East London rapper, Big Tobz burst onto the UK Rap scene with his banger “Uno My Style”. The track has received over 400,000 views on Link Up TV’s channel on YouTube and has already been remixed by several artists in the scene such as chart toppers WSTRN and classic ‘party hard’ Donae’o. We spoke with Big Tobz to find out everything we need to know about the UK rapper and his response to the “Uno My Style” hype.
Tell us 3 things we don’t already know about you.
“I’m half Nigerian and quarter Jamaican”
“My first passion was basketball”
“I really hate mice, I’m a big guy but I’m shook of mice”
You said basketball was your first passion, how did you know you wanted to dedicate yourself to music?
Even in school, I’ve always been good at poetry and English as I’ve always had the skill to rhyme. I was also an A* student in Art so I’ve always used the creative side of my brain. It was in year 11 that I started writing little bars in school like even in year 11 I clashed Chipmunk, Chip actually used to spit in them times. I just done it as a school thing, but when I used to clash, everyone in school used to be like “na you’re sick” but from then, I never really took it that seriously cos I was still playing basketball and that. But then when I went to Uni (Bedfordshire studying animation) those were the times I started picking up music more and started to rap properly.
You’ve announced a new EP with Blittz, when’s this due to drop?
Yeh, hopefully May/June
You dropped a visual for new single ‘Telling me’ featuring Blittz, Kenny Allstar and Baseman last night, do you collaborate with people you feel will provide you with good publicity or do you collaborate with whoever you like?
I don’t really do much collab, but if I do then it’ll be with someone whose art I actually like or someone I roll with. I don’t think, ‘I’m gonna do this collab for publicity’ or anything. If it’s my boy or I like your sound then we’ll do a tune together.
Who would be your dream collaboration – American or British?
Probably, 50 cent or Nipsey Hussle
How did it feel to receive so much positive responses from “Uno My Style” on social media?
Ah it was sick man. This music ting is hard to get a hit that really goes somewhere, its not easy. I’ve been doing music for a while now so for me it’s mad because it’s opened up a lot of doors for me.
Do you feel Uno My Style was the biggest opportunity for you?
100% so much more people know about me. I’m getting bookings for shows and radio all the time. It’s given me a whole new fan-base.
What was it like to remix “Uno My Style” with Donae’o, WSTRN and Avelino?
That was sick! Donae’o is hard, I used to listen to him before he was big and WSTRN are doing their ting getting big hits at the moment. Avelino, that’s my boy as well, I’m a fan of him, he’s one of the best lyricists around. So that collab there was proper. Rah, I dunno how I got so many man on one track. I don’t know how I done it. It’s mad.
Who in the scene do you feel is doing well at the moment?
Baseman is doing sick. My boy Blittz is obviously doing sick as well. Tion Wayne also. Stormzys’ obviously doing his thing. There’s so many artists right now, I feel like the UK scenes in a good place at the moment.
Other than your “One Take” Freestyle, whose version do you rate the most?
Ghetts of course. Come on, big up Ghetts man. I’ve only been speaking to him recently cos he goes to my studio, he shows love and support and I like what he’s doing. Obviously, Stormzy’s ones sick. I like CJ 100’s, it was sick I haven’t really paid attention to a lot if I’m honest with you. But id say those ones yeh.
Who would you like to be as big as?
I don’t really idolise anyone but right now, in the UK scene I proper like what Stormzys’ doing, I proper rate his attitude music wise, I think he’s doing his thing, he’s come a long way and he’s like the golden child of the grime scene right now. So every move that he makes always inspires me, even the MOBO awards. So I’d say I’m trying to follow what Stormzys’ doing right now in terms of the levels he’s reaching.
Your Bryson Tiller remix collaborated with Paigey Cakey has just been released. Do you believe UK artists are adopting American features or do you feel it is important to maintain British culture in UK rap?
I think we need to have our own sound. America’s big already, they have got enough going that way. That’s why America never used to take us seriously because they thought we were just trying to copy their sound however they now like our sound, artists like Skepta they’re starting to clock like “Yo this sound is actually alright”. I think we should keep doing our thing and force them to take us in for how we sound, instead of us trying to sound like them.
What can we expect from you this year?
A lot of shows, I’m going on a big tour as well in the next couple months with a big artist, which I’m not supposed to say anything about yet. And of course the EP with Blittz, which I’m working towards at the moment.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell Trapped readers?
Make sure you look out for Blittz and big up Jobey, he’s always helped me import ideas during my journey so big up Jobey, the man that’s behind the scenes. Lish from Manchester whose responsible for producing Uno My Style and yeah, big up Heavy Trackers as well doing the EP.
Follow Big Tobz’s Journey on Twitter at @BigTobzsf
Words: Jadie White – @jadiewhite_
