Transcript
Speaker: I'm Lydia. I'm Ed. We're friends with a playlist for everything. And it turns out, we both have one called Survival Songs. And he got us thinking, what are other people's Survival Songs? So we thought we'd find out.
Speaker: Welcome to Survival Songs. A podcast where each episode our guest tells us about a song that gets them through the best and worst of times. Sensitive topics might be discussed. So look after yourself. The show contains portions of copyrighted material. We'd love for you to support and celebrate the artists by streaming, downloading and buying their brilliant music. And go give our guests a follow on social media.
Speaker: Help us grow the community of Survival Song listeners by joining us over on Substack and add to our public playlist on Spotify. Links are in the show notes. We hope you enjoy the show. Hello, welcome to Survival Songs. My name's Ed, and today we're joined by Testament. I've known Testament for about 20 years. We met at the cockpit at a rap battle. We in fact battled each other. He obviously won. I will get my revenge one day.
Speaker: For those of you who don't know him, Testament is a true Renaissance man, and I'm probably going to miss out one of his credits, but he is a rapper, beatboxer, producer, spoken word artist, writer, theatre maker and performer. His theatre work includes Black Men Walking, Office at the Record Shop and Woke.
Speaker: He's written for the likes of the BBC and Netflix. His work is known for exploring identity, race and social justice. And he's recognised for his contributions not only to the hip -hop scene, but to the creative community as a whole. He's a true leader and a true gent and I'm absolutely delighted to have him on. We're going to speak to Testament in a minute, but before we do, let's hear a small section of his survival song.
Speaker: This is I Am The True Vine, written by Arvo Part and performed by the pro -arte singers, directed by Paul Hillier.
Speaker: So that was I Am The True Vine by The Pro Artist Singers, directed by Paul Hillier. And that was the survival song of today's guest, Testament. Hello mate, how are you doing? Yeah, not bad, thank you. Thank you for joining us. um What a beautiful piece of music and and our first choral piece of music on survival songs. I just was like immersed in it. I was wondering when it first arrived in your life, how did it arrive and what was your reaction to it?
Speaker: okay so um ah so um the growing up as a teenager in particular and my faith journey, there was like a scripture that meant a lot to me, which was from the gospel of John. I am the true vine. And basically it's like, the idea is if you keep centered in doing the right thing, having your heart open, having your um uh yeah having your intentions good basically um then uh god universe insert whatever power bigger than yourself you need um will um will tend you like a gardener basically and make sure that you're going in the right direction um so that was scripture meant loads of loads to me and then uh i here was talking to a hip -hop drummer cousin j who was in sort of a soul jazz
Speaker: ah gospel tennis thing I was in in Leeds called Today's Mathematics. Cousin Jay was playing Arvo Pear, this Estonian composer, um and I thought it was really beautiful. And then I went into H and V ah back in the day and went into the seat the classical department and looked for Arvo pair and was like okay this is an amazing composer I need to find out more and there was an album called I am the true vine by I am by Arvo and I was like what that's my favorite line um and that means a lot to me and got me through tough times and stuff that I am the true vine there is sung in English that the version that um
Speaker: I picked up in the version I think you just played. um And yeah, and it's got that is basically read out oh the whole chapter in the Bible, basically, and sing it. um But so that but then just sonically, like they've even taking the meaning of the words away um sonically is stunning. And it's just the the power power of the human voice, ah the power of humanity to try and reach beyond itself and to try and um comfort and to try and encourage. ah It's really powerful and and yeah when I'm stuck um or when I'm in a bad place like that will often be my go -to. There's kind of a couple of things I want to pick up on. Firstly is
Speaker: um is that you come from hip -hop and that fact that's how we met and I think there's a kind of a music snobbery around hip -hop and like people tend to be like oh you listen to hip -hop oh but you also listen to choral music and actually I think what's what I think what people don't really understand is that when you make hip -hop yeah because hip -hop is is essentially all music, right? it's it we we because Because of sample culture, we're listening to everything and actually our palettes are so wide, you know, hip -hop producers in particular, they're listening to like jazz albums, they're listening to classical albums, ah because not only to find beats, but because they're just like soaking it all in, right?
Speaker: like the best producers so if you're talking about legends you know RZA from Wu Tang or DJ Premier or Kanye before he fell off a bridge you know um ah you know they really are like open to stuff and then it's great because it stops hip -hop from going into a cul -de -sac and all sounding the same And when you're constantly searching for, you you just love music, but you're constantly searching for the new sound. But even as an MC and as as a rapper, like it's a kleptomaniac art form, you know? so um
Speaker: uh even like lyrical ideas um or references to other texts so my favorite british rapper is jest and um um you know i think listen to last album i'm hearing bits of charles dickens i'm hearing you know references to bakowski i'm talking you know you're hearing stuff from adverts i'm hearing turns of phrase that your mum would say all in the same song you know so um uh and it makes it really interesting and it it pushes the art form forward um standing on the shoulders and all that. and So and yeah, it's yeah i think I think you can't really limit people. And of something I like about this current generation um is that, you know, when I was growing up, you were either into that or you were into that. And now actually, um you know, you're talking to young people and they're into like,
Speaker: um You know, wide spectrum of stuff. Yeah, I love that. And and yeah, that kind of that ah tribalism, which we sort is sort of weirdly celebrated, particularly by like 40 year old men who think it was great that we were all tribal. I think it was terrible. I think it was a really awful thing. And like actually seeing these kids who will listen to Taylor Swift and then listen to some kind of left field like Japanese import, you know, that that is, you know, that's only available on, a you know, a Twitch stream is incredible. I love that sort of nature of people. And, you know, again, kind of comes back to kind of that, that, you know, that idea of that magpieing and that sort of like, we're all made of, you know, music is all made of, it's all informed by each other, right?
Speaker: Yeah, I mean, culture, culture, music, life, recipes, um you know, you know, in a little Britain for all its flaws, because we've always had immigration and stuff like that. You know, that's what makes makes that's the cool bit. um And that's the good, the positive bit. So Yeah and and also like if if we are listening to each other's stories and voices and cultures and stuff then there's a chance for conversation and peace and and greater empathy basically um and and and and ways we can comfort each other because life is flipping out sometimes you know. Absolutely. um I sort of want to go back as well to the the kind of coral nature of this because
Speaker: kind of voice The voice is so so central to your work, you know like you know being a beatboxer and an MC and and a singer. like so Is that why sort of a piece like this resonates so so wide with you?
Speaker: um i maybe like um Yeah, I mean I mean the voice and like exploring the human voice and the possibilities of the human voices like as a composer and as a as a hip -hop artist as well like um yeah mega part of who I am and what excites me um and as a theatre maker as well like yeah I'm always excited by that like what can what can we do with nothing you know and like that's a sort of very hip -hop thing as well what can you make out of like just what you've got to hand or just your body
Speaker: What makes it a survival song for you? Why why do you reach for it? when when is you know what is What is the driving force behind reaching particularly for that record? um I think it is comforting, um but also speak it can speak to, you know, if that if your heart's open, I think there's, like even in terms of the the how the chords move through the piece, um it kind of,
Speaker: There was a lullaby ah quality to it, um ah particularly the way in which the lower voices, the male voices, compliment the um the the the sopranos. um So like you get this sense of tension and release. I guess the high voice speaks can speak to like being young and the low voice can um being sensitive like your mum giving you a hug or a mug of Horlicks or Bovril or what insert favorite warm drink um hop them toe for me please um so um yeah you know like so i guess there's the sonically it speaks to that as well especially when you feel alone and um and you need to feel like it feels like a sonic hug
Speaker: and We all need those, right? We all know they're sonic hugs and they're they're important. and ah Can you listen to this as purely as a fan, like quite emotionally and just kind of almost turn that analytical brain off and just kind of absorb the emotion? Yeah, I mean, I think that's the other thing of listening to genre which you don't operate in. Well, I do do a bit of classical from time to time, but like, not really.
Speaker: um So yeah, and the words, because a although they're sung in of because they're sung in a very choiry slash operary kind of way, you if you really listen out for the words, you can make out what they're saying. But then if you're not listening out for it, it just becomes like a wave of of syllables and goes a bit siegaros, which is also cool. So yeah, I tend not to analyze that actually and just kind of receive it, um like a like a meditation or a prayer.
Speaker: um And like, yeah, can have a bit of a sound buff. And that thing where we can, we can just be fans for a while, I think is really important. And like you say, and that ability to then switch off your analytical brain, which ultimately puts you more on a state of rest. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think, I think, I think, I think that's part of it. Um, but then it's dense enough to like, um, if you did want to go analyze, like it's really rich.
Speaker: Testament, thank you so much for joining us today. um ah Where can people find your your work? Tell us, tell people where where they can find you. that's A fine um ah ah Testament home cut um home cut is my producer. um So Testament I use when I'm being a vocalist and wrapping and ah writing plays and then Homecut I tend to use as a producer, as a music producer. I mean it's a bit interchangeable these days but um, um so testamenthomecut .com um and then that's, I don't have a newsletter, ah I don't, I should probably sort it out, someone's talking to me about half an hour ago about, okay, I should have a newsletter. And then
Speaker: ah Yeah, testament ah my Testament online on on X, hay sayingax and then on Instagram, my Testament Homecut. Yeah, or if you just go into Google and put in a Testament beatbox, I'll tend to come up. Brilliant. Thank you so much for joining us today. um and It's been a lovely to talk to you. Oh, wicked. Big up. Take care.
Speaker: We really hope you enjoyed the episode. If you want to support the podcast further you can choose to upgrade your subscription on Substack, but most of all we just love it if you told your friends about what we're up to. Thanks for listening.
