Boy Better Know - Goin' In Video

Mistajam only played Goin' In for the first time the other week. It's an episode that I'll personally remember for the invaluable contribution from DJ Cameo:

Cameo just rang me moaning about him not playing GOING IN exclusive. I told him "MAXIMUM IS MY DJ. AND HE AINT MOANING" man needs to grow up
3:58 PM Oct 24th from Tweetie

But from Cameo's enquiries, the process has been quick. The video is here already, with the track available for digital download on 14 December.

Boy Better Know - Goin' In Video


Despite his abundant locks I nearly missed Logan's feature. But Jammer looms over all, the rasta's central role giving the video a comic feel that shouldn't do the track any harm.

You can catch additional Jammer japery, Goin' In background and Donatella's cleavage in Grime Daily's exclusive behind-the-scenes footage.

BBK - Too Many Man

It's been a while since I locked in to the charts, and the days when I recorded Daniel Bedingfield's Gotta Get Thru This on cassette. I would sigh heavily when the guy hosting the show would feel the need to talk all over the start and end of the track, mocking my third-rate piracy.

But time changes. Listening religiously to the charts is now part of a hazy childhood nostalgia. Bedingfield now makes soppy ballads. In fact I don't even know if he makes music nowadays - I'm just not very interested.

I've tuned in a bit more recently though - once in a while - to see how our grime acts are faring on the other side.



Boy Better Know's Too Many Man was released this time last week. According to the iTunes store, Too Many Man is #99 in their Top 100 Songs Chart.

iTunes isn't the be-all and end-all for getting music. Fuck it, it's not even the official charts. But #99? For a song that's had wide airplay on the underground for the last three-odd months?

But I think it's a fair achievement. Chipmunk may have reached #22 in the charts independently, and Dizzee Rascal may have shat on the charts from very high above independently, but Too Many Man isn't a Chip Diddy Chip or Dance Wiv Me.

It's an independent grime track and, with its funky elements, an accurate reflection of the scene now. Skepta's Rolex Sweep, despite Busta Rhymes sweeping all over the O2 (or wherever it was) and Chris Martin wailing about glasses of champagne while tinkering the piano at a Coldplay gig, got to #92 after release in the iTunes Top 100 Songs Chart. Surely grime music, and underground music in general, can take something from that?

Added to the fact that the single was released a week before both Wiley's 'Race Against Time' and Skepta's 'Microphone Champion', and the track being on both albums, it's not too shabby is it?

Or do I need to brush up on what constitutes mainstream success? If so, I hope it doesn't mean I have to listen to the charts any time soon.

Boy Better Know - Too Many Man

Before you look at grime's finest in half-hearted face paint, joyfully jigging in a dark and dingy room with a pronouced absence of ladies, one thing. If you take a couple of minutes from your week to look at this blog (I love you all), then I apologise for the stand-still. Work. That's all I'm saying.

Anyway, the video. Fanfare please.

Boy Better Know - Too Many Man


I'm sure this only came out because of Microphone Champion Volume 1, and Skepta's 'too many man' lyric enjoying ridiculous reloads and a fair forum reception. I could never see the hype of the lyric (no, I'm not a homo) but, as an initial sceptic, I'm pleased to say that I actually like the tune itself. Probably thanks to hefty radio play from Scratcha, Logan and Silencer. And nearly everyone else, in fact.

I think the track actually has merit. They've taken a massive funky influence, but retained conspicuous grime characteristics. It's not funky, or house; the production is recognisably a Skepta beat, and the content throws grime and funky into sharp contrast, especially in terms of their rave scenes; there's 'no sharp shoes', 'just Nike Airs in here'. Also, the barring inverts orthodox, mellifluous female funky vocals and their narratives about the morning, of love being the only drug and pleas to just tell her 'what it is' amongst others.

I really like funky. I listen to it more than grime right now but I've dragged myself away from those drums to have a listen to OT Crew's 'Left 2 Rot', Jendor's 'Grandmaster' and Newham Generals's 'Generally Speaking'. Expect reviews next week.

Stay classy San Diego.

Can't Test My Crew Nah They're Dreaming

The Newham Generals are being pampered by the big, papery arms of the Observer Music Monthly. Dressing up as doctors and being labelled as Dizzee's 'proteges' are small-fry, with the further coverage adding to one of the best grime album promotions to date.

Slick videos and Bell Dem viral controversy have complimented natural, increasing anticipation for an album that has been years in the waiting. The latest party trick is not a mere podcast, but a Dirtee Stank 'Cast'; Semtex is graciously given a chance to exorcise his South London howler from a while back, and crooner Chrome is wedged on at the end so that he doesn't ruin things too much.

But the Generals have always been on radio, in addition to touring all over the country and beyond. But with their new album comes fresh direction and purpose. Looking at the last six months, perhaps the same invigoration can be seen in the grime crew generally.

Little Nasty and Griminal are the young, dynamic core hauling up the weighty name of NASTY, supported by the highly unlikely return of Sharkey Major. Nasty Jack had one of the best releases in 'Shotta Music' last year and, with Stormin, he's keeping up appearances on Urban FM TV.

Slew Dem's Shorty Smalls seems more on music now than I can remember for a while, and Tempz continues to ride his own hype-machine in the run-up to his anticipated '2000 & Paaax'. Spooky is continually adding to his mixes archive, and his recent Oneaway Music set with G-Man heralds the MC's forthcoming debut mixtape, 'Hard Hustlin'.

Cold Blooded had a nice little reunion last month, and there's talk of The Movement coming back together again. To top off the teetering cake, the OT Crew turned up to Rinse last night with Dogzilla mentioning 'goosebumps' on his return to the station. The crew's CD 'Left To Rot' is planned for release on 27 March.

Why now? I'm not really sure, but it does go hand-in-hand with the general rise of radio within the last few months. Grime's traditional outlet has been bolstered by the novelty of Westwood's 1Xtra Rap Show wearing increasingly thin, and the refurbishment of its YouTube channel has undermined one of the show's main initial strengths.

Also, this is all happening at the expense of Boy Better Know, who for the last few years have formed the centre-point of grime's weekly radio schedule, and occupied the position of its most recognised crew. With Skepta and Wiley not so focused on the underground at the moment and other crews showing new intent, maybe the scene's structure is changing and becoming just a little bit more open.

Maybe nothing is changing; this could just be a big flash in the pan, a happy coincidence that all of these crews are making big, simultaneous noise. Either way, I'm not complaining.

'Boy Better Know We're O.G's'

How many times have I heard that in the past month? I haven't really been counting, but I doubt I have enough fingers.

Just a little video here - Skepta's braggadocio still seems in fine fettle.



Have a Happy New Year.