Big Tobz couldn’t have better timing. After breaking through with club banger Uno My Style in 2015, he’s back this year with a super solid EP, Still Winning, just in time for Afro Swing to continue its UK takeover. Name checked among the likes of Not3s, Kojo Funds and J Hus, he’s on the radio as much as any of them with tracks and interviews, and no doubt you’ll hear a tune or two in the club.

As testament to his talent, Big Tobz was invited down to SXSW as part of the Musicalize showcases, which included most artists on UK radio playlists, including AJ Tracey, Hardy Caprio and WSTRN. Unlike last year’s line up that was grime-heavy, this year’s representation was heavily from Afro Swing, which just shows you what changes in a year. This is recognition of the transferability of Afro Swing to international audiences that historically grime has a harder time with. Big Tobz took to the stage at The Main II with a palpable confidence and focus that comes from an experienced performer. He won over the crowd with Uno My Style and Controlla, and who can forget Love That Feeling - my personal favorite. We chatted to Big Tobz before his set about the significance of Still Winning, why radio play is so important, and how he’s actually got skills that go way beyond rapping.

UHH: First of all, congratulations on your EP Still Winning.

Big Tobz: Thank you very much.

It’s a really strong project. How was it to make, and to put it out?

It took me a year to make, but I was very on and off. I was living life, I was dealing with things. The last three, four months I put everything together by then. I'm getting a lot of good feedback. Everyone that’s heard it has been like, "This is an amazing project, it's a great listen." Just tying to push it out as far as I can really.

You talk about it on the EP but you had some time in the hospital. Did that interrupt making this project?

No, I made it after the incident. That's why I called it Still Winning, because even though I went through it, I'm still winning.

Not to sound cliché, but did it change you, or your outlook on things?

It defo changed my outlook on things. It made me a bit more vigilant for one, a bit more focused, and a bit more just aware of what's going around. Life is not that nice all the time, you know what I’m tryna It kind of made me just want to focus on my mission, which is music, and to stay away from any sort of drama. It just opened my eyes to a lot about people and situations.

What made you focus on music, even before the incident, because you’ve been around for a while?

In late 2015 I had a tune called Uno My Style. I started getting shows every week, so it then it just became naturally my career, where this is actually gonna be my focus, my everything now. That's when I realized I'm making music my number one priority, and I'm here now.

Definitely a banger. Who produced that tune?

My guy Lish who's here right now as well. He DJs as well.

When you made it were you like, "this is it"?

100%. I got the beat, and the next day I went to the studio, I laid it down. I just knew in my heart this is a banger. I sent it to DJ Kenny Allstar and said, "Listen to this. What do you think of this?" He was like, "Yes." I knew this tune was gonna blow.

Speaking of Kenny Allstar, you’ve got DJ Target, DJ Ace, and Sian Anderson down at SXSW. Who are the DJs in the UK scene that you really respect, and know that if they like something, it's going to blow?

I respect Sian Anderson, because she was the first person to invite me to BBC 1Xtra, and this was before Uno My Style, she just heard something online.  I was like “rah”, because for me then, BBC 1Xtra show was a big, big deal, it still is. Charlie Sloth of course, Tim Westwood...these guys all support me. Even BBC Asian network, Kan D and DJ Limelight, DJ Target. All of the DJs actually support me, that's the maddest thing.

How important do you think radio play is in the UK?

Very important. I didn't realize it at first, but even now when I'm driving I know so many songs just because I'm driving to it. So I've realized it makes a big impact for me to be constantly played on the radio.

Who's playing a lot on the radio that you're into?

I hear a lot of Not3s, that's my guy, that's my young G. They're playing a lot of Afro Swing, so I hear a lot of my peers, and the kind of music I make on the radio, which is sick.

That's amazing. At Wireless two years’ ago I interviewed Afro B, and I think Drake's Controller had just come out, and I asked him, "What do you think about this wave of Drake jumping on all these genres?" He was like, "It's amazing. It means that people want to listen to what we're making." And it has gone insane.

100%.

I remember when there wasn’t one name for that type of music in the UK, but everyone has settled on Afro Swing now?

I think Kojo Funds said it on radio first. You’re in Afro, but you're swinging from this to that. Since then I think everyone just accepted this is the genre.

Afro Swing has taken over!

That's the wave now. That's cool pop, everyone can listen to this.

I think it’s far more transferable to the US than grime is.

Yeah, exactly. They can understand it, obviously grime is obviously quite hard for some Americans to understand what we’re saying, we’re speaking fast, the slang.  Afro Swing slows it down. It's like a melody kind of thing, it's wavy, so everybody can understand what we're saying. This show I'm going to try and mix it up. I’m going to give them grime, but I'm gonna do it my way, which is the Afro kind of wave and the rap stuff, so it should be good.

Have you been performing a lot in the UK since Still Winning came out?

Yeah non stop, man.

Are you going to do a tour?

I want to, that's definitely what the plan is. I need to speak to my agency, and we need to book a tour. I definitely want to do one.

Have you done lots of European / UK festivals before?

No I've not done a European one. This is the first time I've done a festival abroad. Last year was the first time ever doing a festival. I did Wireless, Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds. It's all a new experience for me, still.

What do you think is next for you in 2018?

Just more bangers. I'm always making music. I've always got new ideas. I'm trying to just take it to the next level, even for the visuals as well, the videos, and trying to step up. Everything I've done last year, I'm just trying to step up this year.

I heard you studied animation?

Yeah I did, and then people say, "Why don't you do animation videos?" It's very hard, and it's very long. But I've always been into that creative stuff. I've always used the right side of my brain. So when I was going to uni I said, "What am I gonna do that's gonna actually interest me, and keep me at uni?" And animation was something I thought, "Yeah, let me try this out."

Did you finish your degree?

Yeah, I've got a 2:1 in animation.

That's amazing!

I'm not just a rapper, I've got sense as well, I’ve got knowledge!

Who are you working with at the moment on music?

Do you know about Team Salute? I've got some tunes with Mr. Eazi. I've got quite a few actually, but I'm not gonna talk too much, we’re working.

What about US artists. Is there anyone that you want to work with?

I'd love to work with Chris Brown, he's an artist. Obviously Drake. And I'd love to make a jam with Lauryn Hill.

Find Big Tobz here:

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/bigtobz

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5mJzAPLj72Ifm4MdYS08uK?si=TcOg7i0dS2Kl13_P0IPcfw

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigtobzsf/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bigtobzsf