BY: Adenike Derrick
To understand this article on Grime music you’ll need to understand a few slang words that are used in London and around England. The following are some key terms mentioned in the article to help you know exactly what our terms mean
The UK ‘Urban’ (term used lightly) music scene has always seemed to measure itself against that of the American scene and against what America had to offer. Whenever people used to refer to a song by a UK artist there would always be the underlying idea that even if it was hot, it was only in comparison to their American contemporaries., At one point it was cool to rap in an American twang if you were from London and wanted to make a Hip Hop tune. Then times changed for the better and the UK wised up, stood up and represented. ‘D Man’ from the ‘endz’ would be slaughtered if he was caught trying to sound like Jay on a track. This trend started with some of the earlier rappers and dwindled down to the latter of the Garage and now, Grime MC’s.
Grime music could be described as our version of Hip Hop, except that it’s not at all! The flows are faster, the music’s grittier and it’s uniquely British. Grime developed from the underground East London music scene and is a combination of UK Garage and Hip Hop. Grime is about heart thumping baselines, head nodding beats, and sick flows. The music is dark, its deep, and it hits you when you first hear it with the consequences being infectious. But to hear it is to really truly start to understand it. Grime reflects that of the culture not just in London alone but that of the some of the Black youths who make it. So it’s no surprise to hear an MC droppin’ bars like they’ve just come fresh from yard with a bit of cockney slang mixed in.
Initially the scene was heavily driven by the pirate radio stations and raves where the MC’s would battle each other over the latest tune resulting in listeners/crowds ripping into fits of frenzied enjoyment. The music received negative reviews at first from the media who labelled it as aggressive and all the other statements that often come with male Black youths in London. So much so that Lethal B’s ‘Forward Riddim’ was banned from being played in certain places. As always, the media tide soon changed and it wasn’t long before corporate England caught on and realised that there was some potential in this thing called Grime. The big wigs at the majors and the broadsheet reporters started to travel to the East London estates and pirate radio stations to catch the latest buzz on the music. The MC’s went from the top floor flat in a council estate converted into a makeshift station to smack bang into Radio 1’s (one of the biggest commercial stations in UK) studio on a primetime show. Soon enough MC’s like Wiley and Dizzee Rascal were signed to major labels and Grime music was coming into its own as a sound and culture not to be underestimated.
The MC’s have been able to create a scene that encompasses all aspects of culture in London whether it is in their dress or their lyrics. Grime, to an extent, is by us ‘Ukliens’ and for us ‘Ukliens’. Now don’t get me wrong some of Grime’s finest like Kano are constantly jetting off to Europe and overseas to do shows, but there is something about being from the UK, or specifically London that makes you feel the music and the MC’s lyrics that bit more.
Cut to 2008 and Grime music is one of the most popular amongst much of the urban youth as a way for them to express themselves. The scene allows for MC’s and producers to push their product themselves without the reliance on traditional methods, such as music TV stations pushing unsigned videos. The Grime music sound is one that is from ‘road’ and will always have that ‘road’ element to it. If it tried to be anything else then it wouldn’t be Grime music. The underground, ‘road’ and the often-ignored voices from these places are heard through Grime music throughout the country. Grime music is here to stay no matter how much negativity the media tries to enforce upon it, plus if it ruffles a few politicians’ feathers in the process, then ‘rewind and come again!’ I say.
[image source]
To understand this article on Grime music you’ll need to understand a few slang words that are used in London and around England. The following are some key terms mentioned in the article to help you know exactly what our terms mean
Terminology
‘Endz’ – area/place that you hail from
Sentence use - ‘What endz you from blood?’
‘Road’ – the streets/underground
Sentence use - ‘That tune’s hot on road cuz’
The UK ‘Urban’ (term used lightly) music scene has always seemed to measure itself against that of the American scene and against what America had to offer. Whenever people used to refer to a song by a UK artist there would always be the underlying idea that even if it was hot, it was only in comparison to their American contemporaries., At one point it was cool to rap in an American twang if you were from London and wanted to make a Hip Hop tune. Then times changed for the better and the UK wised up, stood up and represented. ‘D Man’ from the ‘endz’ would be slaughtered if he was caught trying to sound like Jay on a track. This trend started with some of the earlier rappers and dwindled down to the latter of the Garage and now, Grime MC’s.
Grime music could be described as our version of Hip Hop, except that it’s not at all! The flows are faster, the music’s grittier and it’s uniquely British. Grime developed from the underground East London music scene and is a combination of UK Garage and Hip Hop. Grime is about heart thumping baselines, head nodding beats, and sick flows. The music is dark, its deep, and it hits you when you first hear it with the consequences being infectious. But to hear it is to really truly start to understand it. Grime reflects that of the culture not just in London alone but that of the some of the Black youths who make it. So it’s no surprise to hear an MC droppin’ bars like they’ve just come fresh from yard with a bit of cockney slang mixed in.
Initially the scene was heavily driven by the pirate radio stations and raves where the MC’s would battle each other over the latest tune resulting in listeners/crowds ripping into fits of frenzied enjoyment. The music received negative reviews at first from the media who labelled it as aggressive and all the other statements that often come with male Black youths in London. So much so that Lethal B’s ‘Forward Riddim’ was banned from being played in certain places. As always, the media tide soon changed and it wasn’t long before corporate England caught on and realised that there was some potential in this thing called Grime. The big wigs at the majors and the broadsheet reporters started to travel to the East London estates and pirate radio stations to catch the latest buzz on the music. The MC’s went from the top floor flat in a council estate converted into a makeshift station to smack bang into Radio 1’s (one of the biggest commercial stations in UK) studio on a primetime show. Soon enough MC’s like Wiley and Dizzee Rascal were signed to major labels and Grime music was coming into its own as a sound and culture not to be underestimated.
The MC’s have been able to create a scene that encompasses all aspects of culture in London whether it is in their dress or their lyrics. Grime, to an extent, is by us ‘Ukliens’ and for us ‘Ukliens’. Now don’t get me wrong some of Grime’s finest like Kano are constantly jetting off to Europe and overseas to do shows, but there is something about being from the UK, or specifically London that makes you feel the music and the MC’s lyrics that bit more.
Cut to 2008 and Grime music is one of the most popular amongst much of the urban youth as a way for them to express themselves. The scene allows for MC’s and producers to push their product themselves without the reliance on traditional methods, such as music TV stations pushing unsigned videos. The Grime music sound is one that is from ‘road’ and will always have that ‘road’ element to it. If it tried to be anything else then it wouldn’t be Grime music. The underground, ‘road’ and the often-ignored voices from these places are heard through Grime music throughout the country. Grime music is here to stay no matter how much negativity the media tries to enforce upon it, plus if it ruffles a few politicians’ feathers in the process, then ‘rewind and come again!’ I say.
[image source]
