HHK: I appreciate you speaking to us Supar Novar. For the international readers can we have an introduction please?
Supar Novar: I’m a rap artist from North London, England, UK. I been involved in the UK scene for about 10 years and I’m still here.
HHK: You’ve recently released the free mixtape N To Tha Izzo. What gave you inspiration to use 100% Jay-Z instrumentals for the mixtape? And what are your thoughts on Blueprint 3?
Supar Novar: Basically I had a freestyle track over ‘Public Service Announcement’ were I said ‘My Name Is Nov’s’ instead of Hov and I realised there was a lot of Jay-Z tracks I could do that with. Also I wanted to do something different, rather than just put out a mixtape of my tracks I wanted to do something with a theme. The new album I wasn’t sure about on the first listen but I loved it second time round, I think the production threw me off at first cos I was looking for that soulful sound from the first Blueprint but I think that content wise the album is crazy and the sound of the productions grown on me as well. I went to his show at Alexandra Palace the other day as well, that shit was fuckin bonkers.
HHK: How do fans overseas react to your music? And how important do you think it is to make your music as widely available as possible?
Supar Novar: I ain’t really got to travel out of the UK with the music much yet but I get people hollering me online from all over and saying that there feeling what I’m doing. Once I got your attention and you get an understanding of where I’m coming from it don’t matter where you’re from, the music is universal.
HHK: You’ve accomplished a lot from being nominated for Best Hip-Hop Act to performing alongside Ghostface. What do you think is necessary to take the next step for international recognition? And would you sacrifice your creative content in return for a cheque?
Supar Novar: Yeah, I actually won that award in the end; really, I am trying to find a balance at the moment of making music that is going to appeal to the masses as much as possible with the content staying close to my heart. The one thing I can’t really do is simplify the lyrics too much, I think that’s were some of these ‘urban pop’ cross-over artist are fucking up at the moment cos as far as I’m concerned no matter how corny your gonna make the music, you have to at least make the lyrics intelligent.
HHK: Who were the artists who influenced you early in life? And if you could work with any artist (dead or alive) who would it be?
Supar Novar: Early in life Wu-Tang was probably the main inspiration, then Tupac later on and Skinnyman and the whole Mud Family movement from before and during my involvement with it. And I always think of someone different when asked the other question, I’d say, I would want to work with Millie Jackson, she’s the truth.
HHK: explosivemuzik.com has been launched and is looking very professional. What was the primary purpose for launching the website? And do you plan to extend or host anything else from explosivemuzik.com?
Supar Novar: I set it up really so people could have one place to go and find the latest American Hip-Hop music and news with the British stuff in the same place. I am gonna expand the site and have a whole re-design real soon and we also got an F.L.I.P site on the way as well. I try to have as much presence on the internet as possible.
HHK: As the year comes to the end. What have you been listening to lately? And what has been your favourite album of the year?
Supar Novar: I think the Jay-Z album is up there, Raekwon’s album was insane, Cormega’s new album, but I can’t really say what the best album of the year was until the Rae, Ghost and Meth album drops, that shits gonna be crazy.
HHK: What projects do you have lined up that we can know about? And what are the rest of your plans for 2009?
Supar Novar: I got a few projects man and I don’t even know what’s gonna drop first but there’s gonna be a Supar Novar mixtape over 100% Nas instrumentals plus the debut F.L.I.P mixtape. Also my second album is still in the works at the moment, I got features on there already from Neon Hitch and N-Dubz and that shit is sounding crazy if I must say so myself. Real talk for the rest of 2009 though I’m kicking back. I’m at uni at the moment still so I’m gonna get that out of the way and just spend time with the family and that.
HHK: Where are the best places where fans can check for updates? And is there anything else you’d like to add to the interview?
Supar Novar: Probably the facebook or the twitter but I’m on all the social networks under the name Supar Novar and if anyone wants to holler at me I don’t bite. Before I bounce let me just plug my boy King Response’s mixtape ‘W.N.R Vol.1’ which I’m featured on and is out now. Also Danny Bones got his mixtape ‘Indiana Bones and The Temple of Boom’ droppin’ real soon. The F.L.I.P takeover has begun.
HHK: Thanks again for speaking to Hip-Hop Kings. Good luck for the rest of the year and keep in touch!
Interview by Ryan Maxwell
HHK: I appreciate you speaking to us Supar Novar. For the international readers can we have an introduction please?
Supar Novar: I’m a rap artist from North London, England, UK. I been involved in the UK scene for about 10 years and I’m still here.
HHK: You’ve recently released the free mixtape N To Tha Izzo. What gave you inspiration to use 100% Jay-Z instrumentals for the mixtape? And what are your thoughts on Blueprint 3?
Supar Novar Interview with Hip-Hop Kings
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