Interview: Rob Made talks G-House, Sleazy G, and gangster rap
This month, I penned a longform article for Insomniac about G-House, and of course had to interview the don himself, Rob Made. Owner of UK labels Sleazy G and Sleazy Deep -- home of G-House and Deep House respectively -- Made is a man who makes things happen for artists (like Amine Edge & Dance) who want to make a less traditional kind of house.Bonus: Enter the Insomniac giveaway around my piece. They're giving away tickets to EDC Vegas, along with artist-painted boomboxes featuring a Bunnymob G-House mix on cassette (Ian and I had the best time making it)!But back to the G at hand! Here's the full conversation I had with Rob.When did this thuggery sound to house music begin in it's current incarnation? It seems to me your labels are definitely at the helm (along with LouLou and Bunny Tiger). Any thoughts the sound's genesis? Unfortunately, I can't lay any claim to the creation of G-House, but what I can say is that I've most certainly helped it along the way with my label Sleazy G. Hip-House has been about for years. I was dropping 12" Hip-House records back in Turnmills & The Cross (R.I.P.) over 10 years ago, but this new breed of Gangster rap-house, came to me in the form of 2 people: Amine Edge & DANCE.How did you and Amine Edge & Dance meet?I'd been chatting to Amine for a while pre-Sleazy G. I knew what he was about since he remixed on my label Sleazy Deep some years ago (Supersonic, SLEAZY004, check it out). He was in the middle of setting up his CUFF label in 2014, and I'd helped him a bit along the way. He gave me an EP for Sleazy Deep, as I was starting to get more of this G-House sound towards the end of 2013. This EP was their G-House Sauce EP, I thought it stupid to keep using Sleazy Deep for this genre, and felt with the uprise of Sharam's Bunny Tiger & Kolombo's LouLou a wave was coming. I wanted some of that and suggested to Amine using their EP to start my own sub-label and so Sleazy G was born.Lastly, someone who may not be that associated with G-House is Solomun, yet it was his 2DIY4 imprint that released Amine Edge & DANCE's "Going to Heaven" with the Goodie-Goodies and of course, Kolombo's My Own Business EP. This, for m, made a huge impact and is what really got this movement rolling!These samples likely can't all be cleared. Have you gotten any crazy stories from rappers coming back, trying to get paid?Haha, I have to laugh because you're right, the samples I'd say are 99.9999999% not cleared. I'd also say it's something that could change the more popular it becomes. Right now, we're still small fish in an ocean compared to the mega stars and the influence rap music has had on the World since the late 80's. Hip-Hop, Rap, Gangster rap has dominated the radio and our homes globally for nearly 30 years, so what we're doing isn't really affecting anyone yet because of it's everyday popularity. It's the key reason it works so well and so many people are jumping on the G-House movement. It's house music but with added bite and attitude, but also fun and great to party to, which of course is the main thing, right?Have I got any funny stories about any rappers contacting me, hmmmm just one, funnily enough, and that was DJ Godfather for Chad Tyson & Kinree's "Thang!" He wanted a lump payment or to be taken down, so we took it down and banged it on Soundcloud for free. I also keep thinking Frank Ocean's gonna call, a year in the charts but still nothing... I think Lost should be a i-Tunes global No. 1 record! but we don't release on iTunes, we don't wanna rub anyone's noses in it, just keep it for the DJs and clubs!Ha. Sounds like a close call. Ultimately, what about G-House warranted a whole new label/persona/vision?I had to start a new label. It's so different to what I'm doing with Sleazy Deep and it would of taken over from it the amount of releases/demos I was receiving. I didn't want that, so started the sub-label. Sleazy G has come a long way in one year, being awarded 2nd best Indie Dance/Nu Disco Label on Beatport in 2014 which is amazing! I do find it funny were all stuck within the Nu Disco/Indie Dance category, but there's nowhere else it can be as it's independent of most other house genres. As we grow, we're also opening up our horizons and the big merge of G-House with booty bass and tech. It's all about the bass.Any artists on your label or outside of it that you think are doing G-House to perfection right now? Anyone upcoming to watch?Firstly, I wanna add there's a lot of sh*t G-House, badly used acapellas slapped onto a house beat, it's about using lyrics, wisely and fitting with the music perfectly. Artists doing it for me are: Doug English, Illusionize, Nytron, Jean Bacarreza, Antony Toga, FUTURPOETS, Heartlybeats, Vanilla Ace, G-Gang, The Beatangers, Deniz Kabu, Earstrip & Torha, Holt Blackheath, Malikk, Malik Mustache, Phil Colors, Stage Rockers, Still Boyz, Sirus Hood, VooDooSon, Ania Iwinska, Thee Cool Cats, Heavy Pins, Ammo Avenue, Cosella, FromDropTillDawn, INTERNET DAUGHTER and so many more... (notably, all on or coming to Sleazy G).I hear you on the shit G-house. Do you think any Americans do G-House well? Seems like the majority of people rocking it right now are out of Europe…. Thoughts on this?(In my most American accent... HELL YEAH) Although you're right, there's a lot of European/Brazilian talent but was only a matter of time to catch on in the US. I've mentioned a few already, Doug English, Cosella, Thee Cool Cats, INTERNET DAUGHTER, Destructo and more... It's you guys that created hip-hop, after all.What can you tell me about any upcoming projects?I've got my new V.A. Miami G 2015 coming out very soon with many top talents, some hot new releases from myself and Sleazy G and some HUGE global tours... watch for it! x