Richy Ahmed: ‘You don’t get anything without hard work’

2011 has seen Richy Ahmed step out into the limelight from a relative unknown to becoming a very important part of the unstoppable force that is Hot Creations.

Richy’s journey began in Ibiza, where he became friends with the label’s owner Jamie Jones, way before it came into existence. But it was not only a love of house and a fortunate friendship that has got Richy where he is, hard work, dedication, a positive mental attitude and a desire to unearth and showcase new talent has earned him a role as the ‘eyes and ears’ of Hot Creations, A&R-ing for them, building their roster and giving new talent a chance to shine. Not only has he acquired the powerful position within the label, but he has also secured his dream this year – a debut set at the hallowed DC10, Ibiza’s premier underground club, where the real magic happens. I’ve followed Richy’s progress since he first came to my attention earlier in the year and enjoyed all the mixes he’s put out in 2011 – he kindly agreed to have a chat with me about everything, and put together this excellent exclusive mix too .

So this year’s been pretty good for you hasn’t it?…

It has mate, it’s been wicked, really good. I started on the [Rebel] agency about a year ago, I was DJing professionally about six months before that. I’ve been DJing, bedroom DJing and bits and bobs of gigs here and there for years, but that was the first time I packed everything in and went for it.

When did you first start getting to grips with DJing and stuff then?

First time I got decks was about eight years ago, I started playing RnB and hip hop, (mainly hip hop) and I was playing out when I was at uni, nothing too hectic. Then I moved onto house as I was graduating through uni – when I went to Ibiza was when I started playing house. It was an expensive hobby really, I’d go out and play gigs when I could… I had a couple of years break and it wasn’t until Sonar last summer, that was my first break when I thought I’ll just quit everything and concentrate on this, start making tunes.

Nice one, so what kind of people were you into when you listening to hip hop?

That was the first music I was really into, my older brother listened to N.W.A and stuff like that and, as a kid, I liked that just because it had swear words in it. The first album I bought was Fear Of A Black Planet by Public Enemy and from that it went into all the nineties hip hop from Master Ace to Wu-Tang Clan, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest… even the gangster rap. There was so much good hip hop then, all genres were producing top quality stuff. That was my era of music when I was a kid.

Yeah nineties hip hop was really good, but it went to sh*t…

I think after Biggie died and they were all kinda verging on breaking through and crossing over, Jay-Z took the mantle and did it right, but a couple of years after that it all changed. I think record executives had too much to say about what’s gonna sell and then artists started making tunes to cater to that. The thing that really went to sh*t for me though wasn’t the lyrics, it was the production… I looked at Gang Starr, they were my favourite group because they maintained, they never changed. But everything else moved into that really poor electro sounding stuff, the actual music really really went to pot, not so much the rapping. In the future, when I get really good at producing, I really think we (me, Jamie and Lee) could produce a top hip hop album The Neptunes type of hip hop. Rather than going to someone like, what’s that French guy called?

Guetta…

Rather than going to someone like that… I think we could make something really special, commercially viable. Just because something’s commercial it doesn’t have to be rubbish. I don’t see why if it’s commercial it’s gotta be crap or for it to be good, it’s got to be underground, it can be both.

Yeah for real. So, how did you get involved with Hot Natured?

I’ve known Jamie, we’ve been really good mates, since 2003, when we first moved to Ibiza. You know when you’re young and you move to Ibiza to work for the summer? That’s how we met and that’s how I met a lot of people: Adam Shelton, Matt Tolfrey… a lot of UK DJs who are big in the scene now they were all young ‘uns going to Ibiza for the summer. You meet a lot of like-minded people. So that’s how we know each other, from doing a lot of seasons together and we’ve been really close friends ever since. I’d known of Lee for a while because we had mutual friends, I finally met him when me and Jamie went to a Wolf + Lamb party in New York. Then, not this Sonar but the one before, me and Tom Craven managed to blag the W Hotel for a Hot Natured party – I had a semi-decent slot early on but Dyed [Soundorom] came and his decks weren’t working and he was running late anyway, so I managed to get his set before Jamie and Lee. I played a good two hours in front of lots of agents and press… and I smashed it. So from there they asked to go to Miami, Detroit and all the parties. And I’d just got in the studio and done Suck It, so Jamie went ‘Do you wanna be the resident DJ for Hot Natured?’ From then I moved to London with Jamie, Will our agent and Lee Foss comes back and forth – as the label grew, I grew with it, and it became a three-way thing. They’re still the bosses but they’ve made me the A&R for the label – it’s the best job in the world for me, that’s my passion because I’m constantly digging for new tunes. Also, you get to make people’s day by given them a call and telling them we’re taking the tune – that’s a big thing for me, to see someone buzzing off something like that.

That must be a really good feeling… so do you think being involved with Hot Creations has helped you develop as an artist?

Oh yeah, massively. I’m not gonna pretend this is all me, I’ve got so much respect for Jamie… more than anyone in the business, and Lee for that matter. I realise the opportunity they gave me, I wouldn’t be in this position if I didn’t get that opportunity. Having said that, I’ve said that to them but they’ve said ‘No one’s worked as hard, or done as good a job as you, so you deserve it’. But it’s really not just what you know in this business, it’s who you know – you could be making the best tunes, but you’re not gonna get them to the right ears… well, you could do but it’s not gonna happen in a year. I would never have done it this quick, without Jamie’s help, Lee’s help, Ed Karney’s help…

Yeah it’s been a proper leg up for you hasn’t it.

Oh massively yeah, massively.

So when you first got involved with the whole outfit, did you have any firm plans or ambitions?

I did. I’m a big believer in positive thinking, books like The Secret and that… without sounding too spiritual. I did think to myself ‘This is what I need to do’ – last year I said to everyone ‘I’ll be in DC10 [this year], by the end of the summer’ and I did. I’ve been really hard working with my production to get EPs out here and there. Most of the targets I’ve set myself so far I’ve met. For instance, doing proper Hot Creations parties… the New Year’s Day party, that was my idea, I found the venue and pushed for them to do it.

Have you learnt any lessons so far?

I’ve learned that you don’t get anything without hard work. I’ve learned that, if you rest on your laurels in the business for six months, you fall back and if you fall back it takes two steps to get even get near where you were before. I’ve learned that this business is a complete career and it’s got the same dynamics as a lot of other careers – like, if I do a mix, it’s got to make sure it’s right, it’s almost like a calling card.

Richy Ahmed – Ibiza Voice Podcast by gbijlmakers

You’ve played all over the world this year, what have been some of your best memories?

Playing fabric, the first time was at the Hot Creations party which was absolutely awesome. They asked me back six weeks later to play with Art Department, that was in the main room… but my main highlight of the year, I must admit, had to be playing DC10.

Yeah I was gonna ask you about that…

…that was one of the highlights of my life to be honest. We’ve been going to DC10 (me, J, Lee, Adam Shelton) from about 2002… between 2002 and 2005, it was literally every week, religiously. We always used say when we were young ‘Definitely gonna play here soon’. I remember when Jamie had his first gig there and it was amazing, but I never really took DJing seriously back then – as soon as I started taking it seriously I said ‘I’ve got to play DC10’. To be honest that was another one Jamie helped with… I’d been playing a couple after-parties and the guys had seen me, they knew I was good enough – thing is with DC10, if you push too much you turn them the other way…

…so you have to play it cool I guess?

Yeah, and Jamie and Clive [Henry] had put in a good word for me and I got the call off Jamie saying ‘I’ve just got you the DC10 closing party’. I was in Mexico with my girlfriend at the time, I just screamed out in the hotel room and nearly fell off my seat. I sent Jamie a text back straight away saying ‘I love you mate, I fucking love you’ – He sent one back saying ‘Bless you mate, I’ve just shown Antonio [owner of DC10] your text!’. I was ‘Ah cheers mate’, I couldn’t play the cool card any longer – I felt like a complete idiot.

So they’re having back there next year then?

To be honest one of my main goals is to be a resident there. That’s what I’ve always wanted to achieve.

I’m sure you can make that happen.

We’ll see, I’ll die a happy man if I can.

So I wanna talk to you about your remix of Baby I Got It. Miguel’s version was quite sweet and funky and then you turned into a beast…

When me and Miguel work together it’s somewhere in the middle. I like disco and stuff, but I also like it ‘bad boy’. Miguel likes it a certain way – so, I had the parts and I made a remix and Jamie and that loved it straight away. So I decided, Miguel does his disco thing and that’s his thing, I don’t wanna just do another version of him. I wanted it to be completely different and a bit more dancefloor. When I first played it to him, his initial reaction was ‘I don’t like it’. I didn’t think he would – but I played it out in a club and he came back to me and said ‘It’s still not what I would have done, but it’s a fat track mate, respect respect’.

Haha, wicked. And you said going to Ibiza really switched you on to house yeah?

Oh completely, going to Ibiza changed my ethos on life. I was from South Shields, I got into a lot of trouble, I was in gangs and stuff – our way of thinking was different, close-minded, full of ourselves. I went to Ibiza and decided to work a couple of seasons and it changed everything, I was more open to different people and new experiences and the music, it just changed the way I was – I was more chilled, relaxed just a different person. Even people back home people didn’t recognize me. What it did was made the music so much more important to me.

Totally, I wouldn’t be talking to you now if it wasn’t for going to Ibiza.

Me neither mate. From the early days Jamie always knew what he wanted, but I didn’t really know – but I know if it wasn’t for Ibiza I definitely wouldn’t be doing this, I know for a fact. I wanna get married there and I’ll retire there when I’m older – at least for the summer anyway.

Catch Richy Ahmed at the huge Hot Natured party in London this New Year’s Day alongside Lee Foss and Jamie Jones, Art Department, Maceo Plex and more – for more information click HERE.

For his exclusive mix, click HERE.

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