On Wednesday the 5th of December we were lucky enough to be invited to The Reebok and JD Sports Classic Collective event at Laundry in London Fields.
#TheClassicCollective campaign saw a number of UK creators including Cadet, Lotto Boyzz, Snoochie Shy, Millie Cotton, Tobi Sunmola and Mic Lowry, return to their hometowns in order to carry out a workshop for young people in the local area. The event at Hangar rounded off the campaign and saw performances from some of the creators who led the workshops. Before they took to the stage, we were lucky to catch up with South London rapper Cadet, South London TV and radio presenter Snoochie Shy, and Birmingham’s Lotto Boyzz for a chat. We discussed the campaign with JD Sports and Reebok, entertained some Christmas talk, and looked forward to 2019.
How did you get with or come up with the name Cadet/Lotto Boyz/Snoochie Shy?
“I think it was me our my cousin saw it on the side of a bus, and from then it just stuck.” – Cadet
“It’s a cheesy story actually you know, I think me and the lads, me Ash and our guys went Liverpool….Was it Liverpool?” -Lotto Lucas
“Yeah.” – Lotto Ash
“Yeah we went Liverpool for my 19th birthday, and we were just all there dressed up, you know, we went for a fine dining experience……Nandos! But erm yeah we were all just dressed up looking sharp ready to hit our night out and I was like Yo if any girl came in here today they would have a lucky dip to choose from us lot you know, then lucky dip just turned to lotto, and then Lotto Boyzz, I was like yeah that works. And we kind of ran with it from there.” – Lotto Lucas
“Snoochie shy came about because my nan used to call me Snoochie back in the day and she used to say that it meant cool, so when she passed away I changed my name to Snoochie and Shy is an abbreviation of Cheyenne which is my actual government name.” -Snoochie Shy
With almost 10 years of Tory government that has seen funds for youth centres and other similar bodies slashed, how important is it for brands like #JDSports and Reebok to step up and offer something back to communities?
“It’s imperative bro, that we have someone almost bigger than us supporting. There’s obviously a lot of time where the people we’ve leaned on for help haven’t offered us much help, but having brands that we grew up supporting turn around now as support us, it really makes us feel valued. Supporting is essential. It’s huge having someone like bigger than you behind you, it’s almost like a big brother’s hand on your shoulder letting you know that we are here supporting as well. It makes things better, healthier, and cleaner, and it gives the younger generation of the future a lot more prospects you know what I mean? It’s very healthy.”- Cadet
“I think it’s crucial to be honest. When you have the big brands and that supporting you, its like if they’re supporting, the youth will get involved a lot more, and they’ll feel a bit more secure I reckon, rather than it coming from just random people like their teachers and that. Cause if my teacher spoke to me I would be like cool that’s nice but when it’s like someone close to your interests or when it’s like a big brand they’ll think that’s serious and they’ll take it in more.” – Lotto Ash
“I think its really important, I think we need to get kids able to do things. It’s really important because it shows kids how to get into the industry as well and it helps and advises people as well and that sort of thing. It’s a sick thing really. Like when I did my workshop with Reebok it was nice to see all the young girls coming together and wanting to learn about presenting and things like that.” – Snoochie Shy
What was your favourite part of #TheClassicsCollective workshops?
“Well today is gonna be really lit, but so far its been working with all of the competitors and that, so when we were doing the workshop and people were making music, making beats, that was so dope bro. It felt like giving back, like it felt amazing seeing all the talent that was in the room. That can’t be beaten, that feeling was amazing for real.” – Cadet
“I think it was like working with all the kids who came into the workshop that we did in Birmingham just helping them through the process of making tunes, giving them our knowledge and experience. And I suppose also just getting to know them. It was good man.” – Lotto Ash
“My favourite part was just seeing all of the girls, I just loved it, and they were all so eager to learn, they really wanted to find out what its like to be a presenter and how to get into it, and also how to create content for themselves, which I think in this day and age with the rise of social media, its really important to create your own content, so definitely helping them as well.” – Snoochie Shy
What’s your favourite part of Christmas and do you have any exciting plans for it?
“Christmas for me…the best part about it is the family linking up, the whole family being together and just bussing jokes, the food of course and yeah this year I just can’t wait to see all my family again, there are not really many plans I just wanna see my family.” – Cadet
“Favourite part of Christmas for me would definitely just like the family time, the chill time, just bringing everyone together and yeah a bit of time off really.” – Lotto Lucas
“For me it would probably be I’m not gonna lie, it’s the food still. Christmas is different you know what I’m saying. You know you get used to your like bog standard like every other weekend Sunday dinner, but Christmas dinner is a big ting! It’s a serious one!” – Lotto Ash
“My favourite part of Christmas is that my mum turns her house into a Grotto. So she sticks tin foil all over the walls, all over the ceiling, she’s got a fake snow machine, she’s got inflatable Santas, it’s actually mad. And she turns it into like a massive jungle Christmas rave, everyone always comes over and that’s sick. But I’ve moved out now and this will be the first year doing a Christmas at my house as well, so I’m quite excited about that but nervous at the same time because I’ve gotta beat my mum and she does a little bit too much. I’m thinking I’m gonna go for like a Ministry of Sound disco rave Christmas.” – Snoochie Shy
Do you prefer Winter or Summer and why?
“I’m a Winter man you know….only because I like to grind you know. I feel like its easier to grind in the winter then it is to grind in the Summer do you get what I mean?” – Cadet
Interviewer: “Yeah it’s a lot harder to work when its bare sunny outside.”
“But in Winter you just wanna work man.” – Cadet
“For me I think summer, I prefer summer because I’ve met a lot of erm ‘people’ in the summer…without saying too much haha.” – Lotto Ash
“Definitely summer as well for me like there’s nothing worse than getting up on a cold winter morning and having to come out of your warm bed. I hate that. So yeah summer is definitely our season.” – Lotto Lucas
“I don’t even know…I like Summer because Summer is like…you can walk around, it doesn’t get dark early, its always hot, and it always feel like you can go to the park and have a magnum with your mates and stuff. Whereas as Winter I like fashion because you can layer, so its hard. But if I had to choose I’d probably go for summer to be fair.”- Snoochie Shy
Do you have a favourite album and or song of the year?
“Album of the year probably goes to, I think it goes to Ella Mai you know……No No! Meek! Meek Championships that’s banging man, banging that’s popping right now. Song of the year for me is … let’s give it to Meek again. Meek’s new intro is hard. It’s haaaard.” – Cadet
“For me I’m not gonna lie its been ‘Ratchet Happy Birthday’ these lot know I’ve been rinsing it. That’s by Drake on his Scorpion album. I think it came out close to my birthday so like I was glad there was a birthday song. To be honest I think it’s for a girl but oh well!” – Lotto Ash
“For me I have to say Meek Mill’s ‘100 Summers’. That’s on his new album Championships.” – Lotto Lucas
“My song of the year would be Ambush jumpy. My favourite album, well it’s a mixtape and its Bashy Chupa Chups, that obviously came out time ago but that’s just my favourite.” – Snoochie Shy
What is your main goal for 2019?
“It’s work harder than I did in 2018 man, that’s all that matters bro, it’s working as hard as I can every day.” – Cadet
“I think it’s just like engaging a lot more in making sure we don’t miss out and stuff, that Lotto Boyzz is just everywhere, in your ears, in your face, on your head! Anything literally I think its just expanding the brand.” – Lotto Ash
“Yeah I think its just expanding the brand and taking it to another level, 2018 was a good year, but we want to make the most out of 2019 as well.” – Lotto Lucas
“My main goal for 2019 is to definitely do more TV presenting. I’d love to collaborate with a brand and make my own trainer, putting that into the universe, Reebok holla me! Yeah, and to continue with MTV Raps and my 1Xtra show as well in the New Year.” – Snoochie Shy
Which artists do you think will have a successful 2019?
“Almost like the whole UK scene. DigDat is gonna kill it in 2019, who else is gonna kill it…..Well anyone from my sides, anyone from my ends is gonna kill it you get me!” – Cadet
“Quite a few man, I definitely think cause I’ve heard a couple conversations and I think Notes is definitely one. I think he’s gonna be doing some crazy things next year still.” – Lotto Ash
“Return of the Godfather as well, Hus.”- Lotto Lucas
“Yeah!”- Lotto Ash
“Hus is gonna smash it next year.” – Lotto Lucas
“In terms of females as well I would say like Raye, I definitely think Raye’s gonna do something big next year aswell.”- Lotto Ash
“2019 I think its really gonna be good for Headie One, I think it’s gonna be really good for Ambush, and I think it’s gonna be really good for Ms Banks I think they’re all gonna have a very sick year. And let’s say suspect as well I think Suspect should be in there too.” – Snoochie Shy
Do you have any tips for aspiring artists/presenters?
“If you wanna go for this music ting, just go for it every day. Spend every day, every minute that you can spend, go for it. Give yourself the best opportunity for success. And it’s only gonna happen if you actually go for it so make sure you go for it.”- Cadet
“I say it every time man, just keep going sometimes you have to get to a place where you stop listening to what everyone’s saying and just follow your own dreams do you know what I mean. And just keep it in the back of your mind that it’s not gonna be an easy run it’s not gonna be like the straightest run, but at the end of the day it’s a run and every sprint ends up one point. You will get to your goal at one point so just keep on going.”- Lotto Ash
“I would say, never take no and a final answer, never let no hold you back, and keep going because even though you might get no’s, it just means that the time isn’t necessarily right for them , I’ve been told no’s way before when I first started, and those companies have now gone on to employ me late, so don’t let no’s hold you back just keep going.”- Snoochie Shy
Finally is there anything you would like to plug?
“Advice bro! Go stream Advice Stream the hell out of Advice, Advice is out right now stream it like crazy. On top of that we got other singles coming out. Follow my gram, follow my snap, follow everything I got going on and keep yourself entertained man.”- Cadet
“Shout out Reebok Classics Collective!” – Lotto Lucas
“One hundred per cent! … We’ve got an EP coming soon followed hopefully with a couple tour dates.” – Lotto Ash
“My new show on BBC 1Xtra, starting April 2019, playing what I wanna play, getting everyone on the show who I wanna get on the show, and also MTV raps hosted by me and Poet look out for that as well.”- Snoochie Shy
For your chance to grab a pair of Reebok Classics check them out here at JD Sports online or in stores now!
Follow @reebokclassicsuk & @jdsports on Instagram for more.