Biggie Smalls, Memoirs, and Creps: A Conversation With Tim Westwood

With over 30 years in game, revered hip-hop broadcaster Tim Westwood doesn't know how it feels to not be relevant.

All images by Blaow

Synonymous with all things hip-hop in the UK, veteran DJ and broadcaster Tim Westwood is by all accounts an institution unto himself. In reading this, there's a more than likely chance Westwood began his career before your birth date, and in tracking his constant online output and relentless countrywide travels, he's remarkably showing no signs of slowing down. Canvassing opinion on the legendary DJ can often open up surprisingly varied levels of appreciation for his career and overall contributions. Over his thirty-year career, Westwood has been downplayed as a gimmick by some and dismissed as a phony by others, but the only sufficient response that he could mete out has had to be a patient and hardworking one who doesn't know how it feels to not be relevant.

Now a globally respected figure, his list of achievements and connections are supplanted by his elevation to DJ-known-by-surname-alone status. Set to join Complex later this month on the island of Pag, Croatia, for Fresh Island festival, we caught up with Westwood at his south London base—home of the legendary Crib Sessions series. Under the iconic blue lights, surrounded by thousands of records across two rooms, Tim Westwood hosted us for a frank conversation on his past, the state of British music and future frolics on the Croatian coast.

Interview by Tobi Oke
Photography:Blaow

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You've moved around quite a lot in your illustrious radio career—from Kiss to Choice to now Capital Xtra. How do you know when it's time to move on?
I don't think it's been that much [laughs]. I was with Capital FM, that's where I started, and big up Richard Park for giving me my break because that took me off the pirates. I was there for seven years, and then I was up at the BBC [Radio 1] for nineteen years, and then we left there to join Choice which became Capital Xtra and we've been there for three.

Do you feel a strong sense of loyalty to your station at the time?
Yeah, I mean, it'd be hypocritical not to be. You're with them, riding for them, and you can't suddenly turn around and diss them. What you have to understand with DJs is they don't own anything. They don't own the nights, they don't own the clubs, they don't own the radio stations they work for, so, you know, it's the nature of the game. I've been blessed to be on some great stations—some really powerful stations. We had a great time when we joined Capital. 

I HOPE I DIE BEFORE I GET a CHANCE TO WRITE MY STORY.

Is the Saturday night slot still a big deal for hip-hop DJs?
For what I do, radio has changed because of the internet and the role of the DJ has changed. Back in the day, it was breaking new music, exclusives, world premieres. You'd be on a two-hour show and people would tape that show, and if you missed it, you missed it. All that currency the DJ had, that's gone now—you're not the person that breaks the music. How I see the role of what I do on the Saturday now; it's the soundtrack. I'm on for five hours—7-12 in the evening—and that's when people are getting home from work, or being up town, people eating, people getting ready to go out, chilling at the crib with your girl, or the guys, the mandem in jail—whoever's listening, it's the soundtrack to their Saturday night. 

How do you juggle between your selections and playlist requirements at any station you've been at?
I don't have a playlist—I just do me, and I've always been blessed to do me. When I did the drive-time show, I obviously had the playlist there, but I could only do that for a minute.

So, you're going to Fresh Island this month, and you can only take three records with you: one from the US, one from the UK, and another from somewhere else in the world. What do you take?
I'd just pack my hard drive [laughs].

C'mon! You have to pick actual records from this room—OK, I'll make it easier: you can pick an entire back catalogue, but only from one artist.
I dunno, man, I'd probably choose Biggie. I know Tupac's got a bigger catalogue, but I was in New York for that whole era and it was a really significant era for me. I love music from Jamaica, and I love the music coming out of West Africa right now so it'd have to be Vybz Kartel or Wizkid. From the UK, I'd say probably 67. They've been up here many times, and they're definitely putting the work in right now.

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You've been on the bill for Fresh Island for the past three years now. What are your observations on the festival and mainland European crowds compared to the UK?
I don't really know much about that region but what I loved about it last year was seeing how many people from the UK made it out there. That's why it was turned up. That pool party video on Tim Westwood TV, you can see how incredibly turned up it was out there. That was something straight out of Miami or Vegas! It was people celebrating life, a lot of booty shaking, and it was just amazing to be there. I like to get in on the festival early and set the tone, with what records are resonating, and other DJs should pay attention because it's really important to go in set the tone. What I like is the fact that it's slightly more grown because, during the summer, I also go to Napa and Zante and places like that. Fresh Island is maybe for those who've done that circuit and are looking for something new.

Is it true that you're a big sneaker head?
I'm a Jordans guy, from start to finish. I also like a lot of the new ones, and the re-issues—those are good as well. I've queued up, like, early in the morning after a night out, seen the line at NikeTown and joined it. It's pretty well regimented; they don't let you jump in with any VIP pass. I've been disappointed with some of the new joints, though. Some of these new joints gave me blisters and they're a little plasticky, so I ain't doing that no more. If I like a joint, usually, I'll buy two or three of them: one to rock and one to stock.

You've witnessed the birth and the rise of the grime scene. Bearing in mind it's still relatively young, what do you make of its overall journey to date?
I remember being at one festival last year and everyone going over to the stage to see Stormzy and Jme, who asoloutely smashed it. It's all about making those records that resonate, those hit records. In my opinion, people like Skepta and Stormzy, they're putting grime in an incredible position right now. Even looking at the rap side of things, the likes of 150 and 67—making what they'd call drill music in the States—that's also winning in the streets over here. Then there's J Hus, whose joints are also ringing off, but he's offering up something different.

I can remember when grime initially started to emerge and people would throw criticisms at you for not supporting the scene.
Look at our YouTube and you'll see that we've been doing it nearly ten years; across 2,000 videos, I'd say over 1,500 of those are UK artists. We've been instrumental in the careers of so many artists, people like Giggs and those guys. The 1Xtra show was about nine years ago, and that was a whole movement—not a moment. OK, sure, I might not have been supporting UK rap, say, 15 years ago, but then who survived the test of time? Name an artist I should still be playing? Maybe the music was a little bit booty in those days, you know? We always tried to support artists to a point where it didn't even make sense, because, back then, they were looking at me to be that shortcut when they needed to put the work in first.

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How do you keep your ears to the ground?
I always pay attention. When you're in the clubs, the crowd will show you what records you need to be playing. If I'm not DJing in a club, I'll be out in a club, so I'm always paying attention. If I was a hat manufacturer, I'd be fuckin' out in the clubs seeing what hats people were wearing.

Do you listen out for other DJs when they play live?
I'm interested in the DJs I don't know much about. People tend to look to the States for inspiration, but the world is so connected nowadays that people can be hot from anywhere. I always pay attention to DJs; I see my role as a DJ industry man, not an artist guy, not a music company guy, not even really in the radio industry. I'm all about the DJs. And I really respect the other DJs—that's my whole thing. I don't even care about how the record comes in, with the laptop, because it's a different era now. I'm more interested about how they're ripping the crowd.

You've always been around the Red Bull Culture Clash over the years; presenting it one year, on-stage with Eskimo Dance this year. Is it something you'd ever consider taking full part in and clashing?
They've asked me a dozen times, man. It's just so much work; I mean, I have clashed in the past, I've clashed Rodigan in the past, and won. Still, it's not really my lane. My lane is ripping the radio and ripping the clubs... I don't even really record dubs like I used to.

You used to have loads!
Yeah, but I don't see the movement for that anymore. People would rather you play the record. I'd rather the record be about the record, rather than it changed to being about me. 

When do you know you've had a legendary interview? I remember your interview with Biggie, or even the one with DMX ten years ago, and knowing they were powerful moments. 
I remember that one with X. Very cool. Generally, I don't know... I mean, a lot of it is to do with timing. If you can hit that controversial moment, then it'll be relevant forever. A new artist is good to do as it's their first time, it's exciting, but usually they're doing so many interviews, on so many stations, you're getting answers you’ve heard before. Like with Rick Ross, I'll always go check him and hang with him—and it's nothing to bring a camera—so that conversation is just how it would be usually. That's the real shit: capturing the normal moments.

Prince passed earlier this year and he was in the process of writing his memoirs. Time obviously ran out for him, but do you ever feel a motivation to tell your story before it's your time to go?
I hope I die before I get a chance to write my story [laughs]. Seriously, though, I think my memory's so shot over the years that I can't remember half that shit! I should have kept a diary, man.

Tim Westwood plays Fresh Island festival in Croatia, July 12-14

You've moved around quite a lot in your illustrious radio careerfrom Kiss to Choice to now Capital Xtra. How do you know when it's time to move on?
I don't think it's been that much [laughs]. I was with Capital FM, that's where I started, and big up Richard Park for giving me my break because that took me off the pirates. I was there for seven years, and then I was up at the BBC [Radio 1] for nineteen years, and then we left there to join Choice which became Capital Xtra and we've been there for three.

Do you feel a strong sense of loyalty to your station at the time?
Yeah, I mean, it'd be hypocritical not to be. You're with them, riding for them, and you can't suddenly turn around and diss them. What you have to understand with DJs is they don't own anything. They don't own the nights, they don't own the clubs, they don't own the radio stations they work for, so, you know, it's the nature of the game. I've been blessed to be on some great stations—some really powerful stations. We had a great time when we joined Capital.

Is the Saturday night slot still a big deal for hip-hop DJs?
For what I do, radio has changed because of the internet and the role of the DJ has changed. Back in the day, it was breaking new music, exclusives, world premieres. You'd be on a two-hour show and people would tape that show, and if you missed it, you missed it. All that currency the DJ had, that's gone now—you're not the person that breaks the music. How I see the role of what I do on the Saturday now; it's the soundtrack. I'm on for five hours—7-12 in the evening—and that's when people are getting home from work, or being up town, people eating, people getting ready to go out, chilling at the crib with your girl, or the guys, the mandem in jail—whoever's listening, it's the soundtrack to their Saturday night.

How do you juggle between your selections and playlist requirements at any station you've been at?
I've got no playlist, I just do me, I've always been blessed to do me. When I did the drive-time show, I obviously had the playlist there, but I could only do that for a minute.

You're going to Fresh Island and you can only take three records with you, one from the US, another from the UK and another from anywhere else in the world?
I'd just pack my hard drive! (laughs)

C'mon, you have to pick actual records, from this room—OK, I'll make it easier, you can pick an entire back catalogue but from one artist.
I dunno man, I'd probably choose Biggie. I know Tupac's got a bigger catalogue, but I was in New York for that whole era and it was a really significant era for me.

UK and anywhere else around the world?
I love music from Jamaica and I love the music coming out of West Africa right now. So it'd have to be Vybz Kartel or Wizkid. For UK…erm, probably 67 to be honest, they've been up here many times; those guys have been putting in the work.

You're also quite a big sneaker-head on the low, I've heard I was speaking to someone who told me you like a lot of non-traditional, maybe even, odd types of trainers compared to most collectors.
I'm a Jordans guy from start to finish. I also like a lot of the new ones, and the re-issues, those are good as well. I've queued up, like, early in the morning after a night, seen the line at NikeTown and joined it, it's pretty well regimented, they don't let you jump in, there's no pass. I've been disappointed with some of the new joints, though. Some of these new joints gave me blisters and they're a little plasticky so I ain't doing that no more. If I like a joint, usually, I'll buy two or three of them, one two rock, one to stock.

Ahead of Fresh Island, next month, you've been on the bill for the past three years. What are your observations on the festival and mainland European crowds compared to the UK?
I don't really know about much about that region as I don't really experience it much but what I felt very much about Fresh Island last year, was how many people from the UK made it out there, that's why it was turned up. That pool party video on Tim Westwood TV, you can see how incredibly turned up that was. That was straight out of Vegas or Miami, it was people celebrating life, there was a lot of booty shaking, it was amazing to be honest. I like to get in on the festival early and set the tone, with what records are really resonating and other DJs should pay attention, it's really important to go in super hard and set the tone. What I like is, it's slightly more grown, 'cause during the summer I also go to Napa and Zante and places like that, Fresh Island Fest is maybe for those who've done that circuit and are looking for something new.

 

You've witnessed the birth and the rise of the grime scene, bearing in mind it's still relatively young, what do you make of its overall journey to date?
I can remember from last year, it was a bit of a walk, but I remember the whole festival was going over to the stage at the end for Stormzy and JME, on the last day, and they smashed it. It's all about making those records that resonate, those hit records, in my opinion people like Skepta and Stormzy, they're putting it in an incredible position right now. Even looking at the rap side of things, the likes of 150 and 67, making what they'd call drill music in the States, that type of music over here, that's winning over here also. You've also got people like J Hus he's making records that are ringing off, and he's offering something different.

I can remember when grime initially started to emerge and people would throw criticisms at you for not supporting the UK scene at the time.
Look at the YouTube, we've been doing it nearly ten years, over two thousand videos, I'd say over fifteen hundred of those are UK artists. So many UK artists, we've been instrumental in their careers, people like Giggs. The 1Xtra show was about nine years ago, it wasn't moments, it was movements. OK sure, I might not have been supporting UK rap, say, fifteen years ago but then who survived the test of time? Name an artist I should still be playing? Maybe the music was a little bit booty in those days, you know? We always tried to support artists to a point where it didn't even make sense, because back then they were looking at me to be that shortcut and it was like, put the work in first yourselves.

How do you keep your ears to the ground then?
I always pay attention—when you're in the clubs, you see the biggest records, the crowd will show you, that's the record you need to be playing. If I'm not DJing in a club, I'll be out in a club, I'm always paying attention, that's what I do. If I was a hat manufacturer, I'd be fuckin' out in the clubs seeing what hats people were wearing.

As well as big name acts, there's a ton of big DJs on the bill at Fresh from Preemo to Statik Selektah, do you listen out for other DJs when they play live?
I'm interested in the DJs I don't know much about. People tend to look to the States for inspiration, but the world is so connected nowadays, people can be hot from anywhere. I always pay attention to DJs, I see my role as a DJ industry man, not an artist guy, not a music company guy, not even really in the radio industry, I'm about the DJs. Really respect the other DJs, that's my whole thing. I don't even care about how the record comes in, with the laptop, it's a different era now, I'm more interested about how they're ripping the crowd.

You've always been around the Red Bull Culture Clash over the years, presenting it one year, on stage with Eskimo Dance this year. Is it something you'd ever consider taking full part in and clashing?
They've asked me a dozen times, man. It's just so much work, I mean, I have clashed in the past, I've clashed Rodigan in the past, and won. Still, it's not really my lane, my lane is ripping the radio and ripping the clubs, I don't even really record dubs like I used to.

You used to have loads in the past.
Yeah, but I don't see the movement for that anymore. People would rather you play the record, I'd rather the record be about the record, rather than it changed to being about me. There's dubs there, like, that Kranium joint, "take you home baby". I don't think the girls need to be singing about "Westwood take you home"!

When do you know you've put in a legendary interview? I remember your interview with Biggie or even the one with DMX, about ten years ago, I was listening live and I could tell, in the moment, this is powerful.
I remember that with X, very cool. Generally, I dunno, you must experience this yourself, a lot of artists are just on the treadmill, a lot of it is just timing, if you can hit that controversial moment it'll be forever relevant, A lot of it can be same old, same old. A new artist is really good, it's their first time over, it's exciting but usually they're doing so many interviews, on so many stations, you're getting answers you’ve heard before. Like with Rick Ross, I'll always go check him and hang with him, and it's nothing to bring a camera, so that conversation is just how it would be usually. That's the real shit when you capture the normal moments.

Prince passed earlier this year and he was in the process of writing his memoirs, obviously time ran out for him, do you ever feel a motivation to tell your story before it's your time to go?
I hope I die before I get a chance to write my story, (turns to manager) if I ever start writing that make sure you kill me, baby! Seriously, I think my memory's so shot over the years, I can't remember half that shit. Honestly, I should have kept a diary man.

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