http://congonatty . jungli.st

Martyn Pepperell: How did you get into Jungle Music? Million Dan: Well to be honest the first time I got into jungle was when I was a kid. I was still at school then. This was around 10 years ago and I was rolling with the Congo Natty family. Congo were making some big moves and power plays in dnb circles. Rebel gave me a shout and I went into the studio, I did a couple of songs on my own and a few collaborations with Daddy Freddy and Tenor Fly. One of which turned out to be "Million".

At the time no one really knew how big things were gonna get it for the Congo Natty family. There was a lot of talented heads under one roof. Blud ya got to understand a lot of people in the London scene are family, especially the MC's, for example Navigators my uncle and Demo and Fearless are cousins. We are all related, or grew up together. I was just a kid coming through, but in that studio you had Top Cat, Sweetie Irie, Demolition Man, Tenor Fly, Peter Bouncer, Terry t, DJ Souljah, Rebel MC, The Ragga Twins, Navigator, Rad ziss, Nemesis... and more.

Things change over time though, life takes its toll, you gotta pay bills, people have children to look after. There are a lot of older artists in the scene that still got the talent but they gotta pay bills. So they are just chilling, waiting for the right time, right opportunities etc. Peter Bouncer is a classic example, he's still around, he never went away after "Junglist". To be honest his voice is better then ever now. He does his thing every now and then, I would never say that thats the last I ever heard from him, cause he could come back tomorrow and blow everyone away.

Back then we had no idea how far Congo Natty was going to go, it was mad bluud. You know, you just throw all these different flavors into a pot, mix it up and bam. Things really just blew up and the sky was the limit. We had songs coming out, we were going on the road, smashing it every show. Things kind of hit a plateau eventually and it went very underground for a few years.

Times changed, music changed and eventually it came 360 degrees in the late 90's early 2000's. But people grow and change, much like trees you know. The Congo Natty Family tree grew up and branched out, but this time round there was Knowledge and Wisdom and Congo Natty. So you had Souljah and Terry T, Myself, Demo, Frisky dan, MC Genius, Navigator and Dyer MC representing Knowledge and Wisdom. Meanwhile Top Cat, Tenor Fly, Rebel MC and co were doing the Congo Natty thing.

People were moving out and doing their own stuff, their own projects. For myself however, my main focus has always been reggae, hip-hop and bashment musics. It's funny because I have always been in the jungle drum and bass family without every really meaning to be involved . I was there from the beginning, just because of this one choon I did back in the day. I'm an MC man, so if you call me into the studio, of course I am going to make a song. Anyhow I have always been onboard, but my focus was on other things until Demolition man and Million Dan pulled me back into the fold. They were like, Bludd, we been holding down this jungle thing for a min or two now and we know you can smash it every time, so if you wanna come back you are more then welcome into the fold. Martyn Pepperell Who and what are your Current Affiliations? Million Dan: Well, that gets pretty tricky. I have got a lot of families. By family or families I mean real families, real heads who are down to make real moves. In England and Europe I roll with Knowledge and Wisdom, Freestylers and Boomblast. However at this point in time Million Dan is my top priority, my solo works are what needs the most focus and what I feel the strongest about. I just signed a deal with Concept Inc in T.O, they manage myself, Demolition man, JB (GCP) and others, so anyone who wants to work with me can get in touch through them. Boomblast is my group, the members include Demolition Man, Cyrus, Navigator, Ricky Rolex, Cowboy Ranger, Jr Dangerous, Shabba, Rad ziss, Nemesis 1. I also roll with GCP in T.O, large up JB and all the man dem. On the drum and bass front, me and Demo are working closely with DJ Saigon from Jungle Nation and Front left in T.O, we have a lot of proper future projects in the works. We are doing some Drum and Bass with Marcus Visionary as well in T.O Down in New York I have my mans Bass Nacho and The Blacklist Family as well Jacky Murda from Chopsticks. Tight tight bredren who are down to make some real power moves.. Martyn Pepperell What are you working on at the moment? Million Dan: My main focus at this point in time is Million Dan. My song "Dogs and Sledges" is blowing up as we speak on a worldwide scale. The videos on rotation on Muchmusic and MTV europe. I just did the Rock-a-fella concert in T.O and The Peace and Unity Festival in front of Metro hall in Toronto. That festival was a real who's who of hip-hop music. Pete Rock + CL Smooth, Jeru The Damaja, Speical Ed, Chuck D and more. Chuck D showed me nuff respect after the show, he was really impressed and it gave me a lot of confidence to hear the man say what he said. I knew that the show would be pretty cut and dry, the crowd was either going to love what I did or not be feeling it, so it was a big step and a big risk in some ways. The crowd went fucking nutz bluud, and I'm not the sort of man to boast or blow my own horn. I was really really surprised. I stepped off the stage and the crowds jaws were just dropped and on the floor. Nuff mans were giving us props and acceptance for real. For me it was a sign of full acceptance, all the T.O Hip Hop man dem were showing me love.

You got to understand that first and formost I am a bashment artist, a reggae music artist. I was born and raised on reggae music. My mother and father are both Jamacian and live in Jamacia. I was born in England, but I spend most of my free time in Jamacia, its a good escape when I am not touring. I am really focusing on the Bashment Hip-Hop vibes. I follow the vibes and always try to roll with family.

Demolition Man is family and thats a big part of why I end up doing the jungle tings. Demo did "Fire" the big choon on the Jungle Drum and Bass Circuit, so he pulls me back into the game because he knows I can kill those crowds. My uncle Navigator knows as well, he keeps me in check and in the game.

But its really my solo work that is closet to my heart now, my songs, my videos. I feel that when people see my video they get a really good reflection of who I am and what I am about. Its just straight bashment jumpoff bizness. I have another big single comming, working on the video for that. America's starting to wake up to my songs, its all going to be big, I can feel it. Martyn Pepperell What have been your favorite experiences in Jungle Drum and Bass Music? Million Dan: Well, just recently I did this huge dance in Toronto with Caddy Cad and MC CQ. It was for destiny, some Halloween bizness, 9-10'000 people, totally rammed and packed, we smashed it up proper bluud!! That party was a really good experience. Then there was a party at The Government a few weeks earlier, did that with Demolition Man, Andy C, GQ, Lush and more. The MC conventions in London are always some of the craziest. I have played all of them bar 2. Myself, Demolition Man, Skibbadee, Shabba, Det, Jr Dangerous, Cowboy Ranger, Xman, Foxy, IC3, Herbzy, Yardie and more. Top flight DJ's such as Mampi Swift, Nicky Blackmarket, Brocky and so on. Every convention is pure murder. We leave the place in rubble, the crowd drinks the bar dry and they have to bring builders in to rebuild the venue the next day. The place gets flattened every time. By the end of the night it is just bricks and dust. On a non jungle drum and bass related note, going on tour across Europe with Wayne Wonder was pure magic. Nuff dope Jamacian artist jumped on board of that!!! Martyn Pepperell What are your plans for the future? Million Dan: Basically Bluud, I look to continue my lyrical assault upon the universe!!! I have been getting loads of material ready for release. I am busy compiling my album "Spektrum" and the title really says it all ya know!!! People will be getting a full journey from it, however I will always have a heavy reggae, hip-hop and bashment vibe to what I do. Do you know what I'm saying?

Apart from that I got works with Marcus Visionary, Freestylers. Three new releases coming on K&W, as well as the High Grade EP VOL 2 which features me and Demolition Man. I got plenty of things bubblin in the UK, I was back there for 10 days a few weeks ago and nuff progress ah gwan. Watch out for some big hip-hop songs, and check my website.. www.milliondan.com It needs to be updated but it has a lot of good information on it, me and Navigator are revising our sites as we speak, watch for some next ish!!! Martyn Pepperell Who and what are your influences and inspirations? Million Dan: Bounty Killer, Elephant Man, Talib Kwali and Sizzla Kalonji are for sure my top 4. I'm doing some drops for Bounty in Lair Studios at the moment, and maybe some shows with him during November. Elephant man has so much energy and really hits the industry non-stop, he always blows the club up, always comes with big songs, so respect due to Elephant Man. Talib is a true lyricist, I always rated him, always knew he would be huge. I think he was a bit to futuristic, a bit to ahead of his time, but I think this time the scene is ready for him and he will blow up larger then ever before. Sizzla, well let me put it this way, I like to sometimes go for a drive and just chuck on some Sizzla and just mediate on his words, just does it for me. Martyn Pepperell Who do you think is the hot up and comming talent out there? Million Dan: Assassin from Jamaica is top of my list right now. He is on his way, but he is going to bust way larger. Man is mad talented and in my eyes he is only going to get better and better.

Mikey Dangerous from Montreal is another man I see going far. Mikey man If you are reading this, when you start going on tour please think of me and get me to open up some shows for you. I wish the man all the guidance, he is going to be a dancehall reggae superstar. When we were chilling in Montreal, he gave me and Demolition Man copies of his new mixtape, hot hot hot, thats all I can say. Man will be doing some huge things for real!!!!

From the UK I gotta prop my man Dutty Doogs. This man is my bonafide bredren and comrade in arms. he has a simular bashment style and flavour to myself, the cat is mad mad talented. Martyn Pepperell What countries have you played shows in? Million Dan: Everywhere blood, everywhere!!!!

All over Europe, every country, many times. Montreal and Toronto in Canada. I have an American tour coming up with Demolition Man and JB and co, all thanks to my new management agency Concept INC. I want to reach everywhere in the world, and I will!!!! Martyn Pepperell Is there anything else you want to tell the people out there, and anyone you want to throw some shouts and respect to? Million Dan: I am a dedicated martial artist, and spend a lot of time on that when I am not on road. I hold 3 blackbelts and practice Nam Pai Chuan and Tae Kwan Do. I used to teach, and still train everyday, 3 hours a day or night every time I can. I have been teaching for the last 5 years, but during the last 18 months I have been focusing on music, so I had to take my focus away from martial arts. It keeps me internally regulated and focused, helps me find my centre and balance. Finally I got to shout out all the man dem mentioned in this interview. All the people who support Million Dan, you are more then fans, you are my people, my family. I respect the love and support I get shown, keep it up and watch out for my continued lyrical assault on the universe!!