So I read an interesting article on nytimes.com about hip hops influences and changing face in other countries. They had a couple of really cool clips from kwaito (an African/South African? melding of hip hop and traditional beats and such) and grime, an underground rap scene in the UK that is slowly becoming more popular. Anyway, I managed to download a few of the kwaito songs legally! from the artist’s wepage, and I really like one of the tracks. But the only grime CDs I can find are imports and expensive, plus they’ve gotten mostly bad reviews. Apparently grime can only be really understood in their live performances and such. So I found something about “Lord of the Decks 3,” which at 12 pounds for two DVDs and a CD seems to be pretty damn cheap. Again, though, international. Is this good? Any people here into grime? Any artists I should definitely check out?
I don’t have a clue. However, till someone who knows about this subject comes along, here to the wiki article about it.
Dizzee Rascal has had the most crossover success, and a lot of people seem to like him. Personally, I love underground hip-hop, and like a lot of dancehall, but grime, I just don’t get.
Sacha-Frere Jones wrote an article on the emerging grime scene in The New Yorker a few months back you might want to look up.
Thanks for the link Scott Plaid but I already read it. It’s just a stub, unfortunately, so not much info.
I’ll check the New Yorker - do they have online archives? I guess I’ll answer that question in a minute for myself.
I couldn’t find the New Yorker article online, but here’s another one from Slate: http://slate.msn.com/id/2094205/
Sorry to keep bumping this, but here’s the original article I was talking about: http://www.newyorker.com/critics/music/articles/050321crmu_music
Thanks gaucho. Both articles were pretty interesting. So any good place to start? The New Yorker article mentioned “Run the Road,” which looks pretty good as a compilation album. I’m still tempted by the “Lord of the Decks 3,” if only because it features two DVDs. Has anybody seen this? Or any live performances? Are they good?
Dizzee Rascal has been mentioned, you should also check out Wiley and Kano.
There’s two compilations on Rephlex (Aphex Twins Record Label) called “Grime” and “Grime 2” you should be able to get those. The music on those albums is quite different from Dizees or Wileys beats and is almost Dubstep. There’s no rapping and the production is not as rough. You can download Grime and Dubstep mixes at gutterbreakz.blogspot.com, a blog dedicated to the darker side of Grime.
I have never seen (or heard) the Lord of the Decks DVDs, but if they feature DJ Slimzee (as I think they do) you should definetly check them out.
Grime records are hard to get outside of London. I know - I’m hopelessly addicted to the sound and live in Hamburg, Germany. You could order Vinyls online but I don’t have an an URL of any store that carries a reasonable selection.
I looked it up and theres no Slimzee, the tracks listed seem to be a good selection.
I also forgot to mention that theres a Wiley album (“threddin on thin ice”) - so that one should be available on Cd as well…