VM: I heard you were quite a clean-living kind of guy, though - no booze, no smoking, no drugs. Do you really buy into that whole lifestyle?
Tim Westwood: Well the reason for that, man, is like... there's nothing really going on here but work. These gruelling hours - like on Friday we finished at 7 in the morning, by 10 I was up at the garage cos I've got them doing some new s*** to my van, then came back, did the radio 9 till 11 again, and then we had to drive to Loughborough for one of the freshers' parties, and got back at 7. Then I woke up at midday and came straight into my office. That's just what we do here - we believe in working hard cos hip-hop's so big now, it's tremendous to have this opportunity to work so hard. When I started out I was doing three or four parties a month, and the majority of those were for my own promotion. Whereas now, I do three or four parties a week minimum, and they're not even promotion, I'm just turning up with my crates.
VM: You're not a young lad anymore - can you still handle the pace?
Tim Westwood: I'm shining man, it's nothing. I'm used to no sleep, I'm used to grinding. Not drinking booze is good, not getting high is good, that s*** just slows you down, man.
VM: Have you got a health and beauty regime? Is there any Westwood exfoliation going down?
Tim Westwood: Nah! Honestly man, I just keep it moving, man.
VM: So you've got a compilation CD out as well - why should we buy that?
Tim Westwood: Yeah, this is my tenth joint - Westwood: The Greatest Hip-Hop Of 2005. I wanted to call it God's Favourite DJ but the record company got scared. The cover is actually God's Favourite DJ...
VM: That looks apocalyptic.
Tim Westwood: Yeah, that's what it is, man. And that wasn't even the cover I wanted, that's what I wanted, right there (points to a picture of a giant Tim Westwood climbing over buildings, smashing cars).
VM: Crikey, that's nasty - like Godzilla Westwood on the rampage.
Tim Westwood: Yeah, that's how I was feeling at the time, man, smashing f***ing everything out there, man. This one I think is the hottest selection we've managed to get. When I first started doing compilations a few years ago you could get any track you want. Now, every label releases their own compilation, and the politics of people keeping their own joints back is intense. Million and a half sold - pretty deep in the game, man, and this one's hot to death.
VM: Eminem's done a movie, 50 Cent's done a movie - is there a Westwood movie on the way?
Tim Westwood: Nah, I think it's only appropriate that artists do movies, sneaker endorsements, clothing lines, drinks, alcohol - because this a lifestyle brand. But as a DJ, I don't think there's scope for a movie, man. There's scope for a DVD, though.
VM: But you got shot - couldn't you drag that out a bit for a film?
Tim Westwood: Nah, man, I just don't feel like my story's fascinating enough for a movie.
VM: That's very humble. Is this violence something you're still worried about, though?
Tim Westwood: Nah, never worried me for a second. The police said I should drive like a BMW Mark 3 in black...
VM: Because having "TIM WESTWOOD" written on the side of your van above a big photo of you was a bit of a giveaway?
Tim Westwood: Exactly, man. And that was the turning point, man - do I go lowkey or do I just go loud? It made me just go out there even stronger. If it happens it happens, and let's pray to God it doesn't.
VM: Everyone knows you for your love of hip-hop - are there any other genres you're really into on the side? The big dawg Beethoven, perhaps?
Tim Westwood: I love R&B, I love reggae, I like salsa but I know very little about it...
VM: Ever done any salsa dancing?
Tim Westwood: Nah, man, I'd like to go to some more salsa clubs, but there's so much happening in hip-hop it's hard to get across it all, so if I was going home and listening to some classical I just wouldn't know what was going on.
VM: Is there a Mrs Westwood you could go dancing with? There are rumours that you're the Cliff Richard of hip-hop...
Tim Westwood: What do people say about Cliff Richard?
VM: Well, y'know... he's been a bachelor for so long, people were beginning to cast aspersions...
VN: To be honest, I like keeping my life simple, man, and I think relationships, children, it's a beautiful thing, but right now I ain't built for it cos I've just gotta do what I gotta do. I ain't got time for all the arguments that go with that.
VM: Do you have any aspirations to be a producer?
Tim Westwood: Nah, my beats ain't hot, man. We tried that - we produced Monie Love, London Posse, Trouble...
VM: Surely you'd be a great MC, though?
Tim Westwood: Nah, I can't MC, I mean back in the day I used to try and kick some s***, but that's not me, man, I can't do that. And I think if I had done that I wouldn't be around now. DJs last forever, as long as you keep yourself relevant.
VM: You've broken a lot of artists into the mainstream - are there any you're particularly proud to have helped?
Tim Westwood: I think that's all just the definition of being a DJ. You've got to identify future hits, you've got to identify heat and embrace it. I think I was definitely instrumental in Eminem, 50 Cent, but I was also instrumental in Public Enemy, Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie... at the end of the day, hip-hop is driven by the artists and the audience, and I think the audience in the UK is one of the greatest for love and energy and embracing their artists, so I'm really just reflecting what goes on, man.
VM: You say there's a lot of love, but the UK can be a very cynical place. How do you cope with the Westwood haters?
Tim Westwood: I don't really experience that. Those haters aren't in my face, they don't come to my parties, I don't see them in the street, they don't come up to my office, I don't have any contact with them so I'm not really aware of them. All I'm seeing is love, support and appreciation. That's just people who appreciate the realness of what we do.
VM: So what's the future of hip-hop, Tim? You must be one of the best people to ask.
Tim Westwood: What you gotta understand is that unlike all the other genres of music, hip-hop is such a lifestyle brand it's not gonna go anywhere. We're in the hip-hop generation, this is the music of today's youth. It's got such a powerful message - hip-hop will change, but it will always be hip-hop. This is what people are growing up to and growing old with. I think hip-hop's mad regional - it went from New York and Philly to the West Coast, now it's gone down south to Atlanta and Houston, y'know, like Paul Wall and Mike Jones. I think UK hip-hop's coming into it's own, this grime scene is on fire like I've never seen before. The strength is there, man.
