Original Scars

After a great 2009 we catch up with Original Scars and Bee to chat about their two big tracks and see what they've got planned for 2010 and where they are going next...


UKFH: Hi Guys, how are you?
OS: Happy to say the least when you are constantly doing something (music) you enjoy and the feedback you receive is positive it makes you want to continue with what you are doing. I am also in my last year of university which is intense so I have to remain disciplined with the amount of hours I focus on music as Uni work comes first when time is a luxury.


BEE: Great thank you absolutely brilliant...


UKFH: For those who don't know you, would you like to introduce yourselves and tell us a bit about you?
OS: Well I am Original Scars from South London Songwriter, poet and lyricist. I was involved seriously in music at 17 but didn’t feel I was ready enough to showcase myself as an artist to the world so I decided to take a break and find myself as a person and see if music was the career path I really wanted to take. At 19 from maturing a bit more plus educating myself a little more in music with the help of mentors such as James Yarde & my family it made me look at music in a different light as a business rather than just music I listened to.


BEE: I’m Bee, well where to start. I have been singing and performing for a long time, I’m originally from a lovely town called Dudley and I love music..


UKFH: How long have you been involved in music and how did you start out?
OS: Its been part of me from the early 90’s when my older cousins and their friends would be at my house getting ready to go clubbing the various kinds of music they would listen to would always interest me as I looked up to them. This ranged from Salsa music, New Jack Swing to Rnb and Soul. I would hear them singing various songs and because I didn’t no the words I would make up my own and thats how my songwriting skills developed without me even being aware of what I was doing.


BEE: Well as I previously mentioned, I started out performing and singing at a stage school I used to go to in Birmingham. In regards to a career in singing that started seriously last year after writing Signs for Love.




UKFH: You both really compliment each other well, how and why did you team up?
We were both interested in music but didn’t feel we were being given the chance to show are creative skills. So one day we sat down together and devised a music plan as we shared the same vision, trying to make good music. “Signs for love” was a production from Bee, and DJ Harm Kid thought it would enhance the track if I jumped on it so we went to the studio and that was the result. With the song Feeling You we called Chantz a professional trained singer to help us with the production which we felt went really well as we all shared the same vibe.


UKFH: What are the most positive things from working with each other?
We trust each others judgement in music; if Bee gives me advice on a track I see it as a blessing as we both have the same intention to make good music. Also we both feel blessed everytime we are in the studio as not so long ago it was a luxury we didn't have and people around us took for granted.


UKFH: Who and what have been your musical influences and inspirations?
OS: As a songwriter I would say Howard Hewitt, Aaliyah, Prince, Jasmine Sullivan, Corey Latif and Jocedi as their delievery is unique will delieving emotion in all their tracks. As a lyricist I would have to say Nas, Kanye West plus legends in the game like 50 Cent, Big Daddy Kane and Biggies who originally attracted me to writing lyrical material. Apart from my family and friends 50 Cent is my role model (apart from getting shot 9 times Laughs) as his business frame of mide has put him in the position he is today.


BEE: For me I have come from a church background so gospel music has always been a major factor as well as legends like Etta James, Billie Holiday, Whitney Houston, Lauyrn Hill, Floetry. I love soul but I’m very diverse and love anything from Kings of Leon to Spice Girls.


UKFH: Why did you decide to make 2 Funky House tracks?
OS: From strong feedback from Signs for Love me and Bee thought it would be a good idea to see if we could replicate the same vibes we got from Signs for Love. So we asked Chantz if she chould be part of are project and the outcome was “Feeling You”.


BEE: It was a fluke really the beat for Signs for Love was given to me and I fell in love with it, at the time funky house was just breaking out into mainstream with tracks like Do You Mind and Devil in a Blue Dress hitting the big time both tracks where personal favourites of mine so that did influence my reasons for choosing to write to the particular beat.


UKFH: Tell us about the track ‘Signs for Love’, where did it come from and why do you think it got so much positive feedback?
OS: The emotion Bee put into Signs for Love was amazing, listening to the track you could really relate to the what she was singing which always helps the listener. This meant I had to ensure that the delievery on the track was up to standard and incorporated everything Bee said in the song.


BEE: I wrote it as a test to myself to start and finish a track. I was with Rhymez Beats and he left me with the beat and told me to write on top of this. So with that in mind I did and that’s where the first song I completed came from. I think it's the hook that sold it really its simple and it really does get in your head the track. It's also mellow and soulful and I’ve been told it really lifts peoples spirits when they hear it.




UKFH: Were you surprised that your first track together became so popular?
OS: Yeah a little bit, because when the track was completed we gave it to a few DJ's in the UK and America and that was it. Until we started doing PA’s and receiving feedback we were encouraged to work harder in promoting the track and ensuring as many people as possible heard the track.


BEE: Really surprised after writing the song the first person I showed was my dad and he loved it! You know the first time you do something you're always overly sceptical of what people think I then sent it to a few friends and the feedback was phenomenal. It really was amazing when I showed it to Original Scars I knew that he needed to feature on the track so from then on we started something amazing for both of us - Bee Original




UKFH: Not many artists can follow their first track with another success, so what were you trying to achieve with the second track 'Feeling You'?
OS: The concept was a Funky House track people could sing to while dancing. So the word count in terms of lyrics was kept the bare minimal intentionally so the listener could feel the emotion in Bee's lyrics.


BEE: Well the main thing we didn’t want to be was one hit wonders so it was a case of consistency and more of a continuation from Signs for Love letting that special person know how much you're feeling them.




UKFH: Both tracks are produced by Rymez Beats; tell us about him and what he brings to your tracks?
OS: Tinnie Tempah said that Rymez is one of the best producers in the country and I strongly agree. A good producer makes it easier for an artist to deliever their music well while bringing out the best in an artist. We are now working with Don Luch and Ill Blu plus some of the leading producers around the country so we are looking forward to the outcome.


BEE: Rymez Beats played a huge part in me writing Signs for Love as a friend not just a producer. His style is very versatile and unique specialising in Rnb, Hip Hop and Funky House. I also agree with the compliments from Tine Tempa.




UKFH: How did you feel when your tracks featured on BBC 1xtra?
OS: That was a big look, so it gave as the motivation to ensure that more of our material was played on well known radio station.


BEE: I was ecstatic when I first got the news that Footloose was playing the track and then hearing the mix was brilliant.




UKFH: Everyone knows last year was very successful for you with the two tracks, Feeling You & Sign for Love. - What’s next for you? Have you got any projects coming up that you can tell us about?
OS: We have just completed a Mixtape Album titled Bee Original which has various artists which will display our versatility not only Funky House. We also have various shows booked up until the end of summer so we are just preparing for that right now.


BEE: We are currently finishing off the Bee Original Mixtape Album as well as pursuing our own projects including my Album Honey Trap which should be released May/June so we are moving at what seems like quite a fast pace.


UKFH: What are your thoughts of Funky House in 2009?
I prefer the soulful and vocal elements to Funky House as I feel that was the whole reason why people fell in love with Funky House. Tunes like Kyla “Do You Mind” and Kimona “I See You” is what amazes me about Funky House. I feel the other more novelty tracks devalue the music as people who don’t listen to Funky House instantly dismiss the whole genre of music because of these tracks.




UKFH: What were your personal highlights of 2009?
Getting people coming upto you after shows and saying how much they loved the song plus hearing people sing all with you word for word when you are performing. It makes you realise the power of hard work from writing your lyrics in a room by yourself to hearing countless people sing along to your tracks.


UKFH: What makes you different to everyone else out there - what's Original Scars & Bee bringing to music in 2010?
OS: More song writing and collaborations with people within the entertainment industry, I never limit the boundaries to music whether it means getting a comedian, poet or actress/actor to enhance my music I do it for the greater good off music. I also write poetry which you can listen to on the “Bee Original Mixtape” titled “Unfaithful to Life” & “Beautiful” which is a side of me not many people have been exposed to yet.


BEE: My voice is soulful so singing on harder beats is out of the norm especially a beat like ‘Feeling You’; as well as combining that with an artist like Original Scars it brings something fresh. We both have very versatile tastes in regards to music genre’s which you’ll get to see or should I say hear on the Bee Original Mixtape.




UKFH: What does Funky House have in store for 2010?
OS: It depends really because look at old school garage; it slowly disappeared, which was really sad. I don’t really see it elevating as some people are more interested in producing tracks that take away the soulful elements of Funky House, which engaged everybody in the first place.


BEE: Hmm, well i see soulful Funky House really latching on especially coming up to summer as everyone loves a feel good track with a good melody when the sun is shining.




UKFH: Which producers do you consider to be at the top of their game at the moment?
That is a very controversial list to generate as I am working with more than five producers at the moment so the others won’t be very happy if their names are not mentioned Laughs. However I have lately been very impressed with the beats that DJ Footloose has produced plus Lil Sunny an up and coming producer from North West London.


UKFH: What is your favourite Funky House tracks at the moment and why?
OS: I would have to say Crazy Cousins inflation beat, even when I went to a club in New York City I heard it and I went crazy. DJ Diplo my favourite DJ, also mixes a lot of their tracks, which is a very big look.


BEE: In the Morning by Fuzzy Logic ft Egypt was the banger for me last year mainly for the vocals, the tones she uses are really old school almost bluesy and it works so well on the beat produced by Fuzzy Logic.




UKFH: What is your most memorable Live PA? Has anything funny or embarrassing happened that you can share with us?
OS: My House events by Marc 'My House' Ryder are events we always look forward to in Birmingham. We have so much respect for him as we are constantly in touch with him, also seeking advice on music. We get tremendous love in Birmingham every time we perform with people singing along to our music. While performing at Chelsea Arts Show the mic broke and the CD decks were playing up, so Bee and I had to entertain hundreds of people with her singing and my spoken word. It makes us realise that we must always expect the unexpected.


BEE: My House V.I.P Edition November 20th, you can find recordings on youtube and both of our facebook pages. Signs for Love had been circulating for about four months when we got asked to perform. I really wasn’t expecting much but when I started singing everyone was singing along and i’d never met most of them in my life! I was in shock as Marc Ryder reloaded the track and people just went mad... I will never forget that!


UKFH: Where do you see yourself in five years time?
OS: I would like to be involved in music full time with my music charted internationally while having my anthology published. I would also like to be involved in fashion, a bit of acting and the music business. My main aim is to be in control of the music I want to release or I will be fake calling myself Original Scars.


BEE: Being a singer/songwriter full time is my dream and hopefully having a few successfully albums under my belt.


UKFH: Finally, iPhone or Blackberry?
OS: Blackberry because I have one even though an iPhone is better.


BEE: Neither! I love my Sony Ericsson and it isn’t even a new model Laughs


UKFH: Is there anybody you would like to give a shout or thanks to?
OS: Yeah my team God, Terry Riggs, DJ Raker, Tre Danso, Medina Anderson, Marc My House Ryder, Don Luch, Ebz, Dj Harm Kid, Ill Blu, Namo & Original Scars street team.


BEE: God, my family and friends for all their support and having to listen to the track over and over again Laughs

- Uk funky house