Tell everyone a little bit about yourself...
Well, there’s a few things I guess...I’m a DJ, Producer, Promoter, Shop Owner, Fashion Designer, Stylist, .. blah blah blah!! I started the Dutty Girl thing about 6 years ago as a shop and a club night, now we are a collective of DJs, MCs and Producers. We started out pretty much as a hip hop crew but then Dubstep came along and changed well, everything, and now we’re just really open to all things, still it’s mainly Bass music; so Grime, Dubstep, Dancehall, Funky, DnB etc...
I also co-run ‘Shop Dutty’ which is kind of an ‘independent hip hop chic boutique’! We make and sell current Men’s and Women’s fashion garms made out of recycled items and fabrics, as well as selling vintage 80’s and 90’s and a whole heap of spray paint too! It’s kind of different because it’s indie with an urban edge.
Favourite 3 albums of all time?
Ok, well if we’re talking ‘all time favourites’ and for this purpose I’ll judge a good album by the measure that you should be able to listen to it over and over and over and over and over again, so I’m gonna say.. .1. Fugees - The Score 2. Destiny’s Child – Writing’s on The Wall, 3. Notorious B.I.G – Ready To Die, I’ll also vote for these three for their singalong-able factor!
iPhone or Blackberry?
iphone – I wouldn’t know what to do with a Blackberry!
Top 3 blogs?
Dutty Girl that’s ours!
Meat or veg?
Has to be Both! I like balance in life.
So, we do kicks. Kicks is what we do. What were your first pair?
I think my first kicks were a pair of ‘Nicks’ (ooh that rhymes!). I doubt anyone even remembers them!! They were naff as hell! I’d wanted a pair of Reebok Freestyles, but I wasn’t allowed as they were too expensive and the ‘Nicks’ were a cheapo version of them! I guess that all started my fascination with the more obscure brands of trainers from the 80s. I’m more into collecting slightly random brands like Jordache, LA Gear, Fila... they were always generally a bit cheaper back in the day too. Now, I just love going to a car boot sale and finding old trainers, reminiscing... back then - they were the ones that you never wanted to be caught dead in, but they’re the new cool these days in my opinion! The more unheard of the brand, the better! That said, I still wear my Nikes and Reeboks more than anything else! Comfort factor!!
With that in mind, (or maybe not!), who’s your style icon?
I don’t really have one particular person you know... I guess Madonna was a big influence as I was growing up, but not so much anymore, and I love Debbie Harry too, and Brigitte Bardot, so all three if any! Ideally, style-wise, I like to try new things that I haven’t seen anyone else do, although I’m not sure if anything ever is truly 100% new. I guess I generally have had the guts to wear things that some wouldn’t. Hopefully I pull it off most the time! Though I’m not so sure!! But I do believe you have to make the odd mistakes sometimes, otherwise you just wouldn’t be pushing the envelope! And that is what fashion is all about.
OK, turning to work… you have a chance to work with anyone you want, who? Why?
Well, Music wise if we’re talking in the UK, I guess I would say Dizzee Rascal, I just love his music so much! Quite often when I play out I realise I have packed about ten of his tracks in my bag. I guess I should just start incorporating a Dizzee mini-mix in to my sets! I wouldn’t mind being his tour DJ!! Dizzee are you listening?? And fashion wise, I would say Vivienne Westwood, obviously because I love her designs, but also she just seems so nice, what a mentor she would be!!
Where do you find inspiration?
I don’t normally seek it out unless I have a big project and I’m really stuck, I suppose I’m normally quite lucky as it just comes to me, through everyday life situations I suppose. When I make clothes I’m normally customising something old into something new, so my inspiration just comes from the item itself, I’ll pick something out because it’s just screaming at me to be altered into something better! I get a real satisfaction out of that recycling aspect. Also, my friends, and especially the other Dutties are often a big influence to me. We all love new words and slang and we’re always coming up with silly in-jokes, songs and words... all that inspires me a lot somehow.
Now from work, to play: where can we find you in the summer time?
Probably hanging outside the front of my shop catching a few rays! (There’s actually a little in-joke in there too - sorry!) This year I’d like to get away some more, do some travelling. Dutty Girl should be playing a few more festivals, generally things should be happening for Dutty Girl a lot this year, so Summer should be good!
Actually let’s better that, if you had to go and live in another country FOREVER, where would you fly & why?
I’d go to the USA, I want to spend a lot of time there in the future, and I think it will really suit me, I’m sure there will be parts of it I absolutely hate too. But hopefully in such a vast space I could find my absolute perfection.
Can you speak any languages to get by?
Some French I suppose, I’m a bit out of practice though! I’d really like to learn Spanish mainly so that I can manage if I go to South America one day . I need to learn it in my sleep I think, I don’t know how I’ll find the time if not.
If you were stuck there, you couldn’t leave – what song would keep you going nuts?
Ain’t Nobody – Chaka Khan and Rufus – all time favourite tune.. (SafeSoul’s too!)
Err, what kind of nuts?
Pistachio!
And you’re still there, still stuck in the perfect abyss - what could you just not live without?
My friends, mainly just contact with other people..But if I couldn’t have them all there with me, it would be my telephone or better my laptop so I could still communicate with them still.
OK, you’re out of solitary confinement, let’s have some fun - what's the first thing you notice on a bloke?
I notice his face first, I like a beautiful, sincere face!
And on fellow girls, what do you check out?
With girls it’s the opposite, it’s their whole ‘look’, or maybe a particular item they’re wearing that catches my eye... I love ‘people watching’ to see what everyone is wearing, I just love clothes. I was trying to bring back 80/90s fashion for ages with my own look and the clothes I design, so I’m really happy to see it all everywhere now! Although, I’m just not sure what can come next!! Are we really all going to end up in spacesuit inspired fashions eventually??
Everyone’s got someone right – so who’s the person you find hot but you really shouldn't?
Hmmmmm... I guess it’s Dizzee Rascal again, I just think he’s sexy!! Maybe it’s just cos i love his music so much!! I hope I never meet him as he can only disappoint!
OK, work done, play is over. That was quick. Finishing up, mature hats at the ready – looking back, if you could give a younger version of yourself advice, what would it be?
I would just tell them to truly live for every moment. I’ve got caught up in my life at times, thinking too much about the future or the past (or both at the same time)! But now I realise how important it is to live each day, each second even, and most of all to think positively at the same time!
So finally, you may have already achieved a lot, you may have plenty more dreams to fulfill… but years down the line – how do you want your epitaph to read?
‘Girl Done Good’ hmm maybe I should make that a new fashion label?
You can find out more about Diss Miss and her missions at Dutty Girl Music, Dutty Bass and Shop Dutty x
