DIZZEE RASCAL 40 WWW.SHORTLIST.COM He’s British rap royalty and an mechanics under a railway unlikely national treasure. But after arch. That might be the returning to his east London roots closest thing.” BACK ON on his new album, what does Dylan THE ROAD Mills think of the rest of the UK? From Stormzy duetting with Ed Sheeran at the WORDS: ALEX CHRISTIAN D Brits to Jeremy Corbyn’s campaign being bolstered by appearances with Boy izzee Rascal is recalling his London 2012 opening away before: the Magaluf, Better Know alumni JME, favourite British summer ceremony. Occasional pool party-type over EDM grime has been embraced holiday. He was seven years guest on mum-friendly beats and R&B hooks. by the mainstream in 2017. old, on a family trip to TV talent shows hosted by But that was as a cuddly, Fortunately for Dizzee, it Clacton-on-Sea. “I found Fearne Cotton. He’s a grime chart-topping MC, an old photo of that day poster boy for the masses when he was churning coincides with his first UK recently,” he says in his – a name your aunt can out dancefloor fillers like tour in seven years. It’s familiar East End rat-a-tat- drop. But what does he Holiday and Bonkers. a packed schedule: he’s tat delivery. “Ice cream, think of Britain? Where His new album, Raskit, playing everywhere, from little plastic toy swords – does he go beyond drops the lads-on-tour Brighton to Glasgow. and remember those east London? vibes. It’s back to the ’03, “The further north you Coca-Cola yo-yos? Them “Every now and then, E3 grime sound that first go, the more fun it is to too. And McDonald’s did I just drive to Manchester.” made Dizzee’s name, which perform,” he says. “Even the sunglasses and the Why? “There ain’t even no – as luck would have it – is back in the day, before bum bags, remember real reason. Just ’cos it’s far. now massively popular I had a record deal or those? I was wearing all Just ’cos it’s 200 miles away again. Big, brash beats anything, when I was doing of that.” and I can chill. If I’m bored, melded to fast and furious the Sidewinder raves with Nowadays, trips to I just say, ‘I’m going to bars about chicken shops Wiley in Milton Keynes, all Essex seaside towns have Manchester.’ I just drive and shootouts at the the boys from up north been upgraded to lengthy up, link up with some Stratford Rex. Inevitably, it’s would come down and spells in Miami, LA and people, and come back. earned comparisons to his go crazy. That’s when Jamaica. Happy Meal toys, “But you know what debut, Boy In Da Corner. grime was just going meanwhile, have been happened to me once? My “But why do they just national for the first time. replaced by fishing, pool satnav took me the wrong talk about that one album? Seeing how they got and basketball. Ask the way. It ended up taking That’s what kills me,” he down to it was wicked. 32-year-old rapper about me around the outskirts. groans. “I wasn’t trying to “Don’t get me wrong, home though, and he’s It was called Stockport, make it that way. The music south can be wild, too. I just quick to tell you childhood or something. It was rough. has more of a funk, R&B, didn’t expect to get so memories of 99 Flakes and It felt like I’d gone back to and soul influence. The much love from up north. mild summer afternoons. the early Nineties.” subject matter, though, I remember playing “I remember Clacton Wait, was it Stockport? I guess, you could relate Bonkers for the first time the best out of anywhere,” He’s not sure. It was to Boy In Da Corner. It’s in Liverpool. The reaction he says. “It was a great day. definitely within a 100- like a recap of what’s was mad. That’s when Really nice place, one of mile radius of Stockport, happened the past 14 I knew, ‘Rah, this tune is the few to have a nice though. Anywhere from years: the gentrification, going to be big.’ They’ve sandy beach. I don’t really Greater Manchester to the the social cleansing.” just got a different vibe, go holidaying in England similarly named Merseyside The subject of a different swag.” now. Maybe I should. I used seaside town of Southport, gentrification repeatedly Dizzee’s next British to go to Southend and to a remote village in the comes up when talking to getaway – of sorts – won’t Margate, all that type of Yorkshire Dales. Dizzee about the UK. So be an impromptu drive up sh*t as a kid. I’ve heard it’s “I was on my own, how has his hometown of the M6 or a day trip to the been gentrified now, like driving for hours and hours Bow changed? beach. It’ll be when he’s everywhere else. I didn’t around the coast,” he says, “It’s a mishmash now,” on stage, in Chelmsford for understand it socially at attacking each syllable he says. “Roman Road V Festival. The place he’s the time. I just remember staccato-style. “Is it the wasn’t trendy when I was looking forward to seeing it as a nice seaside place.” Pennines, or something? a kid, you didn’t have all most, though? Dumfries. There were loads of cliffs these cool shops and cafés. “It’s the home of Calvin BRINGING and sh*t like that. I was like, Even the pubs don’t look Harris,” he laughs. Will he IT HOME ‘Where the f*ck is this?’ So, the same. Some of the pop by for a visit? “I don’t After bursting on to if anyone reads this, knows estates have been knocked know, is he gonna be there? the scene with one what the f*ck it’s about, down. I don’t even know The crowds are always up of the starkest, most write in or something.” where you’d go to get a for it in Scotland, they’re uncompromising records Dizzee has, of course, sense of the old East End. crazy. If it wasn’t for the in British pop history rapped about his trips Maybe a f*cking car love and following I have and hailing himself as from the British people, a “problem for Anthony I never would’ve seen the Blair”, Dizzee Rascal spent “BOW IS A MISHMASH NOW. EVEN THE country. It’s one of the years ingratiating himself best in the world.” with the British mainstream. PUBS DON’T LOOK THE SAME. I DON’T Handed a mic at the KNOW WHERE YOU’D GO TO GET Raskit is out now A SENSE OF THE OLD EAST END” WWW.SHORTLIST.COM 41.