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.
For all of his many achievements, arguably the greatest accolade which Richard “Wiley” Cowie has attained has been to remain relevant within the fast moving world of Grime. From the early Pay As You Go days to the emergence of Roll Deep right up to his affiliations with Boy Better Know and the A-List, the Bow E3 general has always remained at the forefront of the numerous underground scenes, even when many of his former comrades and enemies have disappeared.
With a work ethic that could even put the greatest US stars to shame, Wiley has given the loyal following (as well as the mainstream newcomers) countless amounts of material to skank and mean mug to. 100% Publishing, his latest endeavour, again places the Grime Godfather under the spotlight and aims to reaffirm his importance to the 140 movement as well as British music in general.
Its been proven time and time again that it takes just one song to skyrocket an artist’s profile to nosebleed heights. In 2010, that story can be truly applied to Tinie Tempah. Located in the Grime arena beforehand, his previous offerings were applauded by some but weren't setting the world alight. But a phenomenal number one record with ‘Pass Out’ took the South London artist to national newspaper coverage, magazine spreads and performing at some of the biggest events of the year. Whilst a single may have provided all of the above luxuries, an album will solidify any accolades which may have been handed out as Tinie Tempah takes flight to a destination of success with his Disc-Overy debut.
East London has been the stomping ground for many of today’s seasoned Grime stars. Dizzee Rascal, Kano, Tinchy Stryder and Wiley all emerged from the home of EastEnders and cockney slang - and the next potential superstar to arise from these sides is Maxsta. Proclaiming in his lead single that “East London Is Back,” the 18 year old spitter hopes to emulate his peers and steamroll through the scene at an early age.
Unveiled this week, The MaxstEP [click to download] contains five quality cuts which are all patented with Maxsta’s assured flow and impressionable bars. With production handled by Bless Beats and Roll Deep/1Xtra DJ Target, Maxsta skips through these murky and infectious riddims with much confidence and delivers on all fronts.
Those who purchased his impressive Maxsta mixtape will find no surprises on here, as his gradual rise into one of the scene’s new leading voices doesn’t halt here. With an EP worth freeloading if 140 beats and rhymes are a preference, Maxsta’s billing as 2010’s breakout star is well justified in this short collation of Grime goodness.
As urban/black pop music dominates the charts, many of the underground heroes of Grime also want a piece of this success. Emcees are trading in their Air Maxes, bars and scowls for boat shoes, sing-along choruses and smiles in the hope of reaching the wider audience. Whilst respect should be given to those daring to enter the wider race, one individual remains adamant that Grime’s credentials are enough for some recognition.
Ghetts has been one of the scene’s consistent performers; releasing numerous mixtapes and going bar for bar with some of the scene’s big hitters. But can his Calm Before The Storm project provide a blueprint for future (and past) stars of the scene as well as proving the doubters wrong who claim “Grime won’t pay a mortgage”?
Roll Deep, Eskimo dance, the Godfather of Grime and not turning up to events are some of the things associated with Richard Cowie aka Wiley. But all would agree that the man’s work rate is second to none and his latest venture will confound the few who still doubt his graft.
Wiley, in an act of kindness/madness, gave away for free via his Twitter page ELEVEN zip files of music - freestyles, dubs, guest features and released tracks all make up the material which is circulating the web for free. Now as appealing/crazy as it would have been to sit and review each file track by track, here are just a handful of grimy gems you can find on his latest offering:
It’s hard to fathom that Kano has graced the music scene for well over seven years now. An underground artist whose sound has remained grounded in the murkier Grime sounds, even when experimenting music’s most influential figures, his successes have been one of the more ‘genuine’ triumphs.
As he returns back to the format which requires no chart single, superstar cameo or formula, the east London dynamo is in the perfect zone for his verbal assassination of varied beats. Whilst 24’s Jack Bauer may delve into situations much deeper than offering a fresh 64 bars, can The 7 Day Edition overcome the obstacle of appeasing to those who feel his best days are past?
For many UK emcees, making the jump from the subterranean Grime scene to the glitzy mainstream is always done with much hesitance. But for North London’s Chipmunk, the cautious leap was replaced with a confident stroll. Embracing a daytime radio format of music led to a number one single, a debut album, a MOBO Award and many live performances for Mr Munk. Returning to the mixtape circuit which bore his early success, For The Fun of It aims to solidify his success story and reduce the forum critics who refuse to be convinced of Chipmunk’s superstar status.
Argue amongst yourselves as to which part of the UK produces the best music, but it has become very obvious that the North side of London has churned out some of the best emcees. With Sway and Chipmunk collecting numerous plaudits and the Grime scene dominated by many from north of the River Thames, one artist has been consistently releasing quality material for some time now.
Whether known for "That’s Not Gangsta" or collaborating with KidBass, Sincere continues his pursuit of the highest accolades with his new mixtape Written In The Stars. As his recognition grows with each new track, a compilation of soon-to-be-released tracks is the ideal platform to introduce many to his lyrical arsenal.