From his days in seminal hip hop group London Posse to touring worldwide with The Dub Pistols, Rodney P’s hip hop/reggae vibe is distinctly rooted in the UK. The Riddim Killa spits some tru thoughts prior to rocking out for Sunny Vibe Up.

“For me, coming out with a UK accent, it was against the grain and wasn’t accepted. We had to make big pushes for that to be accepted.”

“The sounds are all merging. I kinda do it all: I do grime, I do drum ‘n’ bass, I do hip hop, I do breakbeat.

“My biggest high is just being able to do what I do. I consider it a blessing to be able to live the life I live.”

“The lows are having to deal with some of the snakes.”

“I’m surprised how quickly dubstep has gone mainstream. It’s been smashing it at some of the festivals. I still think some of it sounds like under produced music, but when it’s good it’s really good.”

“I would say to young people starting out, ‘Do whatever you like.’ There ain’t really no rules to this thing.”

“You don’t have to make records that are biographical. When I say truthful I mean do whatever feels good to you. It’s the thing that’s unique and original about you that will make you stand out.”

“When we came out as London Posse, many moons ago, we were a hip hop group and at the time the majority of UK hip hop acts were using fake American accents as standard.” 

“We came out and I said, ‘Actually, I’m from the UK and my parents are Jamaican and that’s what our music’s going to sound like.’ That’s why we’re still here today. In my opinion, that’s what today’s young artists need to think about.” 

“It’s important that we mentor the next generation and don’t leave no big hole. We’ve seen the pitfalls and the successes; it’s important to prepare these young people for what’s coming.”

“I do feel like, in a lot of ways, I am one of the only guys that is still here. I just never left. Maybe that was stupid of me but you know what? Now I’m reaping the rewards.”

“The best is yet to come, but it’s been a good ride though, it’s been a fun ride.”

Dusk Terrace, Radisson Blu Hotel, Media City. Tel: (056) 6920196. Friday, 2pm to midnight. Cost: Dhs90 in advance, Dhs120 on the door. Metro: Nakheel