Artist Spotlight – 6 Minutes with Novelist

Novelist is a grime MC/producer known for his witty word play and unique flow. 16 years old from Lewisham, Novelist is being noticed by Grime’s heavy hitters. He is one of the acts performing at the Inside Music’s launch party on August 8^th in Shoreditch. I sat down with him to discuss his music and what he has coming up next.

How did you hear about the Inside Music Launch Party?
I was speaking with Jamie Lewis (managing director of the company) for a while and he just noticed me. He said he liked my music. At first I thought he was another fan but he wasn’t. He was telling me he was going to do an event. Then my management got involved and that was it.

This event is a way of you showcasing your music would you say?
I see it as if I get a booking from off ends I see it the same as in ends or wherever. It’s all equal.

So how did you get your start in music?
From young I’ve always been writing music and just spitting to myself and then one day my friend had a camera and I told her to record me and then it was put on YouTube. Then people in my area said this is sick you should make more music. It rolled on and I ran with the baton. (laughs)

So would you say YouTube broke you?
Not really it was more the people in my area. They were pushing my music. YouTube helped.

What was your inspiration growing up?
Grime music on a whole not just individuals because it’s not just one MC I listen to, I listen to a lot of MC’s. Grime music is more instrumental based than MCin’. I can listen to a whole instrumental without MCin’ and be happy with that.

How did you get the name Novelist?
I’m called Novelist because I write fast and people always complement my vocabulary. Normally people would ask “What does that word mean?…You’re a real novelist aren’t you” and it just stuck with me.

Has it been a struggle for you as a young MC?
Being a young MC it doesn’t hinder me at all. My opinion on being a young MC is kinda of better for me because a pathway has already been dug out so it is my job to walk down it.

So what is your latest project?
I have an instrumental EP coming out on the label. Sometime in November. I don’t want to say right now what the title is because there are debates on it. But the instrumental is called Sniper. I also have singles coming up which have already started getting played on radio. I have a tune coming up called ‘Not Just Bars’ which features Faultsz. There is also ‘Who Is Novelist’. That has always been the forefront tune. That will be the main single.

Why makes ‘Who Is Novelist’ your main single?
Because I produced it and it says everything about me. As a producer I can do my own thing rather than have someone else produce it and I think this single will show that.

So will it be just grime on your upcoming EP?
Just grime, just grime.

So what do you think of the state of Grime?
To be honest I will boldly say I don’t care about the Grime scene. I care about grime music. To me a scene is just other MC’s blending with each other. I care about being and the individual and doing my thing and making grime music and UK music. If a DJ told me I’ve got a house set I want you to spit on I would come and spit on it. I would do my Grime bars on a house set. To me it’s not about the scene it’s about who is making good Grime.

Follow Novelist on Twitter @GrimeyNovelist

Tickets for the Inside Music Launch Party can be brought here http://insidemusic.eventbrite.co.uk/