The Last Skeptik - you don't like me, but i'm still here (Album) + 10 Questions
Rapper & producer - Corin Liall Douieb AKA The Last Skeptik is undoubtedly one of the most infamous and incredible alternative hip-hop talents to come out of the UK. Following on from the success of his 2019 opus ‘See You In The Next Life’ (culminating in 5 million streams independently) Douieb returns with another entirely self produced epic and emotional project entitled ‘you don’t like me but i’m still here’. Having spent the last year writing the album, scoring a play and composing music on a commercial level for the likes of Rihanna (her Instagram and launching FENTYPARFUM) and Mercedes, the album is another notch in carving Skeptik’s own unique musical and genre smashing lane of alternative rap.
Navigating a complex family heritage and identity, a tumultuous upbringing in Finsbury Park, London all the way to stories from being ingratiated in the hip-hop club scene for the past 15 years, Douieb’s interweaves anger and anxiety with life lessons and losses. He pulls no punches and feels completely at ease at not quite sitting comfortably anywhere - with friends, mental illness or the various scenes that he didn’t quite live within the boundaries of.
The symphonic opener ‘whiplash’ details his interactions with violence from as early as being ‘less than 1’, the closer ‘friend and enemy’ discussing having an Arabic name, growing up around Jewish cultural practices and being built of four different “parts”. ‘billboards’ begins in lament and settles on the happiness of everyone being successful and famous, while Douieb himself is in the ‘offie’ and on the bus - relatable and sardonic. While ‘sideways’ is a breezy Outkast inspired jaunt referencing the ever present over sharing we will when interacting with emotional vampires as acquaintances.
A rich, varied collection of songwriting from an undisputed talent that has traversed different epochs of the music industry to continue to be fiercely independent and outspoken.
The Last Skeptik sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:
1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?
Just growing up as a Londoner in Finsbury Park you are constantly surrounded by music. All my friends from young were playing hip hop - mostly 2pac, Quik and Dre, my brother loved the more esoteric side of things like Pharcyde and De La and that made this rounded beautiful education of hip hop that by the time I was 10 or 11 I was going record shopping, listening to Westwood and Trevor Nelson, taping Yo! MTV Raps and bootlegging tapes. My parents always had good taste in music with rock, jazz and folk. My mum playing the piano or my uncle’s jazz records where I would try find the samples people used using my shitty old one deck belt drive. I had a bunch of static at every school I was at so music was always my identity, my escape from the madness.
2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?
Rapper’s I always look out for, are people that give me the same feeling that i’d get when i’d hear DMX come in on a guest verse and just get mad excited. Americans - Kendrick of course, Nas, Pusha, Tyler, Freddie Gibbs. But mostly to me its the UK - I definitely want to work with Giggs again. CasIsDead is the don, Dave as well.
3. What are some of the problems you have faced making and releasing the music during the corona virus pandemic?
I think the main problem as a creative in this time has been our own brain in interacting with the devil of social media and how much it fucked with me differently. I always will make music, even if I have a month or so of nothing, it always comes back because it exists whether or not anyone listens. A lot of good stuff came out of it, I made like 5 albums worth of music, wrote music for a play, did a bunch of stuff with Fenty which was a pleasure, but release wise as a fully independent artist the biggest issues remained the same - getting people to give a fuck without a big machine behind you.
4. How would you describe your sound?
Alternative emo rap.
5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?
My friends knowing my lyrics, and all of the messages i get daily about how my lyrics have helped people through the toughest times in their lives.
6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?
Do it for you first and foremost. then focus on creating a beautiful legacy that you will be proud of in years to come. social media can disappear in a second. no ones gonna talk about how amazing that insta post was when you die. or how you got play on that radio show once. they’re gonna look at you as a human and whether you did what meant a lot to you and the people you love.
7. Are there any artists on your radar at the moment that we should check out?
DijahSB, Salami Rose Joe Louis, Murkage Dave, DJ Complexion and The Future Beats Show def helped me through the past two years.
8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?
My albums of the year: Dave, Haitus Kayote, Tyler, Baby Keem
9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?
Have panic attacks.
10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?
To be honest i’ve been in a real studio like 3 times in my life. when i’m at mine recording i make sure i have my tobacco, valium and my phone on airplane mode.