hmmm, I think performing live has the edge, because you cant beat that buzz and meeting/networking with people is always good. But I do love spending endless hours in my studio on my turntables too.

MYSTI: If anyone wanted to start DJ'ing and doing cuts, if you could give anyone any advice off the bat, what would that be?

TMB: I'd say make sure it's what you want to do before you spend money on the right equipment, you gotta be hungry and have a passion for it, and put in hours of practice to master it and not give up when it's not going right. I'd also say use turntables and vinyl too, before you go digital, do your research and have fun!.





MYSTI: What music can we expect from TMB in 2015?

TMB: The series of EP's I mentioned will happen, more cuts and features, more live shows, my weekly radio show 'Throwback Thursdays' on audiobunker.co.uk just more DJ TMB for your ears!

MYSTI: If you could do cuts for anyone in Hip Hop dead or alive who are the top 5 you would want to work with?

TMB: I don't know to be honest, there is too many, I enjoy every track I do whether it's an upcoming unknown or established artist.

MYSTI: Vinyl is always a DJ's first choice but if that wasn't an option, CD's or Digital?

TMB: Digital

MYSTI: What would you say keeps you going & gives you motivation in what can sometimes be a very headache inducing scene?

TMB: I stay away from the politics of the scene as much as possible, it can be very demoralising and negative. The support of my wife and kids keep me moving forward when im low, also a little acknowledgement from peers and people i'm cool with is a great pick me up.

MYSTI: If you had to sum up your thoughts about DJ'ing in 5 words, How would describe it?

TMB: Fun, enjoyable, late nights, friends

MYSTI: So, its that time again, we have come to the end of another interview that I would have loved to last for days but alas, it just cannot be lol, if anybody wanted to hear more from TMB where could they find/buy your music?

TMB: Thanks for having me on your blog Mysti, I really appreciate all your constant support and love you show me. FOR BOOKINGS, CUTS and ALL THINGS DJ TMB you can find me at the usual spots.

Facebook TMB.ROK Twitter @DJTMB Instagram @djtmb Email djtmb@me.com

MYSTI: Well thanks for the interview it definitely crosses one thing off my "to-do" list, and hopefully people are as interesting in reading this as I was conducting it. I hope you have a great 2015 and you achieve everything that you want to achieve.

Also many thanks to anyone who takes time to read these interviews, a little interaction goes a long way, so thank you.
Mysti.