‘See The Scene Right Now Its In A State And It Ain’t Been The Same Since Titch Has Been Away’

So says Ghetto, and he arguably has more than enough right to say it since he's been around from day.

Titch certainly has his legacy. Mr Slash has been particularly vocal, as has Griminal, who has claimed that Titch is the kind of MC that he aspires to be. Titch certainly had a larger than life character, and his hype on sets had an energy that isn't so apparent in the scene now. As grime fans today, GH’s lyrics do raise interesting questions, mostly by implication. What does the scene now lack that it didn’t once lack?

Crazy Titch’s style is compatible with and harks back to the guttural and minimalist type of grime when he was around, which is in stark contrast to a growing number of ‘sweet boy’ tunes and more vocals in the scene, as well as a more evident hip hop influences in place of other traces of music that were more predominant in grime’s early stages, such as electronica. Titch was certainly a unique MC, but isn’t the ‘state’ of the scene at the moment more related to grime and its evolution?

Music in deprived communities is now being seen as a ‘way out’ of the system, and artists are now coming into the scene with the conscious objective of being signed, while Titch, along with other MCs such as Dizzee, God’s Gift, and D Double E used music and emceeing as a means to let off energy. MCs still do this now, but with the greater abundance of recorded material, as well as better technology that makes it easier than ever for artists to get their music heard, the possibility of making a career from music is much more possible given you have the talent. Such an increase in recorded material is related to a rave scene that, despite showing signs of recent revitalisation, is still mostly in decline. MCs are now obliged to display artistic diversity in a scene that is even now progressing from the mixtape to EPs and albums, rather than writing bars to get reloads.

Such progression in the grime scene can be bought back to Ghetto who, despite not having released an EP or album, has successfully maintained ‘road’ elements in his music, being true to his origins yet still being able to garner wider attention through more experimental sounds, such as on his mellower, second CD, ‘Ghetto Gospel’. As one of the most recognised grime MCs, being at the top maybe he can look below him and describe the current scene as ‘in a state’. The brutal fact that grime can offer a chance to many who don’t have many other opportunities means that ‘fans’ are themselves spitters, and it is easier to identify the top artists in comparison to an undistinguished mass trying ‘to make it’.

The scene is still young, and so development and change will be more prominent. In the ensuing mix-up, maybe there will be confusion and disillusionment. However, the scene isn’t ‘in a state’ – its growing and changing with the times.

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