We Talk to Wirral Based Rapper and producer Jake Rosh about his music, his mixed British and Israeli background, life, and his hotly anticipated new album titled ‘Hydra’.

No stranger to the rap game, Rosh has been a constant presence in the Merseyside Rap/Grime scene since his late teens, Honing his craft to a level that sore him compete against heavy hitter UK Grime artists like Bugsy Malone and receiving some attention for his first album ‘The Sample Life’ on Bbc 1Xtra.

Rosh says his new album ‘Hydra’, is a much more mature, emotionally open, and introspective record than any of his previous work. It definitely looks like ‘Hydra’ is set to reinstate Jake Rosh as a powerful force within the local Rap and Grime community and beyond.

NSG: Hello mate, how you doing? What have you been doing today and how’s that going?  

JR: I’m great right now, feeling very positive and excited about the release of my album. Aside from working, today I’ve been recording some new music for some upcoming projects, which I’m enjoying and I’m constantly looking for new ways of promoting the album, which any independent musician will tell you is a tough nut to crack off your own back (otherwise we’d all be world famous right?). 

NSG: Iv just been listening to the pre-release of your new album titled ‘HYDRA‘. I have to say it has to be one of the best written and produced rap albums iv heard come out of Liverpool or the northwest for that matter, in some time! You write, produce, mix and master everything yourself, don’t you? Care to tell us a bit more about this and where and how you learned to do this? 

 JR: That really means a lot so thank you for that. Apart from a couple of tracks that were mixed and mastered by Kof at Go Play Studio, yes I try to do it all where I can. It all started with a cheap laptop and Fruity Loops in my mid-teens. I learned through persistence, trial and error, YouTube tutorials, and a determination to be able to get myself to a point where I am proud of the end result because once you can do all this, you give yourself complete creative control and freedom to make music how and when you want to and save a lot of money in doing so. Anyone can learn to do it, the key is just not giving up, because yes, it probably will sound like dogsh*** at first, but you can’t let this deter you. I’m still constantly learning, as I think a professional sound engineer would probably pick a million holes in my sounds, but I think as long as the music sounds good and what I’m hearing is clear and crisp, to the untrained ear it’s still going to resonate and sound good. It changed the way that I listen to music too, for example, if I’m listening to something new, I’m always scanning the soundwaves for how their vocals sound, how loud is the bass, what effects have they used,[ etc. so that I can improve my own sounds. 

NSG: HYDRA is your first album release since you dropped your first album ‘The Sample Life’ back in 2016 isn’t it? Where the hell have you been since then and what have you been doing? 

JR: ‘The Sample Life‘ was a massive project, it had 21 tracks all self-produced and I think it probably just sapped a lot of my creative energy. I put a 5 track EP out afterwards in a bit of a rush in 2017 called Existence. I’m still proud of that project, but I ended up releasing it the night before I went travelling for 3 months, so it didn’t get the love and attention it needed. A combination of that, with me having to start work when I came home, and transitioning from chilled student life to 9-5 work, meaning less time for creativity also probably put the brakes on a bit. The last couple of years have felt a bit like trying to get the boulder rolling back up the hill, I definitely lost some momentum in that time, but I feel I’m back better, more creative, and more energetic than ever. I’ve got my own home studio setup and a good balance between work, life, and music.  

(HYDRA Album artwork)

NSG: One thing that always stands out about you and your music is that you write more about your own life and personal experiences that have a real depth to them as opposed to some of the other subjects focused on in popular Rap/Grime music like crime, guns, money, etc. Now I know that is not true of all rap but your subject matter is from a different perspective entirely wouldn’t you say?  Tell me, did you always write like this or was it a gradual progression to the ‘Rosh‘ we see and hear today? 

 JR: I think when I first started writing at 15, I was influenced by what I was hearing and probably tried to replicate that, and then as time has gone on I have realised that actually, my writing is only going to sound authentic if it’s about what I do and see around me in my life. I wouldn’t say I’ve ever really strayed too far from my true self, but I’ve definitely got closer to my true self over time. ‘Hydra‘ is easily the most open and reflective project I’ve ever made. I feel writing like this is good for my soul too, as it helps me express thoughts and feelings that may never have seen the light of day otherwise, so it’s very therapeutic. 

NSG: I feel a lot of rappers are trying to convey a message, If you had to describe your message to someone, what would it be? 

 JR: I have always said that I would love my music to help just one person make a change for the better. That would be mission accomplished. Whether that is to believe in themselves or embrace who they are or even influence someone to make a change for the good of society. I have tracks like “Nowhere Is Safe”, which is very much about standing up and making a change to improve the world, but then other tracks like “Rare Breed” and “Therapy” which are about accepting yourself and overcoming your personal demons and obstacles to unlock the best version of yourself. I think it’s important not to lose sight that I also love music, so the message is only half of my mission. I also want to make amazing music that I and other people enjoy. 

NSG: How have you been coping with lockdown? 

JR: For me personally, it’s not been too bad at all. I’m blessed that me and those close to me are all healthy and thoughts go out to those who’ve lost loved ones or struggled with money or work. I’ve been fortunate enough to keep working from home, I’ve bought and moved into my first house, built my studio, got my creative spark back and now I’m releasing an album. I can’t complain at all. I am looking forward to summer and hopefully being able to spend more time with friends and family though, as well as get back to performing live. 

Jake Rosh

  NSG: As a musician, how do you think the future of live music looks? Do you think we will see live shows again this year? 

 JR: That’s not for me to say really. I absolutely love performing live, so if I can get on stage this year I’d be delighted, as I’ve not really had a chance to perform much material from the new album, but I think we need to be cautious and I just hope we’re not getting ahead of ourselves by booking things in already, as I’ve seen a few promoters and venues doing recently. One thing is for sure when we can go to gigs again it’s going to feel incredible and hopefully this means the atmosphere is going to be amazing. 

NSG: I read you are of mixed Israeli and English Heritage, growing up on the Wirral do you feel your background has helped or hindered you in any way, especially in the rap game? 

 JR: If you had asked me whilst I was in school, I would say hindered. It was a bumpy ride at times because of my background and as a result, I kept myself to myself and felt that my heritage was a bit of a curse. Fast forward to today and I one million percent see it as a gift and something to be proud of. I’ve got a broader, more cultured perspective of life than anyone who’s ever put me down for who I am, and rather than fear them or wish I was like them, I now pity and laugh at them for having such a narrow mind – not to mention I can spot them from a mile away now. I’m stronger, I’ve got a thicker skin, I embrace my origins and I’m more respectful of cultural differences and empathic with those seen as “different”. The song on my album, “Loser” will give you a much more detailed answer to this question. Writing that song felt like a bit of closure and me having the last laugh. I think the rap scene is a melting pot of diversity, which is maybe why I’ve found myself drifting into it. 

NSG: What does Rosh eat for breakfast? 

JR: Usually nails. But if I have the time, then my favourite is either salmon and poached eggs or a double sausage and egg McMuffin with 2 hash browns.  

 NSG: One of my favorite songs by you is ‘Magma‘ off your first Album ‘The Sample Life‘, do you have any personal favorites? 

JR: I was very proud of Magma, I can still remember the feeling of when the beat and the lyrics all came together. I love performing that one live too. My favourite beat I’ve ever made is for “Unite” which is also on the Sample Life, as it’s got that Reggae infusion with that UK grittiness. My favourite songs lyrically are probably ‘Rare Breed‘, ‘Indoctrination‘, “Therapy” and “Loser”. There’s also ‘Moonshine‘ featuring Jamie Broad, which is a feel-good uptempo song probably my most popular song on Spotify, still getting playlisted 5 years on. I also am proud of ‘Tutenkhamun‘ featuring my younger brother ‘Left-Blank‘ which is probably our best song together to date. 

NSG: How’s the rest of 2021 looking for you?  

 JR: Very exciting. Once the album is out I can celebrate but I will be promoting it to Pluto and back. I’ve got lots of other exciting music to put out over the year. I’ve set myself plenty of goals to work towards, both musically and personally just to keep growing as a person. Not to mention hopefully we can resume some normality and maybe get in a holiday or 2. 

NSG: If you could cook and sit down to eat with three people from history, who would they be and why? 

JR: One would be Bob Marley, just because I grew up around his music, and it’s still timeless. He’s someone who I think I would learn a lot from musically and spiritually – from what I’ve seen of him in interviews he was full of wisdom even though he died young. Next would be J.R.R Tolkien, because of what he’s accomplished and how unbelievably sophisticated his creations were. To write an incredible story with amazing messages in the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit, but to also invent creatures, several complex fictional languages, and a whole world with maps and everything is unbelievable and inspirational. Last place I’ll give to Stephen Hawking, I’m fascinated by stars and space so could talk about that all night, otherwise it would have been some sort of great philosopher, inventor or astronomer just to absorb some wisdom, people like Plato, Leonardo Da Vinci or Galileo. 

Jake Rosh

 NSG: Thanks for your time man, anything else you’d like to add? 

 JR: Just that I hope everyone reading this is staying well and safe. Its been a pleasure to speak with you and thank you for the support. Thanks to anyone who has supported or will support the new album Hydra. Go take a listen!

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Listen to Rosh on Spotify below.