GRIME The big-name MCs, up-and-comers, and beats and bars you need to know for 2016 THE NEW ERA OF GRIME he Brit Awards, Crucially, that statement 25 February 2015. turned hip-hop heads overseas. Kanye West Since then, Skepta’s toured the T takes the stage, US, Stormzy’s shared airtime launching into the with Dr Dre on Apple’s Beats 1, premiere of All Day – a furious and Novelist has been leading metallic banger that’s muted to the new school of grime. All death on the live broadcast. He’s three were on stage with Yeezy. flanked by a legion of UK grime And yet no grime artist is in acts, all dressed in black – this year’s Brits nominations. “It’s dancing extremely aggressively another example of how racist according to one viewer. They the industry can be,” says Rinse caused quite a stir – not just FM’s J-Cush. “Grime’s the most because two of them were distinct sound coming out of the wielding flamethrowers. Have UK and it’s been ignored. I set up a look at Lionel Richie’s face on Skepta’s performance at MoMA YouTube if you don’t believe us. PS1 in 2014. About 5,000 people For many, that TV turned up. Now, I have kids from performance capped off grime’s New York emailing me all the time resurgence to the forefront of UK for new tunes – the same kids music. “Kanye knows the Brits that were at that gig. There’s no ain’t letting dons in there like that, limit to how big it’ll get.” so he kicked off the door for us,” Grime may continue to be SKEPTA IS TAKING tweeted Wiley, grime’s founding overlooked by the industry, GRIME WORLDWIDE father. “A statement was made.” but not by the masses. WWW.SHORTWWW.SHORTLISTLIST.COM.COM 51 “I DON’T HAVE A POINT TO PROVE” STORMZY’S FREESTYLING ALREADY BROKE THE CHARTS, BUT HE ISN’T STOPPING THERE Stormzy has many personas. “But when I’m Stormzy, I’m There’s the fiery MC who showing you I’m the best MC rapped, “Kill a whole crew of in the country.” MCs for the throne” on Shut Up, Stormzy had an all- a park freestyle that has conquering year in 2015 – from clocked more than 23 million WickedSkengMan 4 the first ever YouTube hits. There’s Stiff freestyle to break the UK top 20, THE CROYDON MC SAYS Chocolate, the smooth-talking to performing Shut Up during HE’S THE BEST IN THE UK radio DJ. And then there’s British heavyweight boxer Michael Omari, a friendly, Anthony Joshua’s ring-walk at the gaff now, man,” he adds. humble 22-year-old from The O2 last December, a song “Skepta’s even taking it to Croydon who ShortList meets. that also went on to break the the States. My shows out “When I’m here, talking to top 10. of London are absolutely you, I don’t have a point to prove For Stormzy, his remarkable incredible, from up north to – I’m just Michael,” the south chart success proves grime is Bristol, Southampton. Grime’s London MC softly explains, no longer just the sound of an attitude thing, a product of huddled inside his London’s streets. our environment. Everyone has black hoodie. Hammering the point home, these frustrations and they vent the video for his recent blistering them very energetically. One Take single was filmed in “It’s a product of what Tokyo. He wore a selection of everyone’s grown up with, STORMZY WAS THE FIRST ARTIST TO BREAK THE TOP his Adidas trackies for the shoot, passed on down the years. 20 WITH A FREESTYLE of course. “Grime’s all over Grime’s a child of the streets.” THE SCENE CAN’T FIND ANYWHERE PLAYING POW RECENTLY? TRY THESE SPOTS Eskimo Dance, nationwide FWD>> Dance Tunnel, London Lord Of The Mics, nationwide Butterz, nationwide Wiley’s underground night (right) At nearly 16 years old, FWD>> is Jammer’s Lord Of The Mics show Back in 2007, Butterz was helped start it all in 2002. It’s older than some MCs – but it’s pits MCs against one another. a blog. Now it’s grown now an arena-selling event with still going strong. The capital’s Famed clashes include Wiley vs into a record label big names, fierce battles and top grime and dubstep night Kano and Skepta vs Devilman. with nights across multiple reloads. This is where is on every other Thursday in It’s a true pay-per-view event. the UK, hitting MCs duke it out on stage with Dalston’s Dance Tunnel. The Maybe too true – its 2014 edition Liverpool and next-to-no setlists. queue is the giveaway. cost £100 a ticket. Manchester. “IT’S A BETTER TIME FOR GRIME NOW” KANO ON WHY HE’S HEADING BACK TO HIS EAST END ROOTS A lot’s changed in grime since Manor, could well be that. Lyrically, acting, playing Sully Kano’s last album. When Method it sees Kano returning to his East in Top Boy. The To The Maadness came out in End roots. Musically though, he’s second half, he 2010, MCs were releasing chart throwing things forward. spent in the hits better suited to Club 18-30 For every banger – led by the studio, perfecting holidays than London’s rain and pulverising 3 Wheel-Ups – there’s what became grey skies. a ballad. Made In The Even grime godfather Wiley “I was motivated by stuff I Manor. In that was getting in on the act. hadn’t done in a while,” adds the time, the likes of But rather than join in with the 30-year-old. “With this record, Skepta and JME Auto-Tuned party, grime survivor certain lyrics made me go further had brought grime Kano stuck to his guns. He didn’t into my upbringing. There’s a track back to its roots – like the way the scene was heading called T-Shirt Weather In The while taking it to – so he stayed away. Manor. Its first line is, ‘69 Manor new audiences. “I’m just not a chaser, man,” Road, Sunday morning.’ It brought “It’s been a long time GOLDEN GETTY, BBC, PHOTOGRAPHS: HANCOX DAN CHRISTIAN, ALEX WORDS: BRADLEY SAMUEL BROWNLEE, LINDA LEIGH, JAMES PRESS, BOY – but I had to get it right,” he explains. “I want to make me in and made me revisit a lot adds Kano. “It’s a better a successful album that I of memories.” time now. People are actually love.” In the six-year gap between more open to His fifth record, Made In The records, Kano spent the first half hearing from us. The interest “I WAS MOTIVATED BY STUFF I HADN’T and KANO HAS KEPT HIMSELF DONE IN A WHILE. CERTAIN LYRICS demand BUSY BY STARRING MADE ME GO INTO MY UPBRINGING” is up.” IN TV SHOW TOP BOY 52 WWW.SHORTLIST.COM GRIME Rising grime “I’M NOT HERE TO SIGN ALBUM DEALS” THE NEW SCENE STARS SKEPTA ON HANGING WITH KANYE AND DITCHING DESIGNER LABELS If grime’s recent resurgence performance. Another was has a flagbearer, it’s Skepta. He’s Drake, who invited him on stage only released a handful of tracks at his own OVO Fest in Toronto. in the past two years – yet “We text each other,” says everything he does conveys Skepta. “If I do collaborate, CAPTION HERE PLEASE power and influence. they’re going to have to go LIKE THIS CAPTION The minimalist, rapid-fire on a grime tune. It’d give beats of That’s Not Me ushered me that satisfaction Novelist in a new era for grime – and that I know it’s starting The 19-year-old leads for Skepta. It’s an anthem for from me.” Lewisham’s grime wave breaking with the past and for The hype grows by with lyrics that seethe with reasserting yourself, with the the day. The best way to anti-establishment rage. Tottenham MC spitting: “Yeah, crown it? A career-defining I used to wear Gucci/I put it all album. Konnichiwa should’ve in the bin cause that’s not me.” been released a year ago. But Skepta pulled it – he wanted to “I SEE PAST SO get it right. It’s planned for MANY THINGS release this year – on his NOW. I REALISED, own label. “I’m not having CAPTION HERE PLEASE meetings, the managers LIKE THIS CAPTION WHY THE F*CK are,” he explains. “I’ve AM I BUYING told them my vision, YGG LOUIS VUITTON?” I’ve told them I’m not Their addictive debut, Okay, here to sign album showcases their individual “I feel like the past two deals. There’s a point styles over a skittish Moony- years I’ve become a man,” the where you become produced beat. 33-year-old explains. “I see past the man. You’ve got so many things now. I realised, to take that baton ‘Why the f*ck am I buying Louis and run with it. I’m Vuitton?’ None of its adverts ain’t free now.” got no hood n*ggers. They ain’t Once more, got no black people wearing their Skepta calls clothes. So why are we buying it? the shots. CAPTION HERE PLEASE It’s about working with the people LIKE THIS CAPTION that are working with you.” That’s Not Me was followed Madders by the bombastic Shutdown, Grime has been a boys’ club, one of the biggest hits of but Madders could change 2015.