Interview: Skinzmann
“My Mrs said to me the other day, ‘You weren't trying to do which everyone else was doing.' This is what I have done my whole life, not trying to blend in or be the same as other producers because that is not for me. I always tried to do something which was different, I stuck with that formula my whole life.”
Prolific Grime & hip-hop artist Skinzmann forged his own lane, after deciding to move from his hometown in Exeter to Birmingham when he graduated from college. Hungry for success, Skinzmann collaborated with Devilman, Badness, Mayhem and many others, becoming renowned through his contributions to Grime. When Skinzmann moved back south-west to Exeter, he founded a label called Incognito Grinders, which opened their first graffiti shop called One67 on Pinhoe Road in north-eastern Exeter during March 2021. Despite still recovering from celebrating his daughters first birthday the previous evening, Skinzmann took time to reveal exclusive insight into his music journey and latest project, Sleepless in Pinhoe.
The name Skinzmann stemmed from a childhood nickname, “My friends and family just called me 'Skinz' because it was an abbreviation of my surname,” recalled Skinzmann. Receiving a musical education from his parents at a young age, Skinzmann began practising rapping from young. However he soon realised his true calling was production; being an English Southerner with a country accent, Skinzmann didn’t believe he would become popular as a rapper. “I just knew in my head that I am not going to make it doing rap,” stated Skinzmann. “But I am good at this music thing, so I started making beats for other people - getting them in the studio in my house, recording and mixing them. That is a main thing as well, I am not like an online producer, I am a record producer - I use synths and hardware, I work with the artists. I won't send beats online, I want them to come and work in my studio - it is all hands on.” A self-taught producer, Skinzmann came up learning production methods on a software called Reason. “That is what I used first,” confirmed Skinzmann. “It wasn't all that for so long because you never had the option to have live audio, then in 2005/06, they dropped a live audio feature in. Now you could record in there, you could use VST's, even now you can use the whole Reason software as a standalone VST in Logic which is crazy.”
Practising his production methods throughout his college years, Skinzmann decided to move further North to pursue a paid music career. Settling in Birmingham, Skinzmann sent emails to multiple artists he rated. One of the first to reply was Devilman, who received recent fame from a Lord Of The Mics clash against Skepta. “I did a lot of Devilman’s resurgence stuff after the Lord Of The Mics clash,” explained Skinzmann. “I did all the early Devilman, Badness, Mayhem, Deadly, Sox.” Skinzmann was also heavily involved in founding Dark Elements, a Grime crew featuring Skinzmann, Devilman, Darks and Mr Traumatik. “I was the guy that brought Devs and Traumatik together,” claimed Skinzmann. “I was producing for both of them separately and then we did a joint project, which was about 9 years ago now - which was the first one that they ever did together.”
Because Skinzmann has been based in the South-West in recent years, a lot of people forget or are simply unaware of Skinzmann’s contributions to Midlands Grime, however they cannot be understated. At the time, Skinzmann moved to the Midlands alone driven purely by desire, then he got hold of artists because he was hungry. “I was making beats but I was just sick of sending stuff to people online,” recalled Skinzmann. “So I thought, my family are from the Midlands so I had a lot of interest in the music scene there - Midlands Mafia and Birmingham Grime crews I used to listen to.”After making a connection with Devilman, he and Skinzmann became good friends which led to the creation of multiple projects, including Devilman’s first vinyl deal. “You know when Dubstep was really, really popping?” asked Skinzmann. “That is what producers were making, Grime and Dubstep, that is what I was on - I have always been on a 140 thing, it is only recently in the last couple of years that I started making hip-hop rap.”
The first project Skinzmann released was also alongside Devilman, The New Development which was released 2011. “That was the first actual release I came out with,” nodded Skinzmann. “Since then I have produced for Flowdan, Blacks, Flirta D, I did Izzy Gibbs' debut EP as well - a lot of people don't remember or even know that.” Skinzmann has definitely done the rounds in Grime, the only major Grime artists he hasn’t worked with were London based. This is because outside of London, most Grime artists became affiliated through working together at live shows, which was natural as they were all pushing the same sound. Despite this success, Skinzmann decided to move back down South and take a big break from music. “I wasn't focussed on music or thinking about it,” shrugged Skinzmann. “My head was bounced by a load of shit.”
“Another inside story that a lot of people don't know about me is that I was a big part of Sika Studios for a long time,” continued Skinzmann, providing further insight into his accomplishments. “I was running the stage and also running the record label, so the involvement of Devilman and everybody else was through me.” Sika Studios is a music label which for years hosted hip-hop stages at many UK festivals, founded by Chris Sika. Chris and Skinzmann worked well together for many years, as Chris had strong connections to the UK hip-hop scene whereas Skinzmann had his own friends in Grime, which led to Sika Studios fusion of hip-hop and grime performances. “Me and Devilman headlined Nass Festival for six or seven years on the trot,” reminisced Skinzmann. “I used to DJ for him, Badness and Mayhem - everyone, every year without fail.” Because he had produced for most Midlands Grime emcees, Skinzmann had a phonebook full of potential bookings which inevitably had a huge role to play in Sika’s success. “When I started to work with Chris and we started to make festival line-ups, I was a constant source of bookings which is how that developed and Sika grew,” continued Skinzmann. “I am very proud of the involvement I had with Chris and everything that he has achieved.”
When Skinzmann began working with South-West artists, he realised many weren’t built for Midlands Grime. Consequently, he developed his sound to suit his new clients. “I was making beats a little bit slower and a bit more heavy so that it was more in tune with hip-hop,” said Skinzmann. “I think when I started to focus on being a South-West based producer again, that is when my sound started to change.” Soon afterwards, Skinzmann founded a music label called Incognito Grinders; sat on a catalogue of songs at the time, it was a natural course of action for Skinzmann to take. “I had my studio set up in my flat in the city centre,” continued Skinzmann. “Everyday I had people there making music, smoking out, creating tunes. When I got to Pinhoe and set up the big studio and recording/rehearsal space, I realised my computer was full of bangers and I had to put them out somewhere.” Releasing the debut, self-titled Incognito Grinders album in 2019, Skinzmann cites creating this project as the period he truly embraced changing his sound. “When I made the Incognito Grinders album, which has Datkid on a lot and a lot of other people close to me,” continued Skinzmann. “That is when I started to change my sound, that is when I started making Sleepless In Pinhoe as well - that was nearly a few years ago.”
Sleepless in Pinhoe was unleashed on the Split Prophets label, on April 26th 2021. Although Datkid is obviously SP affiliated, it was a slight surprise to see this release listed. Skinzmann claimed there were discussions held regarding it becoming a High Focus release, however due to their current catalogue it wouldn’t have been able to be released for multiple more years. “With everything else they had stacked up and the time-frame that we wanted to put it out, it wouldn't have been possible,” stated Skinzmann. “So we just did it with Split Prophets, it leads on nicely as well because DBK, SP, IG.... DBK and IG are almost the same, SP and IG as well are also very affiliated.”
The album title Sleepless in Pinhoe is homage for the time spent creating this project, over multiple sleepless nights in Skinzmann’s Pinhoe studio, based on the outskirts of Exeter. Consisting of 18 official tracks, the actual amount of songs created far surpassed this. “We made about 100 tracks,” sighed Skinzmann. “I very sadly lost all of my data a couple of months ago which was devastating - especially since I had a brand new born daughter as well, I lost everything on it.” Amongst the projects stored on Skinzmann’s harddrive was an Incognito Grinders Volume 2 & 3 finilised, as well as an album with Bristol’s Bil Next and Plymouth’s Wyattearp. “It was a simple Windows error on my computer,” explained Skinzmann. “It basically put a boot drive onto my hard drive and I didn't have it backed up, so it wiped the PC and wiped the back-up disc as well.” Fortunately, Sumgii had been tasked with mixing and mastering Sleepless In Pinhoe, so he had the surviving stems required to complete the project.
There are multiple collaborations listed on Sleepless In Pinhoe, including features by Mr Traumatik, Wyatt Earp, Manlikemally & more. A balance of boom-bap and grime instrumentals, reviewer Canadian Dad Reacts called the standout, self-titled single Sleepless In Pinhoe ‘unique strangeness’ which Skinzmann agrees with. “I thought ‘fucking hell mate,” laughed Skinzmann. “Wait until you hear the album, I got Datkid to sing a couple of times, it's different mate... It really is different.” Pressed whether the album had any overall themes, Skinzmann didn’t want to reveal too much. “It is one of them where you have got to play it from start to finish,” said Skinzmann. “Listen to everything and just take it in.” Unfortunately, nowadays a majority of people won’t take time to listen to a project fully, however Skinzmann believes there is enough versatility to keep listeners interested throughout. After releasing a visual for the title track, Sleepless In Pinhoe last month, the next coming video single is coming soon for the track Watch My Company, featuring Axel Holy & Wishmaster. “That is more of a hip-hop song,” added Skinzmann. “The video for that was filmed in London by Ellis Dawg.”
Following the Sleepless In Pinhoe album, Skinzmann has more projects to follow. “None that I can talk about though, at this stage...” Skinzmann paused. “I don't want to say anything's certain, but me and Matt have got another project coming as well.” Whilst Skinzmann spends most his time in Pinhoe, he encounters a lot of Exeter based artists but a trio in particular stand out. “The Three Minds from Exeter,” continued Skinzmann. “They just do boom-bap rap but they are pretty cool, I rate them.” Recently, Incognito Grinders hosted a live session at the One67 shop, featuring live performances by Datkid, Three Minds, Slum Government & more. “Slum Government are on job,” stated Skinzmann. “I have got nuff love and respect for them, they are doing a lot.”
Our final question for Skinzmann: did he have any advice for artists hoping to replicate his steps? “Just be yourself, focus on achieving small goals - anything is possible, if you can dream it you can achieve it. Keep at it, our motto is 'Always on job' & 'Don't take days off' because it is the days that you don't go into work that you miss out on opportunities.”
Skinzmann, thank you for your time.
Words by Evo
Photography by SPEX357