Swedish rapper Adam Tensta has grown into becoming the biggest thing to ever happen in Swedish hiphop in english. His single My Cool and the 2007 released debut album “It’s A Tensta Thing” has received a warm acceptance even outside Europe. Read along and find out about growing up in Stockholm’s suburb Tensta, winning Grammis Award, recording debut album on independet RMH Ent. -label etc.

ADAM TENSTA - THEY WANNA KNOW

Adam, how was it growing up in Tensta, Stockholm?
I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Growing up in Tensta got me in tune with a lot of different cultures and languages, people of every color living in this one beautiful place. Tensta is only one of several multicultural suburbs in Stockholm. They all remind of each other, a high degree of social consciousness mixed with feelings of segregation.

Growing up here you’re influenced with both, knowing who you are and where your from and at the same time not given the same opportunities to integrate with the rest of the society. I guess its like every other place, you take the good with the bad and make something out of it. Thats what growing up in Tensta means to me, it made me who I am today.

You started from breakdancing, right? We’re you representing a certain crew?
I started breakdancing as a seven year old back in 1990. Didn’t really break in any crew, at least not officially. For me it was all about the freedom of movement. You can almost say that I made the place where I danced my residence. I had all of my friends here, so it only came natural for me to be around dancing. Every single day after school we met up and kicked it. That was my life, my reality.

How did you go from breakdancing into making hiphop then?
The music has always been there bumping in the background so when the time came to make that transition from being a dancer to interesting myself for music I just had to look in “backyard”. Me and my boys started listening to that New York based hiphop, acts like Nas and Mobb Deep was spinning on repeat for as long as I can remember. That’s when I fell in love with the music.

You recently won Grammis 2007 Award for the best hip hop / dance / soul -act and at the same time, you were mentioned in Perez Hilton’s popular blog. Which one of these two things meant more to you?
Well, both are signs of acknowledgement on different levels. Being in a room with Sweden’s musical elite and taking home the first grammy to Tensta means a lot, not just for me but for everybody involved in the creation of “Its A Tensta Thing”. Note that we did it without the help of major labels, RMH (Respect My Hustle Ent.) really put down a statement to the music industry that night, we made it work on an independent level.

At the same time the notice on Perez Hilton’s blog is crazy, we never thought that we would make it overseas, at least not yet and for him to even notice the work we put in further states our breakthrough this year. I really can’t pick between the both. Both are crazy and something that I never would have thought happen.

Tell us more about your Respect My Hustle -movement. How and when was RMH established and who’s on the label besides you?
RMH is the record label that I’m signed to, currently we are nine members strong. Along side me I got Eboi - the other rapper currently signed to RMH, Dj Rooftop aka RMH’s official dj and a production-team called MajorFactors (Ears, Keione, Howard Who), management and promotional staff. We have been working together for a number of years even though this particular constellation of people made it official in September of 2006. It all began with people who had a fire burning as a common ground, after that it took a little time for everyone to mould into their position, but now we are what we are. The leading independent label in Sweden.

I’ve understood that Swedish hip hop has the same type of situation that we have here in Finland. There’s more “supply” than ever and the genre’s music is better than ever, but still rock & pop controls the mass media (radio play, TV, magazines etc.). Do you agree?
I agree… But on the other hand: hiphop is the fastest growing genre out here, so were doing something right, right?

Right. But have you ever made music that breaks the typical genre bounds just to get you and your music more into the spotlight?
No. That’s a general miss conception people that set trends run into alot. I love creating music, that’s the way it’s going to be.

Do you get negative feedback in the rap circles or from the “true hip hop fans” who can’t stand any other genres?
Hating is just something that comes with the territory, it’s a sign of success if you ask me. So yeah, I run into it every now and again.

You’re also willing to make collabos with pop-artists, rock-bands and so forth. Do you think, that the hip hop circles are too inbred?
I’m happy that the tabu of “crossing” music genre’s have been somewhat erased. It’s more accepted to link up with people outside your genre nowadays than ever before. Hiphop has been in a bad circle of repetitive movement for a long time but I think that shit is over now.

Let’s move on to your debut album. How would you describe “It’s A Tensta Thing” to Finnish heads that haven’t heard it yet? What it consists of and how was the recording process?
I recorded “Its A Tensta Thing” in a small closet in my sister’s apartment. Together with my right hand man and executive producer Ears we put it together in about a year. My vision was to give the people a little bit of myself, so the tracks are in every way personal to me. Based on what I’ve seen and been through I’m telling you a story about how it was coming up in Tensta, something that people can relate to worldwide. Production wise we decided to really push it. Didn’t wanna fall into any boombap type of shit with this one.

Speaking of that, how did you gather all the producers for the album? Did you want a certain sound to the record?
As I said before, me and my executive producer Ears really wanted to push it with the productions on this one. We didn’t care about being “out there”. As long as the production was there I was open to spit on it. We worked with a lot of very talented people, understanding and coherent to the vision of “Its A Tensta Thing”. People like Howard Who, Addeboy Vs. Cliff, Keione, Leslie among others made this come to life.

ADAM TENSTA - MY COOL

My Cool has been your biggest hit so far. Can you tell us how the song developed and what was your inspiration for that?
Well I got the production from Addeboy Vs. Cliff, the track spoke to me, I got one of those special feelings when I heard it. The rest is in fact a blurr, wrote it based on the idea about doing me, being me, nothing I can front about and nothing I can take off and on as I please. That’s my cool… just being yourself. Recorded it on my birthday, the first of August 2007.

ADAM TENSTA FT. SOPHIA SOMAJO - BEFORE U KNOW IT

The new video of your fourth single Before U Know It is sick! Congrats for the good looks. What’s it like working with Marcus Lundin?
Thank you man! Marcus Lundin is a genius! He makes impossible ideas come to life. He is a mad man, haha! Love working with him, he makes the whole video process so much easier, long days turn into short ones and anticipation about videos into jaw dropping experiences.

Stupid question when your debut album has just been released, but do you already have a concept for your next album? What’s it going to be like?
Haha. I do, but it’s all a big secret.

Your first own record was Mobb Deep’s “The Infamous”. Now you’re basically opening for names like Mobb Deep (on next month for example Busta Rhymes). How does that feel?
For me, that’s crazy, opening up for the same people you been listening to. It’s a priviledge being here right now, I’m waking up with a smile on my face everyday.

By the way, I have an image, that you play console games a lot. What’s your favourite console and game?
I can’t just pic one out of all these consols and games, but if you asked me right now, I would have to say “Ikari Warriors” for NES.

Thanks for the interview. What do you want to say to all the readers and your fans in Finland?
We coming over there soon, hopefully we can have a blast together! Peace / Tensta

Adam Tensta - “It’s A Tensta Thing” out now.

www.myspace.com/adamtensta
www.rmh-ent.com/
adamtenstaontour.blogspot.com
Watch Bangin On The System -video!

Text: Mikko Määttänen, mikko(at)syvallapelissa.com