[Here's the interview that Overlord X kindly granted the site - I haven't tidied it up or edited it or anything so the style is kinda
rough n ready, but this interview is solid gold for fans of the 'X .....]

(1)     Who is supreme T.

Sir Preme Tee Real name Amos okey was my head DJ. I had 3 in total in my posse called X possee. He is still Djing now in a  crew called “ 90% Sound System”. He also is producing hiphop and garage. We still keep in touch.

(2)Who did the voices for side kick?

 Both Lord V and Side kick were alter egos of mine and both vocals were done by me. It’s a bit like Eminem/ Slim Shady and Marshal Mathers but I had all characters featuring  on the tracks at the same time. Lord V was like a body guard/ protector who had my back and Side Kick was like a tongue and cheek assistant that was there for the cause but also there to have his fun and take the piss.

(3)Your production techniques are wicked- especially on ‘X versus the world. How did you go about recording a track- did you do the lyrics first, or the beats?  How did you go about deciding who to sample for a paticular track, and at what point would a Dj scratch over a mix?

I usually do the beats first before any lyrics are written. I use to have a Roland 808 and that’s what I use to program my beats. Before I started rappin at 14 years old I was a DJ and my first records were from my dad who had untold Otis Redding, Temptations and James Brown LPs. When I started to do the beats I simply picked up all the cuts I was feeling from the LPs usually James Brown but it had to have flava with the beats or it would be scrapped. I would then add a bassline and other instruments to beef up the sample. Dj Sir Preme Tee would add the scratches after the vocals were finished to complete the track.

(4) There’s a heavy dose of James Brown and Public Enemy on your stuff, as well as a bit of Erik B and Rakim. Who else inspired you?

As well as other bands, have any black political figures inspired you as well, given the x in your name. (Malcom X)

LL Cool J really inspired me as a soloist as did Big Daddy Kane. Martin Luther King and Malcom X  also influenced me politically because of the struggle we as people have to go through every days of our lives. They taught me that if you want something you have to work hard for it and if you want change you have to speak out and set examples.

What do you think of what happened to Uk hip hop, including hardcore stuff like Silver Bullet?  What do you think of Westwood.

Uk hip hop, sadly didn’t have any new fresh personalities to continue were I and others left off. Do you remember Hijack, Demon Boyz, Monie Love, MC Duke, Cookie Crew and even Derick B they were all different from each other and all were out at the same time. You don’t have that kind of choice now everyone sounds the same or has the same image. For music to survive it has to change and evolve with the times and that was the problem. I have to say I respect Westwood because he stuck by hip hop and help bring it to the stage it is in the UK. I think he could do better for UK hip hop if he wanted to. He has the capability to break UK hip hop by power play but chooses not too. I don’t put blame on him though, because the public are slow to support too but that will change in the future cos I got plans.

What do you think of the way US hiphop turned out- any inspirational figures for you?

I think the US hip hop scene is wicked, it has proved so many people wrong about the longevity of hip hop. It just keeps on getting bigger and bigger and that’s world wide. It’s a shame the UK music industry doesn’t have the same faith but I got plans of my own. I still write raps and lay down the odd rap for remixes but my focus is in production and business so my inspirations are more from producers and music business men such as Puffy, Master P or Russell Simmons.

When you performed live as Overlord X, what was the set up- Just  a DJ or a backing tape as well? Which MCs did you perform with?

When I performed it was basically me  a live mic and DJ Sir Preme Tee  and two turntables. I would most of the time have a couple of X Possee members on stage to hype up the crowd as I did my thing. I did shows with most UK rappers at the time but I did shows with Public Enemy, Queen Latifah, Ice T, LL Cool J, Just Ice, Mantronix and Beastie Boys.

There are some fairly strong messages on your albums- you deal with racial suppression and unity, violence and drug use. Apart from the fall of apartheid in south Africa, do u think  that race relations are better in the UK.

Race relations are better now in the UK but there is still racism everywhere you go. Some are in your face and some are undercover. The real racism is in the powers that be, they stop ethnic minorities from getting powerful positions such as managing director or presidential positions. We can work but we can’t own and run businesses unless we do it ourselves. The youth do not see in front of them real business role models, only Sports or music personalities but not every youth has those talents. So what can inspire them to make money?……..This is were the local drug dealers come in. They have the girls, the cars, designer clothes and fast quick money. Their young and getting younger and still hang round the way in full view of all the kids. This leads to more kids doing and dealing drugs and more kids becoming territorial which leads to violence. So you can see why I felt so strongly against racism cause it can leads to suppression, drugs and violence.  I’ve tried to do the right thing to be successful in my profession so I can be a figure of inspiration but as I told you before it’s not easy when obstacles are thrown in your way but I will never give up Cos I got a plan.

(2)   Do you have a favourite track  from the albums? Is there one you think isnt up to much? What one do people mention the most.?

I don’t have a favourite track but I get in moods were I will prefer certain tracks on certain days. “The Earth is moving” wasn’t my choice to put out at the time. I didn’t think it was up to scratch but the label loved it. We did a compromise and did a double A side with “Rough in Hackney” which became the more popular track out of the two. The track that most people still talk about to this day is the one track that didn’t make it on my albums. “14 Days in May” is the name of the track and was the single that broke my career. It got released on Westside Records which was a different label to the one that released my albums. The new label in question was Island Records who refused to license “14 Days in May” because Westside Records were asking for too much money. I new my fans were expecting it to be on my album so I Recorded part two to the track called “14 Days in Hell”. 

(3)   Midrange says you used to get all the girls- care to comment?

 I was young and successful, had two cars, loads of jewellery, designer clothes, my own apartment and  was famous. Your damn right I had all the girls. Ha Ha Ha Ha !!

I had a really good time when I was Overlord X those were one of the best times of my life and even though I miss them days I’m kinda glad I ended it when I did. I ended on a high and for that reason people remember me as I was when I was still successful. I’ve been asked many  times if I will return back to the scene and my reply to that is I never went away in the first place. I ‘ll always be here to “ Bust a style make you run a mile”

PEACE, OVERLORD X FOR EVA