Indieterria meets tuggawar

We can’t believe it but we are almost at the end of summer! And what a great month August was. After reviewing the debut album, and speaking to 3 members of the WARR band (Gemma, Dean and Jerome), the time has finally come to put the leading man – Tuggawar himself in the hot seat. We grilled him about his newest project, his upbringing, having a mention in the Guardian and working with JW Paris, among other topics of course. Please have a read – we couldn’t imagine a better ending to our small coverage. Tuggawar is not only one of the nicest people we ever met and spoke to, but he is also an engaging and fantastic storyteller to boot.

Dancehall performer, singer, hip hop artist with a “CV so compelling, it would even get a Hollywood scriptwriter’s pulse racing”. Please introduce yourself to the readers of Indieterria.

Tuggawar: My name is Tuggawar, Neofytos Neofytou from Hackney, London.

You come from Hackney, a traditionally working class community in East London, from a Greek and Irish family. Tell us about your upbringing. Was music an important thing for your parents, or were you forced to look for musical inspirations outside of your home?

Tuggawar: My dad didn’t know what music was (laughing). He only knew Bob Marley and traditional Greek music, also Michael Jackson! My mum is a huge music fan. She was always playing music. Influences of music to me was mostly the area I grew up in. I lived next door to a Jamaican pub that constantly played reggae music!

In 2007 Guardian described you as “most likely to get laughed out of serious dancehalls”, while dance hall listeners thought of you in much better terms. “Comical personality, but u know what, he has a bangers” wrote one listener. Another said “Nyang Tugga is mad, cool, funny & creative. He sure is an interesting gentleman”. Two decades in and you are still making music. You`ve got 40K listeners a month, your songs hit millions streams with zero promotion, over 200K people follow you on Instagram alone. Why do you think the press got you so horribly wrong back then?

Tuggawar: At the time, my record company Jetstar (they signed me in 2006) got me that write up and we were really happy about it! I’ve not had that much bad press over my whole career, it’s always been positive. Paul Lester is a music critic working for the Guardian, giving huge names reviews and even gives Madonna and Lady Gaga bad reviews! So to even get a mention from him is a massive compliment and a big promotion for me! That’s his job! I don’t expect the press to understand me, my reputation and how I am precedes me, I’m comfortable in my own skin and with who I am.

Tuggawar and The Warr, picture by Rhian Croney

You perform using a mix of Jamaican patois and Multicultural London English (MLE), which makes you a part of the incredibly vibrant Hackney scene that mixes rap, garage, grime, jungle and dance hall music. Do you see yourself as a polyglot or a product of multiculturalism?

Tuggawar: Yes definitely. I am the epitome of Multiculturalism! Tuggawar is probably the most multiculturalist artist in the world! Hackney is a hugely multi cultured area of London and I had the privilege of growing up here!

You started out as a jungle mc when you were in your early teens. What do you remember from that time? Was it a supportive environment for a budding musician?

Tuggawar: Again, definitely! It sculpted me to be who I am today. Jungle was the hottest thing in the UK at the time and it was great to be around to witness the scene to birth and grow into drum n bass, then garage, then into grime and trap and all the other genres that we know today.

You also created a very unusual stage persona, and trademark moves. often donning The Mask costume on par with a cane, as seen in the video to “Hyena”. Are you a bit of a nerd, mashing up pop cultural references just as much as you mix musical genres?

Tuggawar: No I am far from a nerd, just a witty Hackney kid who likes having fun and doesn’t take himself too seriously! At the same time, I am a serious person and can get very serious if need be (laughing). I have my own style, it’s my real life persona, not just a Tuggawar persona

If you were to name three biggest inspirations for your musical career, who would they be?

Tuggawar: Biggie Smalls (The Notorious B.I.G.), Bounty Killer and Super Cat.

You have been making music for more than 20 years as a solo artist mixing alternative rock, indie, dancehall and hip hop. For the first time in your career you have a proper backing band named The Warr. How did this project come to be? Where did you find those four amazing artists that now back you up on stage ?

Tuggawar: I was in a band years ago and had the privilege of meeting the amazing Gemma in 2008 at a gig she put on and we got on really well and connected then! We knew we had to make music together. She was busy in her own band, I was busy with mine, but we still managed some time to meet up for a few jams though! She even invited me to play with her band The Krak at Glastonbury 2008! We kept in contact over the years and got together to form the band in 2024. Gemma reached out to Aaron and Jerome (long term friends) and the Warr was formed. Then a year later, the talented Dean joined! I am privileged to work with 4 such accomplished musicians! Jerome is an absolute rock star and we had a musical and spiritual connection from the moment we met. Aaron is an amazing guitarist, but also a producer and was responsible for the fantastic production on our debut album “Thirteen”. Dean has been nothing but a blessing. He’s fitted in like the missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle! Together we make some incredible noise!

We have to ask about the newly released album with The Warr “Thirteen”. Please tell us where it was recorded and who produced it. And why did you choose the number 13? Historically it is considered one of the most unlucky numbers. Please don’t tell us it is something so mundane as thirteen tracks on the album…

Tuggawar: We recorded that at Foel Studios in Mid Wales and engineered by Mike Bew. As I mentioned, our Aaron produced it and executive producer was me. It was mastered by Wayne Marshall. Jerome came up with the title, “Thirteen”. In the occult the word means “transformation and breaking of cycles”. It’s also a symbol for finding one’s passions and future successes.It was just a coincidence that there are 13 tracks too!

One of our favourite songs from the album is “Rock N Roll’d”. It is truly a very rock number – with pulsing guitars, heavy drumming by the amazing Gemma Clarke. Is there any story behind this track?

Tuggawar: It’s actually one of the last songs we recorded for the album. It was Dean’s riff and idea and it came together really quickly and really naturally. Shout out to everyone putting their magic on it and made it how it is!

Before the album came out, you released a stand alone single with The Warr called “You Don’t Have To Like Me”. Why was it not included on the record?

Tuggawar: We wanted the album to be written and recorded as one body of work and the song was not included. It was a special moment in time in the magical mountains of Wales!

We have to ask about your co-operation with JW Paris. You have joined them several times on stage, The Warr and JW Paris also share a drummer. Are you planning on recording a single with Aaron and Danny?

Tuggawar: Shout out to JW Paris! Always love working with them. JW and Warr are like one big family, all hanging out together when we aren’t gigging! I’m actually featuring on a forth-coming JW Paris single called “Lemonade”, which we will be performing on stage at Party In The Park in Luton on September 12^th! Plenty more shows and songs to come!

You and The Warr are going on tour! Where can we see you play live?

Tuggawar: We did a short UK tour over the summer, then recorded and released the album. We are constantly playing, keep an eye on social media for upcoming shows! Plenty more to come for the Warr!!