The year Dizzee Rascal dropped out of college in 2002 he sat down with producer Nick Cage in his Bermondsey-based studio. Having enrolled in music studies, the then seventeen year-old felt muzzled by the education system he was shackled to. It was a time of both disquiet and fruition for the MC. Far surpassing the days of meticulously aligning rubber bands around the belt-drive of his first turntable, Dizzee had already seen moderate success as a Jungle DJ and occasional spitter on pirate radio. His intrepid allegiances to DJ Target and Wiley were as publicly revered as his slow-broiling disco ..read more

Wiley’s latest album Godfather is due out at the end of October Wiley has shared an updated version of his tracklist for his long-awaited album Godfather. The new version features eighteen tracks and guest contributions from Skepta, Jme, Frisco, Newham Generals, Chip, Ghetts, Ice Kid, Devlin, President T, Lethal Bizzle, P Money, Scratchy, Manga, J2K, Flowdan and Jamakabi. Head over iTunes to preorder the album and check out the tracklist in the Instagram post below and see the album’s artwork above. Finally finally done. A photo posted by @wiley__ on Sep 13, 2016 at 4:39am PDT The post Wil ..read more

On Thursday (2 November), Wiley will release Eskiboy, his much-anticipated autobiography through Penguin Random House UK. Covering groundbreaking grime white-labels, MC rivalries and his childhood in London – the 96-chapter book provides a rounded and candid portrait of the Eskimo innovator using lyrics, previously unseen photography, words from some of his closest friends and, of course, the first-hand retellings of Wiley himself. In this exclusive extract, Wiley talks about the foundations of grime – framing his words around lyrics from his 2004 track Wot Do U Call It? which featured on the ..read more

Welcome back to Selections, a series of exclusive artist-curated Spotify playlists from those in the know. London DJ and producer Faze Miyake steps up today with a snapshot of the grime/trap crossover he’s long been mastering. Razor-sharp heat from Skepta sits alongside the gloomy trap of 21 Savage and the latest banger from ascendant Hackney hit-maker Not3s. It’s a playlist which pays testament to Miyake’s tastes and his handle on the latest sounds which get floors moving. In the two years since his Rinse-released debut album, Faze has kept things moving. Last month he shared the murky, Chase ..read more

“I’m a socialist, which means my glass is half full. I’m encouraged by the young people being mobilised.” – Billy Bragg “The mandem need you.” – Novelist “I’ve never spoken about politics before,” Boy Better Know cofounder and creative director JME admits. Sitting in Islington’s sun blushed Spoke café, the MC goes on to concede that he has actively encouraged audiences to disengage from the UK’s current electoral system entirely. Opposite him, casually thumbing through a glossy copy of Hattie Collins and Olivia Rose’s exhaustive oral history on grime subculture, is Jeremy Corbyn. MP of th ..read more

Drake has responded to criticism that he’s a “culture vulture”, name dropping Wiley in the process. In an interview with BBC 1Xtra host Tiffany Calver, the Canadian rapper addressed some of the criticism he’s recently received – particularly from the self-proclaimed godfather of grime, Wiley. Having carved out a reputation for platforming UK artists – such as Crack Magazine cover star Dave and J Hus – Drizzy highlighted the negative comments he’s received for his involvement with London’s music scene. “I hate that people think that me being into music from these kids that are trying to make it ..read more

Pulse Films and Paramount Television are set to adapt Inner City Pressure: The Story of Grime for television. Author and journalist Dan Hancox will have his book turned into a television show with production helmed by Pulse Films’ Thomas Benski, Lucas Ochoa and Sam Bridger. Hancox told Deadline, “I’m thrilled to be working with Paramount Television and Pulse Films on bringing Inner City Pressure to the screen. The response to the book has been incredible.” “I think people really recognise that you can’t tell the story of grime without telling the story of the city and society around ..read more

After weeks of anticipation and a long road to this point, Gang Signs & Prayer is finally here. Just ask Max Branning. It’s a lot to digest. A gospel-grime opera with punchlines, backing choirs, phonecalls, radio DJs and Kit-Kats. The reviews are beginning to emerge – and most of them are glowing. We’ve decided we’re going to let this one sink in until we publish our official verdict. Hold tight for a review at the top of next week. For now, we’ve picked out eight talking points that have got us asking all the questions and clicking play over and over. Gang Signs & Prayer is out now. G ..read more

Welcome back to Selections, a series of exclusive artist-curated Spotify playlists from those in the know. London grime crew YGG – which stands for You Get Grime – is made up of the three MCs: Lyrical Strally, PK and Saint P. Steadily rising up the ranks since 2015 with their relentless energy, the trio have pinned their name to the London scene via appearances on radio stations – such as their monthly NTS slot – and a slew of explosive singles filled with witty bars. Last year, the three-member crew released their debut EP World Domination, featuring Faze Miyake, General Courts and ..read more

Happy Valentine’s Day everybody. It can be tough. When you’re in a relationship, striking the balance between extravagance and humility can be challenging. When you’re single, it’s a rocky cocktail of Tinder, Spotify ads, microwavable cannelloni and a lingering sense of doom. Either way, it’s tough. As a sound and cultural phenomenon, grime and British rap has always had a remarkable frankness. Lyrics come clear – messages hit home. In terms of romance, it’s power no different. To soundtrack your Valentine’s Day we’ve picked out 11 tracks from grime through its various ages. Some of from the g ..read more