Manchester madman, Chimpo has just dropped Frontline, his debut EP on Marcus Intalex’s Soul:R Recordings, so we took a few minutes out of his day to talk to him about the release.

For some of our American audience that might be less clued in to the goings-on of a Mancunian MC/DJ/Producer, tell us a bit about how you got into drum & bass, grime, dubstep?

Everyone at school played Drum’n’Bass. We called it Jungle then. I still do. The term the Drum’nBass makes me think of students. In French lesson everyone would go crazy so the teacher would have to get the headteacher from the office. We would lock the classroom door and get the stereo out and listen to Hysteria and Jungle Slammer tapes for the rest of the lesson. JSD from Virus Syndicate introduced me to Dubstep and I was making UK Garage when it was turning into Grime, before Grime had its name.

Expounding even more on that, what were your influences growing up?

Rap and Ninja Turtles.

Where did the name Chimpo come from?

I was in a rap group called Northern Monkeys. Seen a character called Johnny Chimpo on some daft film called ‘Super Troopers’ I’m called John so it made sense as a DJ name. It proper stuck though. Think it suits me.

You’ve been deep into dubstep and have several releases going back several years, but what made you decide to put out a drum & bass EP?

I always made Jungle since I started making tunes. It’s harder to mixdown than other genres though and I had a rubbish set up before recently so I never finished anything. I’ve got a semi-okay set up now though and Dub Phizix gave me loads of badboy plug-ins so I can make Jungle now. YES!

Can you provide some insight into the track collaboration process with various producers you’ve worked with recently, i.e. Dub Phizix, Enei, and Calibre?

Calibre and Enei both live in different countries so those collabs were done online. With Dub Phizix it’s more of an organic process. I feed him crisps until he makes a good hi-hat pattern then I do all the rest.

Any plans to tour the States for the release?

Yes. I toured the states years ago. It was amazing. I shot guns and everything. I really wanna get back over there. I want T Pain to host my sets though.

Who’s the best MC in Manchester?

I’m though(sic) only good one to be honest. I support Strategy, Fox, Konny Kon, Skittles and them cuz they try really hard and I back DRS cuz he used to be a boxer. They’re all really bad though. I have to write all their lyrics for them.

How hard was it to find a monkey costume in your size for the Headtop Video? (Click here for the vid.)

I just stretched it. It’s too small still but it just makes it sexier.

How big a fan of bolognese are you?

It’s pretty sick but Lasagne murks it everytime.

Chimpo – Frontline EP is OUT NOW!

Follow Chimpo on Twitter @CHIMPOMCR.