AJForty7 on “36”, Mukkaflex and the state of Scottish hip-hop

When SHHC reached out to AJForty7 about **“36”**, the first surprise for him was simply that someone had been paying attention.

“I wasn’t expecting anyone to recognise 36, let alone stay on top of the analysis,” he says. “It was surprising, but good to see. I appreciate the support and recognition.”

The story behind the track itself is much more straightforward.

“36” came together quickly, with producers **Koren and wunofone** providing the foundation.

“The story behind 36 is pretty straightforward. It was made quick. Producers Koren and wunofone done their thing and made a beat I couldn’t refuse, especially leading into our Mukkaflex sound.”

There wasn’t a long process of trying to force a track into existence. The beat arrived, it fitted where AJ was heading musically, and the record followed.

Shaped by environment

Asked which artists have shaped his own work, AJ doesn’t immediately reach for a list of names.

For him, influence goes beyond music.

“I’d focus more on my environment and situations that have shaped my art. I have influences, of course, but that’s not what motivates me or pushes me over the line to create.”

It’s a distinction that says quite a lot about how he approaches his music. Other artists may influence the sound, but the motivation to actually make something comes from what is happening around him.

“Unfortunately there is no scene”

AJ is considerably more direct when the conversation turns towards Scottish hip-hop itself.

“Unfortunately there is no scene.”

He isn’t arguing that Scotland lacks rappers, producers or people putting work in. His criticism is that all of that activity has not, in his view, developed into something with enough infrastructure or collective weight behind it.

“There are people doing things, but nothing that holds major weight within a wider community or nationally,” he says. “We have groups of people and individuals that create and make music, but unfortunately hold no weight.”

For AJ, that is where one of the major problems sits.

“Within rap and hip-hop there is no support or infrastructure for this movement.”

He is equally critical when it comes to standards within the music itself, arguing that having a large number of people making rap does not automatically mean there is a large pool of developed artists.

“There is a lack of quality control. We have loads of people who rap, but not a lot of actual artists. Lucky if we can take five percent of them serious.”

It is a strong assessment, and one that others within Scottish hip-hop will inevitably have their own views on.

But AJ’s distinction is clear: the existence of artists, releases and smaller groups does not necessarily amount to a functioning national scene with the infrastructure and support to carry that work further.

His summary of the problem is even more direct.

**“Scotland sleep on Scotland. We are our worst enemy.”**

What comes next

AJ’s recent single is **“Mukkanese”**, and it doesn’t sound like things are slowing down.

“We have been working on loads, have loads in the pipe. We’ll be dropping plenty before the year is over.”

And he leaves the door open for a much bigger conversation than a written Q&A.

“If you’d like to hear more, get me on a platform.”

Given some of the views he has raised here, there is plenty still worth talking about.

*Responses have been lightly edited for spelling and clarity.*