The Vocal - All Episodes

When I recorded this interview with Sherona Knight, it was intended to be a quick, 15 minute interview for my radio show, "The Prophecy", on CIUT 89.5fm Toronto. It turned into a much longer and deeper conversation, and I only ended up using part of it for the radio. I decided to post the full interview as a special one-off revisiting of my former interview podcast The Vocal. Go follow Sherona and check out her music.

TRACK LIST:
Sherona Knight and Inja - "Fire"
***Interview***
Illmatika, Sherona Knight, and Maverick Soul - "Oshun"

The Vocal with Valiant Emcee - Special Guest Sherona Knight

Episode 1 of The Vocal, a podcast covering all things vocal in drum-n-bass music. The episode features some of Valiant Emcee's favorite vocal DnB tracks from 2018. Also, the legendary vocalist DRS calls in for an-in depth interview. Special thanks to Sudafed for helping Valiant limp through his head cold. 
This episode is sponsored by DnB Refined (freshpapercut.com/dnbrefined) and Dutty Bass Audio (www.junodownload.com/labels/Dutty+Bass+Audio).
Tracklisting:
1. DRS and L-Side - "No Sound"
2. Valiant Emcee and Will Miles - "The Ronin (feat. Anastasia)"
3. Euphonique - "True (feat. Diligent Fingers)"
4. Collette Warren and DJ Marky - "One Exception (feat. Tyler Daley)"
5. Conrad Subs and Valiant Emcee - "Update Funk"
6. Inja and Whiney - "She Just Wanna Dance"
7. Seba and Robert Manos - "Etherall"
8. Visionobi and Incognito & Phentix - "No Return"
9. Reflektor - "Hold On Me (feat. Anastasia)"
10. Collette Warren and Random Movement - "What You Do (feat. Charli Brix)"
11. Degs and RD - "She Wants You (Black Sheep Sprayout)"
12. MC Coppa and Malaky - "Gemini"
13. TRAC and Atlantic Connection - "The Making Of"
***DRS INTERVIEW***
14. DRS and Glxy - "Rain Dance"

The Ronin

The Vocal with Valiant Emcee - Special Guest DRS

Episode 2 of The Vocal, a show covering all things vocal in drum-n-bass music. The episode features more of Valiant Emcee's favorite vocal DnB tracks from 2018. Also, the multi-talented Degs calls in for an-in depth interview, plus Coppa joins us for a mini-interview (pardon the technical difficulties on that one...I tried to minimize them, but it was a problematic connection and recording). This episode is sponsored by DnB Refined (freshpapercut.com/dnbrefined) and Dutty Bass Audio (www.junodownload.com/labels/Dutty+Bass+Audio).
Tracklisting:
Degs and CyberPosix - "Sun Kissed (Kissed Again Spreayout)"
Valiant Emcee and Will Miles - "Mic Check (feat. Armanni Reign and MisTy)"
***INTERLUDE - Roni Size and Reprazent - "Jazz"***
Tali with DRS and Paramount – “Reunion (100 Days)”
ALIBI and MC Coppa – “Trunk”
Villem & McLeod with Degs - "Crossways"
Whiney and Sense MC – “Notorious"
Redeyes and Tyler Dayley - "Late Night Jam" (I mistakenly called it "Late Night Session" after at the end of the tune, even though I properly introduced it as "Late Night Jam"...go figure.)
MC Coppa with Nympho and ZeroZero - "Brainwashed"
Alibi and Cleveland Watkiss - "Grace"
Tali with DRS and Roy Green & Protone - "Paper Wasp"
Bcee and Degs - "Magic Words"
Zed Bias and Boudah - "Pick Up the Pieces (Skeptical Remix)"
Walk-r and Charlie Brix - "All I Need (Ash:Ram Remix)"
***COPPA INTERVIEW***
Prolix and MC Coppa - "On Like That"
***DEGS INTERVIEW***
Degs and Detune - "Povegia"

Mic Check

The Vocal with Valiant Emcee - Special Guests MC Coppa and Degs

Episode 3 of The Vocal, a show covering all things vocal in drum-n-bass music. This episode comes out a couple of weeks late, as some computer issues had us thinking that the interviews were completely lost. But, the podcasting gods smiled upon us, and woke our laptop up. This time out, the legendary Cleveland Watkiss joins us for a deep diving interview, covering his musical roots, his time as resident MC for the seminal Metalheadz Blue Note Sundays, collaborating with MC Fats, and hi wide-ranging vocal career, which stretches far beyond drum-n-bass music and includes touring with The Who and recording with Stevie Wonder. But before that, DRS calls to check in with us about his newly released album "From The Deep" on his own Space Cadet label. All this, plus some of Valiant Emcee's favorite vocal DnB tracks. This episode is sponsored by DnB Refined (freshpapercut.com/dnbrefined) and Dutty Bass Audio (www.junodownload.com/labels/Dutty+Bass+Audio).
Tracklisting:
Calibre and Cleveland Watkiss – “Spacetime”
Valiant Emcee and Will Miles – “Drifting”
Break with Cleveland Watkiss and MC Fats – “Midnight Classic”
DRS – “Better the Devil You Know” (prod. by Pitch 92)
MC Tali with Macca and Vector – “Situations”
Halogenix and Cleveland Watkiss – “All Blue”
Schematic and Hungry T with Grimm – “Lay You Down”
Total Science with Craze, Laura Pacheco, MC Conrad and Armanni Reign – “Up In Smoke” 
DRS – “Chill Tonight” (prod. by Pitch 92)
Patife and Cleveland Watkiss – “Overjoyed (Makoto Remix)”
Erykah Badu – “Call Tyrone (Al Pack Bootleg)”
Jill Scott – “Golden” (Jazmin Remix)
***DRS Interview***
DRS – “Serial Esapist” (prod. by Pitch 92)
***Cleveland Watkiss Interview***
Kabuki and Cleveland Watkiss – “After the Fire”

The Vocal with Valiant Emcee - Special Guests Cleveland Watkiss and DRS

After some delay, Episode 4 arrives to your door step, fresh as a daisy. This time, we are joined by the current queen of DnB vocals, Collette Warren. Fresh off the hugely successful "Hidden Lines" EP on DJ Marky's Innerground Records, Collette tells us about being mentored by MC Tali, being a woman in drum-n-bass, her influences, her future, and a lot more. As experimentation with ways to record these conversations continues, this episode became a bit of a salvage operation with the original file, hence the worst sound issues we've had thus far. But, it all worked out in the end. This episode is sponsored by DnB Refined (www.freshpapercut.com/dnbrefined) and Dutty Bass Audio (www.junodownload.com/labels/Dutty+Bass+Audio).
Tracklisting:
Collette Warren with Ben Soundscape, Roygreen and ProTone - "Rum and Ginger"
***INTERLUDE - DJ 6ix - "Version 4 (Unreleased)"***
Inja and Whiney - "Be My Cure"
Shy FX - "Balaclava (Ft. MC Sypda and D Double E)"
Tali and Roni Size - "Blazin'"
Valiant Emcee and Will Miles - "Walking"
Will Miles and Robert Manos - "Burner"
Skeptical and Collette Warren -"Desire"
Break and MC GQ - "Whispers in My Ear"
De La Soul - "All Good (Confusious Bootleg)"
J Majik and Kathy Brown - "Love Is Not a Game"
DRS and Marcus Intallex - "Bun Ya Too (Ft. Chimpo, Fox, Rolla, Skittles, and Strategy - Enei Remix)"
Noisefloor and Angel Standford - "My Heart"
Shy FX - "Raggamuffin (Ft. Mr. Williamz)"
Utah Jazz and Collette Warren - "Invisible Cities"
***COLLETTE WARREN INTERVIEW***
Skeptical and Collette Warren - "Between the Lines"

The Vocal with Valiant Emcee - Special Guest Collette Warren

Delays be damned! Episode 5 of The Vocal is up and runnin’. This time, the mighty MC T.R.A.C joins us for a conversation. We talk a lot about his hip-hop foundations, how he got involved in drum-n-bass, race and preconceptions in dance music, and his most recent epic project, a mix with I-Cue called “Next Level Event”, which is one of the funnest (is “funnest” even a word?) mixes I’ve ever heard.  The most striking thing about this interview is how much I didn’t ask him. The bright side of that is, a part 2 needs to happen. The first few minutes or so of the interview were conducted via a standard cell phone call, and while it sounded fine at the beginning, the call quality degraded severely until it finally dropped. So, we continued via Skype, and it sounded better. However, the sound quality is still dodgy, something I didn’t pick up on because I haven’t been wearing headphones during the interviews. Lesson learned. Bear with us, though, because it’s an eye opening interview with a guy who, besides being one of the best DnB MC’s on the planet, is also a really nice dude. Big up Tylenol Cold and Sinus once again for carrying me through it. As usual, This episode is brought to you by Dutty Bass Audio (www.junodownload.com/labels/Dutty+Bass+Audio), and DnB Refined (www.freshpapercut.com/dnbrefined).
Tracklisting: 
T.R.A.C and Unreal – “Roarganic Symphony”
***INTERLUDE – Code Blue – “Angels in Dub”***
Roni Size and Reprazent – “Share the Fall” (Onallee on the vocal)
Ed Rush, Optical, Basim, and Ryme Tyme – “Fast Lane”
Jill Scott – “Whatever (Mob Tactics Remix)”
Atlantic Connection with Armanni Reign and Tali – “Good Hood Review”
T.R.A.C and Calibre – “Blue” 
Adam F and MC Conrad – “F Jam (Full Vocal Mix)”
Valiant Emcee and Will Miles – “Walking (Conrad Subs Remix)”
Degs and De:Tune – “Poveglia (Whiney Remix)”
Everything But the Girl – “Single (Photek Remix)”
Shy FX with Stamina MC and Lily Allen – “Roll the Dice”
Peshay – “Vocal Tune” (This tune is a defacto remix of “Love and Happiness” by River Ocean Ft. India)
T.R.A.C with Marc Mac and DJ I-Cue – “The Avenue”
***T.R.A.C Interview***
T.R.A.C with Serum and Dynamite MC – “Late Night Connection”

The Vocal with Valiant Emcee - Special Guest T.R.A.C.

After a bit of a hiatus, The Vocal returns with one of the biggest radiant balls of positive energy in this dimension, the one and only Inja. The Hospital Records wordsmith is usually seen these days narrating for Kings of The Rollers, among others, in front of rabid crowds, and and dropping supernova features around the galaxy like he's DnB Santa Claus. After last year’s stellar “Blank Pages”, the man simply doesn’t have an off switch. Find out what makes him tick. Before that, however, San Francisco’s Emcee Tell helms the microphone for the national treasure that is Stamina Sundays, and he’s currently making noise with the Soul Deep Recordings camp. He checks in with us about a couple of releases he’s got dropping soon, and we even get a little preview. All that, plus an hour of the best vocal drum-n-bass music.

TRACKLIST:

Inja and Whiney – “She Just Wanna Dance (Kyrist Remix)”
***Interlude – Will Miles – “Step Sun”***
***Emcee Tell Interview, including previews of tracks “Our Generation” by Ikon B and Emcee Tell, and “Soul Signal” by Scott Allen and Emcee Tell***
TRAC, Armanni Reign, Dre, Valiant Emcee, Josiah Scribes, Astro, Woes, and Zezo – “Bellyman’s Car Barz, International Edition (USA)”
Enei and Anastasia – “Limits”
Bensley and Armanni Reign – “Do It Again”
Serum and Inja – “Lumberjackin’ (Vocal Mix)”
Bcee and Pat Fulgoni – “Think You Know”
Zero T and Steo – “Making Time”
Soulstructure, Paul SG, and TRAC – “Innervibes”
Severity and Astro – “The Journey”
Alibi and DRS – “Said and Done”
Will Miles and Sopheye – “Cutter”
Inja and None Decay – “Highwater”
***Inja Interview***
Benny L and Inja – “Vanta Blackin”

The Vocal with Valiant Emcee - Special Guests Emcee Tell and Inja

After a death in the family, Valiant Emcee returns with episode 7 of The Vocal. This time, Konny Kon of the mighty Children of Zeus checks in for a wide-ranging conversation about influences, self-doubt, family, struggling, flooded bedrooms, stepping away before you look silly out there, and why you may want to think twice before asking him to do a collab. Konny also talks about the decidedly non-DnB Children of Zeus being so enthusiastically embraced by the drum-n-bass world, the contradictory artistic tendencies of Tyler Daley, and their collective social anxieties. All this, plus some of Children of Zeus’s finest cuts, and some fantastic vocal DnB showcasing the likes of Tali, T.R.A.C., Christina Tamayo, Dan-I, DRS, Emcee Tell, Konny Kon himself, and a couple of new remixes from Valiant Emcee. Don’t miss this one. 

Tracklisting:
Lenzman and Konny Kon – “Food”
***INTERLUDE: Polaris – “The Light in Your Eyes”***
Tali, RoyGreen & Protone and DRS) – Paper Wasp (Lenzman Remix)”
Children of Zeus – “Still Standing (Lenzman Remix)”
KC and Christina Tamayo – “She Runs”
Valiant Emcee and Will Miles with Anastasia – “The Ronin (Sikka Remix)”
Scott Allen and Emcee Tell – “Soul Signal (Jamal Remix)”
The Beat Merchants, Dan-I and T.R.A.C. – “Believe”
Mr. Joseph and T.R.A.C. – “NonStop Wizkidz”
Children of Zeus – “Lights On (Produced by Green Lantern)”
Valiant Emcee and Will Miles – “Drifting (Diligent Fingers Remix)”
Children of Zeus – “Fear of a Flat Planet (feat. LayFullStop)”
***Konny Kon Interview***
Children of Zeus – “Slow Down”

The Vocal with Valiant Emcee - Special Guest Konny Kon of Children of Zeus

The Vocal makes the jump from the podcast realm to the radio realm, as the show joins the Kool London family. The first episode on Kool is the 8th overall, and MC Coppa returns to fill us in on what he’s been up to, and previews tracks from his upcoming EP. Then, Armanni Reign joins The Vocal for a wide-ranging discussion about his career and the state of the industry. 
Tracklisting:
Logam and Mayhem feat. Armanni Reign – “We Will”
***INTERLUDE: Polaris – “Relic”***
***MC Coppa Interview – featuring previews of: Lights Out – “Let Go (feat. Marianna Ray)” and “Serenity”***
Lights Out (L33 and MC Coppa) – “Dance With the Devil”
Tyr Kohout feat. Anastasia – “Schema”
Random Movement feat. TRAC – Living In A Dream”
Wiley, Stefflon Don, and Sean Paul feat. Idris Elba – “Boasty (Quadrant and Iris Bootleg)”
Logam feat. Armanni Reign – “Back and Forth”
Valiant Emcee and Will Miles feat. Armanni Reign and MisTy – “Mic Check (DJ Hybrid Rework)”
Valiant Emcee and Will Miles – “Drifting (KC Remix)”
***Amanni Reign Interview***
Armanni Reign with Mayhem – “YUSAYDAT”

The Vocal with Valiant Emcee - Special Guests Armanni Reign and MC Coppa

The Vocal with Valiant Emcee returns for its final episode of 2019, and we're keeping it all-Manchester. First, DRS joins us for his 3rd (!!!) appearance on the show to talk about his game changing new album with LSB, "The Blue Hour". Then, Diligent Fingers joins us for an in-depth talk about his musical history and his mental health journey. Not many tracks this month...the 2 hour block was largely eaten up for all this conversation. But it's worth the listen, trust!

TRACKLIST: 
Stompz, Diligent Fingers & Haribo - "Light Work"
*INTERLUDE: Polaris and Stranjah - "Aquarius"
*Interview - DRS*
LSB & DRS - "Faded"
Conrad Subs & Valiant Emcee - "Update Funk (J.O.E rmx)"
Diligent Finer, Jamoh & Skungle "Still of the Night"
*Interview - Diligent Fingers*
Diligent Fingers - "Everything Nice"

The Vocal with Valiant Emcee - Special Guests DRS and Diligent Fingers

The Vocal with Valiant Emcee mark the passing of the New Year by looking back at the best of the show’s interviews, and some of the best vocal tracks of 2019. 

Tracklist:
Valiant Emcee and Motiv – “Hype Check (Feat. Armanni Reign and MisTy)”
*DRS Interview #1 Segment*
The Vanguard Project and DRS - “Everyday is Stolen”
Cnof and MC Astro – “The Soul Hop Thing”
*Degs Interview Segment*
DJ Spiller and Degs - “Struggles (Vocal Edit)”
Loggi and Pat Fulgoni - “Symptoms of Another World”
*DRS Interview #2 Segment*
DRS and Pitch 92 - “Still No Good”
Makoto and Robert Manos - “Invisible”
*Cleveland Watkiss Interview Segment*
Alibi and Cleveland Watkiss - “Grace”
*Collette Warren Interview Segment*
Collette Warren with Quadrant and Iris - “Betrayal”
Tyr Kohout and Anastasia - “Schema (Jesta Remix)”
*TRAC Interview Segment*
Random Movement and TRAC - “Living In a Dream”
*Inja Interview Segment*
Crissy Criss - “Launch”
*Konny Kon Interview Segment*
Children of Zeus - “Slow Down (Zed Bias Remix)”
*MC Coppa Interview Segment*
Lights Out - “Serenity”
Zar with Lady Soul and Diligent Fingers - “Just One”
Scott Allen and Emcee Tell - “Soul Signal”
*Armanni Reign Interview Segment*
Armanni Reign and Mayhem - “Good Look”
Bellyman’s Car Barz, International Edition, USA – TRAC, Dre, Armanni Reign, Woes, Josiah Scribes, Valiant Emcee, Astro, Zezo

The Vocal with Valiant Emcee - Best of 2019 Wrap Up Special

The latest episode of The Vocal with Valiant Emcee arrives with one of the most influential MC’s in drum-n-bass, MC Conrad. We go deep into his foundations, his partnership and eventual split with LTJ Bukem, and his path forward. Musically, we drop some Conrad classics, an unreleased nugget from myself and Conrad Subs, and more. 

Tracklisting:
1. PFM and MC Conrad - “The Western (Vocal Mix)”
2. Conrad Subs and Valiant Emcee - “The Get Down”
3. Kanye West - “Hands On (Schematic Remix)”
4. Ebabee, TMNMS, and Alto Sounds ft. DRS - “Unconditional (LSB Remix)”
5. L Side and MC Conrad - “La Dolce Vita”
6. Makoto and MC Conrad - “Merchant Blessing”
7. Makoto and MC Conrad - “Golden Girl”
8. Total Science and MC Conrad – “Soul Patrol (Lenzman Remix)”
9. Blame, MC Conrad and DRS with Blame – “360 Clic”
***MC Conrad Interview***
10. TRAC and Paul SG with MC Conrad - “Pursuit”

The Vocal with Valiant Emcee - Special Guest MC Conrad

On this latest episode of The Vocal with Valiant Emcee, we have one of the most legendary vocal talents in drum-n-bass history, the inimitable Dynamite MC. We talk about his upcoming album with another icon, DRS, set to be released on Hospital later this year in what will arguably be the most anticipated MC-led drum-n-bass album ever. Before that, we speak to a vocal legend in the making, Anastasia, who has become one of the most in-demand songstresses in the genre. We discuss how she got into drum-n-bass, her evolution into a live artist, her new tracks on Inner City Dance and Ram, and her new mix with Tyr Kohout. 

Tracklisting:
Dynamite MC and DRS - “Fit It All (feat. London Elektricity)”
***Interlude: Valiant Emcee and Will Miles feat. Anastasia - “The Ronin (Sikka Mostly Instrumental Remix)”***
***Anastasia Interview***
Trading Fours - “Five Hour Tea Lights (feat. Anastasia)”
Stormzy - “Vossi Bop (Dublic and Luk Peers Bootleg)”
Diligent Fingers - “Cabin Fever (Channell Remix)”
London Grammar - “If You Wait (Calibre Remix)”
Gallant – “Sharpest Edges (Visages Bootleg)”
ALB - “The One (feat. Anastasia)”
Roni Size and Reprazent – “Railing (feat. Dynamite MC)”
Roni Size and Reprazent – “Brown Paper Bag (Dynamite MC Vocal Mix)”
***Dynamite MC Interview***
Villem and McLeod - “Fear Bites VIP (feat. Riya and Dynamite MC)”

The Vocal with Valiant Emcee - Special Guests Dynamite MC and Anastasia

On this 13th episode of The Vocal with Valiant Emcee, the first in the age of the COVID 19 pandemic, we talk to two very special guests. First, MC Astro joins us from Dallas, Texas. One of the few American MC’s with a significant body of work, his voice has landed on such labels as V Recordings, Fokuz, and Soul Deep. With an upcoming release on Weapons of Choice with stateside production legend KC, he calls in for a post-outbreak chat. Afterwards, Hospital Records renaissance man Degs checks in with us for his second appearance on The Vocal, where he discusses his new album, mental health, why bad guys in movies have English accents. All this, plus some of the best vocal drum-n-bass music in the apocalypse. Wash your hands!

Tracklist:
Degs with Pola and Bryson - “Sleepless”
***Interlude: Artemis – “Elysian Fields”***
****MC Astro Interview***
KC and MC Astro - “Night Time Rollin’”
Unglued and MC GQ - “Mic Strangler”
Busta Rhymes - “Whoo Ha (Got You All In Check) (Conrad Subs Remix)”
Teedra Moses - “Be Your Girl (Koherent Bootleg)”
Cyber Posix with Valiant Emcee and TRAC - “Never Too Late”
Duskee and Joakuim – “8am Roller”
Dr. Meaker feat. Lorna King - “Fighter (SPY VIP)”
Alibi with MC Fats and Cleveland Watkiss - “Big Man Jungle”
Degs and LSB with Phoebe Freya - “Trade Places”
Degs with Unglued with Javeon - “Do Not Pass Go”
***Degs Interview***
Degs and Phil:osophy - “Head Trip”

The Vocal with Valiant Emcee - Special Guests Degs and MC Astro

This is the home of Valiant Emcee's podcast, radio, livestream, and mixtape output, including "The Prophecy" on CIUT 89.5fm Toronto, "Roti and Poutine" on Twitch TV, and "The Vocal" on Kool London.

The Vocal - All Episodes

Valiant Emcee Radio