Leaf Dog Reveals His Top 5 UK Rappers of All-Time

First and foremost, would you mind introducing yourself to the masses?

Peace my name is Leaf Dog aka Lord Balrog aka the Deformed Wing aka Jimmy Silver Tongue. I'm a producer and mc from the UK. I am also co-owner of Real Life Drama Records.

You have found success internationally as a beatmaker as evidenced by your work with Wu-Tang Clan, Kool G Rap, Ras Kass and a slew of other notable artists. How long did you have to grind before you got your first placement?

It took about two years of making beats before I hooked up with Ras Kass. But I had been a mc for for 8 years before that so it came to me naturally. I always thought I could do it cause I knew what a dope sample was when I heard one. So it was only a matter of time before I was ready to get to it.



I watched a video where you stated that you churn out an insane amount of beats daily. What motivates you to create consistently?

Well to me it's all about pushing your self to work more. If you just wait until your inspired you'll never reach your full potential.

Making beats is a every day thing. If I don't make a beat today all I can think of is the sample I just missed, cause some one in the world just found it, flipped it and killed it. That's the best thing about producing, the possibilities are limitless. There are billions of samples in the world so there's no reason to be sleeping on them.

My advice to up and coming producers is to treat your craft like the man who invented Aikido. Don't get angry cause you're not were you want to be and don't get to happy when you made something great, remain in the center constantly working on the next beat.

Treat it like the air you breath. A man can't live without breathing also he doesn't think about breathing, he just does it naturally.



What do you enjoy the most, rapping or making beats?

I enjoy both but if I'm honest production is my main passion. I've been an emcee for 14 years and I've made beats for 7 years so at the moment beats is my main thing. I will never stopped writing, I have a lot to still say.



Who are your Top 5 UK rappers of all-time?

1. Slick Rick
2. Chester P
3. Roots Manuva
4. Verb T
5. Doom