Video by un:hurd music via YouTube
DJ Semtex has spent 30 years at the centre of UK hip-hop, from pirate radio to 1Xtra, and gave Drake his first UK interview before anyone knew who he was. He joins Alex to explain why making a banger beats every growth hack going, why it’s the best time in history for UK rap, and why the AI debate in music is more complicated than the internet wants it to be. Straight-talking advice from someone who’s broken artists for two decades.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Cold open
00:30 Spotting talent early: it’s all about great music
02:41 The Drake story: Hyde Park, Saturday morning
06:01 Connecting artists: the Sway and Akon story
08:40 Where it all came from: being a fan, being a nerd
09:30 10,000 hours: learning records inside out
11:36 "Hip-hop’s not dead, it’s the best it’s ever been"
13:04 Seven UK rappers signed to US labels
16:08 The age of the opinion, and the Fenix Flexin story
18:47 The AI in music debate
19:46 "You’ve already used AI"
23:20 Soul is what AI can’t replicate (feat. an EKENE mention)
23:49 Culture vs institution
26:24 Using the institution to amplify the culture: Dave’s first BBC interview
29:00 Cultural moments: Dave, Skepta, JHus
32:50 How artists break through: make a banger
38:00 Who’s coming through next
45:00 The AI moat: taste, community, brand
50:00 The closing question
ABOUT find your frequency
The podcast about building an audience from zero. Artists. Founders. Investors. One shared obsession. Hosted by Alex Brees, founder of un:hurd music.
GUEST
DJ Semtex — https://www.instagram.com/djsemtex/
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