Spotlight On... Steg G

Steven Gilfoyle, aka Steg G, has been an integral part of Scotland's vibrant hip-hop scene since the 90s, and in 2022 he's still going strong, with a new body of collaborative work, Surface Pressure, due this Friday 18 March. The third in a series of commissions from The Glasgow Barons, Surface Pressure sees Steg G focusing his creativity on the impacts of climate change.

Working alongside some of the country's most talented rappers, vital bars are delivered from the likes of Nova, Solareye and Conscious Route, with relative newcomer Sweet Rogue's turn on No Future, delivered with such a spiky urgency, one of the most exciting moments on the record. Ahead of the album's release, and launch event at the Grand Ole Opry this Sunday 20 March, we shine a spotlight on Steg G to find out more.

This is your third album in a series commissioned by The Glasgow Barons – how did the commission come about?
I first met Paul [MacAlindin], the conductor from The Glasgow Barons, when he moved to Govan and came to visit us at Sunny G Radio. I guess we were both quite curious about each other's music and areas of creativity as the genres of classical music and hip-hop are quite alien to each other and rarely crossover.

My knowledge of classical music was very limited at that time, and I guess that Paul's knowledge of hip-hop was equally limited, but we soon realised that we had lots in common, including the fact that we both undertake very challenging roles, like Paul conducting the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq and me making hip-hop in Scotland. 

We didn't start out to make three albums. We didn't even know if we would be able to make one, but we got on well working together and the actual albums and live shows with the orchestra have been critically acclaimed, so we just kept it all moving forward. I half-joke when I say that the new album’s part three of a four-part trilogy.

Surface Pressure sees you working once again with a whole host of talented emcees. How do you go about curating the artists you work with on your records?
Curating the records was kind of easy as most of the artists I worked with on these records I have worked with previously and I have good working and personal relationships with; they are so skilled and professional that it’s a joy to work with them.

When I know what textures, narrative and vibe I'm looking for I already know what artists are best placed to bring that subject to life, and what will fit well with their own artistic vision. I was definitely keen to use this opportunity to start building new working relationships with artists I've been a fan of such as such as Nova, Sweet Rogue and Johnny Cypher.

What inspired you to make a record about climate change?
I'm not an eco warrior by any stretch of the imagination, but I do try to do my bit for the environment where possible. I've seen first-hand the effects of climate change when I went to South Uist – I could see how coastal erosion had reduced the arable land and the people’s ability to farm crops and sustain a living. It's a huge issue that I don't see enough chat about so it’s good to get a dialogue going around the subject.

Paul from The Glasgow Barons was keen to do something that reflected on climate change from the perspective of everyday people. Lots of classical music is built around suites and themes, so if Vivaldi was around these days I reckon he’d be writing music about climate change.

You have a performance coming up at Glasgow's Grand Ole Opry this weekend. What can people expect on the night?
People assume that classical music and hip-hop don't work well together but in actual fact when done right the artforms complement each other; both genres can be dogged with dodgy stereotypes, but this is a great chance to blow all that old news out the frame.

At the Grand Ole Opry you will get to see some of the country’s finest rap artists alongside some incredible classical musicians, all coming together in unity, community love and good music. This a really unique event; with ten of Scotland’s best rappers on the same stage it's [already] a huge event, but add in an orchestral performance and the Grand Ole Opry, [it will be] a true once-in-a-lifetime experience.

What does the rest of the year hold for Steg G?
Who knows?! Although I do have some demons to get off my chest so that’s defo on the agenda.

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Surface Pressure is self-released on 18 Mar; the album launch takes place with The Glasgow Barons at the Grand Ole Opry, Glasgow, 20 Mar – tickets available via Eventbrite

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