Klashnekoff comes out guns blazing

Klashnekoff was a founder member of the Terra Firma rap group

UK rapper Klashnekoff - whose latest album is expected to be the hottest new release in British hip hop this year - describes himself as a "rapper, MC and street journalist".

The musician, from Hackney in east London, released his debut album The Sagas Of..., in 2004.

He told BBC World Service's The Beat programme that his follow-up, Lionheart: Tussle With The Beast, is a more structured album, with greater maturity.

"I'm older, and the way it sounds is more on a par with the Americans - the quality is better," he said.

"There's a bit more of my optimistic side too. I'm a bit more constructive now."

Breakthrough

A number of the tracks from The Sagas Of... were big hits on urban radio stations, but, until the recent release of Lionheart, Klashnekoff had chosen not to make a second album, focusing instead on mixtapes.

WHO IS KLASHNEKOFF? Began rapping at age of 10 Chose name after seeing children waving guns as "symbols of freedom" on news Has said he wants to be "the rap Bob Marley" Debut album The Sagas Of... released in 2004 Broke through with track It's Murda, a staple on urban music TV station Channel U

Early in his career, Klashnekoff explains, the lyrics would come straight off the top of his head.

"The writing process used to be about spontaneous emotion - just going with it and having the drive to do it there and then, wherever it was.

"It could be a stairwell, it could be a train station, anywhere," he said.

"I just wanted to convey my pain there and then - it was a form of therapy for me."

But with Lionheart, his rapping has taken a new direction

"Now what I find is that, because I'm getting into the business element of it, I'm having to write more to deadlines and more to projects in their context."

He also explained that much of his music "derives from pain" .

"I observe and look around, and see.

"It's not particularly autobiographical in terms of literally breaking down my life - it's just breaking down elements of my life, and elements of things that I see around me."

Lionheart still maintains plenty of anger. In particular, Klashnekoff savages urban TV station Channel U on his track Revolution.

Although Channel U at one time helped bring Klashnekoff to prominence, he argued that what was once a tool for aspiring young rappers now lacks quality control and context.

"I became disillusioned watching that, thinking of kids sitting eating their chicken and chips and watching that rubbish," he said.

"The bottom line is, the revolution will not be downloaded to you. You can't microwave it.

"It's not going to come on Channel U - you have to get off your backside and make it happen."