An oldschool UK underground classic which I recently came across during the Channel U Documentary on YouTube. A sound I missed out on when I first moved to the UK in the early 00s. This sound would eventually break it onto the mainstream via tracks like Green Light by Roll Deep and Skepta’s Amnesia and Rescue Me, where kids outside of London would finally get a taste of what the UK underground had to offer. Although, if you ask a lot of artists today about that mainstream period, you’ll be sure to get mixed reviews.
The skit at the end of the track is also gold, spelling out the awkwardness of teenage experience that many have undoubtedly been through.
Another Oldschool Grime remix from Oakland, which is also on Sportify unlike many of the bootleg edits of today. A smooth RnB take on JME, Bossman Birdie and Big H’s infamous clip. Unlike the WIZE Edit version, this track takes the lyrics down a more relaxed route, not to take anything away from WIZE’s energetic take.
A track I just stumbled across, packing an absolute tonne of energy. Putting a HIP HOP spin on Headie One’s Drill classic, Golden Boot, it’s certainly one for any fans of the original. I’ll be waiting for the day this hits Spotify. Uploaded over a year ago, lets hope this rework gets the recognition it truly deserves.
Given we’re aproaching the anniversary of Virgil Abloh’s passing, I found myself heading back to a number of the many DJ sets he left with us to enjoy. I often find myself listening back to one of his talks throughout the year, finding it an immense source of inspiration as I try to understand the brilliant human he was. This track was from one of his Televised Radio sets, a series that he began during the first lockdown, livestreaming his mixes from IG live where he could be found spinning on a translcuent Pioneer deck sat atop a heavy canvas piece designed by Denim Tears. I will always find it sad that I never got to meet him or even witness one of his many live sets, a feeling I’m sure that many have felt and will continue to feel for decades to come. Regardless, we must be greatful for the all the “Free Game” he left behind.
This was a beautifully atmospheric track that he queued towards the beginning of his set. However his version featured a heart felt poem from Sonny Hall, an individual who a friend had put me onto a few months prior. Sadly, I cannot find that particular version anywhere, believing it to be one of Virgil’s personal editions. If you fancy giving it a listen then head to track 09 on this set at around 35:20 and you’ll understand what I’m on about. It’s also worth acknowledging Ryuichi Sakamoto’s piano playing throughout, another genius talent we lost to cancer.
Another producer steps onto the Grime instrumental clip scene in the form of 808mystic. Placing a different spin on Skepta’s famous Westwood session, this one provides an alternative energy to the Wize edits but still one worth adding to the playlist.
Probably one of the most human pieces I’ve heard in a long time. Well worth the 11 minute + run time, especially when you give yourself the chance to recognise how simple yet profound Simone’s lyrics were and still are.
Before I forget, here’s a track my 2018 Bristol-living self would have loved back in the day.
The following are just a few tracks and images that I recently came across. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
This one I found from a “Moog Board” playlist on Spotify. It gets quite cinematic towards the middle, something I can definitely imagine myself using later on in life if I ever get round to creating a montage of happy memories. Until then it can just remain a fun track.
This one’s a little more on the nose but delivers that feeling of being on the Brazilian coastline. No doubt a classic over there and one I hope to encounter while sipping my morning coffee at my future favourite spot.
Stumbling across this light jazz number towards the end of listening session, a favourite from the Japanese Jazz playlist I had great fun delving into.
Nike Fuelband, patent leather Air Force 1s and two Yeezy’s off of Virgil’s old blog, an era dripping in nostalgia. One day I hope to drop a Bobbito-style book with my life’s take on footwear but for now, a small dump on the website will have to do.
We all know about that time the Game threatened to kill you if you tried him for his Air Max 95s, but what about all the sneaker references in the world of music? Don’t they deserve some shine? I headed to streaming platforms to see what all the other crop of trainer-related songs were like and more importantly if they were any good.
In no particular order, here are a list of songs that stood out for one reason or another:
1 – New Balance – Dijah SB
Starting off the list is this upbeat track from Dijah SB. The instrumental and vocals speak of a solid level of production with a chorus that will sure to have you singing along.
2 – Reebok Classic – Chimpo
Big Manc DnB energy on this track from Chimpo, along with a nice reference to the more under-appreciated part of the sneaker world. Salo smashes the chorus with her vocals so its a nice pairing once again.
3 – LA Trainer – Johno37
This German cloud rap song has a fun instrumental and catchy chorus which will have you rapping along even if you don’t have a clue what they’re saying. I picked up some LA Trainers for £20 from the local JD the other day and found the track, was pleasantly suprised so you know it had to make the list.
4 – 95 Air Max – Cavalli Rich, Chuck Swagg
Channeling that OG Atlanta Trap rap energy is this track from Cavalli Rich where he talks about the exploits of being a hustler. “We don’t wear Air Max but we Air Max” – yes, you heard right.
5 – Asics – DrippieL
Another German track, this one’s just got a fun instrumental and the lyrics are the most chilled. Got a – lets make a song about this pair of ASICS I love from my home studio vibe, but I’m here for it.
6 – AIR FORCES 3 – Da BP, Yodha
This one is chock full of references, even sampling a bunch of the more popular sneaker related bars from the US Rap songs. Plus the instrumental is pretty good so this one’s a solid addition to the line-up.
7- Air Max – Pika
One of the few songs with an actual music video – which is actually fairly decent. Got a nice Reggaeton feel to it and is pretty catchy, even if you don’t really wear the exposed bubbles on your feet.
8 – Adidas – Peach Pit
One of the few Indie tracks on the list but with good vocals and solid song writing, there’s a lot to like here. The chorus that mentions adidas is also worth checking out.
9 – Swoosh – JONNY5
A German artist that I found myself listening to a fair bit during my lockdown runs, this track takes notes from French Plug music and early Playboi Carti era stuff, so right down your lane if that’s your thing.
10. OG Max’s – Pre Dolla
Probably the most typical song when compared to the classic sneaker-based American Rap songs. Has a hint of The Madd Rapper in the Pre-Dolla’s voice, which along with the instrumental, makes for a good listen. Fair few direct references to the shoe game too so the most on the nose out of the list too.
I spent a big part of my teenage years in TK MAX. Specifically the one in Woking’s Peacock Centre. The one on the bottom floor next to the food court. I’m not sure if it’s still there because I haven’t returned for over a decade. I wonder if they’ve still got the same kind of stock as they did back then. There would be Ed Hardy, Nike, New Era hats and those Pharrell cartoon character T shirts every time I would go. That era of TK Max stands out to me because it’s also one’s I see Grime Artist’s donning in the first ciphers and music videos they released. I’m talking Wiley wearing a T shirt with the Basketball Team logos on it, the Air Max tracksuits bottoms that used to be uniform, Skepta’s Ed Hardy era and more. Granted Skepta was probably not buying his Ed from TK and in fact probably was picking it up from the more expensive shop where Boss man was selling those Money Jeans with the Gorilla Logo and Crooks & Castles T shirts. If only I had a time machine so I could go back and pick up a stock load of t shirts to rock, not to mention it would be every Depoper’s Y2K dream to shop there.
It’s strange because I don’t remember the shoe selection in that TK Max but I was definitely scouring those isles as well. Perhaps because I had less of an idea of what I was looking for back then. I wonder if I glanced over some ridiculous pairs that I would be kicking myself about now. Like some Fragment Jordan 1s or some Red Octobers just laying there. Suppose it doesn’t do any good to wonder but it’s a fun idea.
G.B. ENGLAND. East London. Youth club emceeing session. 2005.
I think that’s one reason why I can enjoy Grime so much as a genre. The Culture and uniform that surrounds the artist are what normally deepens the bond between music and listener. That’s why you see so many Indie people rolling around the streets of Manchester, each one trying to live out their Brit Pop fantasy, imagining that they must be part of a hypothetical Gallagher Trio. For myself, having those first hand memories of all the clothes that used to be worn by the MCs, all dotted about a shop I used to spend so much time in only made the connection stronger. It makes all the references a bit more personal. Obviously, just because I may have worn the same tracksuit bottoms as an MC from back in 2008 doesn’t mean I relate to every reference, think that goes without saying. For example, I didn’t have “gyal on my Ericsson, gyal on my Nokia” as Chipmunk claimed on his Westwood freestyle, far from it in fact. I suppose I did get my sisters hand-me-down Nokia that I made fun noises with through its tonal keypad. Although I don’t think that’s what Chip meant all those years ago. I can however relate to Skepta’s “it’s time to rise up the cricket bat like Bryon Lara” line as my Primary school friend used to bring round the Bryan Lara Cricket game for PS2 back in the day. Many bats were electronically lifted no doubt. Whilst Skepta wasn’t directly referring to playing a PlayStation 2 based Cricket game and more likely referring to the preamble which would lead to Devilman being hypothetically “buried in Neasdon”, I think parallels could be drawn.
I don’t think I was listening to the genre at the time that all these said experiences were going down. In fact I don’t think it was till 2014 that I started delving into the genre in a serious way. Before that, the closest thing I got to the genre was watching the Roll Deep music videos on repeat on my 2010 holiday to Cyprus where them and Devlin were taking over the Summer charts. The fact that the genre captures a certain snapshot in terms of the streetwear scene back then is what added to my connection to the music.
It wasn’t till I saw Skepta’s RedBull interview that I found out how Manchester influenced the more “British” look in Grime’s early history. You can see from the early Ciphers that a lot of NFL and NBA merchandise was still being worn. This was because London was still massively influenced by the Hip Hop scene where artists over there were the closest things to what Grime MC’s could look up to. Just look at those iconic Simon Wheatley photographs for example, it’s all there to see.
Cities like Manchester and Liverpool were almost anti-American in the way that they were proud of the culture their City was forming and had been formed. Perhaps it was also a case of disconnect, with no internet and lack of artists visiting the Northern Cities at the time. No doubt the US artists came over to do shows in London, I mean you even had Jay Z performing at Notting Hill Carnival at one point. I can’t imagine Tupac having a pint in Northern Quarter at any point during his career so perhaps that’s why British culture was a lot stronger up North. I mean that isn’t a direct reason but it does come with its inferences. As Skepta said about the North, “It’s just greezy up [t]here”.
I was born 1997 in Cairo, Egypt of all places. Born to a Peruvian mother and English father, none of whom had a love for jungle. Their club days were full of Motown and disco records of the 70s and 80s, not the acid and happy hardcore raves of the 90s. Inevitably, this made the chances of me becoming a jungle fan quite slim. Had it not been for one fateful day, I may never have clicked with the genre. This has only been a recent realisation, but a realisation nonetheless.
This genuinely happened completely out of chance. What better way to prove my point.
I was browsing someone’s Instagram story when I saw she had posted a recent Nitin Sawhney’s song. “Nitin Sawhney … why does that name seem familiar to me?” I wondered. I clicked on the link, scrolling through his previous works. There it was, the album artwork for Prophesy shone out to me like a beacon. I browsed the album knowing I had heard some of these songs before.
The first track Sunset was undoubtably a song I’d heard before. It was so unique, there was no mistaking it for any other. The whole production on the album had really been ground-breaking not only at the time, but to me as a listener all those years ago. Acquired Dreams had the famous jungle breakbeat echoing off in the background of the track. There it was. That was the memory. Looking out of the car window all the way back in 2001. It was early in the morning so I watched the streetlights zoom by, one-by-one, as the beauty of Acquired Dreams played as the soundtrack. There was my first taste of a jazz and jungle inflected electronic music and I loved it. As I would only have been about 4- or 5-year-old at the time, this moment faded from my mind but had obviously left a huge impression.
Fast forward to when I’m 14 years old and I’ve just returned to electronic music. This time in the form of Dutch producer Netsky. He was huge at the time with songs like Everyday, Come Alive and Rio . However the song that I’d constantly have on repeat was Eyes Closed. This was my commercial Drum and Bass phase that I did hugely enjoy, but I remember wanting more. The music all sounded too produced and there was this grit missing. I couldn’t quite place my finger on it at the time, and I wasn’t sure where or what to look for either. I was in a bit of strange place musically then because I was switching between this niche Metal genre called Djent at the time. This form of music provided me with that guttural need, the one that makes you scrunch up your face like when you hear a ‘dirty drop’ or when an MC gets a wheel up at a Grime rave. A universal bodily reaction that the music was providing, which in a way is all that matters. Soon after came my Mac Miller stage, this led me into Rap, Hip Hop and Grime during my college days but that’s a whole other story.
I went off to Bristol for University and came across a bunch of people talking about Drum and Bass. One of my first nights as a fresher was a Free Night in Motion, there was a drum and bass room but it didn’t really click with me. I was more absorbed by this Pimp looking figure that had these 3 girls dancing around him in a way I’d never seen before. As soon as arrived that night I was buying a round of four jaeger bombs for me and my mates, which at Motion is just not really an acceptable move. Any adult in the know, would just order an overpriced of lukewarm Somersby and be happy for the night. Luckily a lot of learning was done throughout my Bristol days, and cider drinking for that matter!
Loyal Rave Partner Circa (2016-2019)
Come second year of Uni, it’s around September 2016 and I’m on the bike at Pure Gym, looking out the window onto Bristol Harbourside. I had been building up my Soundcloud since hearing DJ Barely Legal’s Mix Mag set on YouTube. I didn’t know about shazam back then so had to use google’s voice search to try and recognise this song. It took a few tries but after a while, Ramadanman – Don’t Change for mecame up. Bingo, my first triumph. That was a pivotal moment for me because I having not found a download link, I eventually created a Soundcloud account. From there on, I began my research into various DJ sets and resultingly, a whole new world of music.
Copied at the right time for her Ramadanman feature.
That day at the gym, I came across a liquid Drum and Bass radio call Night Grooves. I was sifting through the various mixes they’d uploaded, when I came across this one song that was featured on LTJ Bukem’s Logical Progression – continuous Mix. I can’t remember the exact name of the song but once I heard that mix, it was game over. I had finally found the sound I had been searching for. It had taken 5 years, but I had found it! I must have listened to it non-stop for two months, always returning to it throughout the rest of my days at university. That will forever be my favourite mix and still listen to it now.
This led me onto exploring LTJ Bukem’s era of Drum and Bass, which I would later to go on to find out was actually jungle. The 90s was the pinnacle of jungle, with people like Peshay, Source Direct and Photek all producing these beautifully ambient and other worldly tracks. The sound took me back to my childhood days of playing this side-scrolling sub-marine game on windows ’99. I remember being on a trip in New Zealand and my dad lending me his laptop so I could play that and the infamously pre-installed Pin Ball. Simpler times! The jungle sound had grabbed hold of me that one car journey all those years ago and had clearly never let go of me.
I delved quite heavily into Techno during second year and then French/Tech house during third year of university, so put Jungle on the backburner. Having said that, I did manage to convince my housemates to go to a LTJ Bukem night in third year and it being one of the best events ever. The crowd were all older, so they were truly there for the music. They had lived out their youthful days listening to Jungle in the golden era of the 90s, so unwittingly had beautiful associations with the music like I did. I remember these three guys in their late 30’s who were next to me throughout the entirety of the night, and we’d occasionally look over at each other with the same facial expression. Music can provide these truly personal moments where for an instant, you feel so close to someone you know nothing about.
A not-so-fun memory was missing Makoto’s set in the Doghouse as I had the worst case of tonsilitis in my life. He came over from Japan for his UK tour so shd I not been suffering enormously; I might have even convinced myself to go. To this day, that’s one of those nights that I’ll always kick myself over. The Lenzman remix of his song Golden Girl featuring MC Conrad is one of those great tracks that always help me escape no matter where I am. I told this girl once that I’d have this song playing at my funeral to which she replied, “Do you want your parent’s popping pills and holding up gun fingers as they lower you into the ground or something?”. That image did give me room for thought but I still think it’s a must for the funeral playlist.
I’d imagine the Funeral would look something like this.
Come summer 2018 and I had finished University. Having a lot more free time I thought, “why not try and find some more great jungle tracks to add to my Soundcloud”. In hindsight I probably should have been looking for some appropriate graduate jobs but in all fairness, some of my best reposted tunes are from that summer.
Fast forward to today and I haven’t really listened to Jungle all that much. Having been living in Manchester since halfway through 2019, it was hard for me to find the right venues for such nights out. Not having any knowledge about the night life, I could no longer scroll my Facebook to browse for upcoming events. I find it takes at least two years to understand a city, that process definitely sped up if you get about by bicycle or if you run. Lockdown came about and obviously that was another block in the road. That period didn’t really have me longing for nights out if I’m honest. It was a more introspective period but one that I resulted with me finding Wize Edits, so I am grateful for that.
The only ‘Jungle moment’ I’ve had since moving to Manchester is back in September of last year. We were out for my friend’s birthday with all her mates and ended up in the basement of Soup Kitchen. With it being the first time I had been there; I wasn’t sure what to expect. Walking down the stairs I noticed there was a weird donk or psytrance vibe going on, which I wasn’t too pleased about. There was a real assortment of characters who were all doing their own thing which I did find odd, not having been on the night out scene since pre-lockdown. It was jarring but after a while I managed to warm up. Luckily for me, 30 minutes later the set switched up completely into a heavily stripped-back jungle breakbeat. The set got even better as it delved into this ambient and intelligent type of jungle where the piano chords were being held and built upon. With the classic drums going off in the background, I was finally getting that old feeling again. Stood directly in front of this speaker that was taller than me, I fully embraced that moment as much as I could (and the classic Eggtek Rave Aesthetic). Losing years off being able to listen into my old age, I didn’t care because that old jungle sense was back and I wasn’t getting in the way of it.
Jungle’s one of those genres quite unlike any other. The drums are always there to prohibit your body from staying still. The jazzy piano samples, build up of piano chords or even spacey keyboard sounds are what transport you somewhere else. When I listen to jungle, I feel like there’s a want for unity. I love listening to jungle by myself, don’t get me wrong, but I’d much rather listen to it with a group of other people who are all there for the same reason. One thing for sure though, when I’m back in Manchester, I look forward to capturing that feeling on a night out again.
If this is your first time hearing about Jungle, I beg you just click on some of those links and truly explore the genre’s uniqueness.
I finished this book in 3 days which is a rare occasion for me. It was a breeze to read through. My main commendation towards DJ Target, the author of the book, is what a memory. Most of the people I meet these days say they have trouble with their memories, for one reason or another. I was surprised because often these stories get lost or convoluted by the whirlwind of fame and success. As Wretch 32 said during his recent feature on the Diary of A CEO Podcast, “You just get taken by this Train and you keep moving”. I might be paraphrasing a little but that was the main sentiment. However, in this case Target does not forget the intricacies of the moments that carried him to where he is today. From his childhood spent hanging out in Bow with Wiley, to him and the Roll Deep Crew getting number 1 in the UK charts with “Good Time”, we’re taken on a wonderful journey spanning over a decade.
Having watched numerous documentaries and knowing that Grime was birthed out of the Garage and Jungle movement, I still had a lot of unanswered questions. This book finally painted the full picture for me, with Target himself traversing through the different genres first hand. He was there interning at the studio where Goldie was taking the jungle scene by storm, taking cash out for him with his card. He was there when Wiley was packing up thousands of dubplates in his car trying to sell them to Record shops in London. He was out there in Greece doing shows when Pay As You Go were in their prime. He was about during all these important, genre establishing moments.
“This book finally painted the full picture for me, with Target himself traversing through the different genres first hand.”
One of main selling points, as the book cover gives away, is the feature of Wiley within most of these stories. With him being the Godfather of Grime, I was eager to know more about his early days. I had watched his “Day in the Life” video on YouTube, as well as his various beefs and infamous Lord of the Mics battle versus Kano, yet once again there were a lot of unanswered questions for me. This book helped me establish how pivotal his role was in not only Grime, but British music in general. It also taught me was how close Wiley and Dizzee were back in the earlier stages before things between them went sour. There are little nuggets throughout, such as the story about Dizzee going to Target’s house to buy his old Jungle Records. This is what makes Grime Kids such a worthwhile read.
Another section of the book I truly enjoyed was the entrepreneurial side of Target’s acquiring and selling of dubplates. The consistent hustler mindset that he displayed when selling his records is one that is not only commendable but very motivating. The tales of gaining insider knowledge to purchase pre-release dubs from the different record shops in London had me feeling very nostalgic as it reminded me of when I’d visit record shops with my dad. Granted, I was young so I definitely wasn’t there trying to buy dubplates or sell my mixtapes, yet I distinctly remember each shop having its own tangible feel. I will never forget staring at this Poster on the wall at my local Record Shop. It was Eminem during his full bleach blonde look, holding up his middle finger at whoever was looking at the poster. It felt so personal, yet he had no idea I even existed. What a bad guy. It’s like the stories told by ‘OG Sneaker Heads’, where they would phone up shops and Nike outlets back in the day to purchase shoes over the phone. This bygone era of being in-the-know and physical relationships with store owners is one that I regrettably missed yet could feel through Target’s storytelling.
Whilst there were parts of the book where I would have liked him to delve deeper, such as the Dizzee Rascal’s altercation out in Cyprus, he chooses the more respectful route and doesn’t wish to speak on behalf of his friend’s. In a way, not knowing this information is what grounds us as the reader, creating a sobering boundary between us and the complicated lives lived by these artists. However, this being said, he rarely does avoid the topic matter.
I’m glad Target chose to write the book himself because you can truly feel the authenticity of the stories shine through. Whilst he has worked in radio for numerous years, the ability to tell a story through pen and paper is a completely different skill. What is clear through this autobiography is how DJ Target remains grounded, his love for music keeping him focused. It helps that he never had the attention of the full spotlight on him, playing that Iniesta figure, understanding the beauty of playing a team role.
I recently stumbled upon Simon Wheatley’s website http://www.dontcallmeurban.com . I’ve seen a lot of his work circulating Instagram over the years via the form of mood boards. The picture of Skepta in a fluffy hat leaning against the wall in a local chicken shop and Kano in a white suit looking like Tony Montana would often crop up on my feed. When I found his actual website which was there to show off his portfolio, I was happily suprised by some videos I had never been before. The video of above is a hidden gem, probably not as easily discoverable as it was published on Vimeo as oppposed to the more popular YouTube. The video follows Grime MC Chronik and friends discussing the gentrification of Stratford in London during the follow up to the 2012 Olympics. With the anniversary of the London Games coming up I think it’s an insightful watch into how it affected local communities, a narrative we don’t often hear about.
Gassed to have finally found the Livestream I tuned into back in 2015 with London Legend Skepta and at-the-time Ratking MC Wiki. I wasn’t a fan of Wiki back then, still a bit confused by the two mixing together. I didn’t see how it made sense. In hindsight I now realise how similar both of them are musically in their ability to tell a story and communicate a feeling through their music. I saw Skepta retweet the link back then and tuned in not knowing what to expect. Now a favourite producer of mine, Sporting Life was also at the helm of this livestream, as seen on the left working the decks and drumpad.
This livestream and following collaborations between Skepta and Ratking members would be the start of breaking the boundaries for Grime in the US. Specifically minutes 9:45 – 12:10 are some of my favourite moments in music history, bar that microphone feedback. Skepta has just come and spat his first bars. Sporting Life is feeding off this energy even though it’s only just starting, looking off to the side at Wiki knowing something special is happening. You even get the host himself pulling a “yeah I know” face over to the sidelines too. The stream is just starting but everyone knows the fusion between these two MC’s is sigificant.
Another part of the leavestream that gives me goosebumps comes at 26:45 – 28:50. This is definitely Wiki’s best part of the stream, thanks largely in part to the beat used. You can once again feel the energy coming through the screen as both Skepta and the other DJ are fully vibing to what the US side is transmitting.
Whilst this livestream is not perfect by any means, there are moments of brilliance sprinkled throughout. The video captures these two worlds trying to match wavelengths and get them working in unison. What is clear is that both sides have no issue channeling their raw energy, only figuring out how they can both exist in the same Universe.
About this time last year, I came across an old school grime video. It was on an Instagram page which uploaded underground Grime clips. This one however was different. I could see the watermark in the corner which clearly told me that it had been edited. I had seen the clip before but didn’t recognise the instrumental. The video was Skepta, Big H and JME in a booth at BBC radio 1 going bar for bar. The high calibre lyricism was still there yet the backing instrumental had been given a new life. Usually when you are watching these clips on YouTube you would find a recognisable instrumental that you would expect to hear from the 2000s era of Grime. This time however, the beat was bouncy and had you shaking your head like Jammer in the background of every grime video ever. I must have played the video back at least ten times, eager to find out who had created it.
It took some thinking of how I could shazam the clip but eventually I found the original creator, Wize edits. I scrolled through his various videos, finding he had rejigged classic after classic. The next edit that was an instant favourite was the Wiley and Skepta clip taken from the classic 10 minute long Risky Roadz video. Currently the video has been taken down but once again, Wize’s ability to match the original video’s energy with his instrumental choice was spot on. After spending almost an hour going through his selections, it was obvious that Wize was undoubtably elevating these already legendary clips. When it comes to Grime, especially its early 2000s era, touching the instrumentals was unthinkable, even sacrilege.
Apart from the MCs and their iconic bars, there is nothing more signature about the genre than its instrumental style. Yet, Wize a producer and MC himself, has managed to distinctly create a whole new energy with his edits. Living in an era where Drill and Afro beats has taken over the UK charts, it is easy to see how Wize has taken influence from the genres bounce and lively drum tracking. Whilst the classic grime feel had you bobbing your head, throwing up gun fingers and all the rest, Wize had you moving different. Breathing a new lease of life into these old tracks, it had me hearing bars differently. Take for example, Potter Payper’s edit where he says, “It’s me or them, so I’m tryin’ to JLS, make sure your heart don’t beat again”, a line that has stuck with me ever since. Had it not been for this laid-back instrumental and the way the track served as platform to elevate Potter’s writing, I would have never discovered or more importantly, stood out to me.
The same goes for the Ice Kid Westwood video. Here we have a minute and a half of pure vigour coming from then Grime-prodigy Ice Kid. I remember watching a video years ago of Ice and Chipmunk on a school day, spitting whilst the other sat on the street shutter post. These two kids were meant to be the up-and-coming Grime artists, it’s easy to see why. This grabbed the attention of Wiley himself which led to the infamous clip of the two displaying their talent at Westwood’s radio show. That being said, until his reappearance in 2014’s Red Bull Culture Clash, everyone including myself had forgotten about the kid. This was until Wize once again did his thing, reignited his soulful bars with his fiery instrumental. You can tell Ice is mature beyond his age with lines like, “stack dough so I can move to a next Island, I might move to Ireland, with my family, somewhere I don’t move from sirens”, aware of how his ambitions can help him escape an area that will hold him back. He was only 16 when he spat those bars on Westwood’s show so who knows what he could have gone to do.
Since first discovering Wize, his following has increased massively and deservingly so. He’s now working more on his own music and producing instrumentals for current day artists, all whilst finding the time to release the classic edited clips. I thought he was the only producer doing this type of thing until I came across Knxwledge’s Instagram story.
I had known of the American producer since his 2-hour long mixes with Earl Sweatshirt. One day he posted a story about how his Meek Mill edits had been copyrighted, speculating it was someone at the Meek’s label. He described his frustration because he loved these old Meek clips, the initial reason for his edits. Knowing I was a fan of old school clip revamps, I began a deep dive into works of Knxwledge. The first video I came across was whatuneed_ and whilst it was clear there was a distinct difference in sound, the essence was still the same.
Once again, we had a producer wanting to update the energy from an old video of his favourite artist. The music’s equivalent of updating a VHS or DVD into a Blu-ray copy. You want to mimic the feeling you had of when you first watched the clip; yet when you relisten to it, the audio sounds muddy due to the video’s age and the backing track lacks that punch. The soulfulness on whatuneed_ , similar to that of Wize’s Potter Payper edit, provides a great platter for Meek’s lyricism.
We must recognise that the producers do have an advantage in these cases. This whole style relies on a sense of hindsight and the understanding what these MC’s have gone on to achieve. Back when the video surfaced, the artist would have been a newcomer and was giving it their best to prove their talent. Therefore, these old beats served to boost the genre and were ground-breaking during that period; more-so in the case of the Grime clips. The power belonged to the instrumental, with the MC having to match the energy of the track. Wize and Knxwledge have to do the reverse of that, paying homage to the moment created by the MC. We as the audience, watch these videos of Skepta and Meek Mill with the understanding that they went on to do and are doing, something greater. There is not only a sense of nostalgia when we watch these videos back but a recognition that these early examples of their talent are more important now. The videos hold more weight because they are the first embers of a fire that is currently blazing.
Both Wize and Knxwledge as fans as well producers, recognise this too. They have the same task the MC/Rapper did back then, by paying respect to the other half of the track. Their instrumental must absorb the lyrical meanings and cadences during their performance, deciding how best to uplift their performance. It is comparable to how special effects teams spend months colourising old War footage, making it easier for the modern-day audience to connect with what they are experiencing. Through their skill, they remove the barrier that is time. Acknowledging the difficulty of pulling this off only garners more respect for both the producers. Both Wize and Knxwledge are, in my opinion, creating an almost new wave in the music industry. Their ability to breath new life into already classic moments is truly beautiful. I am undoubtably a fan of this new movement and judging by the traction they are receiving, so is the rest of the World.
wear shoes, write poems 