Music > Interviews

The Four Owls

30/03/15

Verb T, Fliptrix, Leaf Dog and B.V.A are not only amongst the UK’s foremost rappers in 2015, but collectively make up The Four Owls, the insanely talented and entertaining hip hop crew that are taking the world by storm. Signed to High Focus Records, who are more a huge and pulsating collective than just another record label, the Owls are one of the headliners at Boom Bap Festival in Mildenhall this year. We caught up with Fliptrix after The Four Owls swooped through the city on their current 30 date tour.

How did you first get into hip hop?

It was a long time ago, when I was 12. I heard The Score by The Fugees and not long after that Big L, Big Pun and Notorious B.I.G and their music really spurred me on. Then when I was 16 I got into UK hip hop, and for me that’s what really inspired me to start writing my own lyrics and start rapping with friends. It all followed on from there really.

How do you feel your own music has developed from your first album, Force Fed Imagery?

It’s developed a lot. I’ve grown as a person…when I was writing some of those tracks I was 16 years old and now I’m 29! Also I’ve learnt a lot about instrumental styles; obviously with The Four Owls we do a lot of typically classic sounding stuff, and I do that with my own music too but I also experiment with different tempos. So my lyrical content has grown as well as the different flow patterns within the verses.

If someone had never listened to your music how would you describe it?

It’s quite deep, thoughtful, conscious stuff but I also like to have some fun with it. There’s a whole comedic side to tracks like Wylin Out or The High Way. I like to talk about what’s going on around me, and also keep it positive and uplifting; there are a lot of kids out there who might not listen to their parents or their teachers but they will listen to their favourite rappers. We’re in a powerful position to be able to talk to the younger generation, so it’s important we keep our message positive.

The Four Owls’ first album Nature’s Greatest Mystery did really well, and now you’ve topped the iTunes charts again; your new album Natural Order has beaten off competition from the likes of Dr Dre and Eminem. How do you think your new album differs from your first?

Well, Nature’s Greatest Mystery was never really pre planned. Leaf came down to work on his new solo album and brought B.V.A along with him. They came up with a good few tunes and then sent them to Verb, and he jumped on them all. We made that album in just 3 weeks, so that was pretty crazy. So that album happened really naturally and really organically. That album was so well received we felt some pressure when putting together the new album. Personally I think Leaf Dog’s production has excelled anything he’s done before; we’ve got better with the beats, we’ve got better with the rhymes. We made about 30 tracks for the new album and then picked the best 16; we took some time over it. I think we’ve developed more as artists and it’s a really well rounded piece of work. It’s been going down really well with the reviewers and everyone seems really happy with it.

It seems like such a tight knit community between all of you guys at High Focus; who’s your favourite High Focus act to catch performing live?

That all depends on the mood I’m in. ScissorTongue is doing new stuff with his Kaoss Pads and DJ’s for himself now; he’s got a really interesting show to watch. If I want to go out and go crazy then Dirty Dike’s a good one for that. I see High Focus as a big brain and everyone’s a different part. I can’t really pick a favourite!

You’re playing at Boom Bap again this summer. What was your favourite moment from last year’s festival?

Just the whole community really; the whole vibe at that festival is a great thing. Also, when B.V.A got to rap a few bars with Ghostface Killah on stage. That was not only the highlight of the festival but the major highlight of B.V.A’s life! Haha! It got the biggest cheer out of the whole festival.

Is there anyone we should keep an eye out for this year?

Ono Capone just dropped his album, Dirty Dike’s got a new album and also Leaf Dog’s releasing his solo album this year. High Focus are putting a lot of releases out and we’ll be out on the road a lot so keep an eye out for us!

What’s the craziest thing that’s happened to The Four Owls on tour?

We did a gig in the snowy mountains of Bulgaria and proceeded to get rather drunk. We all missed our transfer the next morning; we were running around Bulgaria in the snow trying to find a cab driver at 7am. We managed to save the day by paying a lot of money after finding a cashpoint. We just made it onto the plane and then had a terrible flight. Some guy had a panic attack, people were all throwing up…we didn’t think we’d make it alive. That was pretty intense!

Lastly, if you were stuck on a desert island and you were allowed a record player, and 3 records, which 3 records would you choose?

Probably Wu Tang’s 36 Chambers, The Jimi Hendrix Experience LP and Louis Slipperz’ first mixtape.

The Four Owls are playing at BoomBap Festival this year; check out the details in our Festivals Guide. You can win tickets for Boom Bap on our website www.outlineonline.co.uk!