KRAY-Z LEGZ INTERVIEW
I’m lucky to meet many talented musicians and inspiring individuals in my line of work and one thing I want to do more of on this blog is interview some of them, especially those that you might not be aware of. Here’s the first of these interviews, both as a video and text depending which you prefer. The text also has some links to further music, articles and a TV appearance on the Russell Howard show that included both of us. If there’s anyone you’d love to hear more about please do let me know in the comments.
Kaptin: Yes people, so I have a special guest with me today. Mark Humphries aka Kray-Z Legz, who I know, first of all, as a rapper, working with people like Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa. But also he's got his own studio, he's performed at Boomtown and some other things which we'll get into. So Mark, wicked to have you with me today, mate.
Kray-Z Legz: No, thank you. It's a pleasure mate as always, thank you.
Kaptin: Seeing as I know you as a rapper first and foremost, let’s get into that first. How did that start off? When did you first first decide that was going to be your vocation?
Kray-Z Legz: Basically, music’s always been like a massive part of my life. Anything that made noise I was into, which was a curse for my parents. It was my dad's fault, he bought me a violin when I was 4. I've always been very musical and things, but when I was 15 a good friend of mine, his brothers were quite known up in Bristol, the Mackie brothers, who were part of Central Spillz. I knew Dan Mackie and Anthony Mackie very well. And I met them when I was 15. And I just remember being inspired. They gave me a CD and I was blown away by their music and I was just like, this is cool man.
Kaptin: Central Spillz were wicked.
Kray-Z Legz: Ah mate, back in the day! Honestly, still to this day, I talk to Anthony quite a lot and he's honestly been one of the level headed guys, that I've always gone to for advice and things like that. So yeah, he's, they've always been like a big part of me, my inspiration kind of thing and the reason why I started out, but I struggled with English at school as well, so that kind of tied in. I was home tutored due to my disability, I had a lot of surgery. So I spent a lot of time at school being home tutored and basically, she helped me realise, when I was studying poetry for GCSE, she said, Well, poetry is basically like rap. That was it, the spark for me and I put two and two together and I thought, if my mate’s brothers can do this why can't I and I just started writing something, I shared it with a couple mates and they were like, “mate it’s sick” and that was it, from there it was born. I just carried on writing and it became my way to express myself and also to have a bit of fun.
Kaptin: Fair play. Actually, I called you a rapper but you're not just a rapper, you're a producer as well. You make all your own beats?
Kray-Z Legz: Yeah, especially recently, I've gone into producing myself. A good friend of mine Gavin Lambert, when we left school together, we bought a secondhand coach and basically turned that into our first recording studio, and he still has that now and as you’ve said I’ve got my own studio. We still talk to each other and support each other, but obviously we've gone our separate ways. So yeah, I've had a bit of a learning curve, having to learn everything myself, but it made me appreciate what he’s done for me over the years when I see him. It's just been so much fun being able to create from scratch myself now. You know, having that, ah I’ve lost the word I'm looking for…
Kaptin: Freedom, I guess.
Kray-Z Legz: That's it, that's the word, freedom. Yeah, just having that creative freedom, it's been amazing. And I've also started making drum and bass and more electronic EDM and things like that. So I've just been playing around with all sorts really, really good fun.
Kaptin: I mentioned earlier, you've got some big colabs and the first one you had was Benny Banks, right?
Kray-Z Legz: That's correct. Yeah. I reached out to him a few years ago, just out the blue and he got back to me saying let’s make this happen. I just explained to him what I was about and he was one of the British MCs and rappers I listened to growing up. So, I mean, that was a dream come true to work with him and yeah, it was a learning curve in itself. The nerves went through the roof at that point, but that gave me the boost that I needed to push myself even more and he gave me that support as well. Having someone like that back me and collaborate really gave me a chance to pursue my career further. I owe him a lot, it was a really good experience.
Kaptin: So then big Snoop Dogg?
Kray-Z Legz: Yeah, that came out of the blue. I was contacted at New Year by Anno Domini, he's based out in America and he was the one that put the ties together for us basically. Obviously, because of COVID, everything was done online, but I mean Snoop done me a huge favour. I mean, this guy charges 1000s for verses, and things like that. And yeah, he saw my situation and heard what I was about and what I was trying to do and thought, this is amazing and he basically sent me this verse and was like, do what you want with it kid. So I made the beat like pure West Coast, I just thought this has got to go back to its roots, because again, I grew up listening to Snoop in his early days with Pac and Biggie and all them. My passion is American hip hop, I mean, I've always rated UK hip hop, but my heart's with the American hip hop, like the early and late 90s, early 2000s era.
Kaptin: You can definitely hear that in the sound for sure, with the Snoop track you've definitely gone for that heavy g funk vibe.
Kray-Z Legz: Yeah. It was nice, it was just refreshing. I missed that kind of music and it was an honour as well, just so surreal to be working with him, especially when I heard that verse for the first time to hear that voice and know who it was. That took me a few days just to get my head around what I was doing. And again, it was another confidence boost and helped me believe in myself and prove to other disabled artists that these things can be achieved. I mean, that you just got to reach out sometimes and communicate and that’s what it's all about.
Kaptin: Let’s talk a little bit about… you mentioned Snoop saw your situation. You are in a wheelchair, am I right it's Spina Bifida?
Kray-Z Legz: Yeah, yeah, I was born with Spina Bifida.
Kaptin: So obviously, quite a struggle just to do shows and things like that, I guess?
Kray-Z Legz: Well, I've been lucky in that sense, I use a manual wheelchair and I've always been surrounded by good friends and amazing people, and if there's a staircase or anything like that, people won't even hesitate to grab hold of my chair and lift me up the stairs. I mean, when I performed at Boomtown and things like, even the Scrap Yard stage, being up on that podium, even though it was a staircase to go up. Al, bless his heart and a few of the others, they lifted me up and it was amazing. Just to be up on that podium, to be included, that meant the world to me. I've been lucky in that sense, but there’s other artists, and this is kind of what I'm trying to raise awareness about with my studio, there's other artists out there with disabilities, like for example, DJ Noseit, Scotty, who you met at the launch for the studio. He's absolutely amazing, but he uses a really heavy duty electric wheelchair. And so it made me realise that woah, there's people out there like this that would love that opportunity just as much as I did, and that's what I want to make happen. So, yes, again, it has been a struggle in some ways, but I've been lucky in the sense that the people I'm surrounded by have always supported me and made sure that I'm in the thick of it.
Kaptin: That's good to hear. So we mentioned Scrap Yard, but you also played on Crazy Calamities (at Boomtown).
Kray-Z Legz: That's right, I loved that as well. Oh, my God, just the Wild West theme, Copper County is close to my heart that place.
Kaptin: that was more your hip hop set yeah?
Kray-Z Legz: That's correct yeah
Kaptin: I'm guessing Scrap Yard you go more Jungle? Was that with Resistance and Jim Bitch?
Kray-Z Legz: That's right yeah, the Uncommon Records family, again like absolute brothers to me, they've always looked after me and I've done the Sunday rave with them a couple times. They asked me to go down and party with them there and it's always vibes with them. I mean, they're amazing guys, but yeah, with the Scrap Yard it’s drum and bass. Just hosting basically,, I've always done what I've done, use some of my hip hop lyrics just over the drum and bass a little bit quicker. So I break things up and use them as eight bars and it seems to work so yeah, it was an amazing opportunity. In Crazy Calamities, like you said, I was able to do a proper set with my solo tracks and my actual hip hop music. And again, I had a really good warm reception there and you know, everyone's just so welcoming and supportive and I can't thank you guys enough for everything that Boomtown does for disabled artists, and making sure we can get about the site easily enough and you know, enjoy ourselves as much as anyone else.
Kaptin: We're gonna have to get DJ Noseit on at some point no?
Kray-Z Legz: Ah 100% mate, ah the bangers he puts out, he had me going and Rupert the CEO of the Bath & West, even he was dancing. So yeah, that kid’s got a good taste for music man.
Kaptin: We gotta shout Big Al as well. You mentioned him getting you up (on stage). But he first introduced me to your music. So yeah, big shout out to Big Al as well.
Kray-Z Legz: 100% Man, I always got love for that guy. He's always made me feel welcome and looked after me. And yeah, again, he’s like a big brother to me.
Kaptin:. Let's talk about the studio. So what did you say? You first had a studio on the bus?
Kray-Z Legz: Yeah.
Kaptin: But your new studio is at the Bath & West Showground?
Kray-Z Legz: Correct? Yep.
Kaptin: Kid Menace Studios?
Kray-Z Legz: That's right, yeah. I'd been looking for a space for a while, because I had to set up at my home, but I wanted somewhere more accessible so I can bring other artists because as I said to you, there's other disabled artists out there I want to try and support because I would have given anything to have that support, and just some guidance maybe. And so that's what I'm trying to provide and Bath & West were kind enough to say, we've got the Art Centre, and I'm actually renting that off of them now. It's all level access and I just can't thank them enough, it's been a dream come true. We've had really good support from ITV News and Russell Howard Hour and different things like that. I've just confirmed a partnership with Hennessy but that's still very early days at the moment, I'm doing a talk for Disability Awareness Day in June with them but they're looking at other ways they can support the studio as well. So it's all guns blazing at the moment.
Kaptin: Glad to hear it. And you had Michael Eavis himself opening the studio.
Kray-Z Legz: Yeah, he's come along to show Glastonbury Festival support it. It's a festival on my doorstep, but I've never performed there. So just meeting the guy was an honour, just to inform him of what I'm about and what we're trying to do was a godsend really. I'd like to invite him back and obviously yourself to come and see the studio and the progress we've made. I've got the live room all walled off now and things are really progressing well.
Kaptin: Are you doing live streams as well?
Kray-Z Legz: Yeah, yeah. I've just been playing about basically, playing tunes that are favourites of mine and things like that. When I get bored, I just start playing music anyway, so I thought why not go live and put it out there? Like, you know, if anyone was bored at home, they can login, if they're doing housework or just chilling or whatever. It's like I do, I just plod around the house and I’ve got the hip-hop on or sometimes I'll listen to more electronic stuff, or classic rock as well. I'm a big rock fan because my dad. So yeah, I listen to all sorts.
Kaptin: And where can people tune into that one?
Kray-Z Legz: I usually do it on my YouTube channel. Kray-Z Legz on YouTube, and I just go live on there because Facebook, like to censor everything and it's an absolute nightmare. So I've got everything set up on there so yeah, best ways to go for the YouTube channel.
Kaptin: And in terms of artists with disabilities playing at venues and festivals, have you got your kind of gripes or any advice maybe for people? In terms of booking artists with disabilities.
Kray-Z Legz: Yeah, basically the biggest advice that I've always said is stay true to your story and be that unique person. Because, again, my home tutor, when I said I wanted to get into the music industry she said, “Oh my God”, I think I nearly gave her a heart attack. There’s 1000s of people trying to do that, and she said, “You need to be that one person that stands out from the rest if you want to actually be serious about this”. And she said, “You know, it's a dog eat dog industry.” And I understand what she means now. Yeah, that's the best thing you can do is to stay true to yourself, be unique and just have fun basically. Ride your story out, that's what I've done, because you never know what tomorrow is going to bring. I've had surprises happen in my career that I never would have dreamt of achieving, so yeah, just keep grinding basically, and keep pushing and reaching out. Again, human communication is key, just talking to people and putting yourself out there is the best thing you can do. I was always told, you take every opportunity you get, it doesn't matter if the room’s empty, if one person walks in that one person could be the right person you need to be seen by. So yeah, just keep grinding.
The other thing that I'm working on is a campaign with Leonard Cheshire, at the moment, which is a disability charity, and they've commissioned me to do a rap around disability and language. So hopefully, there's going to be a big media campaign with that. And I'm hoping that will inspire a lot of disabled artists as well. I can't really say too much about what it includes, the charity’s put a lot of money into this campaign and it’s going to have a lot of impact behind it. I'm hoping this will inspire a lot of other disabled artists as well, and break the barrier of the taboo between disability and ‘normal’, like non disabled people. Because at the end of the day, everyone can have a health condition, it's just how we cope with it. Nothing should be impossible in this day and age, so just go out there and live life to the full.
Kaptin: Do you have any advice for venues who aren't booking artists with disabilities?
Kray-Z Legz: Just basically that we do exist. I know, it's going to be different than anything they've ever booked before, and they might be worried about the challenges that come around someone's disability and things, but not to be scared. Again, to be open and communicate with people like myself and Scotty, because I'm sure if I was asked if I wanted a ramp or something, it wouldn't offend me, but it's nice. Just don't be scared, at the end of the day everyone's human beings. One of the things I found from this campaign is that a lot of people don't communicate with disabled people because they're actually scared of offending them, just because they don't know the correct language to use. That's the wall I'm trying to break, that whole barrier of communication when people don't understand the language. I'm trying to de-weaponize these words, so that it doesn't matter at the end of the day, we can all overcome our barriers or problems at each stage. So yeah, just keep pushing that it's not just a novelty act, there is a talent underneath sometimes and you know, to not overlook that. When you guys booked me, it meant the world to me and that can be the confidence boost that that artist needs and that could be something really special. So, yeah, just like I think you said in your interview for the Russell Howard thing, disabled artists do exist and the golden rule is don't forget, try being inclusive of everyone whether that be race, disability, gender, anything.
Kaptin: That’s a message I can definitely get down with, it's wicked to chat to you bro but before we sign off tell people how they can find your music or find out more about you.
Kray-Z Legz: I actually have a website now for the studio which is a GoDaddy site at the moment, it’s just a free website that I've set up but if you go to kidmenacestudios.godaddysites.com, or I'm on Facebook as Kray-Z Legz, again on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, everything I've got it all covered now so yeah, and again it means the world any support to get out there and I can't thank all my fans and people that listen to my music and people like yourself that have supported me throughout the years, I can't thank you enough so yeah, it's all out there.
Kaptin: Well, I look forward to catching up in actual person after all of this is over.
Kray-Z Legz: Thank you very much buddy and it's been a pleasure as always, big level. Thank you. Have a good one.
