Hi bruv, how are things in the world of Mr Lyrical Groover?

Yeah mate things are cool. The year didn’t start out too hot. I made some real bad decisions in my personal life at the beginning of the year. This reflected in my sloppy stage performances building up to the end of the summer. Apologies to all the ravers. But thankfully, I had a lot of good support from my mates, so things are on the up again now. So I’m cool.

How long have you been an MC and how did you get into the scene?

I first got in to the “scene” way back in 1988. I was only 8 years old at the time. My Granddad bought one of those ‘Now..’ compilations on cassette. On tape 2 side 2 there were 2 tracks, Bizz NIzz ‘Don’t Miss The Partyline’ and Ezee Posse ‘Everything Starts With An E’. I was hooked on these 2 records, and would sit with my Granddads’’ headphones on all the time listening to the same 2 tracks over and over again. That was around the time of the Acid House frenzy in the media. From that point on I hunted for anything I could get my hands on to do with rave culture. You could say I became obsessed.

I have been MC’ing, on and off, for 16 years now. In 1992 I came up with the name MC K’azy, and called myself this until around 1994, but then I changed it to the Lyrical Groover MC (after adapting/stealing my name from Vinylgroovers tag). It wasn’t until I was 16, and towards the end of 1996, when people started to take me seriously.

Did you always want to be an MC?

My old babysitter when I was a kid was an MC, so at times would take me to raves with him whilst he did his thing. One night he called me over and put the mic in my hand. I didn’t have a clue what to say, but as soon as I opened my mouth and said a couple of words, the ravers all threw their hands up and towards me. I was 11 at the time so I know it was just the novelty factor. From then on I decided that MC’ing was something I wanted to do. I wanted to be part of the scene. I never had any real ambition to be a performer until that moment though.

You recently returned from Canada, how did that come about? How are the Canadian crowd compared to the UK?

Canada mate, proper quality! Basically Mike (DJ Vapour) was booked to go over to play at the event. One night we were talking and he said that he was flying over on his own for the weekend, so I said I’d go over with him for support. Next thing he’s spoke to the promoters and I’m on the line up too!

The ravers are like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Half the ravers were Candy Kids, covered head to toe in bright colours and beads. And the rest were made up of Emo/Punk/Rocker types. Such a diverse crowd, but bang up for it. Mike and I walked away from our set buzzing. Mike has had the most mentions for the best set of the night on the Canadian websites since, so I’d like to say we did the UK proud!

You perform on a huge variety of dance music with many different artists – who are your preferred styles and artists to perform with and why?

In the words of MC Spenno “J’, you’re the jack of all trades, master of none”.. Ha Ha! That about sums me up perfectly.

MC-wise I love chatting to Old Skool Hardcore and Techno. Especially from the 1991-1997 era… that’s probably what I’m best at. I do enjoy MC’ing to Upfront Hardcore too. I really enjoy hosting the odd Gabba set from time to time, but these rarely come on offer to me. I love working on these scenes with DJs such as Mixman, Trixta, Flipside, Jason J & J.C and Vapour. I MC’d for Faydz once, and that was one of the most enjoyable sets I’ve covered on those scenes. The man is pure skill behind the decks. I don’t think anybody out there can match him for the style that he does. I do enjoy working with the top names too, but I do really like working with the lesser known DJ’s… the guys who are still hungry to make it!

From 1997-2004 I worked on the UK Garage scene. This was probably the best time I had on the mic career wise. Working alongside pretty much all the big players in the industry from the So Solid Crew, to EZ and the Heartless Crew. My favorite people to work with on that scene were the Dreem Teem… I used to love hosting the Dreem Teems sets. The style of Garage they played suited my MC’ing style down to the ground back then. Nice melodies, soulful joints and the odd big bass tune here and there for measure.

Which artists in your opinion are smashing it at the moment?

Right now… it’s all about the DJ Vapour and MC Mayhem from Worthing! One of the best combos on the circuit in my opinion! Go on boys!

Also, Insane & Mind with MC Spenno… these guys proper get the crowd working hard!

Another combo that I can see heading for big things are DJ-C and MC Reconize! I haven’t heard much from them as yet. And have only known of them for I guess 6 months, but from what I have heard, these 2 are defo up’n’coming stars of the future!

Where do you get your inspiration from for your rhymes?

Anything mate! Although I must admit that a lot of my lyrics are about situations that I’ve dealt with in my personal life. I tend to find it easier to write when I am feeling in a particular mood. On a whole though I tend to freestyle mostly when I’m on the mic… I may not be hugely known across the scene, but I still have my roots set way back… so the freestyling form of MC’ing is still set in my veins from the original ‘old skool’ days!

You must have a huge amount of rhymes in your lyrical arsenal – what are your favorites?

Yeah I have quite a few… lol! Although I tend to forget most of them! Ha Ha! Here’s a couple for ya…

“Like a creature of the night, a modern day vampire
I yearn for blood like a natural born killer
A creature, straight out of a Horror feature
Hidden by darkness undercover
I use my heightened senses
Smelling fear in all that resent this
This nocturnal nightmare
With underground evils lurking everywhere”

“I’m the magical, the musical, the rhyming man
When I’m on the stage with a mic in my hand
Just like a wizard waving his wand around
I cast my Hardcore spells all over this sound
Some may hear me clearly, some may hear me mutter
As I chant my rhythms to all the raver
As though hypnotized you act on every word I say
You try to fight the feeling but you give in anyway
Don’t need no skin of newt, don’t need no eye of toad
Don’t need a black cauldron bubbling over a stove
All I need is my DJ, 2 turntables and a mic
And a loud PA to get ya doing what I like”

Do you have any plans to get your bad boy lyrics down on plastic and into a tune?

I have a couple of things in the pipeline right now, but that’s all I will say about that for now…..

I have had my lyrics out on 2 tunes previously. One on a Liquid Funk D’n’B tune released on vinyl back in 2004. The track was Deleon feat: Lyrical Groover MC “Do what you want to me” which was released on Nu Vision Recordings. The tune had a darker remix on the flipside from Danny C of Metalheadz. The second was a kind of Electro Breaks tune in 2005 under the name of ‘Crazee Daze’… which was myself and a producer called O-Tep. This tune was called “Dirty bottle blonde”.

If money was no object, what would be your ultimate party?

A 12 hour rave, but a small affair in a venue to hold no more than 200 of the most up for it ravers going. With DJs Carl Cox, Laurent Garnier, Jimmy J, Luna-C, Dr S Gachet, Doc Scott, Ned Ryder and DJ Pilgrim smashing out the joints of all years. And on the mic... Man Parris, Vocal, Scratchmaster Tekno, Jester, GQ and Joe Peng. Quality, for me at least anyway…

You must have seen some comedy moments in parties over the years, what’s the funniest thing you have ever seen at a rave?

The man who used to walk about in a suitcase at Helter Skelter always used to crack me up when he walked passed! All hunched over with his harlequin-patterned legs hanging out!

You are performing at Digital X-Pressions at Hidden on Saturday 22nd November which has an immense Drum & Bass and Old Skool line up – which other acts are you most looking forward to see perform and why?

For me it’s all about the man Ellis Dee… one of my all time favourite DJ and producers from back in the day! He will smash it proper!

I’ve heard you have a tendency to cross-dressing and wearing guy-liner, where did this all originate from?

Ha! You f***er! I have a fetish for tights… sad, but true! lol! The guy liner episode was all your doing bruv, so don’t start that! I admit I did take it a bit far wearing Chev from the Sugah Dee Dancers stage outfit... “GET YA RAT OUT!”

The event is called Digital X-Pressions, will you be expressing yourself with some more dressing up and guy-liner antics?

Erm.. no!

Tell us something about you that not many people will know about?

I sold out to the Disney Channel and recorded an advert for ‘High School Musical 2’.. Killa Kella beatboxing, and me ‘rapping’ over the top.. I was, and still am, disgusted with myself.

Where else can we see Lyrical performing over the next few weeks?

NOVEMBER
14/11/08 Ballistic Beats 'Vibes & Livelee Birthday Bash' @ Mass, Brixton
21/11/08 Digital Xpressions @ Hidden, Vauxhall

DECEMBER
13/12/08 A Decade Of Dance meets Remaniss Radio @ Club Life, Vauxhall
19/12/08 High Velocity @ The Mud Club, Bognor Regis
20/12/08 Hardcore Breakdown @ Harrys' Bar, Worthing
24/12/08 Viva Goes Ballistic @ Club Life, Vauxhall
26/12/08 Ruf Cut @ Mission, Great Yarmouth
27/12/08 Illicit @ Bluenotes 2, Lowestoft

Thanks for that insight LG – you are a legend! Make sure you check out this lyrical genius at London’s biggest and baddest new Drum & Bass and Old Skool event at Hidden on Saturday 22nd November! Tickets are only £5!

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS!