How did you get into Hip-Hop? TSOne: It goes back to school days and electro tapes really. It seemed everyone was into it and with some it stuck. Mid to late eighties US hip-hop made it's mark on me and from then with the UK scene as well it's just become part of life. Acas13: Same for me really goes back to the days of Electro and just stuck with it.
What was your first release? TSOne:The 'Sacrificial Offerings' e.p. is our first proper release, ignoring demo tapes/CD's. My first venture on vinyl was on Hoodee's 'First Contact' e.p. released on Aerosolik records in 2003.
Where are you from and do you see it as an advantage or disadvantage for your musical careers? TSOne: We're from Cambridge and sure some may think there are better places to be from in terms of local scene and opportunities for hip-hop, but there has been quite a healthy vibe going on at times. We're hoping things will pick up again and we can contribute something towards that. East Anglia has a lot to offer hip-hop wise and I think we are all going to hear more and more from here.
TS One, what’s your main inspiration in writing lyrics and coming up with hooks and concepts for songs? TSOne: All sorts fromVictorian literature to vampire lesbian flicks!! Really though, anything; novels, poems, documentaries, plays, films (old and new)...the news. I like putting drama into verse and painting pictures with it.
ACAS13, what’s your main inspiration in the studio when you are making a beat? Acas13: Well it depends on what I am working on at the time - as I enjoy doing the odd remix now and again. Unfortunately due to other things I have going on I cant spend as much time on doing production as I would like but then there's never enough time for these things. But to answer your question - if I am working on Mantis Chapter material then TSOne's lyrics are the main inspiration. As you know his lyrics are deep dark and mystical so I need to come up with music that compliments that. I can't just loop up a soul sample, that isn't going to work. So when I find samples I look for the hidden elements within it - maybe filter out the main melody and unearth the sound floating around underneath. I may find a piano loop and filter most of the piano out and bring out all sorts of strange noises, which I then build upon to make a whole new sound.
What equipment is in the Mantis Chapter studio? Acas13: All the production is done on a PC with an M-Audio sound card running Cubase. I have a couple of synths and a drum machine but most production is done on Cubase using Vst instruments and effects. I love the control and the sound shaping abilities you get with Cubase. The vocals are recorded on an Oktava 319 Condenser Mic which I think gives a really nice sound.
Your obsession with ‘The golden era of UK Rap’ and ‘Horror films’ is an influence that can be heard in your music. Can you break down for us what ‘Horror-Core’ and ‘Brit-core’ are, as well as telling who else is in this genre. TSOne: There's many styles of hip-hop world-wide and yeah, we can ascribe to the Britcore tag. To me it's not liking horror films that influences our music but the love of dark, atmospheric music itself. Britcore seems to apply to a lot of hardcore UK hip-hop mainly from late eighties to early, even mid-nineties, from the likes of Hijack, Gunshot, Hardnoise etc. and as for horrorcore artists maybe Silver Bullet, Killa Instinct in the UK as well as others in the US. That's my perspective of it. We did grow up on this stuff too and it has had a major influence, as has a load of darker US artists. We take these influences and add them to the mix, it's not re-creating the old sound, just making hip-hop for today the way we, and hopefully a lot of other people, want to hear it. Acas13: Like TSOne says that is the era we grew up with and of course that influences our sound. But the Brit-Core sound was influenced by the production and rapping styles of Public Enemy and Bomb Squad style production and the harder sounds of people like Rakim and Big Daddy Kane when they were fast rapping over break beats. So the influences are from everywhere no sound is born in a vacuum - just like a lot of the UK Old School were influenced by the fast chatting of the UK Reggae sound systems as well as PE and the rest. We don't sit down and think lets make a Horror-Core track or a Brit-Core track we just sit down and write a Mantis Chapter track. I think we produce British Hiphop and there is enough space for a Roots Manuva, a Taskforce, a Rodney P, a Klashnekoff, the Monkey Sons, Eastborn, Wolftown and The Mantis Chapter. Everyone has their different styles and influences and for the British scene to gain strength there must be diversity.
The new EP is really well put together. Are you working on any new material for another release next year? Acas13: Thanks glad you like it, We have already started work on the next release. We are just working on concepts at the moment. There is no title as of yet, just getting our ideas together, its a continous process always trying to come better than the last track and thats the only way to keep building. I think we are going to come out with another EP for the next release but we'll keep you posted. We are currently looking for a DJ for live and studio work - if anyone feels they have the skills then contact us through The Mantis Chapter website.
How are things going with the label that you are signed to ‘Dropzone Records’? Acas13: Things are going well. We are eternally grateful to Eastborn for having faith in us and releasing this on his label. He sorted out a spot for us at the Eastern Haze festival last weekend, was our first time playing tracks from the new EP so was good to see the crowd getting hype off that. We had a good time there met up with a few Old Skool British hiphop legends there plus met a few of our label mates - Big up Project Mayhem and Loki. Eastborn is building a good rosta of artists definitely going to be a major force in the future.
Out of the current artists in the UK scene who are you feeling and why? Acas13: I rate Klashnekoff - I am a big reggae fan as well as hiphop and I like the Jamaican/Rasta vibe in his lyrics. And I think he has a good voice and flow. I also like Phi Life Cypher for the same reasons as Klashnekoff - good flow and vibe and positive messages in the lyrics. Monkeysons cos they are coming with a unique sound - wicked music, message and delivery. I like Taskforce as well cos they have a dark poetic element to their lyrics. I like a lot of stuff really, I concentrate more on the overall product, I like to hear something original with some thought behind it - I hear a lot of stuff which sound kind of generic, chatting the same 'streetlife' lyrics over generic production which doesnt really do anything for me. Not that people shouldn't be rapping about these things - Hiphop has always been about social commentary and that why I rate people like Klashnekoff, Task Force and Phi Life Cypher because they detail these things intelligently.
Why should people go and buy your CD? TSOne: We got something a little different to offer, paying homage with an up-to-date twist. A lot of hip-hop can be samey as styles become en vogue and we all need a little something to contrast. If you like the Britcore genre - you'll love this, if you're looking for something a little different - you'll love this. Most people love this!!! Acas13: Like TSOne says because we have a unique sound. If you love that macabre hardcore dark twisted mystical hiphop that doesn't resort to cliche - then you need to get yourself a copy. It aint about Brit-Core or Horror-Core it is all about UK Hiphop.
Thanks for doing the interview. Before ya go can you give us your My Space page and website details please? TSOne: Ahh yes indeed, www.myspace.com/themantischapter, www.themantischapter.co.uk not forgetting www.dropzonerecords.com. The UK's got a whole load to offer - link, get in touch, collaborate, buy that, support that.
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How did you get into Hip-Hop? 
What equipment is in the Mantis Chapter studio?
Out of the current artists in the UK scene who are you feeling and why?
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