We Had A Chat With Benga About Racing His Maserati, Drugs and His Post-Afro Phase

Benga has had a pretty hectic year. He’s had his name posted up across flyers around the country, presented his own show on Radio 1 and cut off his afro. As part of the post-fro phase, he’s recently been releasing a behind the scenes documentary series with Red Bull Studios, further cementing him as a household DJ name. We caught up with Benga to try to talk about drugs and how much he likes to drive his Maserati.

Noisey: What’s up man?

Benga: Yeah, all good man.

You’ve got a new video series out with Red Bull, tell me about that?

Originally, last year, I discussed a plan of something that I wanted to do in 2012. I said that I wanted to film a TV show style documentary. I told Red Bull about some of the stuff that I wanted to do and they told me that I’d be able to do it so we ran with it.

Do you get a lifetime supply of Red Bull?

Oh my God. In my house at the moment I’m pretty sure I’ve got about 300/400 cans.

Shit! That’s a lot of late nights.

Haha, that’s why I wake up in the morning like aaahhhtyrigpeygelaygr!!!!

You can’t be getting any sleep at all! You’ve cut your afro off now haven’t you?

True story. True story.

Is this the start of a post-fro phase Benga?

Yeah. It’s funny that you say that because I feel like a lot has changed since I cut my hair off. In terms of body things, I’ve changed my figure and changed my hair colour. It has a lot to do with how I’ve changed mentally.

You changed your figure, do you mean going to the gym and getting hench?

Yeah! You know how we do.

You seem like you enjoy a mad night out. Tell me some stories?

There’s some mental stuff that I’m pretty sure I can’t talk about. Nights out, do you mean playing at shows? Or in general?

Just a BIG night.

One of my biggest nights has to have been a show that I played at a festival in Croatia. I was watching people go up the bungee jump and no one was jumping off. I was on in about 20-25 minutes, but as I kept watching it people were going up the top, but then coming back down. I was like - ‘Fuck it, I’m going to do it – and I jumped and the whole crowd saw me do it. The whole crowd went mental. I literally had 5 minutes to get back down and get back on to the stage.

That must have been such a rush for you going on stage straight after?

Aah mate, I managed to fit in sex, bungee jump and go on stage within that space of time. It was mad.

Sounds it. Who’s the best partythrower in the business?

It depends. Promoter wise, I’m going to have to say Barry from Bigger than Barry. He’s an absolute nutter. I’d definitely go out with him. DJ wise, it’d have to be Skream.

Yeah? My friend interviewed Skream in Bournemouth last weekend and he was just walking around with loaves of bread on his hands. Is that a regular occurrence?

It’s what he always does, that’s his pre-show ritual.

But why bread?

I think it resembles P, cheese, bread, paper. Haha!

What’s the biggest night you and Skream have had then?

Aah man, listen. We’ve had many a mad night and a lot of it I can’t say. But we used to stay up regularly for three nights in a row. I remember once we stayed up in Australia, and I’m not saying what we were doing, but it was some mental drug. I ended up on the third day in going to an after party, but Skream and someone else wouldn’t leave the hotel. They ended up leaving the hotel but they looked really sketchy. The three of us looked really sketchy and I started to get a bit worried in my head, so I decided to go back to the hotel and get some sleep.

Yeah.

On the way back to the hotel I must have passed out and knocked myself out. Someone put me in Skreams room. I don’t know how it happened. But I woke up in Skreams room and I’d bled all over the room. I must have cut my head open.

You said you didn’t want to mention what drugs you were taking whereas in the past you’ve always seemed comfortable talking about drugs in interviews. Has something changed for you?

100%. I don’t really do drugs anymore. In fact, each to their own. If someone wants to do drugs then do it. But I don’t think as a DJ or role model I should promote that.

Cool. I read in an interview that you like to drive your car at something stupid like 170mph, isn’t that illegal?

I did get caught for it, to be fair! It was fucking mental. When I first bought this car I went mental in it because I’d never drove anything like it before. Being able to hit 160 and 170 just like that, you always want more and more. I was going crazy, I lost my licence twice in the space of 4-5 months.

When I was younger I always wanted to be able to do Need For Speed type races. Do you ever do anything like that?

I nearly did. But my management got involved and stopped it.

Killed it.

Yeah, you know what I thought after that – I don’t like them anymore – haha!

What are you driving now?

I got a couple cars but my favourite is my Maserati.

What’d you think about David Rodigan leaving Kiss FM?

I dunno, sometimes people just want to move on. He’s been in the game for ages now.

You had a radio show with Skream right? What’s going on with that?

Yeah, we used to do Radio 1 together. We’ll be doing something next year, but at the moment till the end of the year Skream and Benga aren’t going to be doing any more shows together.

Is that to do with Radio 1 stuff? Or is it your choice?

We’re going to try. We’ve been writing a lot of music together which we’ve never really done before. We always used to write tracks separately and came together because we were the best of friends and always used to play shows together. Skream wants to do something different to what I want to do at the moment, so, I guess I need my own space and he needs his own space and we can crack on. We’re always going to come back together and do shit. We always have the maddest nights out and always do mad shit and you can’t really break that.

What’s coming up for next year?

From today till this time next year my plan is this – I’ve got three tracks coming out before the end of the year. One of them is called Coming Out, one is called Open Your Eyes, which I’ve just shot the video for. It’s the darkest video ever. I’m touring with Example in Feb which I’m really looking forward to. He’s one of my good friends, he inspires me and he does mad shit. He’s another one I like to party with.

Yeah.

Then the next thing is just really accelerating with my record label and putting out my own record on Sony, which is coming out in February.

Safe, last thing. You’re called Benga. It kinda reminds me of a Bengal Cat. What’s your favourite breed of cat, or big cat?

I’d have to say a Lion.

King of the jungle!

Yeah, I’d have to go with that. True story.

Thanks Benga!

To watch the 'I Am Benga' series and to see more exclusive Benga & Red Bull Studios content please go toredbullstudios.com/iambenga