Articles - Interviews

“You don't necessarily have to be a rugged lumberjack survivalist type to stay on the island, but if you're the kind of person who needs to wear high heels and make-up at all times to feel comfortable it may not be for you. But if you're not made out of sugar, and you don't mind a bit of nature, you'll have a blast . . . “

Berlin/ Bar 25 house hero Jake the Rapper:

Jonty Skrufff: What did you think of this year's event compared to previous years: what stood out?

Jake the Rapper: “Well it was shorter, for me at least. I spent several days on the island the year before last, which really allowed me to become part of it and the community. This year I tried to bring my fiancee and our one year old daughter, and that didn't work out, we ended up stuck in Göteborg in the rain. I was able to make it to the island for 24 hours. 24 great hours, of course but I only really got to develop new friendships with about three people and they were also cut short.”

Skrufff: All the DJs always play for free: what is it about SIN that makes you want to be involved?

Jake the Rapper: “It’s funny, but as I started getting ready to go, and checking if I had all my rain gear and things, and realising that I didn't have a decent tent or proper rubber boots yet, I was asking myself that same question. Why am I flying to Sweden in the middle of a beautiful Berlin summer to go to a possibly stormy isolated island with a handful of freaks? But the closer I got, the more excited I got. And when I had finally made it to onto the boat heading for the island, watching all the other little islands pass by, I was filled with anticipation and was practically beside myself with excitement by the time we had landed on the beach. And I was not at all let down over the next 24 hours, every minute was a unique, beautiful experience.”

Skrufff: What makes SIN different from other festivals?

Jake the Rapper: “Well, it's very unassuming-looking. You can't take satisfactory pictures of it, and you can't really describe it to someone who wasn't there. A lot of the great things in life are like that, especially the things based more on essence than surface. There's a definite feeling, a vibe . . . something!  . . that I just can't put my finger on. Most of the pictures show what looks like some hippies stomping around in their wellies in the mud in the wind and the rain. But it's such a joy and everyone is having such a great time and the whole atmosphere is amazing.

People who have come this far, and are willing to endure whatever nature dishes up for them just to be together and enjoy the music and being together, give off a certain aura that can be quite powerful and intense. But it's a very mellow, calm, relaxed vibe. No-one's in a hurry, there's all the time in the world to get acquainted, to talk about your heart's desires. And the place itself is so incredibly beautiful. But its so subtle that if you try to take a picture of it with your phone camera or your little hobby snapshot camera, it just looks like some grey rocks in the sea. But that's not it at all. There's so much detail to the place. It's so hi-definition. and Anyway, the whole thing is just sort of magical, and you can't really expect to get a feeling for it second-hand. Not through stories or through recordings of it. You just have to take everyone's word for it who's ever been there. The consensus is inevitably that it was amazing and that they'll be back again next year.”

Skrufff: How much of a problem is the weather; how do you handle storms and being soaked (without getting fed up?)

Jake the Rapper: “Bring a good tent, and good rain gear, ie comfortable wellingtons, rain pants, and raincoat. If you feel comfortable in them, the rain won't matter to you at all. If you can sit down and roll around in your outfit without getting soaked, you'll have a great time. It's not freezing cold, it's still summer even in Sweden. I went swimming in the sea while it was raining there on both occasions, and all that mattered was a dry area to towel off and get dressed afterwards, which was right there by the beach. You don't necessarily have to be like a rugged lumberjack survivalist type to stay on the island, but if you're the kind of person who needs to wear high heels and make up at all times to feel comfortable it may not be for you. If you're not made out of sugar, and you don't mind a bit of nature though, you'll have a blast. You just have to be prepared to take care of things yourself a bit though, that's all.”

Skrufff: What would you change about SIN?

Jake the Rapper: “I don't really care for the name Sweutschland, to me it sounds too much like swastika and Deutschland combined. I suggested ånland, but that never really caught on. Other than that, any little inconveniences or organisational problems are to be expected. A handful of people are organising a hell of a lot for very little personal and, I believe, almost no monetary return. So if the boats were late, or if there wasn’t any Coca Cola on Saturday, or whatever, it's all to be expected and accepted, considering how much so few have brought together at the end of the world.”

Skrufff: What advice would you offer someone who's never been before?

Jake the Rapper: “When you get to the port, before you board the boat to the island, there's a teensy tinsy fish shop, right on the pier. First, buy some langoustines and eat them right there or on your boat trip and throw the shells in the water. Then, make sure you get some smoked, peppered mackerel and save it for the right moment on the island. It's the best ever. Other advice than that? Spend as much time on the dance floor as possible, rain or shine. When you need a break, explore the island. Don't be afraid to go everywhere, the rocks are so climbable, it's as if they were intended for us. And when you're at the top of the hills, lie down in the underbrush, it's amazingly cushy and soft and you can lie there away from the music for a while and appreciate one of the most amazing skies you'll ever see in your lifetime.”

For more on Jake, click here: http://www.jakelovesyou.com


Jonty Skrufff (http://skrufff.com): Follow Jonty on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/djjontyskrufff