The Ninja returns with his spellbinding second compilation. Who is this masked deck destroyer?
Welcome back to DMCWORLD Jags, another mammoth album swinging our way through Ministry of Sound – Jaguar Skills And His Amazing Friends Volume 2’. 39 records expertly blended in featuring dirty drum & bass, hip hop flavas and everything in between. Talk us through the album…
“Hoooo there Dan. Well there are 18 tracks, made from around 40 tracks. It is less of a concept album then my last one, and it’s brighter and more groove based. If you listen to all the tracks in a row, then you might be able to find a little story within the songs, but it’s not as obvious as before. Musically, it really is a cross section of styles that I love. I think, more than any release so far, this album captures what my DJ sets are like. Also – there’s so much more original production on this record. I’ve got live drumming on there and new vocals, and I was really focused to make an album that blurs the lines of mix-tapes and production albums. I just wanted to take elements of the original tracks and really make something new, not just throwing acapellas over beats. I wanted to take the whole “mash-up” concept into a place that more akin to something De La Soul would have made in 88 – if they had today’s music to sample. Also, I wanted to make a mix where it ‘feels’ like an artist album. The tracks aren’t really mixed together either. Each one is a separate track, which was my intention. Each track is a banger in its own right, and I wanted to listener to feel that too.
Basically, I’ve sampled 40 tunes and made 18 out of them. In a nutshell.”
London town get ready, a huge album launch party on June 22nd at Koko, tell us about the guests you’ve got lined up for us…
“There’s Drumsound and Bassline Smith, Monsta, Saturn V and Devolution who are all wicked artists. I’m super proud to be on the same line-up as these ninjas. You know, I feel so lucky to be performing with artists that I rate. People who I aspire to be like, you know? Plus, Koko is such a wicked venue, every time playing there has been crazy! I’m really, really looking forward to it.”
Another mad summer of festivals await you, Global and Bestival are already marked off on my calendar. Tell us your favourite festival experience of all time…
“I don’t know if it’s my favourite but it’s probably the weirdest:
So – one Sunday afternoon at Bestival I was asked to do a kind of non-aggressive, fun, Hip-Hop block party type set on the main stage. I had done a mental gig at the Bollywood stage the night before and on the Sunday evening I was going to rock the Afterburner stage. But that afternoon I had nothing on, plus I was on site so this request for the Main Stage, came through and it sounded fun so I agreed. I found out that I was going to play for 20 minutes in-between a couple of acts, which was cool. The acts I was DJing for were The Whalers and Rolf Harris! Rolf came on first and he had an emcee on with him which was really odd. Anyway – I came on after that and played some beats and was waiting for The Whalers to come on. I thought I would be cool for some stupid reason, to play “One Love” by Bob Marley before they came on. I had a re-edit I did so I put this tune on and about a minute later this dude running on stage shouting “Turn it off!!!!” – so I cut the tune. I thought the Wahalers were about to come on so I didn’t play anything and waited a few minutes.
Then the dude came on again and shouted “What are you doing??!!! Play some music!!!!” – so I just put “One Love” back on.
“Turn the fucking tune off!!!” shouted the man again and so I did. “What the fuck are you doing!!!???” He shouted.
“What?” I said, “I thought The Whalers are coming on now….”
“No, you dick!!! Stop fucking playing One Love!”
Ha! What a dick, eh? I still to this day don’t know why I thought it would be nice to play “One Love” before the Whalers. You know, this was all in front of like 10,000 people too! Anyway – panicking a bit, I kind of randomly hit the computer and it selected “The Theme From The Littlest Hobo” – this tune from a kids show in the 80’s – about a dog. If you have never heard it then it’s a Country and Western sounding joint. So the Whalers came on to that and I walked off, took my mask off and disappeared into the crowd.
HA! What a cock I am sometimes!!!”
A famous quote from you; “Today I went on thesaurus.com and searched “ninjas”. The computer told me “Ninjas cannot be found.” Well played ninjas, very well played.” Well where the hell are they?
“You tell me, man…”
So we are at yours for a Sunday afternoon barbecue. What are the 10 tunes to get us in the mood…
“I would just play the tune “Live At The Barbecue” by Main Source, 10 times in a row and it would be worth it. It is the first time Nas ever appeared on a record. Real Hip-Hop x 10.”
God forbid, your house is on fire. What is the one piece of vinyl you’d save?
“I don’t have any Vinyl anymore, I sold them all! So the joke is on you. Fire!!! Ha!!! Once again the ninja wins. Fighting without fighting.”
What is the film you can watch time and time again?
“Scarface. It’s weird because I’ve never seen it ALL the way through. Sure, I’ve seen pretty much all of it, in bits, but NEVER all the way through in one go because I always fall asleep. And it’s a new phenomenon too. Maybe in the last 3 months, I’ve watched it, almost every night, I kid you not. So yeah, Scarface. Doctor, can I leave now?”
You DJ behind a mask, no one knows who you are. You are the mystery man of dance music. However, what would be the priority activity you would undertake if you were the Invisible Man for a day?
“Well, I’d just put the mask back on again so I’d look like a floating head and I’d do that. Just walk around the shops as a floating head.”
Who is the person from history you would most like to have a pint with?
“Tony Montana. He’s a political prisoner from Cuba and he wants his fucking human rights, mang!!!!”
The event that altered the course of your life and character…
“The months that proceed me watching Scarface 150 times in a row…”
What are the next studio plans for Mr Skills…
“Finishing an EP and I’m going to make a production album too. I’m just going to be really free with the music and see what pops out.”
You are at the Ultra Festival in Miami and stuck in a hotel lift with deadmau5 and DJs From Mars. Four artists who hide their identity from the world. Would you know who the fuck each other was?
“Well, you’d know who I was. I never take my mask off. Then I’d kill them all.”
JAGUAR SKILLS & HIS AMAZING FRIEND VOL 2.- OUT JUNE 24TH ON MINISTRY OF SOUND
TRACKLIST..
1 – ” I HIT IT ALONE”
The Dirty Feel – Get Down
Dirtyphonics – Los Angeles feat. Modestep
2 – ” DANGEROUS JAG (PART 3)”
Danny Byrd – Bang!
3 – “OLD SCHOOL, RUDEBOY, RUFFNECK, SOLDIER”
Friction & Skream – Kingpin (Calyx & Tee Bee Remix)
DJ Yoda ft. M.O.P – Scream
Wretch 32 – Pop (Fake Blood Remix)
Bart B More – Jack
4 – “NO FUCKING ABOUT “
Danny Byrd ft. Roni Size – Grit
Mark Knight ft. Skin – Nothing Matters (Noisa Remix)
5 – “GO GO JAG!”
Large Professor – Key’s To The City
6 – “GET SOME UGH”
Indeuceve – Time To Begin
Puente & Rosch – This Feeling
7 – “HAMBURGER”
Jaguar Skills – “Hamburger”
8 – “SHIBUYA IS ALL I NEED”
Lady Bee – Sweet Like Chocolate
Squarehead – Elegante
9 – “F.U. SKILLS”
Dirtyphonics – Walk Into The Fire
Audio – Vien Drane
10 – “ROCK GOLD CHAINS”
TC- Do You Rock (VIP Remix)
DECiBEL – Wot
Pixel Fist – Let Yourself Go
11 – “DON’T TELL ME ABOUT BASS”
Sub Focus – Let The Story Begin
Hoi! – Bronx 808
Scrufizzer- Rap Rave (Acapella)
12 – “SHIT ALL NIGHT!”
Jacques Lu Cont/Tracques – Click Track
Eric Goes To Disco – Belteck
Mason – Bass Friend
13 – “BOTTLE BLOWER”
Riton – Bang Your Head
Rene LaVice – Not Deep
14 – “SOAP-LAND”
Brookes Brothers – Love Line
Koven – More Than You Know (DC Breaks Remix)
15 – “EASY JET”
Wilkinson ft. Iman – Need To Know
The White Lamp – It’s You Ron (Basejam Remix)
16 – “DELIVERY HEALTH”
Breakage – The Promise
Layo & Bushwacka! – Love Story
17 – ” INCREDIBLE JAGUAR”
Mampi Swift – Gangster
Hamilton – Soundboy VIP
Danny Byrd ft. General Levy – Blaze The Fire
18 – ” BACK TO THE HIDEOUT”
SebastiAn – Embody
Aeroplane ft. Jamie Principle – In Her Eyes