Just an Observation

What's going on grime fans.

You get some fucking annoying people on trains nowadays.

Unfortunately I had to get on one the other day and, while there were some nice trees lurking about, on the whole it was pretty terrible. Kids ran around screaming with socks half-hanging off while being lured by fat parents with packs of Starburst, and one guy just kept strolling to the buffet car in bare feet.

This isn't your front room fam.

In addition, a ten-minute minute stop-off at Birmingham New Street has given me enough incentive never to go there again.


Shit-hole

Sitting still, about to spiral into a moment of reflection, an anonymous woman takes it upon herself to talk a bag of shit which is mostly indecipherable. When you can finally make her out, the babble is either just irrelevant or, instead:

'the bar is now open, serving a selection of hot drinks and alcoholic beverages.'

Oh fuck off.

But while time was unfortunately on my side, in that shitty seat I came to a couple conclusions:

Best mixtape release in the last two years - 'Tinchy Stryder Vs Maniac'
Best grime track to listen to with a criminal lack of sleep - E3 Shank Shank

And E3 Shank Shank has one of the best hooks in grime.

E3 Shank Shank


I don't want to sound curt, but that's all really.

Safe.

The Westwood 1Xtra Rap Show

Felicitations grime fans.

The word on the road internet is that Tim Westwood's 1Xtra Rap Show, every Sunday night from 10-12, kicking off real legendary, bringing some of that UK heat and just, you know, holding it up real strong for the UK, is now floating with the fishes.

The show has been drowned out by the BBC after a bit of in-house 'cleaning'. Valid claims have been made about the beeb not fulfilling their remit and, given the success in '09 of grime artists in the charts, the move isn't very representative at all.

But what's done is done. There's no question that grime will manage, cope - like a battered housewife it always has done. But what from here?



First off, I think the main legacy of Westwood's show has been the accompanying visuals via his YouTube channel. The technology and dedicated individuals were already there and grime was going to embrace visuals widely eventually, but Westwood's show initially highlighted the gaping gap in the market and everyone universally clocked on.

But while the Rap Show gave impetus to the influx in grime's online visuals, there are things that I won't miss. Given his status and personality, Westwood seemed to impose on his show in a manner that differed from the more deferential and probing Sama, and the quality of artists on Westwood's show descended into the realm of hit-and-miss. Yes, the show gave opportunities to upcomers, but when it came to the point that grime fans hadn't heard of the guests something was going wrong.

Radio was in decline when Westwood started his 1Xtra stint, but five minutes spitting bars and a nice little video out of it with thousands of views - why pay to get on the pirates?

I can't really say I was an avid Westwood listener - Karnage is that guy.


Picture by Lee Brasco - www.fleebrasco.wordpress.com

But, given his proximity with grime over the last 18 months, Westwood seems like an amusing bloke. I think the main question that was asked before he started - whether he was hosting grime for the right reasons - has been categorically answered.

Letting grime MCs into your house and making a beautifully-bassy racket, freshly-delivered for the neighbours, is a gesture and means of promotion that he didn't have to engage in. The Crib Sessions has no reason not to go from strength-to-strength, and the big dawg also seems to have a genuine camaraderie with grime artists that can lend to help, guidance and contacts.

Westwood's dalliance with grime isn't over yet. But, as the Rap Show slips away, here's some personal highlights.

Wiley Freestyle


Griminal & Lil Nars Freestyle

Revolver - Cruel Intentions (Free Download)

'Right now it's Cruel Intentions...nothing nice.'

So says Revolver as he introduces In For the Kill. He seems to be flowing with his own sound and style currently, not too long after his mixtape 'Grime's Son'. If you enjoyed that release then 'Cruel Intentions' is for you.

Expect a bag of greaze, big production from the likes of Wiley and Scorcher and assured features from Devlin and Deeperman.


Tracklisting:

1) Intro
2) Madness
3) Blood Money Drug Money
4) Not Gangsters
5) Wanna Pull The Strap
6) In For The Kill
7) Freestyle
8) The Game
9) Exposure
10) Conclusion Mix


You can download the promo from:

Sendspace
Rapidshare
Mediafire
Megaupload

Expect an album and a dubstep project from Revolver in the near-future but, with the new promo, catch the boats of rapt-looking locals on the Tim and Barry TV set if you missed it.

DJ Spyro (Feat. Revolver, Jonson, Terminator, Dolla, Badness & Ghetts)

Dizzee Rascal - Tongue N Cheek

Greetings grime fans.

I'm currently stifling the laughter and cringing embarrassment provided courtesy of England's moral pillar, the Daily Mail.

'One went to the most exclusive public school in the land, the other was expelled from four schools in as many years.

So common ground between the two 24-year-olds Prince Harry and Dizzee Rascal was always going to be hard to find.

Unfortunately, the prince's attempts to bridge the divide ended in toe-curling embarrassment - and the danger of being punched by the rap star.'


Don't talk to me about karate - might see in the party drinking champagne dressed as a Nazi

If the substandard, unoriginal and cliche opening wasn't enough, the paper's Middle England cohort have assumed some sort of crusade that, painfully for them, doesn't exist.

'Colleen' only received a mere 34 votes for her invaluable time with this witty gem:

Ha ha,guess what Dizzee,you wouldn't have dared,big talk,pathetic.



Steve Goodwin, the conscience of Leeds, seems to be flag-bearer in the readers' cyber-assault, chirping up with:

So Dizzee's immediate response to something he didn't like would have been violence. Well there's a surprise.

Thanks for your input, Steve.

Unfortunately I don't think any of these are tongue in cheek, but Dizzee's fourth album is. Due for release on September 21st, the good folks at Drowned in Sound have enjoyed a cursory listen already. Read their thoughts here.

Your tracklist looks like this:


1) Bonkers
2) Road Rage
3) Dance Wiv Me
4) Freaky Freaky
5) Can't Tek No More
6) Chillin' Wiv Da Man Dem
7) Dirtee Cash
8) Money Money Money
9) Leisure
10) Holiday


The bonus track is reported to be Bad Behaviour, with Tiësto. Dizzee is ever branching his wings but there seems to be some continiuity from 'Maths + English' - there's another collaboration with Shy FX on Can't Tek No More and more than a nod to Old Skool on Road Rage. And anything that pays homage to Adventures of Stevie V's Dirty Cash is a winner.

Dirty Cash


But still, for the first time in my life I'm a bit unsure about buying a Dizzee album. What are you lot doing?

Tinchy Stryder Rakes in More Money & Flow-Dan Live at FWD>>

What's poppin' grime fans.

I've got a ridiculous amount of work pending and, deciding on a tactical cat-nap, I'm now crawling out of an accidental three-hour slumber. I feel very lazy; fucked in fact. Quick ones today.



Tinchy has another number one record. I would say well done but, in a scene where chart success has been sporadic at best, he just seems to be taking the piss at the minute. I like the song - it's not a great artistic achievement but hell, someone from our scene is playing the game. It's a quite a happy tune really, which makes the occasion all the better and the novelty of a grime act at number one is far from waning.

Gwarn Tinch.

I stumbled across the B-Side track It's a Problem only last night. Essentially a freestyle, the beat is banging, almost a 'Lost and Found' sound with a few '09 licks of paint and a bit of plastering for the time-withered foundations. Check it.



I've been there, right here on them Bow streets
Late nights tryna write, mum's saying 'go sleep'

Back in E3, Flow Dan seems to be edging towards a debut mixtape. Which is brilliant of course. Flow Dan's a hero so, as a parting second-hand gift, have this hour set with Flow Dan on mic and Kode 9 on deck from FWD>> vs Rinse last year. Shout-outs to Fried My Little Brain and Better Never Than Late on the heads-up - it's immense.

Yeah. I'm feeling a bit better now.

Logan Sama - Keepin' It Grimy August '09 Mix

Good day grime fans.

I haven't really been listening to grime recently. Well, not as much as usual. Leaving the house to earn money has been the main reason but, regardless of the motives for my recent lack of grime-listening, I actually feel better for it.

Grime is like cigarettes. A quick fix to function, a top-up that, once taken, you can indulge in too often.



It was my birthday yesterday so I didn't catch Logan Sama's show last night. I was getting free drinks and all but it still sounds like I missed out, Logan handing over a 20-pack-of-Superkings-bag-of-hype-injection by playing the biggest grime vocals from '09 in this mix.

Listen to it.


TRACKLIST

TEMPA T VS P JAM // NEXT HYPE MANAGEMENT
RUDE KID // JACK DANIELS
P MONEY // LEFT THE ROOM
NOCTURNAL // DON'T PHONE BACK
KILLA P // POLICE AR COME RUN
GHETTO FT GRIMINAL // DON'T PHONE ME
MUSICAL MOB // PULSE Y
SKEPTA // DTI
DAVINCHE // BUZZ LIGHTYEAR 2
NEWHAM GENERALS // BELL DEM SLAGS
NEWHAM GENERALS // SUPADUPE
D DOUBLE E / FRONTLINE
RUDE KID // UFO (ID4 VIP MIX)
BREAKAGE FT NEWHAM GENERALS & DAVID RODIGAN // TOGETHER (HARD VOCAL MIX)
SHARKY MAJOR // SHARK ATTACK
SKEPTA FT PAPER PABS, BOSSMAN & BIG H // OVER THE TOP 2
ROYAL T // GARGOYLE (SILENCER REMIX)
OG'S // PASSIN THROUGH
SKEAMZ // GREENGATE GUYS VIP
SKEPTA FT WILEY // ARE YOU READY
SILENCER // SUPLEX
WILEY // BANG
WILEY // CLUB 5
WILEY & SHIFTY VS GHETTO & DEVLIN // 1,2,3 LETS GO
MANIAC // DEVIL VS SALT FISH
DURRTY GOODZ // THROWAWAY THOUGHTS
MEGA MW // NAUGHTY NITES
J2K // DANGER
JME // THEY FOUND BIN LADEN
NASTY JACK FT D DOUBLE E // COME AGAINST I
TERROR DANJAH // SIDECHAIN
GHETTO & BRUTAL // GO ON DEN
TEMPA T FT CHRONIC // BOY OFF DA TING
BLACKS FT P MONEY // FALL BACK
P MONEY // 1UP


You can also get it here.

I believe it's Logan's birthday today. I'm a slightly bitter about this. I mean, not in a horrible way, but just that it's another 364-day wait for mine. Then again it's good not to dwell on your age after a certain point in life, so Happy Birthday Logan.

I'm gonna check the mix now. Probably with a cigarette.