"Ain't gonna work hard, Chippy's no fool / Jesus tempts me, Satan tempts me, but it's the Lord that wins overall"

Durrty Goodz

I interviewed Durrty Goodz for the new issue of Vice. I almost didn't want it to run. It was such a hassle to get hold of him, he wouldn't answer most of the questions, his manager rang me to say I'd asked the wrong questions, then emailed to ask to see if he could see the interview before it went to print. Then, to top it all off Goodz was too busy to have his picture taken so I had to spend days running round trying to get an unpublished one. Eventually I got the one above, but I had to deal with the photographer calling to ask if he would actually get paid for the picture or if I was just lying. He also called our photo editor to interrogate him because I guess he didn't believe I was telling the truth. Weird. Anyway, here's the unedited interview:

Prancehall: Have you spoken to Titch recently?
Durrty Goodz: Yeah, I speak to him all the time. He phones me. He's alright, he's just holding his head down.

Has he made an appeal?
I'm not even too sure – I haven't really spoke to him deep like that. When we speak we're just talking normal.

How did you feel when you found out you were a suspect in the case?
You know, I can't even remember. All I know is I felt terrible, just like anyone would. It's a bit too much for me to even think back because my head was probably just spinning but my head's straight right now.

What was prison like?
Prison is just like prison. I suppose it's the same as anywhere, but I dunno. It's just prison innit, it's just jail innit. You just wanna get out because it's not a place built for human beings. And that's that. Music don't live there, music's out here. Yeah, that's why I'm here.

What would you eat for breakfast?
You don't get breakfast and those things. They don't do that. You have to survive for yourself, innit. I don't even take food from them. I wouldn't even eat, I'd just eat my own stuff. I'd just do my own thing. I don't think they even give people food. They call it food but I don't think it's food.

What did you think about when you were sat in your cell?
All sorts of thoughts go through your head because that's the reality of the case, but most of the time I was probably just thinking about my family.

Were you ever scared?
It depends because when you know you've done nothing wrong then sometimes you've got nothing to be scared about. At the same time, you know that the system's wonky so you always have like a couple of scary thoughts in the back of your mind.

What was the prison itself like?
They're all gritty. All prisons are filthy. Like I said, it's no place for a human being.

Was there one definitive moment that made you think you really didn't want to be there?
Yeah, there was loads of stuff but you can just look at a prison screw – just look at his face – and you wouldn't be next to that kind of face. Not when you're known for, like, having pretty ladies and that. I saw so much violence in there that I can't even say right now. I see a lot of stuff, I see a lot of stuff. It will probably be all revealed one day. Panorama will probably go in there and tell you what's happening. I don't think people understand. That place is so deep - you could just see the food and get upset and know that you're not meant to be there. It's not food, it's just garbage. Everything's just garbage. It's not the standard of living of where you come from. You're gonna be upset every second you're there.

What did you do all day?
There's nothing to do, just read, innit. Just the same old shit every day. There's nothing to do, ever.

Were there jobs you could do?
Probably, but I don't speak to no one so no one's not going to offer me nothing that I don't really need.

How did you feel when the verdict was read out?
They just said I could go and I went downstairs. Then, the others had to stay there. They just told me to go so I went.

What was going through your mind? Did you think about Titch?
Yeah I saw them when they came back downstairs. I was upset for them.

Did they seem upset?
Yeah, anyone would be upset. It's natural feelings.



I've written something on bassline house for the Guardian music blog. Read it here.

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New Vice column is up. Two of the songs we mention in the chart at the end can be listened to below.

Tampa Tony feat. T-Pain - Ride Out

I've been a closet T-Pain fan for a while now but I found out a litte while back that it's okay to like him. He hasn't pissed on any underage girls and he doesn't sing "Konnnnnvict Muuuuuuzik" in every song, so he gets the thumbs up from me. He also ghost writes for most of the rappers worth bothering about from below the Mason-Dixie line: Lil' Boosie, Webbie, Lil Jon, DG Yola, Lil' Wayne, B.O.B, Trick Daddy.



Seventeen Evergreen - Ensoniq (Bi-Polar Men refix)

A music PR girl I know sent this song to me ages ago insisiting I'd like it, but I never bothered to listen. She's really nice, but I had to endure so much tedious chit chat and fake enthusiasm from PRs calling me up every day when I worked full time in an office that I could never bring myself to trust what any of them thought. Then, recently, I heard Skream and Sinden playing this song that I really liked with a name I half recognised and it turned out to be the one my friend had sent me, thus proving music PRs can be worthwhile (if they are your friends and know what kind of music you are into).