An interview with Dreama, whose new video is very good indeed

Hotly tipped* London rapper Dreama has just released a video for her song CTRL + ALT + DEL, which is a good thing because it is brilliant.

Rather than bang on about the zeitgeisty lyrics, or Dreama's incredible "flow", I thought I'd get her to explain the song herself. Here is what she said:

1) What inspired CTRL + ALT + DEL?

It's inspired by the feeling of being (and having to be) constantly connected to technology, since everything is geared heavily towards the online world. I was abroad recently and had no internet or outside connection on my mobile phone - I felt extremely disconnected, all because the internet was out. That's actually pretty sinister!

2) How many friends is too many friends for an up-and-coming rap "artiste"?

You can never have too many online friends as an up-and-comer. Social networks allow you to reach out an audience you probably wouldn't meet in your day-to-day life. I love that in just a few seconds, a simple post can be sent to someone on the other side of the world. That's awesome.

3) How many social media / email accounts do you have? And what's the most
embarrassing password you've picked?

Too many! Someone's always coming up with the next "must-have" service and you feel like you should at least check it out... That's how they get you! I don't really have an embarrassing password, just the embarrassment that comes with not being able to remember what one I've used for what site. That "forgotten your password" option sure comes in handy... [Editor's note: For the record, at one point my work password was "banjopeculiar", which was funny until someone from IT needed it to install a piece of software on my profile]

4) What more can we expect from Dreama in 2012?

You can expect more music, more gigging and probably more commentary of my love/hate relationship with Eastenders for sure!

5) Recommend another song on your EP for everyone. And one song by someone
else we might not have heard of...

Just one? - Okay, then I choose Opus Opiates - It's definitely a favourite of mine. For the other track, it has to be Skullcrack by Dibia$e. He's a producer from LA & that song is dope! A real head-banger!

CTRL + ALT + DEL is available on Dream's Reifer EP, and the video looks like this.

Dreama - CTRL + ALT + DEL


* By me

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Just another Dreama

Let's face it, the UK hasn't excelled at producing female rappers. There was a time when we could have done it - Monie Love, Wee Papa Girl Rappers, The Cookie Crew and Neneh Cherry all appeared in the late 80s and looked set for big things. But the combined assault of rave and gangster rap killed their careers stone dead.

Since then the only female rap talent to make waves has been Ms Dynamite (one great album, one awful album, 10 years off), Estelle (dropped by her label and forced to move to the US) and Speech Debelle (only kidding).

Let's hope London's Dreama breaks the curse. She's been a regular reader / commenter on the blog for a while now (which proves she has good taste) so it was a pleasant surprise when she emailed last week to show off her new, self-released EP, Reifier. When the EP turned out to be properly good, that surprise doubled in size and assumed the startled expression of Louis Walsh in a revolving door.

What struck me most was the wordplay. This is literate, intelligent rap - down to earth like gravity. Take CRTL+ALT+DEL, a drowsy anecdote about Dreama's permanently-connected world. "Social media, I feel you're getting greedier," she begins, setting the scene for a polemic about internet addiction... Until she gets distracted by a website about celebrity liposuction. It's clever and relevant and funny, like

Some of the tracks on the EP have a harder, percussive edge but I find myself drawn to the more melodic material - which better suits the MC's sing-song delivery. An older track, A Dreama's Reality, is probably my favourite - if only for the verse:

I always knew all I'd do was become stellar
London girl, the place to carry shades and an umbrella
Pardon the clichés but, yeah, the weather's awful
Big jackets, woolly hats... I've got 'em by the drawer-ful.

The EP is below. You can also check out Dreama's website over here, then head over to her Twitter page and tell her I said hello.

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