Jason Parish AKA Paranoia MC

This interview with Jason Parish, also known as Paranoia MC, traces his journey through the early Milton Keynes hip-hop scene, from his childhood influences to his later collaborations and reflections on how the culture has evolved. Born in Lusaka, Zambia, he moved to the UK at the age of six and grew up in Conniburrow, Milton Keynes. His early exposure to hip-hop in the mid-1980s came through artists such as Run-DMC, LL Cool J, Eric B. & Rakim and the Beastie Boys, which inspired him to begin beatboxing and writing lyrics as a teenager.

He began experimenting with rap and beatboxing around 1990 and became involved in the local scene through youth clubs and under-16s venues such as Connection Sixteen at The Point. A key turning point came when he introduced himself to DJ Roughcut, who was looking for rappers. This led to Jason recording his first tracks and forming the group Death Before Dishonour (DBD) in the early 1990s with school friends. The group wrote and recorded songs in bedroom studios and distributed their music on cassette tapes, which circulated widely and helped them gain recognition across Milton Keynes and nearby areas.

DBD performed regularly at local venues including Bar Central, Directors and other clubs, as well as events like the Rollers skating nights in Bletchley. At a time when hip-hop was not widely embraced, these performances and tape exchanges were key to building a local underground following. After the group split, Jason continued recording under the name JTR (Jack the Ripper), working closely with DJ Roughcut and performing at open mic nights.

Following a period of serious health issues, including open heart surgery, he later re-emerged as Paranoia MC. He collaborated with UnStoppable Nature (USN), contributing vocals and beatboxing to their album Da Burna Mentality, and later formed the duo Rezon and Paranoia with a longtime childhood friend. Together they performed at festivals and venues around Milton Keynes, building on the local reputation he had established earlier.

In the late 2000s, Parish achieved a major milestone by recording and releasing music on vinyl with DJ Spatts and the collective 32 Troop. Seeing his name printed on a physical record was a defining moment, reinforcing his belief in his abilities as an artist. He later worked with Planet of the Fakes, contributing to several vinyl releases and collaborating with rappers from across the UK and beyond.

Reflecting on the present, Parish sees Milton Keynes as a place where hip-hop culture has grown significantly. While opportunities were limited when he was young, he now takes pride in seeing new generations creating music independently. For him, hip-hop is a unifying culture that builds friendships, identity and community, and has remained a lifelong source of creativity and connection.