Organic Collabs And A Fat Bag Of Weed

"Man, why don't you just stand on your own two feet and make a goddamn song? Nowadays it seems like everybody is turnt to always having to do collaborations," insists Riddick over endless Twitter requests to collab on tracks. "I'm like, 'Damn! Can I just do my art?' It only should happen where it's organic. Me and Snoop happened because it was very organic, it was natural."

Before releasing his latest album Invite The Light this September off Stones Throw Records, Riddick collabed with Snoop Dogg on the joint funk-rap album 7 Days Of Funk. As both natives of Los Angeles, California, born in '71 and artists of about the funkiest shit to ever drop from the West coast, Riddick insists the coming-together was strictly organic when Snoop dropped by his digs alone. No management, no label interference, just Snoop and a fat bag of weed.

"A lot of weed was smoked and what was left behind inspired other tracks he did later on for my album."

"The first song we ever did was Hit The Pavement in my house and he came over in his Porsche. We put the microphone to him and he just spit," regales Riddick. "A lot of weed was smoked and what was left behind inspired other tracks he did later on for my album."

Invite The Light, while presenting as a futuristic album through its innovative funk exploration, begins by paying back to the origins of funk on which it was based.

"This generation it seems like everybody thinks they came up with everything and they just don't care about the past. I'm not old school or new school — I'm just a timeless cat, and it's like where I was raised in my neighbourhood you're supposed to give back to the people who opened up doors for you. You are not supposed to just start doing stuff and just forget who helped you get to the point where you are at now."

The new LP opens to an intro from Junie Morrison of The Ohio Players, famous for their G-funk inspired Funky Worm, in an holistic homage to the roots of funk's historied journey.

"So with Junie Morrison it was very important because his song Funky Worm was the biggest influence to G-Funk and is attributed to a lot of hits. It was an honour to have Junie Morrison on the album. A lot of people always go to the expected funk guest, if you will. But for me being authentic I knew that Junie was the one who would anoint my records in the right way, so I chose him specifically."

Riddick is touching down in January for the Sydney Festival. No two shows of his are ever alike, insisting he never plans a set — instead feeding off the vibe of his audience which presents as a very raw and authentic output of Dam-Funk live.

"Every show is unique from itself. I never have, like, a pre-recorded show waiting for the crowd. It's always different and spontaneous." He continues, "it can be a trick, very much on your heels type situation like a rollercoaster. But, that's the thrill of it. I wanna stay as an artist where I feel it's fun and intriguing and challenging. Not where it's easy. 'Ah, let me go up here and do the set I did in the last city' — I can't do that because I'm still enjoying this as well. I'm still finding it exciting for me so I try to make each city a special experience."