Wiley Interview with Ras Kwame

Ras Kwame proved the solitary soldier early on Sunday and, with an hour's less sleep, he bossed the airwaves in fair fashion given the circumstances. He probably woke up a little bit more when Wiley decided to turn up out of the blue.

Wiley Interview With Ras Kwame


Listen on iPlayer for better quality sound from about an hour and eight minutes. There's a very brief a capella, a track called Untrustworthy, and another song produced by Y.Wizz.

Given the Sunday surprise, a bit was said about Wiley's unreliability, and how he's "gotta try and get rid of that stigma." The conversation swiftly turned to music proper, and apparently Wiley has made a hit in the "last two days". Tinchy Stryder has confirmed it by lacing the track with his vocals already. Will was listening to it this morning laughing which, as well as being a hilarious image, could mean grime artists in the top 10 (again) sharpish.

I'm not going to comb over everything that was said but Wearing My Rolex, and the consequent stacks of Nike shoe-boxes full of money and a 'See Clear Now' detour, has given him the freedom to make the album the way he wants.

"You can expect to hear an album that I went to studio and enjoyed making number one... basically, I didn't have no-one in my ear, I done what I wanted to do, which I'm happy about. I spent my own money, and I'm happy bruv."

Ghetts said on Logan Sama's show a few weeks back that, wherever Sing 4 Me charted, he still benefited from the experiece, and he'll still be bigger than he would have been before the process.

Wearing My Rolex and Sing 4 Me have had better receptions than Chip Diddy Chip, but charting at Number 21 means Alwayz Recordings have a stash of cash that can be invested in other MCs on its label. Dirtee Stank has wonga after Dance Wiv Me, and the Newham Generals have musical support as well as added financial clout behind them as a result.

Commercial-focused tracks may result in turning the radio down, but it's outweighed by some much-needed cash coming into the scene and hopefully resultant stability from a firmer infrastructure, especially regarding labels.

Still, I wouldn't mind seeing Wiley and Tinchy charting high together. It would be like the good old days. Well a bit different actually. But the mentor and the pupil, originals, penning hits years down the line is special, isn't it?

"Money, Cars, Fame, Pop Champagne, No More Chilling On The Block Was The Aim"

Grime visuals have changed with the times, and for the better given a more professional and commerically-minded scene. Independent artists are now releasing videos with a visual quality that, a few years ago, was only associated with grime's big-wigs with label backing.

Newham Generals - Head Get Mangled



Combined YouTube hits: 9,215

Chipmunk - Chip Diddy Chip



Combined YouTube hits: 37,170

Skepta - Sunglasses At Night


Combined YouTube and Myspace hits: 49,500

However, videos aren't just about visuals. Chipmunk's is the best of the lot. He didn't say much and, with content that a general listener can't relate to in any way, the director has done a great job in creating some kind of narrative that carries the viewer along. The talent show theme, even if it's cliche, does a job, and the snapshot of a successful, future Chipmunk gives a tried-and-tested sense of closure.

The only story of Head Get Mangled is Adam Deacon getting terrorised; fitting retribution for dashing beer bottles at the shopkeeper in 'Kidulthood'. Videos reflect lyrical content, and the indistinct vocals don't help. Maybe it's all a reflection of Deacon's mangled mind, yet this video is still as plotless as Rise Of The Footsoldier. DEE and Footsie growl a bit like the Turks in that film, while Deacon is the scapegoat for the botched heroin deal.

I don't have much to say about Skepta's really.

Narratives are as important as visuals. Maybe a reason for the improvement of visuals, besides money, is that there's no room for messing them up, since there's no other element, like narrative, to fall back on.

Videos are essentially something to look at, and all of these support single and album products that should be released soon. Yet none of them are a Merkle Man. Its token cameos and comedy rest on the foundation of a simple but strong narrative; from the inciting incident of the phone call, to the total resolution of the story for all three characters. It's laughs and cameos add to it, but they would lose their power without the central, driving vehicle of the narrative. It could well be the reason why it's the best grime video ever.

"From Lamppost To Lamppost We Run The Roads"

Kano sprinted back to the scene this year while copies of London Town were hurled at him from behind. His newly-acquired sunglasses dearly dangled from one ear, trying to save themselves from a trampling by the chasing, marauding masses who expected better after a promising debut. Efforts at a mellower sound for these ungrateful gits fell flatter than a Lenny Henry gig, and the divorce from 679 Recordings followed.

Credit where it's due, and at least Kano is still going, unlike his former label who've made a few changes. He's even restored some credibility with the release of 140 Grime Street, which was a good CD that couldn't even be dragged down by the inclusion of Soldier. It's no coincidence that the big names uniting on the album resulted in its best three tracks. In this context, Soldier didn't matter.

Kano has given a lot to the scene this year. His return has proved a catalyst for grime's biggest names to stop slyly looking at each other's myspaces and actually work together. Wiley, Skepta and Chipmunk enjoyed a trip to Radio 1's Big Weekend in Maidstone and, by jumping out of the woodwork and delivering the P's & Q's bars, the Garden of England bloomed into life. Kano officially marked his return.


The Provincial Pleasures of Maidstone High Street

However, it was surpassed by the concert at the 02 Arena, and 'The Greatest Grime Show On Earth' exorcised the demons of the place once being the Millenium Dome and just a big waste of money. The general unity is reflected currently; Wiley and Ghetts proudly place one another in their Myspace top friends, a sure sign of affinity, and one that quashes the two's temper-tantrums about vocalling Rude Kid's The Best earlier this year, not to mention bigger battles in the more distant past.

Kano's return has also made Skepta and Ghetts peculiarly pally, and the two both featured on Logan Sama's 140 Grime Street show, one of my favourite sets this year. Skeppy's allegations of Ghetts sending for him 'every two minutes' were replaced by interchanges of 'buss one' and 'god forgive me', a lovely moment as well as proof that Skepta must have listened to the CD before he threw it in the bin. He's recently shown signs of normality, relapsing into a few old words for Ghetto on Westwood, but there's still the impression that progress has been made.

'Politics', and the scene's best talent not combining often enough, has been to grime's detriment in recent times. Maybe things are changing.

"Some Have Got Albums, But No Singles, CDs Full Of Bare Skits And Jingles"

The Logan Sama show last night was a bag of madness. A couple bits to listen to.

Jendor - Dun Dem (Radio Rip)


Jendor's first mixtape, 'Grandmaster', is out on January 26, and I assume this is on it. The bars on the track have got silly reloads in the past few months, but the beat here doesn't really match the hype, nodding to other tracks such as Sunshine. He'll always be more of a radio/rave MC to me, but his features on 'OG Season' showed the hype can relate to a physical release, so there's no reason not to have expectations if you're a fan.

Roadside G's - Sweet Tooth Freestyle (Radio Rip)


Wiley - Time Flies By (Radio Rip)


Autotune season.

God's Gift - You Don't Know About Me (Radio Rip)


You may well have heard this beat being used on Wiley's Westwood freestyle. I believe Bless Beats made it and, if so, he is doing a lot of stuff at the minute. I quite like his melodies, and there have been productions in the past I've liked, such as Dis Likkle Yout with the obvious choices Local Lad and 16 Bar Rally, but he seems to be much more consistent now from what I'm hearing. Wiley laced the beat very nicely on Westwood, sitting at home afterwards to unanimous 'King of Grime' forum talk. Goodz had other ideas.

Goodz - Who You Talking To? (Radio Rip)


Goodz - Party N Rave (Radio Rip)


Goodz - Destruction (Radio Rip)


Goodz - More To The Floor (Radio Rip)


Goodz - Upset Me (Radio Rip)


It's always nice to hear Goodz spit, and after all the electro-grime efforts you can't help but smile and feel a bit of relief. All the tracks feature on his pre-album Ultrasound which is out in January. There's no Throwaway Thoughts there, which I think I enjoyed more than all of the tracks played last night, since it's my favourite Nocturnal beat and an all-out grime banger, without the dubstep elements that seem to linger in the production on 'Axiom' and the forthcoming project.

The set had novelty value, with Big Seac bowing to public pressure to deliver bars we've all heard before, and also in Logan's clanging. Nah I'm joking, there was a technical issue but the set was still top-drawer with a nice selection. Download it from grimepedia.

TRACKLIST

NOCTURNAL // ?????
FOOTSIE // DJ DAVE
BLESS BEATS // VITTEL
NOCTURNAL // IN A CORNER REMIX
WILEY // CLUB 5
DOT ROTTEN // TORPEDO
NOCTURNAL // DON'T PHONE ME
NOCTURNAL // ?????
MANIAC // THUG
CHASE & STATUS // EASTERN JAM VIP
CHASE & STATUS // SAXON
WAIFER // GUNMAN SKANK
MANIAC // HEADSHOT
DIZZEE RASCAL // STRINGS HOE

Fill in the gaps please.

Two last bits. Chipmunk was (I imagine) cordially invited to the Radio 1 Christmas Party, and he performed his single Beast as well as the follow-up, Chip Diddy Chip. He's had a very good year and I suppose it's all a lovely, fitting and commercial end.

Credit should be given where it's due. Beast is one of the best songs that came from the scene in '08. It's good to hear grime or near enough performed live, and the guitarist was obviously having a ball with his liberal solo. I don't know what to make of the other track, but it wasn't bad, and it reminded me a little of a Fix Up Look Sharp, maybe because of the drums. It worked for Dizzee any way.

The third Earth 616 sampler is out later this week. I've come up with the idea of guessing what's on it. I'll probably regret it later but I plan to make it too late by then.

DOK // PHONE BOOTH
BLESS BEATS // VITTEL
BLESS BEATS // SOLD MY SOUL TO THE DEVIL
FOOTSIE // 3 PLATES
SILENCER // REGULATION
WILEY // CLUB 5
RAPID // KNIGHTRIDER

Someting from that. Surely.

Logan Sama Show - Track Rips

Just a few rips from Logan's show last night.

Chipmunk - Beast Remix (Feat. Wretch 32 & Bashy)


Jammer - Duppy Know (Feat. Skepta & Diesel)


Liquid E - Take Notice (Feat. Wiley)

'The King's Sat In His Throne My Head's Too Big For A Crown'

Unoriginal post today. I'm tired.

Chipmunk is obviously keeping himself busy, and the video has appeared for his single Beast. Featuring vocals from Louick Essien, the final product is very slick, especially placed within the context of his previous material. League Of My Own was only released just over a year ago, but the difference is huge.

Chipmunk (Feat. Louick Essien) - Beast


Good video, good production. The inevitable 'is it grime'? queries will pop out out of the woodwork, yet there's a fair amount of bass and, even if the hook has an R&B approach to it, Chipmunk's spitting very much suggests grime.

The subject matter also suggests grime and, more particularly, Chipmunk, sticking to the tried-and-tested 'I'm the best, I've worked hard and look where I am now'. There's nothing wrong with belief, and a little arrogance can take you far, yet starting the tune with 'can you please get down from the top of the scene' did make me cringe a bit. Every artist will indulge in their own ego, and a statement of intent is needed in a scene in which reputation carries too much weight, but making these type of songs repeatedly goes against the idea of versatility being needed for longevity.

He deserves respect for making grime music and not changing his style to suit a new audience, for moving on the pirate radio circuit, featuring on the mixtapes of numerous MCs, and being in memorable clashes on Rinse FM and during the Fuck Radio series. I rate Brutal, but Chip's 'you've got problems pronouncing words' did make me laugh.

The one-line flows also show an adherence to grime's heritage but, in Chipmunk's case, the over-used repetition of Fire Alie and Mandem seems to fit in with a currently superficial content, with little originality and insight. Beast continues the trend.

This Life, from his early days being 'Fresh Out The Oven', and Let's Change prove he can move from his favoured topic of 'going on sho'. It would just be nice if he did it a bit more.

The new single, Beast, is due for release on 1 Decemeber '08.

'Spray Bars Shower, I've Got A Different Sort Of Power Yeah...

Shorty Smalls is one of my favourite MCs. I don't really know why. His delivery isn't perfect, his bars could be constructed better, and his workrate isn't great. In the current climate maybe that's part of the appeal; an MC who makes no pretensions and with no yearning for wider acclaim. Just like every other grime MC he may have weaknesses, but with a good flow when the bars are on-point, and the anthemic S.H.O.R.T.Y S.M.A.L.L.S that still gets wheels in the gaff, he has enough about him that warrants more attention than he gets.

Generally you won't be high in the grime conscience if you release next to nothing, and the situation takes a tragically comic edge given the 'Non Stop Working' mantra which, even more unfortunately, had to be printed on numerous T-Shirts. I'm not going to slag off the tees because, like most in grime, they're not laughable. Anyway I hope something is coming soon but sometimes hoping is all a bit pointless. I'm not necessarily old enough, but I am wise enough to realise that it's more likely that Ronald McDonald will turn up to Rinse next week to spray a couple bars sending for The Colonel and the Crispy Twister.

Mixtapes seem to be a standard for anyone in the scene who wants to be taken seriously, and Chipmunk thinks you can't be taken seriously if you don't have several tunes to your name. I respect the young man's output and it's propelled him where he is now, but with six promos and three mixtapes saying anything else would seem a bit silly. Nobody wants a punch in the face and Chip stuck to the script, yet Esco and Ice Kid to name a few prove happy exceptions to the rule. Silence has led to intrigue, with fans hyping in the expectation of something, and an over-indulgence on the few freestyles or features they can call their own.

I'm not sure what Esco and Ice Kid have lined up, though I think I do know. Chipmunk's debut album 'I Am Chipmunk' is due for release soon. I wish him every success but, whatever the measure of his future success, I'll always rate Shorty Smalls higher. I don't really know why.

Chipmunk, Double S & Shalo - Let's Change

Always Recordings are certainly putting across a big impression, with its good organisation and a roster of promising, upcoming artists grabbing attention in a scene that sometimes lacks professionalism.

This song is called Let’s Change, featuring Chipmunk, Double S, Shalo Kid and vocalist Anisa. The track is a fair effort, and it holds the line quite well given the sensitive subject matter and the MCs, while at moments coming close to being ‘preachy’, just about avoid it.

The track is a slower tempo to what the artists featured would usually jump on, with no trademark skippy flows from Double S here. The song could feature on a forthcoming project, perhaps 'Money's The Motive', but I can't really see it. Chipmunk's album? Time will tell.

Let’s Change is dedicated to the teenager Adam Regis, who was killed amongst a spate of teenage murders in London that got attention in the national media last year. Rest in Peace.