Talking Pirate Radio with Kurupt FM’s MC Sniper and DJ Beats

After storming the scene over the last 18 months team Fragment finally got to catch up with Kurupt FM duo Beats & Sniper for an exclusive chat on what’s in store for 2012 and their opinions on pirate radio.

What is Pirate Radio in 2012?
Sniper – Pirate radio’s gone downhill the last few years . People lost sight of what it is really about and gone all weird putting radio on the internet and playing all this dubstep and next music that doesn’t make sense. We’ve kept our station exactly the same for the past 10 years, which is why we are where we are today.

Beats – Our studio is like a museum of garage music memorabilia. There is a stain on the carpet from when Sparks and Kie – Fly Bi came out and I went nuts and dropped my kebab. You can still see it there.

Sniper – Basically pirate radio now is going back towards the traditional style. They’ve realised the error of their ways, finally. And now you see people like Oxide and Neutrino suddenly appearing on all the flyers again.

Beats – Yeah they’re good boys. Everyone talks about how they are bringing back drum and bass and old skool garage but we don’t need to bring it back cos it’s always been there. Now everyone wants to go back to 2001.

Sniper – We’re still there! Mentally and musically, if not physically. So in that sense we are pioneers.

Beats – Yeah…

Sniper – So to answer your question, pirate radio in 2012 is basically pirate radio in 2001.

Beats – But better, more modern.

Beats – Yeah, clearer signals.

What is the mission statement of Kurupt FM?
Sniper – Like it or lump it basically.

Beats – Yeah. Kurupt FM in it, the rest are irrelevant.

Sniper – Nah, I don’t like that one. Use my one.

What sets you apart from other Pirate Radio stations?
Sniper – Strength.

Beats – As a station people can tell that we’re leaders …

Sniper – Well no, I’m the actual leader, but through my leadership skills projected onto my team it creates a vibe were we command the attention of our listeners.

Beats – Yeah it’s quite clever really. Also we have a strict policy on the tracks we play.

Sniper – Strictly no dubstep and no funky house we don’t deal with that watered down student bollocks, Kurupt FM is pure, undiluted, oven proof.

Beats – Like rum.

Sniper – Yeah that’s what I was saying.

In your opinion is pirate radio better than licensed radio?
Sniper – Yeah definitely, we have total freedom over what tracks we play and the things we can talk about unlike legal radio which is completely controlled by the police basically.

Beats – Also pirate radio is much more community based, like you have people calling in for shout outs giving messages to their mates or girls and that. We are the voice of the people.

Sniper – We’re like freedom fighters in a way, always being chased by the DTI and bluefoot but they can never take us down. We live outside of the confines of society. A bit like the West London pirate radio scene’s answer to Che Guevara.

Beats – But more clean cut.

Sniper – That’s another rule we have, no beards. Strictly line ups and fades.

What is the future for Kurupt FM?
Sniper – Big tings mate. We’ve already built up a huge fan base in our own chamunity, mainly friends and family at the moment but now we’re going on BBC3 iPlayer or something.

Beats – Yeah we had to have a load of meetings with these weird older people from the BBC saying they will film us…

Sniper – Obviously we were careful at first cos they were sending us messages over the internet we were weary of getting lured into these weird paedophile traps that you here about. I turned up to the first meeting with a baseball bat.

Beats – Yeah that meeting went well, they seemed really up for basically everything that we were suggesting.

Sniper – But yeah, get on iPlayer and have a look. Tell your mates, tell your missus. The more watches we get the more famous and rich we’ll get.

Beats – Then it’s Kavos, Zante, Jamaica… World domination.

Sniper – I’ll probably get into films eventually. Jason Statham sort of roles but with a bit more laid back approach.

Beats – Yeah he plays up to the camera a bit sometimes.

See Sniper and Beats alongside the rest of the Kurupt FM chamunity on BBC Three’s People Just Do Nothing – on iPlayer from Monday 2nd July 2012.