UK Hip Hop/Grime

[alan nagsworth]

I'm baaaack with another genre thread, but like the breakcore thread, I feel this one could have practical use, discussing new albums and upcoming gigs etc. (providing of course that people here like the genre.)

The scene seems to be on the up and up just recently, Dizzee aside, with artists like Kano and Akala slowly poking through into Radio 1 airplay. Personally I'm not all that keen on the new Kano album, compared to his debut 'Home Sweet Home', but a lot of other MCs are getting better all the time, e.g. Wiley and Akala have both just brought out good albums, and Example's debut (dunno if it's out but it's leaked) is exceptional.

Something else that's interesting is that a lot of artists seem to be taking influence from rock and techno, Akala especially. His song 'Shakespeare' is sampled straight from an old techno tune, and there's a fair few tunes on both of his albums that sample punk rock tunes and even keeps the tempo, which is an interesting touch, and a far cry from some of the twaddle you see on Channel U.

Finally, a mention for the up-and-coming act Virus Syndicate. Their album 'The Work Related Illness' is without a doubt the best grime album I've ever heard, an excellent display of tongue-in-cheek rhymes depicting life in suburban Manchester. Despite the fact that their lyrical skills are second to none in this country (IMHO) they never take themselves too seriously, as if they know they can produce solid grime tunes and still maintain a dark sense of humour. The whole record has an underlying tone of decay and dark nights in Moss Side, and is on the whole pretty hard-hitting, especially songs like 'Karma' and 'Taxman'. Thoroughly recommended for fans of the genre!

And now for the samplers:
Virus Syndicate - Slow Down
Example - Birthday Card
Akala - Freedom Lasso

[Analrapist]

I've not really listened to enough grime, but I saw Virus Syndicate at Bloc Weekend and they were really good. Hadn't heard of them beforehand, but it spurred me on to getting their album. It's a peach, like you said.

I'd be interested in recommendations that people have.

[buttgammon]

I don't know much about grime but a good starting point may be the 'Grime' compilation released on Rephlex a few years ago. I found it to be an excellent introduction to the genre and it's got 12 seminal tracks by MarkOne, Plasticman (no, not Richie Hawtin - Hawtin stopped him from using this name and he's now known as The Plastician) and Slaughter Mob. I know I sound like an advert but it is very good.

[Analrapist]

Sounds good. I saw The Plastician at a squat party earlier this year and he was "sick", as the kids like to say.

[buttgammon]

Oooh! He really is 'da bomb' and 'well fuckin' sick, like, man'.

[alan nagsworth]

It's pretty hard to find a lot of grime, I've been scowering for the past few months and all I can find is the odd track on myspace and such. That said, I'd rather find the occasional great song and really buzz off it than find a whole album "pretty good".

I don't know many recommendations other than Ears, Jammer and Trim (all of which appear on the Virus tune 'Major List MCs'). Trim recently put together a mixtape of his own tunes and other peoples, and my friend was lucky enough to get a good word in, and get one of his own tunes on the cd. Virus Syndicate have also recently released the Contagious Volume 1 mixtape, which is awesome. I really can't big Virus up enough, they do seem to be the next best thing. Mary Anne Hobbs has a borderline obsession on late night Radio 1, and did you know MRK1/MarkOne is their producer?

[Ja'moke]

I thought UK Hip Hop was slowly dying, what with Low Life records and Kemet Entertainment going out of business. Low Life was one of the most successful UK Hip Hop labels but with them closing up shop it makes you think how hard it must be to succeed as a UK hip hop artist.

[buttgammon]

It's pretty hard to find a lot of grime, I've been scowering for the past few months and all I can find is the odd track on myspace and such. That said, I'd rather find the occasional great song and really buzz off it than find a whole album "pretty good".

I have this problem too. Dubstep (there is a difference - it's generally darker and deeper and maybe a bit less dancey than grime) seems to have become more popular. I like some of that too, especially Skream and things like that but Grime seems hard to find these days.

[rjd2]

Huh I might as well hiack this thread.....
Are these Example and Professor Green chaps any good?
When it comes to Brittish Hip Hop the artists I would encourage people to listen to would be Klashnekoff, Plan B, Roots Manuva, Black Twang and Daz Sampson, all absurdly talented people.

[alan nagsworth]

All the more reason to push forward. A couple of labels closing down isn't gonna dishearten them from making their music. That said, I can tell that it is hard to succeed as a UK hip hop artist because even in this country the majority of people still favour American gangsta rap, which is fucking ludicrous if you ask me. Seems like noone wants to be British and proud anymore, which is what makes me appreciate struggling UK hip hop even more. It's not dead at all, just highly underappreciated and the few good artists are hard to come by because UK hip hop is an open game, absolutely everyone's having a pop at it.

I have this problem too. Dubstep (there is a difference - it's generally darker and deeper and maybe a bit less dancey than grime) seems to have become more popular. I like some of that too, especially Skream and things like that but Grime seems hard to find these days.

I agree, dubstep is getting a lot more recognition. I was gonna mention it in my opening post but wanted to have a bit of a natter about grime first, heheh. There's a shedload of dubstep comps floating about (Dubstep Allstars Vol. 1-5, Science Faction and all that) and despite people moaning about how repetitive it is, I really like it. It does well in achieving what it sets out to do and that's what counts for me.

Huh I might as well hiack this thread.....
Are these Example and Professor Green chaps any good?
When it comes to Brittish Hip Hop the artists I would encourage people to listen to would be Klashnekoff, Plan B, Roots Manuva, Black Twang and Daz Sampson, all absurdly talented people.

Shit yeah, I forgot to mention Klash and Plan B. Two very talented artists - Klash's latest album is pretty damn fine. Roots Manuva's first 2 albums were exceptional but nowadays me and my mates call him the hip hop slag because he seems to feature on every leftfield hip hop album going. I'll give Black Twang and Daz Sampson a listen, thanks.

[alan nagsworth]

And yes, Example is brilliant. The tune I uploaded in my first post is my personal favourite and I'd recommend his album. Prof Green is pretty good but not as good as the rest of 'em.

[Analrapist]

Daz Sampson

The Eurovision bloke? You jest, shirley!

[glitch]

Where does M.I.A. fit into this?

[alan nagsworth]

Where does M.I.A. fit into this?

Some kind of crazy disco hip hop, like Hollertronix and Spank Rock. S'an open discussion though so rant away! M.I.A. is fucking great.

[buttgammon]

I agree, dubstep is getting a lot more recognition. I was gonna mention it in my opening post but wanted to have a bit of a natter about grime first, heheh. There's a shedload of dubstep comps floating about (Dubstep Allstars Vol. 1-5, Science Faction and all that) and despite people moaning about how repetitive it is, I really like it. It does well in achieving what it sets out to do and that's what counts for me.

I like those Dubstep Allstars compilations, but I wish Grime compilations and mixes were coming out with such regularity.

[alan nagsworth]

There's one that came out last year, downloaded but not listened to it yet, the Science Faction: Grime album.

Tracklist:
        * Tinchy Strider: Underground
        * Roll Deep & Ruff Sqwad: Sidewinder
        * Crazy Titch: Sing Along
        * Doctor ft. Riko: Come On
        * Regal Players: Rude Boy Remix
        * Ribz & Nappa & Flirta D & Shizzle: Pull Up Dat
        * Grime Allstars ft. MC Creed: Duppy
        * Wiley: Eskiboy
        * Jammer: Murcle Man
        * Bearman: Drinking Beer
        * Skepta: Single
        * JME: Serious
        * Bruza: Doin' Me
        * Bearman & Nappa & Doctor & Shizzle: Swingers
        * Carly Bong: My Life
        * Syer: Pussy

Looks promising.

EDIT: Got it on now, it's actually a mix and not a compilation, as such. Designed to be one track, that sorta thing. And it's fucking great!

[buttgammon]

That sounds interesting. I'll have to see if I can find that.

[rjd2]

The Eurovision bloke? You jest, shirley!

Ha of course not!
Seriously though I am a little shocked that TY has not being mentoined a really really good rapper.
Oh we need some Pitman up in here
[youtube=425,350]http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=PJggw8qoT6Q[/youtube]

[quadraspazzed]

I don't know what grime is exactly... some kind of offshoot of garage or something? Can't say dubstep does anything for me, too slow and uninteresting I'm afraid.

But anyway, re: UKHH, I can't praise Akala and Braintax highly enough. Two great albums there, 'It's Not a Rumour' and 'Panorama' respectively. Akala's 'mixtape' (him rapping over various others' tunes) is pretty damn good too.

And one of my favourite UKHH (or whatever it actually is) albums is Rafi's Revenge, the debut of Asian Dub Foundation. They never reached those heights again. And I can't believe it's almost ten years old!

I have London Posse's greatest hits on CD that I got for a quid a few years ago. I've still not listened to it! Should I?

Anyone know what Credit to the Nation are up to these days?

Anyway some music:

Mark B & Blade - Ya Don't See the Signs [Grant Nicholas' rock mix] (I just like this a lot)
Akala - Electro Livin' (his new song)
Braintax - The Grip Again (don't let the Galloway sample at the start put you off! Give it a chance)

EDIT: Cheers nagsworth, I didn't realise Akala's new album was already out.

[drberbatov]

I quite like Foreign Beggars

[buttgammon]

I don't know what grime is exactly... some kind of offshoot of garage or something? Can't say dubstep does anything for me, too slow and uninteresting I'm afraid.

Sort of. It's usually got a 2-step Garage kind of beat. It's a lot more uptempo than dubstep though, although the two are connected and have a similar beat although Grime is usually louder.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grime

[quadraspazzed]

Cheers buttgammon. Can you recommend me a good Grime artist/group?

[buttgammon]

I don't know much about it to be honest but The Plastician is good. The 'Grime' compilation released on Rephlex a few years ago that I mentioned just up the page is good as well and it's got some of his on it.

[alan nagsworth]

Some more tunes for your pleasure as I'm in one of those moods. Cannot stop listening to this music!

Milanese feat. Virus Syndicate - Deadman Walking - deep, atmospheric dubstep featuring the Virus lads
Ears - Everything Bless, Everything Fine
http://David E. Sugar feat. Ears - First OK - Both taken from the David E. Sugar vs Ears EP. 8-bit chiptune garage and some awesome lyricism on this one.

[quadraspazzed]

None of those links work nagsworth! Sort it ahhhht!

I'm downloading some grime compilation - the only one in all of isohunt that has yer man Plastician. Woo....

[buttgammon]

He might be under Plasticman too which was his old name. But that's easily confused with Plastikman, a Canadian minimal techno producer who I like but isn't remotely grime.

[alan nagsworth]

Shit, sorry. Forgot to paste the links in. They should work now.

[Regular Chicken]

I got the impression that UKHH was in a pretty sorry state at the moment but I may be wrong. Here in Notts a few years ago the scene was buzzing, there were shows every week in loads of different places. Now...nada. Its crazy. Ah well, there's still some great artists out there. I've yet to hear an MC on either side of the ocean (cept maybe DOOM) who can touch Jehst, such a talented lyricist with a great - if a touch unvaried - flow. Also props to Roots Manuva, Taskforce, Rodney P, Klashnekoff, Phi Life Cypher. All great stuff.

Not really into my grime, though I enjoy a bit of dubstep now and then, but this Beezy guy is insane!

[TC Raymond]

Here's my two pence worth...

IT'S ALL BOLLLOCKS.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

What would you say the listeners and creators of such music are, then?

cloth-eared wank chapels?