Hip hop duo strike a cord
SINCE resurrecting his alter ego Damaged Goodz, Brian “BeeJay” Jamieson has spent 2020 realising tune after tune.
And he kicks off 2021 with some of the best work he’s done in 30 years’ rapping.
Teaming up with fellow rapper Butterscotch and with music created by DJ Zeeny, the Brothers from Another Planet EP, out today, is as close to a Scottish Beastie Boys as anyone has got.
Damaged Goodz said: “DJ Zeeny did an amazing job producing the EP and catered it fully to how me and Butterscotch rap.
“We have all been friends for a long time, so it was easy to tap into each other’s chemistry.”
With playful and socially conscious raps and Paul’s Boutique-era Beastie-style beats, the EP was made during lockdown.
Damaged Goodz said: “It was initially to cure boredom and keep our skills sharp during lockdown, so we split writing duties, with both of us coming up with the concept and choruses for three songs each.”
Butterscotch, or MC Ross Carbarns, added: “We’re both open to suggestion lyrically and thematically and know each other’s styles well, so it was a pretty smooth operation.”
The pair have been pals for years after running the Church Street Hip Hop Night in Inverness.
Butterscotch is from Dingwall and
Damaged Goodz, although born in Glasgow, was raised for a large part of his early life in Fort William.
Hence the title of the EP.
Damaged Goodz said: “It’s kind of a metaphor in hip hop for being from another planet skill-wise and at the same time being outsiders with us having roots in Dingwall and Fort William.
“And we are the only two guys in Scottish hip hop who wear corduroy.”
Digital has allowed unknown acts to connect with fans quickly and organically but streaming, and the lack of money given to acts, is still a huge problem. Butterscotch said: “Digital is very convenient but streaming is a double-edged sword. “There’s more likelihood of getting heard and little to no likelihood of getting paid.
“Streaming services are good for the consumer but terrible for the artists.
“It’s not a sustainable model.
“I have always bought music from independent artists and always will, on principle.
“For perspective, you would need 22,500,000 Spotify streams a year to make the lowest average minimum wage – that’s 123,000 a day.”
Brothers from Another Planet EP is out today.