SonnyJim first came on the UK scene in 2006, when he released his debut Soul Trader EP. Since then his label, EatGood Records, has signed a strong roster of artists and put out an equally strong body of work, including a number of critically acclaimed releases from Sonny himself. It had been a couple of years since we heard anything from the Birmingham native, but that all changed when he dropped his fantastic Mud in My Malbec LP in June. Gingerslim was lucky enough to get the chance to interview Sonny recently, and here they speak about putting Mud in My Malbec together, making a success of an indy label and retirement goals, among other things.
Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, Sonny. How’s everything going?
Swimmingly.
It’s been a couple of years since your last LP was released. Aside from making Mud in My Malbec, what have you been up to?
I moved to London a few years back, so just been going through that process, settling in. Not making much music. Eating lobster, playing badminton, doing DMT. Trying to build my new studio. I recently got a bulldog a few months ago, so we be in Hyde Park going for walkies and boying off all the pussy dogs. Aside from that just the usual Michelin dinners, drug-fuelled fun and being cool.
One of the first things I noticed when checking out the new LP, was that it only featured US rappers. I was wondering if there was a reason for that, or was it just how things worked out as you planned the LP?
Well I don’t really listen to many UK rappers – there are only about ten good ones. All the features were carefully handpicked and for very specific reasons. Klashnekoff was originally going to be on $cramble before I got Da$h on there, but it didn’t work out because of our schedules. My don RTkal is a UK MC, he’s on one of the bonus joints on the CD.
Is it harder to orchestrate something like that when you’re a UK indy label securing bigger American features?
Nah not really. Every feature only took one or two phone calls and most were done in the studio together.
Any dream collaborations you still want to make happen?
No not really. Maybe Chesney Hawkes? I’ve worked with a lot of the people I wanted to work with. There are a few producers stateside who I’ve wanted to work with my whole life and its crazy cos now we’re in the process of connecting the dots, so I don’t wanna jinx that by saying names.
Out of all the rappers featured on the album, you and Heems seem to have become genuine friends. How did you guys originally meet and start working together?
He was on tour here like five years ago doing a show in my city. He needed some trees, we had a mutual acquaintance who put him on to me. We been good since then, that’s the homie. When he’s in the UK we connect and when I’m stateside vice versa. When he was here in 2015 on tour again, one of the Foreign Beggars played him a preview version of my album and he was fucking with it, so we decided to do the song. He’s a very talented person, does a lot.
Is there a possibility of a full project from the two of you?
Schedule-wise I think it’s pretty crazy for both of us right now. However, he did just finish off an album with the homie Riz Ahmed, called Swet Shop Boys, you should check out.
What’s the feedback for the album been like in the States?
Exceptional. I don’t think I could’ve really asked for more. All the big press publications over there have lapped it up, as if I was one of theirs. I’ve sold bare records there and get people from the States every day getting at me with props about the record. Good music should transcend genres and accents; this is a testament to that.
You fill three different roles within UK hip hop, one as an MC, one as a producer and also as the head of an independent label. Which of them gives you the most enjoyment?
MC. However, I’m going to be racking up a lot more production credits this year. I’ve been on production for years, but never really brought it to the forefront like that cos I like making beats, but tracking shit out and going to the studio to finish them is longer. I want MCs to get at me for production… not if you’re shit though.
You got any production lined up you can tell us about?
I’ve got a lot lined up yes, but can’t really let the cat out of the bag at this stage.
Do you think you’ll reach a point where you will want to concentrate on just one of those roles and retire from other areas?
I’ll reach a point where I will want to concentrate on waking up when I want and eating granola on the beach, while I bun a hundred pound zoog. I want to retire ASAP. I’m gonna rap for a bit more then fuck off. The game is full of losers begging favours; I don’t like this rap industry at all. Retirement is on the cards. However, if shit starts poppin’ off even more and the right people are cutting the cheques, then I’m gonna go get that bread before anything else, so who knows.
What do you feel is the key for survival for an independent label like EatGood?
It takes a long time to build a brand. Most of the labels don’t have the patience, especially these shit UK hip-hop ‘do it for the love/rap for free’ guys. They don’t treat it like a business. Gotta have patience, Rome wasn’t built in a day, sunshine. Branding and Patience.
You’ve been quite successful in other areas of business outside of music; do you think that’s what separates you from other label bosses, gives you that extra edge?
I don’t think so nah, cos the music business is unlike any other I’ve encountered. The things you have to put up with and the whims you have to cater for. It’s full of weirdos. Normal business practice just doesn’t rock in the creative music market. So the way I carry out business in other walks of life doesn’t really relate to this at all.
It’s been 10 years since you released the Soul Trader EP and obviously the landscape of UK hip-hop has changed a lot since then. Is there anything you would have done differently during those years if you had the chance to do it all again?
Yes, worked harder, been a little less arrogant. Not got high every single day. Been more motivated. Not burnt so many bridges. But you live and you learn. Got there in the end and now life is good.
What’s next for you?
Me and The Purist been in the lab cooking, it’s sounding very lovely.
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Gingerslim has been a hip-hop fan since 1994 and has written for various blogs and websites since around 2006. During that time he has contributed to style43, Think Zebra, Headsknow and Front Magazine. His main interests in rap are UK hip hop and the underground movement in America, with a focus on Rhymesayers Entertainment and the once mighty Def Jux label. He lives in Bristol and has a beard. All other details are sketchy at best.
