Handles TDNB is proving to be on the prominent figures in United Kingdom’s Hip-Hop scene! Selling over 60,000 physical copies of his past mixtapes from the streets of London to Denmark and everywhere in-between the British bad boy’s ripples may soon travel over to the United States.
Despite his boots to the pavement work ethic, the West London rapper believes manifestation is where his success stems from. As part of the TDNB (short for to dream n believe) collective which includes fellow recording artist Fonzie and Magic, after years of studying the game, Handles, proclaims he’s ready to be the creative bridge between the underground sounds of the UK and the mainstream success of Hip-Hop stateside.
I had the chance to catch up with Handles TDNB to discuss his new EP, Sui Generis, the music scene in the United Kingdom and much more. Read the full interview below!
Congratulations on the success of your new EP, Sui Generis! You charted at #7 on the UK Hip-Hop charts. That’s a huge deal as an independent artist. How did you hear the news and where were you?
“Thank you! It’s crazy because the night before the full release I quickly glanced at the charts just to make sure the project was uploaded and I left it at that. The next morning I started to get calls and texts from friends saying I was on the home page of iTunes. So I immediately went to check and it was true but I didn’t believe it. So I called a mate of mine to have him double check and yeah it was the real thing. I couldn’t believe it! But technically there were only four artist ahead of me. *laughs*”
Growing up between West London and Mt. Vernon, New York, Handles is not your typical “UK rapper”. Engulfed in the rise of the raw New York Hip-Hop scene in late 1990s and the introduction of the Harlem supergroup Dipset’s takeover in the early 2000s music his ability to merge his sonic influences his rare amongst international artists.
Before we discuss the project, let’s take a second to get a feel for what’s happening in London. What are your thoughts on the UK hip-hop scene currently?
“There are some artists really doing their thing! But there are a lot of other artist that don’t study the game. For example, there are some artist that say they do grime music but when you listen to them they are far off from grime. And they’re just don’t understand the culture. They can’t name any legendary and impactful UK artist. Not Slick Rick. Not Floetry. Not Estelle. I studied the game. I studied the greats like Jay Z. I watched YO MTV Raps! I live and breathe the culture.”
That’s interesting! Here stateside artist frequently complain about the lack of homegrown support. Constantly you hear, ‘New York media doesn’t support New York artist’ etc. Is this also the case in the UK?
“I don’t know if I would say that but what I will say is American artist get a lot more love here. When Drake or Beyoncé come to town it sells out in minutes and that’s all anyone will talk about but that same excitement doesn’t surround artist from here. It’s odd really. But it is the same with Americans’ fascination with the European sauce. Rappers bragging about driving a Aston Martin and wearing European designers. An Aston Martin in the UK is just another car.”
When you put it like that it does sound a bit silly.
“Yeah! Americans have this false sense of what London is like. They think there are no ghettos. No violence. No gangs. Because of Americanized depiction of London in movies or TV.”
Let’s talk Sui Generis! What was the inspiration behind the EP?
“With this project I wanted to just put out some music with vibes. I haven’t been inspired by the music that’s out as of late. That’s why Drake is so successful because he knows what people want to hear. He just gives you those nostalgia vibes. That’s what I did on this project! You get everything from Hip-Hop and Rap to Grime. Even down to the title of the project! Sui generis is Latin for unique [or of its own kind]. This project you can get a real understanding of my range as an artist. I can do it all. I am the British Kanye West! From start to finish you are getting an experience. This is my best project to date.”
So what’s next for you?
“I’m working a lot of things. I have plenty of music ready to go. But there will be visuals for his track on the project because that’s how I envisioned it. But there will certainly be some live performances this summer. Stay tuned! But I would love to collaborate with Max B that’s a dream of mine. You gotta make this happen! *laughs*”
What did you think of Handles TDNB’s singles “Woah” and “Patience”? Want more Handles TDNB? Connect with the bad boy from across the pond via your favorite social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
