“You can get anything you want in life – you’ve just gotta work hard for it,” enthuses hip hop emcee and budding entrepreneur, Bundi. At the age of 22, the East London lyricist knows a fair bit about the hardknock hustle.

From the highs of breaking into the scene with his co-directed and self-financed video ‘That’s Who He Is’, to the lows of seeing his friend die in front of him, at the age of 16, Bundi maintains a clear vision and a phenomenal work ethic.

Raised in a fatherless house, Bundi grew up with a mum who worked two jobs. Needless to say, she rarely saw her son. As an only child, Bundi would find creative ways to stave off the loneliness. Whenever they enjoyed quality time his mum would sing. Looking back, Bundi sites her songs as the catalyst for picking up the mic. However, his decision didn’t fully meet the approval of a mum whose passion for gospel was far removed from his burgeoning interest in hip hop.

“When my mum bought me my first stereo we had constant complaints from the neighbours about the volume,” laughs Bundi, who would turn it up loud so he could lose himself in the music.

Recording songs off the radio, played by DJs like Tim Westwood, helped a young hip hop fan stayed in tune with the latest. Growing up in a strong Christian household, he was smart enough to play his ‘nonsense music’ when his mother was at work.

Reciting famous rhymes was a favourite Bundi pastime. Back then, US rap ruled and his dream of success seemed to lie thousands of miles away. Then So Solid Crew emerged. The success of the ground breaking South London collective led Bundi to delve into UK garage. Aged 13, he was inspired to write his first lyric.

“You can have the best product but if you don’t know how to promote yourself its pointless” Bundi

School days played a major role in the growth of Bundi’s as an artist. From lunchtime lyrical clashes, to bunking off to record ‘garage sets’ at a friend’s house, to constantly getting in trouble for listening to his CD player during lessons, Bundi was hooked.

Growing in confidence, Bundi used his initiative and formed a crew of his own with a school friend. Initially called Desert Eagles, they changed their name to T.I.M.E (Three Intelligent Minds Energizing). Between 2005 and 2006, Bundi financed and helped to produce the first T.I.M.E mixtape ‘The Beginning of Time’ – a 28-track affair showcasing the crew’s lyrical and musical versatility.

Just as the plan was coming together, Bundi’s close friend Big J passed away. His tragic death made Bundi even more determined to represent for his crew. Going to all corners of London, Bundi would put the mixtape in shops and give out the CD at live shows and clubs.

The success of the T.I.M.E mixtape encouraged Bundi to work on his solo project ‘Divide & Conquer’. Despite being close to completion, the hours clocked up in the studio saw Bundi lose his passion and focus. When he found out that the G5, holding all of his songs, had a virus and erased all of its content, Bundi hit a new low. This setback put all musical ambitions on hold. For months, he refused to write any material or book studio. It took an impassioned plea from a close friend for Bundi to refocus. An 18-song sampler was produced in a month as a result - Bundi was back.

The response from the ‘Divide & Conquer’ sampler was positive. An open mic spot at the respected industry night ILUVLIVE caught the attention of DJ Twin B, from BBC 1xtra, who offered him invaluable advice. Bundi went straight to work on the final mixtape and in 3 months it was complete.

“When my mum bought me my first stereo we had constant complaints from the neighbours about the volume." Bundi

Tracks like ‘Am I the Best’, ‘Industry Chicks’ and ‘Feelings’ all express the different aspects and emotions of this multifaceted emcee. With ‘Divide & Conquer’ signed off, Bundi stepped up the work rate. His version of Kano’s ‘Hustler’ gained him vital exposure on BBC 1xtra and has started an industry buzz.

With ambitions to get his face on the scene, Bundi teamed up with video director cum music producer DJ Porge to deliver the promo for the infectious single ‘That’s Who He Is’. Bundi displayed his versatility on the track, using two different flows and incorporating hard-hitting punch lines. Fans of Channel Flava and You Tube followers bore witness.

The second video ‘Girls’, builds on this success. Produced by legendary UK hip hop producer Fusion (Estelle, Fallacy, The Streets, Skibadee), the soulful track is a comical depiction of the various ladies Bundi has met on his travels.

“You can have the best product but if you don’t know how to promote yourself its pointless,” states Bundi, as he prepares to go on the promo trail.

Making good use of his adventures in marketing, Bundi’s campaign includes promo T-shirts (with the slogan ‘Girls…..cant live with them, cant live with out them’), cheeky stickers, a viral ad and an eye-catching music video.

‘Girls’ has already featured on BBC 1xtra’s Homegrown show, is gaining support by tastemakers at Urban Development and is currently on the playlist at various underground radio stations.

Next year holds great promise for Bundi, as he gears up to the release the highly anticipated ‘Divide & Conquer’ album. With a sequel already in the pipeline, this motivated emcee is showing no signs of slowing down. The release of ‘Girls’ is set to make him a household name in hip hop circles.

Armed with talent, tenacity and a talented team, Bundi is finally ready to make his mark on the game.

LINKS:

• Watch the video for 'Girls' here
• Listen to 'Girls' here
• Watch the trailer here
• Visit Bundi in Myspace. Click here