Interview: SKOTT3REE
Somewhere in the rural distance between Leeds and Huddersfield lies a small town called Halifax, well known for carpets, cat’s eyes and a rapper called SKOTT3REE. Currently finishing a music technology degree at the local Calderdale College, SKOTT3REE spent the majority of lockdown learning how to produce. This led him to create his upcoming project, ISO-SZN. We got in touch to discover SKOTT3REE’s history, details about upcoming exclusives and more.
Penning his first rhymes before he had reached puberty, SKOTT3REE was inspired by his cousins taste for music, which included Eminem and Lil Wayne. It wasn’t until years later that SKOTT3REE discovered UK rappers too, being put onto many artists by his friend, Rob Searle. “Rob put me onto bare UK stuff,” said SKOTT3REE. “Cult Mountain and all of that. Honestly, when I was coming up, I was just listening to endless American stuff.” Growing up in Halifax, there wasn’t any hip-hop culture to get involved with locally. So SKOTT3REE only became more educated in the history after attending city gigs, meeting artists and so forth. “I was just on my own man,” sighed SKOTT3REE. “I didn't really know anyone else who wanted to rap at all growing up, so I was very much on my ones with it.”
Beginning to record himself around 2016, a lot of SKOTT3REE’s earliest music is not available online. This was down to quality control, as SKOTT3REE learnt progressively with each release better ways to make his music sound. “Before I recorded anything I would write to YouTube beats,” recalled SKOTT3REE. “But the first time I recorded was over a local guy called Manu Mainetti, one of my mates from Huddersfield. Over time I just recorded with my boy twentysix, we just made tunes endlessly for a whole year trying to work stuff out and find our sound.” Despite recording a ton of material however, SKOTT3REE has yet to release an official debut album. Although he has released a full length project in the past, he decided to erase it from the internet. “I thought it sounded good,” continued SKOTT3REE. “But when I listen back, it is not the point that I want to be at any more and I don't think people need to hear that.”
Nonetheless, SKOTT3REE has many singles available on Spotify, confirming that he also has projects currently ready. The reason he decided to release multiple singles was because he felt many didn’t fit together, as well as attempting to build a name for himself before releasing an official project. “I was just making so many different types of tunes,” explained SKOTT3REE. “I just ended up with such a range but none of them fit together, but I rated every single one so I didn't want to not put them out.” On the visual side of promotion, SKOTT3REE has been benefited by his friendship with Rob Searle, who has directed multiple videos accompanying SKOTT3REE’s singles. “We have done two or three videos,” confirmed SKOTT3REE. “We have got another one that I am going to drop within the next month or so - probably at the end of next month.”
“Basically, the last year and a half I have just been producing loads of beats,” continued SKOTT3REE, providing insights into ISO-SZN. “I am pretty happy with where I am at with instrumentals, so I have got a project there which is all produced by me.” Releasing ISO-SZN as a cassette tape, as well as digitally on Bandcamp and Spotify, SKOTT3REE feels he has everything ready to release the project. “I am just trying to think of more ways to monetise my music to be honest,” said SKOTT3REE. “I want to add some collectability with it as well, a rarity.” His upcoming single, St8 directed by Rob Searle aka RSLBM, is a short but interesting tune representing a particular mood of SKOTT3REE’s. “It is just weirdness bro,” added SKOTT3REE. “I basically wanted every song to be different, each track has its own individuality - St8 is an insight into one of these moods, I am releasing the video April 1st.”
Despite not releasing any new music in 2021 so far, SKOTT3REE has been busy grinding on his upcoming projects and learning how to better his production techniques, with the assistance of twentysix & Jack Danz. “Jack Danz put me onto loads, all sorts,” said SKOTT3REE. “Then my mate twentysix, he also taught me so I just spent a lot of time with what they showed me, just practising then through that and the power of YouTube, I got to where I am at.” Currently finalising the release of ISO-SZN, SKOTT3REE claims the project has an experimental sound with elements of everything. “I don't really like to discriminate against a set sound,” shrugged SKOTT3REE. “Keeping things sounding different is my main theme - it needs to be unique, it needs to sound individual. I would definitely say ISO-SZN has got a lo-fi, weird, moody vibe overall.” Another project which SKOTT3REE is excited to release is alongside Jack Danz, which has been made over the past two years. “It is all his beats with me on production as well,” confirmed SKOTT3REE. “Then it has both of us rapping, it is tapped bro honestly, that is my favourite stuff I have made, the music with him. That is literally like, boom-trap. It is super hard-hitting trap, boom-bap and shit.”
SKOTT3REE, thank you for your time. Any final shout outs?
“My mates 1jack, twentysix, Aaron the Poet, Sofu all artists I’ve collaborated with and helped push my sound and shit, Jack Danz & twentysix 100%. I have got to big those guys up the most they have done proper bits for me.”