In the first interview of the season, Amelia Hamilton joins Pepper&Salt to discuss her plans for her Edinburgh Fringe debut – Forget Me Not – the pre-apocalypse party and Daveed Diggs’ words per minute.
What’s the elevator pitch for your show?
You get into the elevator.
Rap music starts playing.
You say ‘OMG this song is so good.’
I say ‘Thanks, it’s mine and it’s literally just the music playing before the show even starts.’
You say ‘What! There’s a whole show full of this? Some of the most dexterous lyricism combined with the sickest beats?’
I say ‘Yeah and also the funniest stand up too.’
You say ‘I’m there.’
What songs are 100% on the soundtrack at the party at the end of the world/apocalypse?
Well my own tracks should get some air time I reckon? No better time to indulge in some overt narcissism than at the end of the world. To decide who’s joining me I’ve just gone on my ‘On Repeat’ section on Spotify to see what my top songs are. These will change next week so don’t hold me to it, but right now it would be Hey Mama by the Black Eyed Peas, Vossi Bop by Stormzy and I Like to Move It (Bass Boosted) by ICE CREAM MUSIC which is a weird remix of Ludacris and the film Madagascar. I think after this playlist death can’t come soon enough.
Favourite rap artist or source of inspiration?
No one can possibly have one favourite artist or source of inspiration. I’m a mix of eternal devotion towards Eminem, Ludacris, Bo Burnham, Childish Gambino, Justina Valentine, Doechii, Tim Minchin, Missy Elliott, DMX, Cali Swag District the list goes on.
If it’s not too much of a spoiler, what is the throughline that ties the show together?
In two words – joyful nihilism. That’s all the spoilers you’re getting.
What is your writing process like?
It looks like an incoherent code system on my notes app with different documents filled with ideas or things I feel stuff about. (Yes ‘things I feel stuff about’ is the exact wording I wanted). I then usually have a good instinct about whether an idea would fit more as a topic or a rap. Writing straight stand up I’m sure I’m like most people, trial and error. You put it out there and gradually make improvements until it’s something you’re happy with. For rap the stakes are a little higher because you have to spend a bit longer making the beat and words aren’t as easy to substitute. Every time you need to do rewrites it’s a bigger overhaul. But it’s all very fun.
How did you become a comedian?
Usual story. One day I met a troll under the bridge and he gave me three wishes.
What do you enjoy about being a rap comic?
That I get the best of everything. I love stand up and I get to do that as much as I want and some weeks it’s all I want to do and so I will do only straight stand up sets. But I also have this whole other aspect of comedy to play with. Rap as a form lends itself to comedy so well. I mean listen to any rap there’s double entendre, there’s puns, it’s inbuilt in the use of language. So playing with it all is probably my favourite part.
How did you come to rap as a medium through which to do musical comedy?
I did rap before comedy. It was something I loved and after an initial stint of doing straight stand up, I began incorporating it. I wish I had a more interesting story but that’s kinda it.
How did you figure out that it suited your style of comedy?
I just did what I felt compelled towards and what I wanted. I really believe if you try and figure out what your style is too early or have certain ideas of what you want to be then you are losing so much of that play and creativity. It just kinda happened. And hopefully will continue to do so.
Why did you choose this topics to explore for your debut?
I feel like I have so little agency over topics. I write what I feel strongly about. If I’m not interested in something, it’s hard to bring myself to write anything on it. There’s always plenty of things fizzing away in my brain. Between you and me, my second and third shows are already being written up there. I promise, shows two and three already have titles, narrative arcs, aesthetics all sorts. I don’t feel as though I chose them so much as those topics compel me to think about them.
Would you help settle the age old debate of whether the musical Hamilton counts as rap?
Yes. I think I would technically class Hamilton as a rap opera rather than a musical. There are some brilliant rappers in the cast too. Daveed Diggs who originated the role of Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson is part of a group called Clipping. They are an experimental hip hop group and it’s some of the best rap around. Honestly, go and check out their stuff. Daveed Diggs’ words per minute is mad. I practise in the shower to match some of it but he is quick. In the song Guns and Ships from Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda puts that front and centre.
What are you looking forward to about making your debut at the Edinburgh Fringe?
Ooooh loads of things. To get my first proper hour out there and have people come and see it. Performing every day. Meeting loads of new people. Being around the best of the best in comedy. Watching some brilliant shows. Hanging out with my friends. Getting inspired and jealous and tired and joyful and very drunk.
Is there anything else that you would like to mention that you haven’t been able to fit into an answer or that I haven’t asked?
I can say all the US states in Alphabetical order. That’s pretty baddass. I can solve a Rubik’s cube very slowly and I’m really good at making ramen. I am back on my obsession with Derren Brown currently so if you’ve got questions on him that’d be great. Euthanasia is also a big interest of mine especially with the recent rulings over here. Wait no where are you going. Don’t leave, we’re just getting started.
By Katerina Partolina Schwartz
Photo credit: Rebecca Need-Menear
Pepper & Salt 
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