Goldie: ‘I wouldn’t be seen dead without OK Computer’

The English DJ and musician reveals his favourite books, films, visual artist and more

Goldie: “I prefer films that tell real-life stories: La Haine is my all-time favourite.” Photograph: Joseph Okpako/Redferns

Favourite film

PT Anderson's Inherent Vice. I like the way he explores characters from the beginning of the journey to the end of it. If you've seen his 1999 film Magnolia, you'll understand that. I prefer films that tell real-life stories: La Haine [directed by Mathieu Kassovitz, 1995] is my all-time favourite film.

Podcast

It would be Distraction Pieces, Scroobius Pip's podcast. I thought the Gemma Cairney one was great and Michael Fassbender was fascinating. I was on it too recently, which was fun. I love the guy as a character – he has an interesting spiritual view, not just a political view, and I like people like that.

Comedian

That would have to be Dave Chappelle. I've always loved his humour. His series, Chappelle's Show, was phenomenal – it's one of the greatest comedy shows. He can tackle world issues, and has a beautiful undertone about real-life affairs.

Social media account

Definitely @stanceelements on Instagram, which is a street-culture dancing feed. This type of street dancing is like an Olympic sport; in fact it's beyond what you'd see in the Olympics. Joe Rogan just mentioned it on his podcast because he couldn't believe what they were doing. That's how far street culture has come.

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Album

I don't listen to current music – I have a time machine of albums and revisit them. The newest album I got into was Kamasi Washington's The Epic, that was a really good jazz album. But I'm very retro with albums; Still Life (Talking) by Pat Metheny is probably my all-time favourite album. I wouldn't be seen dead without Still Life (Talking) and OK Computer by Radiohead.

Artist

Basquiat was always my big one. There’s an exhibition on in London I kept meaning to go to when I was over, then I didn’t get time in the end. But I’ve seen his work up close, as I have a friend who collects his work. I admire the freedom of his expression, and the way he’s really truthful with it. Sadly he died very young and never knew the impact of his work, in the same way Hendrix didn’t know the importance of his guitar work, and Andy Warhol did realise the impact of his work.

Theatre show

The last show I was involved with was Kingston 14, with Roy Williams, which I thought was a great play. And I'm anticipating Hamilton coming to Europe. I smile quietly when I think about a raconteuring urban play like Hamilton breaking records on Broadway. It's a good way of celebrating street culture. It gives me a sense of affirmation for all I've done within the arts, that I wasn't doing it for nothing.

Book

My favourite book is David Eagleman's Sum: Tales from the Afterlives. It's a lovely compact book for people's short attention spans. It's about living and dying, and it's phenomenal.

City

It’s New York. It’s always had my heart. I love its smell of brake dust and pizza at 70c a slice. I was 17 when I went for the first time, and it was fascinating how a young man’s primal sense of smell changes so rapidly in a city of that strength. Cerebrally, it stays with you and changes you. But as a country, Thailand is where my heart is. There’s so much to explore, it’s all beautiful, and it’s a good place to reflect.

– In conversation with Shilpa Ganatra

All Things Remembered by Goldie is published by Faber & Faber