Back in 2004 grime MC Fumin was on the brink of success. After featuring on Lethal B’s top ten hit POW he received airplay from some of the biggest DJs around including Tim Westwood and Ras Kwame. But his success was short-lived after falling out with his one-time partner in grime. Fast forward a few years and Fumin’s back on the scene – and this time his not going anywhere.
It’s good to see you – it’s been a while. What have you been doing since we saw you last?
Just working on my solo material and doing what I need to do. OK, you’ve been on the grime scene for quite a long time now.
How have you seen the industry change over the years?
It’s changed immensely; when grime started it was a lot rawer. It was all about the one-liners and you could get away with practically anything. Now it’s heading in the direction of making proper music; there’s more money in it and it’s becoming more commercial.
So do you think the fact that it’s becoming more commercial is a good thing?
Well yeah, it’s reaching a bigger audience so that’s good – but being commercial can be a bad thing too. You’ve gotta make sure that you stay true to yourself; you have to find that balance.
There’s a lot of negative press that surrounds grime music. How do you feel about that?
Obviously it’s not nice, but that’s just the way it is at the moment. I know a lot of MCs vibe off of that – I know I do. Now that grime’s getting out there a bit more it will probably start to ease up.
You’re called Fumin because of your infamous temper. What makes your blood boil?
Questions like that [laughs]. Nah, not really. There’s a lot of stuff that makes me mad – we’ve all things that push our buttons. Emm… what makes me mad? Not eating breakfast – that really gets me fuming.
Once an MC has crossed over into the mainstream do you think they have a duty to support underground talent?
I don’t think they have a duty no, but it’s good to help others out – that’s what I’d do. If there was someone I could relate to and I could see they were trying to do their thing, then why not?
There are not that many female grime artists around. Do you think women have a role to play on the scene?
There’s not that many but there are a few. I think women have a huge role to play on the scene. They can bring it from a female’s point of view – that’s something that none of us men can do.
Who would be your ideal celebrity date?
That’s a hard one, I think it would have to be a mixture of Beyoncé, Christina Milian – and I’d have to have Nicki Minaj’s bum in
there somewhere.
Seeing as you’re a lyricist you must have some pretty decent chat-up lines?
Nah, I think all that’s cheesy – just be yourself. If you got it you got it. Plus I’ve been with my girl for nine years so I don’t need any chat-up lines.
So what’s next for Fumin?
I don’t wanna say ’cos it sounds like a cliché but all big things. I got my mixtape Moodswings coming out in a couple of weeks and the album Year 7 should be out by the end of the year.
Fumin’s mixtape Moodswings is out now
Interview by Antoinette Powell
