DUANE JONES: Vis In The Hot Seat

Words: Novar FLIP

hen I found out I was going to be interviewing Duane Jones, this DIY generation that we’ve never seen before, that’s incredible… A great I was surprised and honoured to discover that this would be example of that is where we’re sitting right now. Got an incredible self-made one of his first official interviews in the hot seat. Under his stylist to the left, an incredible journalist to my right, and I’m doing my little bit moniker Vis, Duane has had an extensive career in the mu- of contribution as well. So it creates what’s happening right now in this very sicW industry. As a radio presenter on board from the beginning of BBC Radio moment.” 1Xtra, Duane has been at the forefront of breaking artists in fields of UK Black Before we expand on where these developments have taken him, it was Music for a long time. He has remained relevant throughout by forecasting important for Duane to bring us back to the start of his journey. “I was al- the changes in new media, and the current ‘Not For The Radio’ show that ways into sport and music, at school I could of done a lot better but I got he co-presents with Posty (GRM Daily) and Chams (Face4Music), is a perfect distracted… I strayed a little bit, didn’t leave with the qualifications I wanted… example of that. Sometimes I will interview an artist or a public figure, and they And then I didn’t apply for any higher education.” A friend had told him about will give short answers and be reluctant to tell their stories, Duane was the po- a school where you could study music, dance, media, television. “I looked lar opposite. I’m not sure if it’s because he has held back on doing interviews over his shoulder and saw this application for The BRIT School. I photocopied for so long, but he really had a lot to say and was passionate throughout about the application, filled it out really honestly, kind of ‘limited qualifications’. They his work and the music industry. called me in for an interview and a test, and I passed the test and passed the Duane Jones has interviewed some of the most legendary figures in UK interview. And they were like, ‘We only accepted you because you filled out music on the many platforms he has been a part of. The first thing I wanted to your application form really honestly’… And that’s when I realised I had been know was why he hadn’t chosen to be the one giving answers so far. “I think subconsciously studying media and music at a level I didn’t really realise, be- when I was on radio, I didn’t really care about being interviewed, I just want- cause I loved it.” ed to interview people… And then once I had left the radio and started like The BRIT School has an alumni that includes Adele, Jessie J, Amy Wine- my own TV production company and started doing ‘Not For The Radio’ etc, house and many more. Its links to the music business are strong, so I asked because it was a bit of a transitional period for me, I didn’t want to talk about whether he felt advantaged by attending. “When I left, telling everyone I went what I was doing. Now I’m just happy to sit down and talk, and just share what to The BRIT School, and the background that I was from as well. Like I was I’m doing, It feels [like] the right time to talk about what’s going on.” very still, ear to the street, and kind of still on the street. So record labels and The launch of BBC Radio 1Xtra in 2002 was a technological milestone for TV channels were intrigued by me. They were like, ‘You went to The BRIT Black Music in the UK. It meant that there was an official station dedicated to School, but you’re walking in here with a hoodie and tracksuit bottoms, but Black Music, broadcasting across the country and worldwide through the new you still know how to use all this equipment’… So it worked really well for me.” advancement of DAB radio technology. Duane Jones was at the forefront of The next part of Duane’s journey that it felt natural to explore was being this as part of the duo Ace & Vis. Later Channel U (now Channel AKA) broke recruited by the BBC. “I saw this advert, it was called Network X at the time, barriers in the world of TV, and yet again Duane was in the mix, teaming with and it was like, ‘We’re gonna play urban music, I think they actually called it Ace again to host ‘The Illout Show’. Duane has gone on to launch a media Black Music at the time.” Why the change? “Well they’ve changed it a num- company with his Renowned Group that is backed by Channel 4, and the ber of times, you know some people are uncomfortable with it, internally and ‘Not For The Radio’ platform has provided an online space that was seriously externally... It is what it is man, it’s Black Music. People have decided to label lacking in UK media. How has Duane managed to stay relevant and up on it different, at different times. I’ve always called it Black Music, and anything the latest technological trends? “I’ve managed to do it, I couldn’t tell you how I’ve been involved in I’ve always labelled it Black Music.” Duane continued his though,” he says. “I think I’ve just got a natural interest in technology, in media, story, “I just went for it man, I was like, ‘That sounds like it’s perfect timing for and in music, and in trends. So, it’s just been a natural thing to me to be on the me’. I went for this graveyard shift and they were like, ‘Nah you need a daytime Instagrams, to be on the Twitters, to upload content to YouTube. show… Five days a week’, and I was like, ‘Alright, so that means that this’ll “I think the old guard became really comfortable in just working with each be my job’, the first job I ever had.” A job that lead to others and eventually af- other, so it was the same commissioners, the same producers, the same tal- forded him some major influence in the industry. “I think from Channel U days, ent, working with each other and repeating the same content. Without men- I think my show was the first time you had ever seen Dizzee Rascal perform, tioning names and no disrespect at all because they’re amazing programs, but Kano perform, Klashnekoff perform… Wretch 32 perform and Skepta, Ghetts. it’s been the same music programming on linear TV for years.” Has this limited So I definitely played my part.” the range of artists we see? “Yeah I think so, but at the same time it’s made

Top: BILLIONAIRE BOYS’ CLUB Photo: Abeiku Arthur Bottoms: BILLIONAIRE BOYS’ CLUB Stylist: Kirubel Belay Trainers: PUMA HOS 124 AUTUMN 17 HOS 125 AUTUMN 17 MUA: Asuka Fukuda It is what it is man, it’s Black Music. People have decided to label it different, at different times. I’ve always called it Black Music, and anything I’ve been involved in I've always “ labelled it Black Music.”

It is easy to see how important Duane’s role has We’ve just got the freedom of dropping things tions to UK music. “There’s other people that I re- been with the respect he is shown by the legend- whenever we want, asking the questions that we spect, but I mean in terms of what ‘Not For The ary artists featuring on his latest platform ‘Not For want, how we want, and we don’t like to prep Radio’ is, and the impact he’s had on the UK as The Radio’. “Because I did my deal with Channel things, it’s just a conversation.” well as the other shit he’s done. For this platform 4 and set up my production company, it took up I’d say Drake.” a lot of my time… Then I was having withdrawal I had been following the ‘Not For The Radio’ plat- symptoms. I had been interviewing people for 11 form since the beginning and pushed for Duane to Before we wrapped up we expanded on Duane’s years prior to that. So I was just like, ‘Yo, I need to give me a favourite guest so far. “Oh shit, I should Renowned Group. “Renowned was started by interview some people’. of known you was gonna ask me this... Probably myself, Wretch 32, and Zeon. Literally it was just “I bumped into Posty, and I was like, ‘Yo bro, I’m Wiley, today it’s Wiley, tomorrow it might be some- like, we need an art space, and we needed to cre- gonna start interviewing people in my office, make one else… He’s got so much to talk about, he’s ate something like, I’m not just a DJ / presenter, sure you post it on your website’, and he was a legend, he’s a pioneer, he’s an honest guy, he’s he’s not just an MC, and Zeon is not just an artist like… ‘Have you seen that show in America that’s a good guy, and his knowledge of music is just manager. So we needed a space, and to create a popping right now?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, I seen incredible.” I upped the anti and asked for a dream brand which will be the vehicle into other avenues it’, and he was like, ‘Why don’t we just do that?’” guest as well. We deliberated over whether we like TV production, like managing and kind of con- He was referring to ‘The Breakfast Club’ show that should restrict it to UK and decided to go for one sulting for artists… We started Renowned with dif- had become really popular. With Duane’s new plat- UK and one US. In the end he couldn’t limit it to ferent arms to the brand. So music management, form however, they had cut out the radio element one for the UK. “This year it has to be Skepta and music publishing and TV production… We wanted altogether. “My office, where we shoot it, is in Cen- Dizzee. Dizzee’s dropping a new album, Skepta’s to work with people other than musicians, and we tral London… So are all of the major radio stations. just been inspirational for UK, he’s had an unbe- wanted to launch our own publishing company as So I thought, ‘I’ve got the same location as a major lievable year. He’s a very interesting guy as well, well, and we did it man.” radio station’. Then I said, ‘I’ve probably got more he’s been through it all… He doesn’t do a lot of connections myself in my own phonebook, without interviews, I’ve had some very interesting con- It had been a pleasure to sit down with Duane even Posty, but then us together, we’ve got just as versations with him privately, and I’d like to have and hear about his story and his thoughts on the much connections as a radio station’. Then I said, that on camera man, and the same with Dizzee. changing times in music and media. I could tell he ‘YouTube has got as big a reach as any radio sta- They’re just like, fascinating people man. Oh also, really cares about what he does, and everyone tion’. That was a realisation moment for both of us Giggs. I would like to do Giggs again. That would else involved in and affected by it. On reflection of to be like, ‘We don’t need a radio station’. be another dream guest. The first interview was the day I can see how he has lasted for so long in “There’s nothing that we need [a radio station] for, sick, but it was pre Landlord. such a competitive industry, and that his passion, in fact it would just be a hindrance, because there “US would be Drake by the way.” The answer drive, good nature and vision will keep him here for will be too many rules and those hidden agendas. made perfect sense with Drake’s recent connec- a lot longer.

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