~laydee-tease~

His third mixtape has just dropped, his glowing exam results are in and the streets are abuzz with his name. North London’s Chipmunk is on top of the world right now... words by Danny Walker Image by James Pearson-Howes

The words “Cuzzy I’m Chipmunk – sorry, you are?” bellows from tinny 4x6 speakers as our MOT-wary transport navigates Tottenham to interview the latest teenage bar-slinger. Wiry 16 year-old Jahmaal Noel Fyffe is stood by the gates of his Sixth Form Centre, and after some pleasantries, photos and bars, we soon get into the interview, “Growing up on my old estate down St. Anne’s, it was out of Top Man and Chipmunk,” he recalls of how he got his irregular alias. “I asked one of the older guys which should it be and he started bussing, ‘Stick to Chipmunk.’ From then I just ran with it.” And ran he did, fusing Jamaican parentage and an all too common low-income social environment to pave his way anywhere his peers would listen. “There was a youth club called Laundry in my old area near Finsbury Park and a lot of MCs that were firing at the time were going there. That was nice. Them times [late 2003 early 2004] was when I started writing a couple of bars.”

Looking up to those going through the same struggles, Chipmunk found solace in music and education to keep himself in check. “I heard Kano was 16 when he made Boys Love Girls,” he reflects. “So I thought by the time I’m 16 I could try and pull off a little hit. The same with Dizzee and Boy In Da Corner, that was hard as well, that got me on my feet.” So with middle England fussing about goggle-clad hooded jackets whilst clutching their BMW keys, the majority of the youths they’re scared of are actually big achievers. “I just got my GCSE results,” he informs with a confident smile. “I managed to get five As and four Bs. History was a killer, it was the hardest exam you’ll sit in your life. You have to do four exams and you only get one GCSE for it.”

It didn’t take long for his brains and bars to be noticed and Eskiboy Wiley was soon one of his many fans. “Basically Whatever the Weather – Vol.2 was in stores and then [Eskibeat Recordings producer] Maniac told me, ‘Wiley likes your stuff, he wants to work with you in the studio.’ Next day, a phone call came saying, ‘Yeah, this is Will,’ and we linked up and made a couple of bangers over in Limehouse.” At the same time, Ice Kid was also noticed but he went on his own path. “Just for the record we’re still cool – but too many people depend on Wiley. When I met Wiley, I already had my own ting. I could stand up by myself; I work with Wiley on a level, on a wavelength, regardless of age. I set the levels, then he sets the levels. We can make a tune and that’s the levels.”

With the bar set to the top, the drama, sociology and accounting A Level student has managed to multiply his sound and create a versatile performance with his latest mixtape, A League Of My Own. “Yeah, I deliberately named it that,” he smiles of the bold title. “It’s not saying, ‘I’m the best’ - but if you don’t think you’re the best, there is no point being here or MCing. If you think someone could top you, you’re undermining yourself. If I’m in a league of my own that means I’m by myself, I don’t have no other kids to watch or compare to.” He goes one further in a bar when relaying how he’s the ‘Harry Potter of grime,’ though, right? “Yeah, the way I see it, Harry is a wizard, he’s got his wand... me, I’ve got my pen. When he goes [makes wizard movement] WHAM!!! Man get taken out with the one move. Me, I’ve got my pen... WHAM!!! One 16 and that’s a man over, done. My pen is like Harry’s wand.” There’s plenty more magic on the mixtape too. Tunes like Fire Alie, These Streets, 64 Bar Statement and Writing And Grinding are just some of the tracks to check. “I like those but My Life is my favourite,” he tells of the slow-yet gritty tale of London living, losing friends to knife crime and the dark spots in his 16 years. “It explains how I feel about things that are going on in the streets, things that are going on in my life, my family, how I feel about the other kids that are doing music and want to have a pop at me and I ain’t even had a pop at them. It goes through everything.”

With League Of My Own selling well and Mr Munk first up on Wiley’s impending No Qualms remix; there is a lot going on. “Yeah, I’ve got an Internet video of Fire Alie coming out soon – thanks again to Alwayz Recording – and watch for Bait Faces with Cookie and Black the Ripper on Motivation Music. All the north London youth keep coming up. Keep coming, whatever is going on in your life, don’t stop, north London is on the rise...”

Check RWD TV for the more of the interview and bars.

What would you do if the world was yours?
I would make everyone rich. I’d see it that everyone had the money to live a comfortable life. I’d just evacuate poverty. I think that is what causes a lot of wars and stuff like that so I’d make everyone wealthy. If everyone was wealthy there would be nothing to be jealous of. I think more things would run smoothly as well.

Would you be slightly richer than everyone else though?
[Smiles and then nods].

http://www.rwdmag.com/articles/6424/Chipmunk-A-Different-League.html

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