Devlin’s talent has long been unavoidable, large in part due to his presence on the microphone and his ability to spit deep and intelligent lyrics while walking the fine line between the mainstream and underground sections of grime. Though the budding MC has been out...
For any Grime MC in the making has plans of owning the year 2012, they might want to consider taking a backseat due to the lyrical volcano which could erupt any time soon. Ghetts, in his mid twenties, has already seen it all and accomplished a lot of what many aim for, but still possesses the fire to overrule the next 365 days.
If anyone were to take in the great works of Shakespeare and make it more musical for the current generation of new age art lovers to appreciate, it would most definitely be Dagenham's home town hero, with a hard hitting feel to the English language. MC Devlin with film and stage actor Joseph Fiennes take on a Shakespeare sonnet to modernise the life within it with a new approach. The Hyundai powered New Thinker's Index piece features the two discussing Shakespeare's Sonnet 129 and revamping it along side producer/engineer Lewi White. We're all up for the fusion of art. Check out Devlin and Joseph Fiennes create a track together below.
On 25th January MTV brought their Blackberry sponsored Brand New for 2011 project from the TV and internet screens and live to North London’s KOKO. The first night of the MTV live shows, the sold-out concert featured an urban line-up with Tinchy Stryder headlining [pictured above].
I’m continually impressed with how many mobile phone and technology companies are beginning to understand the real commercial prowess their technology can enable. Blackberry, who’ve long-recognised that their unique selling point is communication, invited audience members to add the event’s special Blackberry Messenger pin to send messages, which appeared on a big screen between performances. Performances were also segued with VTs of the Brand New for 2011 candidates, which include two of the night’s acts, RD and Jessie J.
It seems like the days of an artist to emerge bearing a diamond-in-the-rough aura have been put to bed. In the past Dizzee Rascal, the So Solid Crew and many others jumped into the mainstream still bearing the so called ‘stains’ of their underground success.
Today, emerging acts are glammed up and polished to appear more ‘camera friendly’ and to (begrudgingly) be labelled as a pop act. But James Devlin has refused to follow suit. A product of the Grime scene, Devlin’s appearance isn’t as a potential poster boy for the new urban pop scene - but rather as a musician who has taken the dark, edgy tools which have elevated him and fine-tuned it to appeal to all markets.
Packing fierce, uncompromising lyricism, Devlin’s debut release Bud, Sweat & Beers intends to reaffirm the notion that the music scene is a level playing field and that the underdog can have its day.