FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Μουσική

Grimewatch

For this issue, Grimewatch jumped on the back of a stolen Mini Moto and rode all the way up the motorway without a helmet to the city of Nottingham to see what the local grime scene had to say.

Jammer perparing for winter in his studio. Photo by Jamie-James Medina

David E, Sugar Vs. Ears

or this issue, Grimewatch jumped on the back of a stolen Mini Moto and rode all the way up the motorway without a helmet to the city of Nottingham to see what the local grime scene had to say. Nottingham isn’t particularly well known for grime. They talk kinda funny up there, so not many MCs are popular in London. We spoke to Logan Sama before we left to see if he had any links, but the only person he could think of was Wariko. This was good enough for a start, so we called the former NG Cartel member and arranged to meet before we left, but when we arrived he decided he was too busy to par with us unless we could pay him £150 so he could take the day off from his “job”. After swiftly dishing out a slice of air pie, we made some more enquiries and got hold of a number for a guy called Kidda, who is probably the second best producer in Nottingham, after Virgo. As well as making grime, Kidda is also big into niche (bassline house). Niche is absolutely massive among the kids in Notts. Practically every tracksuit-wearing fat teenager with greasy hair and yellow teeth you pass in the street is guaranteed to be blaring it out from the shitty speaker on their mobile phone. When we weren’t hanging out with kids with ASBOs and teenage mums, we spent time in the studio with our guy Kidda who is working with a lot of up-and-coming MCs across Nottingham. Some of the crews to look out for are N Genius, Military Crew, Game Cartel, Street Life and Fort Nottz. One MC, called Ridz, stood out by a mile. He reminds us a lot of Scorcher and could be massive (in grime terms) if he ever bothers to get a proper demo made. A lot of the MCs in Notts have no idea how to promote themselves. No one we spoke to had ever sent a CD to DJs like Logan Sama, Mak 10 or Cameo, and most of them hadn’t even set up a MySpace page. They seriously need to sort their shit out. Back in London, grime is probably as uneventful as it’s ever been. We called Ears (whose new single with David Sugar, “First OK”, is out now) the other day to ask what the hell was going on and he told us we shouldn’t expect a lot of activity until the new year. I guess a lot of MCs go into hibernation over the winter period. We’ve heard a rumour that Jammer wraps himself up in his dreadlocks and goes down into his basement with a couple of ounces of lemon while the weather is cold and only rises when the sun comes out in spring. As we said, that’s only a rumour, so don’t quote us on that. We were also speaking to Danny Weed recently while he was busy in the studio with Roll Deep, trying to get their Rules & Regulations mixtape (which is sounding great, btw) finished. We heard Roll Deep have just shot a video for “Badman”, which was funded by the police and will be used by them to promote the dangers of being a gangster. Although we’re yet to see it, we’re picturing a cross between an opera version of The Bill and a snuff movie, with a cameo from either Danny Dyer or Vinnie Jones. Keeping it Roll Deep-related, we heard from a certain radio DJ source that Wiley recently phoned RA from Roadside Gs to set up a clash, which may happen later on in the year. Roadside have always said they’ll take it straight to road if anyone ever calls their name, so it’s a lot. Look out for their massive new video for “Come 2 Da Roadside”, directed by our friend Easychord. Something we’re not feeling, we have to say, is Wiley’s new mixtape, Tunnel Vision Vol. 3, out on the Boy Better Know label. We hear BBK are currently speaking to The Beats (The Streets’ record label) about the possibly of putting out a compilation. These things don’t ever really come to anything, do they though? Let’s be honest. Before we go, we might as well keep you up to date on the mixtape we’re putting together, Anger Is A Gift, mixed by DJ Prancehall. It’s pretty much ready to go, so it should be out by the time you read this. The mixtape launch is on November 10 at DO IT! (myspace.com/clubdoit) at The Old Blue Last with live performances from Ce’Cile, Ears, Tempa T, Faction G, and a number of surprise guests. Prancehall will also be touring the UK later in the year with a number of grime MCs as part of the Vice Kills events. The grime shows will be filmed to make up part of a TV series entitled Spinal Brap. We’re officially doing a lot. CLARENCE STATELY-HOLMES