The “Look Pon Me” remix contest ends this Sunday, May 2nd. It’s not too late to enter! Download the Natalie Storm acapella and get full details for entry. Do not forgot to submit your entries to the Mixpak Sound Cloud Drop Box. Thanks!

Ludacris and Nicki Minaj over a beat that uses the string sample from Sticky’s Jumeirah Riddim. Big!!

This is the official video for the “Look Pon Me” single from Sticky’s recently released Jumeirah Riddim EP out now on Mixpak. Shot in Kingston, Jamaica and starring Natalie Storm, this video, like the single, represents one of the strongest funky bashment collaborations between London and Kingston to date.

Support this release on Vinyl, iTunes, Beatport or Juno!

L.A duo Nguzunguzu just dropped a big mix to celebrate the release of the upcoming Nguzunguzu EP coming out later this month on Shade Business.

Nguzunguzu – EP Promo Mix

01 Sticky “Jumeirah Riddim”
02 Sticky “Jumeirah Riddim Sequel”
03 Footsteps “Baby Kinta”
04 Rishi Romero “African Forest (Original Mix)”
05 Makency DJ “Wao”
06 DJ Eridson “Hino Batucada”
07 Nguzunguzu “El Bebe Ambiente”
08 Debo “Helter Skelter”
09 DJ Pesado and DJ Fofuxo “Sirene”
10 Puto X feat. Maskarado “Quen E Que Mana Ai MP”
11 Nguzunguzu “What Dance?”
12 Baobina and I.D. “Mandown”
13 DJ Boda “Tááá BááTÖÖÖrr R”
14 Bok Bok “Whole World Changing 4X4″
15 DJ Pesado and DJ Marfox “Gerentologia”
16 DJ Corlando “Passa Passa (Kingdom Remix)
17 DJ Du Marcel “Tribal Sound”
18 DJ MA1 “I’m Right Here feat. Sophia”
19 Nguzunguzu “Got You”
20 Mike V “Feelings”
21 Basement Jaxx “Flylif

Richard ‘Sticky’ Forbes built his reputation as one of the United Kingdom’s leading club music producers at the height of the UK Garage scene. His productions not only kept the clubs on lock, but they also launched the careers of a number of the UK talents, including the Mercury Award winning Ms. Dynamite. Sticky has re-emerged on the scene in 2009 with a recent embrace of UK Funky and the “Jumeirah Riddim” is his biggest statement yet.

Sticky’s sound is intended to “forge a blend between credible street sounds and the pop music industry” and his discography bears this out. He has collaborated with Kele Le Roc, Stush, Tubby T and Twista, and been called on to remix pop stars like Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Aaliyah, Sugababes, Hot Chip and Erykah Badu.

I caught up with Sticky to discuss music, his musical roots and where he’s headed in the future.

Tell me about some of your first DJ gigs. What was the atmosphere like when you started?

I started DJing in the late 80s when I was a teenager, and most of the places I would play in were house parties. They were very dark rooms, hardly any lights, and the atmosphere was electric because nobody saw each other!

Tell us about one of the first songs that had a big impact on you, and why.

One of the tracks that had a big impact on me when I was young was Soul2Soul’s “Keep On Moving”. The reason why I love this track is because of the fusion between a reggae singer, hip hop beats, reggae bassline and live strings. Wow!!!! That’s what made me want to start producing.

Explain a bit of the ideology about a term you coined, “dirtypop”.

Dirtypop was an idea I thought of in 2006. I wanted to create a music that didn’t traditionally have a similar sound all the time, some dirty beats that if you heard them by themselves wouldn’t be classed as pop music, but put the right song on top of it, then it would be. “Pop with an edge” continued the idea of having hybrid tunes that actually had a name for itself. “A pigeon hole with all the pigeon holes in it!” Most genres sound the same now and I wanted to attempt to break barriers and expand peoples minds past a particular genre they liked by having elements of other genres in one tune.

Do you think Mixpak fits under this ‘dirtypop’ description?

Yes, I do think it fits because the artist is from one market and the music is from another, but combining them together makes this new perfect match!

A lot of your remix credits are for popular artists: Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Aaliyah…when reworking those songs, what do you try to set out to do? What is it about pop music that you love?

Whatever remix I do, I always try and aim it for the clubs with the basslines but have enough music to play on radio. What I love about pop music is that anything can be pop music. There are no rules with pop, even though alot of people think there are!

Certain tracks like your Tubby T collaboration have really socially and politically charged messages. How’s it feel for you, as someone who produces a song, to have someone else come and give it a meaning in a political way?

I love making songs with positive messages. I think there should be more of them in the urban world personally. Tubby was a great singer, and he saw a lot of things in his life that were a reflection of a broken society. I know I’m not any politician but I feel as a father I should try and put out enough positive energy for people to be inspired to follow.

You’re working on this new Mixpak single with Natalie Storm, how do you feel about your collaboration?

I feel honoured to be chosen to produce a beat for her.

Your music is getting exposure on BBC program “Skins” … have you watched the show? British alt-drama galore.

Haven’t really got alot of time to watch TV. I’ve seen it once (when my tune was on there lol!). It’s a big look though!

Suggest a book, film, and album to us.

Book: The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.
Film: 2012.
Album: Sticky Presents Volume 1.

What does everybody need to just shut the eff up about?

Credit crunch!

There’s a bit of a war between some folks about the division between music that’s produced, sold and listened to solely in digital format, and the traditional vinyl release. How do you like to listen to music? Do you have any worries about DJs entering an almost solely digital age?

I like hearing music on vinyl. In my opinion, it sounds a lot better. I do have worries with the new DJs because simply most of the music created in the 90s was based on a turntable having 2 speeds 33 and 45 rpm. Now it’s one.

What’s your worst vice?

No comment!

Where’s music going to be going in the next five years? Any predictions?

I think music is going to be exciting and imaginative.

Thanks to Sticky for the interview.

Sticky’s new release, the “Jumeriah Riddim EP” is out now on Mixpak Records, featuring vocals by Natalie Storm and remixes by Dexplicit. Cop the vinyl or grab it on iTunes, Juno or Beatport.

Big up Kissy Sellout for dropping four Mixpak tracks during his BBC Radio 1 show today! Likewise, big respect to Sinden for including the first Mixpak release—Dre Skull and Sizzla’s “Gone Too Far”—on his Mega Mega Mega 2009 Chart. Last but not least, our latest release, Sticky’s “Jumeirah Riddim EP,” is pushing for that number one spot on the Juno Bestselling Releases Chart. Thanks to all who are supporting our vision!

Nice way to end the week.

Dexplicit is a London-based producer and DJ known for his mastery of heavy bass, and his tuff as nails remix for Sticky’s Jumeirah Riddim EP only confirms his rep. Check out his recent interview with Vibezine to see where he’s at and what he has in store for 2010.

Sticky’s “Jumeirah Riddim EP” vinyl is now up for sale at the Mixpak Store.

Mixpak is proud to announce the “Jumeirah Riddim EP,” a brand new release from Sticky which is out today on iTunes, Beatport, Turntable Lab and Juno. The EP showcases Sticky’s undeniable “Jumeirah Riddim” which represents his recent embrace of UK Funky and has been an underground hit in the UK for some months. Once we signed the track, we called up rising Jamaican star Natalie Storm for a voicing and she delivered a catchy bashment/funky monster, “Look Pon Me” (stay tuned for the video dropping early next week). JA vocals in hand we went back to the UK and got bassline mastermind Dexplicit to rework the track into an uptempo, heavy bass epic. Finally, Sticky rounded it out, revisiting the original and flipping it for the “Jumeirah Riddim Sequel.”

If you’re not familiar with Sticky, he built his reputation as one of the United Kingdom’s leading club music producers at the height of the UK Garage scene. His productions not only kept the clubs on lock, but they also launched the careers of a number of the UK talents including the Mercury Award winning Ms. Dynamite. Sticky has re-emerged on the scene in 2009 and the “Jumeirah Riddim” is his biggest statement yet.

The EP features original cover art by renowned artist Devin Flynn, creator of animated show “Ya’ll So Stupid” (check for it on adultswim.com) and bassist for DFA band Pixeltan.

Be looking for the vinyl to hit stores next week.