some fresh audio from Rinse FM.
braps to Adruu from the Dubplate.net forum for passing these my way.
if you have any heavy grime or dubstep audio that needs hosting just email me.
Youngsta and Task on Rinse [58Mb]
Kode 9 on Rinse [28Mb]
not forgetting Logan's show from earlier in the year.
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Monday, April 04, 2005
Belief
Every now and then I find myself walking alone through dark London streets very late at night, thinking "what the hell am I doing here?" Not last night.
Not that I wasn't walking alone through deserted streets, quite the opposite. After a long journey, I walked for over half an hour through some estates and dimly lit streets I'd never wandered through before. At one point two lads came past, one holding a golf club. As you do, at 1am on a Sunday night/Monday morning.
No, what was different this time was: I didn't question what I was doing there.
There's been a few double-nightbus journeys back from Croydon when I've really asked that question, especially in bits of sarf I didn’t previously know existed. Once running through Maida Vale (more gangsta than its name suggests, in certain parts) at 2am I asked it repeatedly. Though it doesn't always happen, that at evening I quickly found the answer, after locating Loefah, Kode 9 and Digital Mystikz inside the Radio 1 John Peel tribute broadcast. I especially didn't ask it once I’d got a taxi home from Maida Vale studios, when my driver turned out to have fled Afghanistan during the Taliban.
"Everything you saw on television… " he'd said, " it was ten times worse living there." He described his exit route, being smuggled out through Pakistan. I wondered at the fusion that is London as blurred night lights passed in front of the windscreen and thought quiet, grateful thoughts about living in a country that allows women, children and men under 50 out after sundown.
But not once last night, even in the middle of sprawling London at 1am with work beckoning in seven hours, did I question what I was doing. The purpose, the buzz, the emotive raison d'être was completely self evident, coursing through my veins.
After years of listening to Rinse FM, of hearing the Roll Deep show, Dizzee, Wiley, Trim, Riko, Wonder, Target, D Double, Slimzee, Kode 9, Hatcha and Crazy D, Beezy, Youngsta, I'd finally been "inside." Equally special was that I'd been there to facilitate the visit of Mr Blissblogger to the mighty Rinse.
We cotched in the back of Tubby's Braindead show, as D Double spat solo, shadows bouncing off the walls. Then slowly Roll Deep began to trickle in. Maximum was first. Then came Trim, Skepta, Syre B and Carnage, full of news from the Sidewinder the night before. "I thought I was going to get shanked last night…" joked Trim to D Double during the ads. But more suprisingly he added "… that was the first time I'd thought that."
As the show began we slipped in the back. Trim did some warming. Skepta spat that lyric. Then Wiley stepped inside and the temperature rose.
By the time I found myself at 1am wandering the streets Roll Deep had long since headed off to their next gig. Simon had stayed for Ruff Sqwad. I was alone again. But not once did I ask myself "what the hell am I doing here?" I knew.
Not that I wasn't walking alone through deserted streets, quite the opposite. After a long journey, I walked for over half an hour through some estates and dimly lit streets I'd never wandered through before. At one point two lads came past, one holding a golf club. As you do, at 1am on a Sunday night/Monday morning.
No, what was different this time was: I didn't question what I was doing there.
There's been a few double-nightbus journeys back from Croydon when I've really asked that question, especially in bits of sarf I didn’t previously know existed. Once running through Maida Vale (more gangsta than its name suggests, in certain parts) at 2am I asked it repeatedly. Though it doesn't always happen, that at evening I quickly found the answer, after locating Loefah, Kode 9 and Digital Mystikz inside the Radio 1 John Peel tribute broadcast. I especially didn't ask it once I’d got a taxi home from Maida Vale studios, when my driver turned out to have fled Afghanistan during the Taliban.
"Everything you saw on television… " he'd said, " it was ten times worse living there." He described his exit route, being smuggled out through Pakistan. I wondered at the fusion that is London as blurred night lights passed in front of the windscreen and thought quiet, grateful thoughts about living in a country that allows women, children and men under 50 out after sundown.
But not once last night, even in the middle of sprawling London at 1am with work beckoning in seven hours, did I question what I was doing. The purpose, the buzz, the emotive raison d'être was completely self evident, coursing through my veins.
After years of listening to Rinse FM, of hearing the Roll Deep show, Dizzee, Wiley, Trim, Riko, Wonder, Target, D Double, Slimzee, Kode 9, Hatcha and Crazy D, Beezy, Youngsta, I'd finally been "inside." Equally special was that I'd been there to facilitate the visit of Mr Blissblogger to the mighty Rinse.
We cotched in the back of Tubby's Braindead show, as D Double spat solo, shadows bouncing off the walls. Then slowly Roll Deep began to trickle in. Maximum was first. Then came Trim, Skepta, Syre B and Carnage, full of news from the Sidewinder the night before. "I thought I was going to get shanked last night…" joked Trim to D Double during the ads. But more suprisingly he added "… that was the first time I'd thought that."
As the show began we slipped in the back. Trim did some warming. Skepta spat that lyric. Then Wiley stepped inside and the temperature rose.
By the time I found myself at 1am wandering the streets Roll Deep had long since headed off to their next gig. Simon had stayed for Ruff Sqwad. I was alone again. But not once did I ask myself "what the hell am I doing here?" I knew.
Monday, March 28, 2005
Skank physics
In physics, the Hubble constant is crucially important to the fate of the universe. Using the distance galaxies are away from us and the rate at which they are moving away, the constant tells us whether the universe is expanding or contracting. Whether we expanding exponentially (imagine an upwards curve), not at all (a flat horizontal line) or imploding exponentially (imagine a downwards curve).
With a cheeky lateral shift, maybe the Hubble constant can work as an illuminating analogy the 'ardcore continuum? "Dubble constant" anyone?
Everyone knows the shift from mid nineties jungle to mid noughties d&b has brought about a massive shift in energy levels. D&b's constant is now very high, a rapidly accelerating upwards curve.
Centred around club Forward>> there are a variety of garage hybrids and they are easily separated by their Hubble constant.
The breakbeat garage crew, with their take-you-away vibe derived from Zinc's high octane rinse-outs, can be found closest to d&b in energy levels. Theirs is also a steep upwards curve.
At the other end of the spectrum you have Kode 9's beatless "Sign of the Dub." and Wiley's Devil mixes of "Eskimo" and "Roll Deep Regular." Shorn of any rhythmic momentum, these older tunes have the lowest constants, downward curves of energy loss, dropping you into a dancefloor abyss.
Pitched between them you have dubstep's skank, neither wishing to "take you away" (ie "take you back to rave") with the caustic breaks nor leadening your limbs with what Jess called ankle-deep bass. Their curve is neither pitched violently upwards, nor tumbling precipitously downwards.
It might seem like hair splitting but within such a compact scene like dubstep, the nature of this curvature - positive or negative, expanding or contracting - is acutely relevant.
On one hand you have the downwards curving of the "halfstep," the boom-boom-crack rocksteady pattern that dominated last year's dubstep sessions, as observed recently by Dubquixote. This is was pioneered by dubplate master Hatcha, using Digital Mystikz and Skreams tunes, and taken to yet further extremes by that other dub soulja Youngsta armed with Loefah and D1 dubs.
Unlike the breaks crew, with their echoes of '97's nu-school movement and '90 4Hero before it, this negative curve of bass-space was unique. Junglists I dragged to raves looked confused. "When is it going to go off?" they asked. It wasn't, I smiled. The contradictions were glorious: 138-140bpm beats that felt slower than trip hop yet smothered in ten tons of sub bass. It tickled your plain/pleasure barriers. Standing in front of the speaker in Plastic People was a full body-experience. This skank was a compressed cauldron that never exploded, a glorious analogy for London living.
But recently there has been an upwards bending in the dubstep curve, pioneered in two different ways by Mala Digital Mystikz and Kode 9. Finding a degree of curvature somewhere just above zero, they've located a new skank, certainly within recent dubstep times. In energy it recalls 2step garage perhaps, though the sonics of the tracks set them far apart from that movement.
Anthems from Mala like "Neverland" and "Forgive" raise the energy levels without entering to caustic d&b/breaks territory, as showcased at the recent landmark DMZ party in basstown Brixton. Kode 9's recent sets, by contrast, have been energised by grime biggie's like Virgo's "Monster" and Aftershock riddims. Witness also his signing of Burial's swung "South London Burroughs".
Centred around zero, this new skank - neither rapidly imploding nor exploding - is like a ground-hugging bass wave spreading at street level outwards from a south London epicentre. Clipping decaying buildings and dark estates, it is spreading rapidly beyond the M25. Following the earth's curvature, the bass has said to have been felt on soundsystems in Bristol, Nottingham, Leeds, Baltimore, Sweden, Portugal, New York… and beyond. Hold tight myman Hubble.
With a cheeky lateral shift, maybe the Hubble constant can work as an illuminating analogy the 'ardcore continuum? "Dubble constant" anyone?
Everyone knows the shift from mid nineties jungle to mid noughties d&b has brought about a massive shift in energy levels. D&b's constant is now very high, a rapidly accelerating upwards curve.
Centred around club Forward>> there are a variety of garage hybrids and they are easily separated by their Hubble constant.
The breakbeat garage crew, with their take-you-away vibe derived from Zinc's high octane rinse-outs, can be found closest to d&b in energy levels. Theirs is also a steep upwards curve.
At the other end of the spectrum you have Kode 9's beatless "Sign of the Dub." and Wiley's Devil mixes of "Eskimo" and "Roll Deep Regular." Shorn of any rhythmic momentum, these older tunes have the lowest constants, downward curves of energy loss, dropping you into a dancefloor abyss.
Pitched between them you have dubstep's skank, neither wishing to "take you away" (ie "take you back to rave") with the caustic breaks nor leadening your limbs with what Jess called ankle-deep bass. Their curve is neither pitched violently upwards, nor tumbling precipitously downwards.
It might seem like hair splitting but within such a compact scene like dubstep, the nature of this curvature - positive or negative, expanding or contracting - is acutely relevant.
On one hand you have the downwards curving of the "halfstep," the boom-boom-crack rocksteady pattern that dominated last year's dubstep sessions, as observed recently by Dubquixote. This is was pioneered by dubplate master Hatcha, using Digital Mystikz and Skreams tunes, and taken to yet further extremes by that other dub soulja Youngsta armed with Loefah and D1 dubs.
Unlike the breaks crew, with their echoes of '97's nu-school movement and '90 4Hero before it, this negative curve of bass-space was unique. Junglists I dragged to raves looked confused. "When is it going to go off?" they asked. It wasn't, I smiled. The contradictions were glorious: 138-140bpm beats that felt slower than trip hop yet smothered in ten tons of sub bass. It tickled your plain/pleasure barriers. Standing in front of the speaker in Plastic People was a full body-experience. This skank was a compressed cauldron that never exploded, a glorious analogy for London living.
But recently there has been an upwards bending in the dubstep curve, pioneered in two different ways by Mala Digital Mystikz and Kode 9. Finding a degree of curvature somewhere just above zero, they've located a new skank, certainly within recent dubstep times. In energy it recalls 2step garage perhaps, though the sonics of the tracks set them far apart from that movement.
Anthems from Mala like "Neverland" and "Forgive" raise the energy levels without entering to caustic d&b/breaks territory, as showcased at the recent landmark DMZ party in basstown Brixton. Kode 9's recent sets, by contrast, have been energised by grime biggie's like Virgo's "Monster" and Aftershock riddims. Witness also his signing of Burial's swung "South London Burroughs".
Centred around zero, this new skank - neither rapidly imploding nor exploding - is like a ground-hugging bass wave spreading at street level outwards from a south London epicentre. Clipping decaying buildings and dark estates, it is spreading rapidly beyond the M25. Following the earth's curvature, the bass has said to have been felt on soundsystems in Bristol, Nottingham, Leeds, Baltimore, Sweden, Portugal, New York… and beyond. Hold tight myman Hubble.
Friday, March 25, 2005
Go on then!?
This piece Lives blighted by adversity and governed by the gun, appeared earlier this month but due to broadband nightmares I haven't been able to post it.
To me, from my experience of London and listening to the experiences of people who seem to live around guns, it seems the most accurate portrayal of the issues that I've seen in the national media. No talk of wishy washy initiatives or schemes, no rhetoric or bitter blame, just a grassroots representation of the psychology that exists in the darkest bits of our cities.
All this from a survey of just 15 men. It begs the question, "why the hell wasn't it done earlier?"
This paragraph is on the money:
What emerges most clearly from the research is that the problem is social as well as criminal, and that it defies easy answers. All the 15 men had been victims of crime. Significantly, only three turned to the police. The majority abided by peer group codes which obliged them to seek personal retribution for fear of being labelled a grass. One said: "You go to the police, you're a low life." Another added: "If someone kills one of your people, you don't want to think of them going to prison. You're going to want to kill him."
This too, seems to fit the patterns of current urban voices:
One offender described the strong pull of such a lifestyle. "Kids are hungry because they have seen what they can achieve without going to school," he said. "They say 'I don't want to go to college or school. Look what my cousin can do. My cousin makes £1,000 a week.' They think it's all right." Another said: "I'm more likely to see a rich person in the 'hood that's made money from drugs than somebody in the 'hood that's made money from being a doctor, so I will learn from what I am closest to."
As does this:
"It is not just about drugs, it is certainly not just about yardies, and at best 'gangsta' rap has only a peripheral influence," they say.
I was listening 1Xtra's audio of dancehall's Sting event in Jamaica yesterday and was really struck by the lyrical differences between grime and dancehall. Although Jamaica may well have more guns, through religion there is still a conscious voice in dancehall, telling the gunmen to put their weapons down. The lyrics, on the whole, are fixated by/directed towards women.
Grime, perhaps London's equivalent voice, on the whole has no conscious side, especially live, and lyrically is almost without exception fixated by/directed towards other men.
I'm also haunted by something drum & bass artist Klute said in a biog interview with me late last year. Drawing on his experience of punk yet describing the current state of d&b, he commented on how scenes that rev themselves up often find it a dead end. Ultimately, revving is a cul-de-sac, where as the energy levels rise, the only thing left for them is to rise yet further before ultimately stalling.
Apply this to grime and you wonder where we're headed. Dynasty's set on Cameo the other week just descended into shouting. Roll Deep on Westwood has had me mesmerised for the days since it happened, but Skepta's lyrics - that generated huge response from the Entourge - are of concern. How can "go on then/go on then/Go on then/GO ON THEN/GO ON THEN!!!!!" be adept lyricism? Sounds like revving to me… and no one wants grime to stall.
To me, from my experience of London and listening to the experiences of people who seem to live around guns, it seems the most accurate portrayal of the issues that I've seen in the national media. No talk of wishy washy initiatives or schemes, no rhetoric or bitter blame, just a grassroots representation of the psychology that exists in the darkest bits of our cities.
All this from a survey of just 15 men. It begs the question, "why the hell wasn't it done earlier?"
This paragraph is on the money:
What emerges most clearly from the research is that the problem is social as well as criminal, and that it defies easy answers. All the 15 men had been victims of crime. Significantly, only three turned to the police. The majority abided by peer group codes which obliged them to seek personal retribution for fear of being labelled a grass. One said: "You go to the police, you're a low life." Another added: "If someone kills one of your people, you don't want to think of them going to prison. You're going to want to kill him."
This too, seems to fit the patterns of current urban voices:
One offender described the strong pull of such a lifestyle. "Kids are hungry because they have seen what they can achieve without going to school," he said. "They say 'I don't want to go to college or school. Look what my cousin can do. My cousin makes £1,000 a week.' They think it's all right." Another said: "I'm more likely to see a rich person in the 'hood that's made money from drugs than somebody in the 'hood that's made money from being a doctor, so I will learn from what I am closest to."
As does this:
"It is not just about drugs, it is certainly not just about yardies, and at best 'gangsta' rap has only a peripheral influence," they say.
I was listening 1Xtra's audio of dancehall's Sting event in Jamaica yesterday and was really struck by the lyrical differences between grime and dancehall. Although Jamaica may well have more guns, through religion there is still a conscious voice in dancehall, telling the gunmen to put their weapons down. The lyrics, on the whole, are fixated by/directed towards women.
Grime, perhaps London's equivalent voice, on the whole has no conscious side, especially live, and lyrically is almost without exception fixated by/directed towards other men.
I'm also haunted by something drum & bass artist Klute said in a biog interview with me late last year. Drawing on his experience of punk yet describing the current state of d&b, he commented on how scenes that rev themselves up often find it a dead end. Ultimately, revving is a cul-de-sac, where as the energy levels rise, the only thing left for them is to rise yet further before ultimately stalling.
Apply this to grime and you wonder where we're headed. Dynasty's set on Cameo the other week just descended into shouting. Roll Deep on Westwood has had me mesmerised for the days since it happened, but Skepta's lyrics - that generated huge response from the Entourge - are of concern. How can "go on then/go on then/Go on then/GO ON THEN/GO ON THEN!!!!!" be adept lyricism? Sounds like revving to me… and no one wants grime to stall.
Sunday, March 06, 2005
Garage triathlon… the winner?
Three garage events within three days? For garage of the dark persuasion it was unprecedented. On Thursday there was Forward>> at Plastic People featuring Wonder, Plasticman and Kode 9. Then Run the Road hosted a room at Fabric featuring Cameo, Roll Deep, Bruza, Kano, Semtex and more. Finally Digital Mystiks hosted the first of the DMZ parties in Brixton with Slaughter Mob, Skream, Chef, Plasticman, Youngsta, Kode 9 and Spaceape live plus Mala v Loefah from DMZ back to back. Attending all three was always going to hurt. Work on Friday was going to require mainlining coffee. Large parts of lives were going to be wasted on nightbusses. F**k it.
Q: So given the weight of talent on the line up… who won the triathlon?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
A: Digital Mystikz. By a hundred f**ing miles.
There were certainly highlights of all three. Plasticman playing bare grime vocals on the Plastic People soundsystem (“When I’m Ere” and “Nu Era” ). Plastic playing bare grime instrumentals at Plastic People and DMZ (Wiley’s “Ice Cream remix” and load of Aftershock instrumentals.) Kode 9’s FWD>> set was definitely a contender for set-of-the-triathlon. For the first time since FWD>> began, Kode was put in the primetime last slot, instead of the early warm up. It reflects a recent change in his DJing goals, heading for a more dancefloor ethos. He’s come a long way from the beatless “Sign of the Dub” to the weighty, droney melodica/sinodub “Blues.”
Kode 9 and Spaceape ( the artist formely known as Daddi Gee … THFKADG anyone? ) live at DMZ was the sound of things to come. Backlit by blood red light, Spaceape wobbled his cosmic afro gloriously. “Sign of the Dub,” “Fukkaz (aka Subkon vox),” “Blues (vox)” and their beatless cover of “Ghost Town” sounded remarkable, though falling firmly in the zone of engrossing spectacle rather than danceable DJ set. Get them boys an album deal, pronto.
Run the Road at Fabric was one of the strongest grime line ups I’ve seen at a mainstream London club. Bruza was comedy, keeping his thin shellsuit hood up at all times, on stage and in the balcony bar. Cameo played tons of Dexplicit riddims and while I’ve never really rated Dex’s lo-fi crunchy handclapy productions, they sounded militant over the Fabric system.
I took small satisfaction in seeing No Lay perform. No Lay doesn’t know me from a hole in the ground, never will. But I honestly know I played a small part in putting her on the stage that night. Last summer, when Dan Stacey and I were struggling to compile Run the Road, I spoke to Forward>> promoter and key underground lynchpin Soulja at RinseSessions about the comp. She described the best female MC she’d heard since Ms Dynamite. High praise indeed. But when we first heard some Unorthadox productions we initially weren’t sure. In June I headed off on holiday to Spain, taking with me a CDr of potential comp tracks. Speeding through switchback after switchback of sun-drenched narrow mountain roads, “Unorthadox Daughter” blazing out of the stereo suddenly made total sense. When I returned to grime’s hometown, Dan agreed. Seeing her spit “because I bloody heard ya” in front of a huge Run the Road banner was special.
Kano and Ghetto lead a NASTY onslaught, Jammer leapt about like the bedredded mad/genius he is (“It’s NEEEEEEEKLE”) before Roll Deep took over to headline. Roll Deep always, well, roll deep. Wiley, Riko, Trim, Scratchy, Breeze, Gods Gift, Maxiumum (with Target, Danny Weed backstage) were joined by Ears, Tinchy and Ruff Sqwad, JME, Syre and more.
Roll Deep’s appearance at Fabric last year was a landmark. Then it felt like new ground was being broken. Live, The Bug compared them to the first time he saw Wu Tang. It was awe inspiring. Maybe it felt like again that to people who’d never seen Roll Deep before. This time most tunes were rewound seconds after the drop and the MCs trademark lyrics increasingly dissolved into indiscernible shouting, reloads earned by the vocal energy dissipated not the MCs individual lyrical prowess.
It was like being attacked by an enemy armed only with hand grenades to throw, not equipped with a continuous hale of automatic weapons fire. And it did feel like a sonic assault. My response to Run the Road should be measured in the background of extreme tiredness. By 3am, after Forward>> and work the day before, I was really starting to hurt. All over. Fabric doesn’t help either: it’s a venue where the clientele are constantly funnelled through dark narrow bottlenecks. Like a micro-metaphor for London, it feels like to get anywhere you will have to individually fight each member of the population. Perhaps it’s the perfect environment to experience grime then.
In retrospect Brixton is a perfect venue for Digital Mystikz’ dubstep. A stronghold of London’s Anglo-Jamaican community, Brixton has always been a reggae, not garage, heartland. Perhaps that’s how DMZ were able to come across the most insanely loud and bassy speaker stacks that towered either side of the decks. Even in compared to Fabric and Plastic People’s badboy sounds, this system made them look weak. My ears rang the next day after wearing professional earplugs.
DMZ always had the potential to be a landmark. The hype has been building for DMZ for about 18 months now. “Pathwayz” being smashed by Hatcha at Forward>>, the Grime 2 comp exposure, DJing at Maida Vale for the John Peel Tribute night, Loefah remixing Bugz in the Attic: now is their time.
Equally it had the potential to be a disaster. I’ve trekked forever sarf to Croydon several times to hear them play, only to see more people behind the decks than on the dancefloor. Personally it’s always worth it – Mala, Coki and Loefah always keep their powder dry, always have new anthems to premiere on dub – but disappointing to see this music not reaching it’s audience. They found an audience at DMZ.
Digital Mystikz’s uptempo tracks like “Neverland,” “Conference,” “Twissup remix,” “Forgive” and “Roots” achieve a unique balance. On one hand they empower rooms, smothering them in heavy sub bass and energetic swung rhythms. On the other there’s a warmth and melodic element that triggers memories of great black music past. They never need resort to cold, distorted breaks or distorted midrange noise that the breaks crew feel “makes” people dance. Like all great black music – jungle, hip hop, dancehall, reggae, 2step – DMZ riddims don’t “make” you dance, they ask.
2004 was grime’s year, there’s no question of that. Culturally it’s still undeniably unique, vital and groundbreaking. In grime’s shadow, dubstep has suffered from a degree of reverse snobbery. But over these three days, nothing got even near the emotion unleashed by Mala and Loefah back-to-back at DMZ. Nothing.
Q: So given the weight of talent on the line up… who won the triathlon?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
A: Digital Mystikz. By a hundred f**ing miles.
There were certainly highlights of all three. Plasticman playing bare grime vocals on the Plastic People soundsystem (“When I’m Ere” and “Nu Era” ). Plastic playing bare grime instrumentals at Plastic People and DMZ (Wiley’s “Ice Cream remix” and load of Aftershock instrumentals.) Kode 9’s FWD>> set was definitely a contender for set-of-the-triathlon. For the first time since FWD>> began, Kode was put in the primetime last slot, instead of the early warm up. It reflects a recent change in his DJing goals, heading for a more dancefloor ethos. He’s come a long way from the beatless “Sign of the Dub” to the weighty, droney melodica/sinodub “Blues.”
Kode 9 and Spaceape ( the artist formely known as Daddi Gee … THFKADG anyone? ) live at DMZ was the sound of things to come. Backlit by blood red light, Spaceape wobbled his cosmic afro gloriously. “Sign of the Dub,” “Fukkaz (aka Subkon vox),” “Blues (vox)” and their beatless cover of “Ghost Town” sounded remarkable, though falling firmly in the zone of engrossing spectacle rather than danceable DJ set. Get them boys an album deal, pronto.
Run the Road at Fabric was one of the strongest grime line ups I’ve seen at a mainstream London club. Bruza was comedy, keeping his thin shellsuit hood up at all times, on stage and in the balcony bar. Cameo played tons of Dexplicit riddims and while I’ve never really rated Dex’s lo-fi crunchy handclapy productions, they sounded militant over the Fabric system.
I took small satisfaction in seeing No Lay perform. No Lay doesn’t know me from a hole in the ground, never will. But I honestly know I played a small part in putting her on the stage that night. Last summer, when Dan Stacey and I were struggling to compile Run the Road, I spoke to Forward>> promoter and key underground lynchpin Soulja at RinseSessions about the comp. She described the best female MC she’d heard since Ms Dynamite. High praise indeed. But when we first heard some Unorthadox productions we initially weren’t sure. In June I headed off on holiday to Spain, taking with me a CDr of potential comp tracks. Speeding through switchback after switchback of sun-drenched narrow mountain roads, “Unorthadox Daughter” blazing out of the stereo suddenly made total sense. When I returned to grime’s hometown, Dan agreed. Seeing her spit “because I bloody heard ya” in front of a huge Run the Road banner was special.
Kano and Ghetto lead a NASTY onslaught, Jammer leapt about like the bedredded mad/genius he is (“It’s NEEEEEEEKLE”) before Roll Deep took over to headline. Roll Deep always, well, roll deep. Wiley, Riko, Trim, Scratchy, Breeze, Gods Gift, Maxiumum (with Target, Danny Weed backstage) were joined by Ears, Tinchy and Ruff Sqwad, JME, Syre and more.
Roll Deep’s appearance at Fabric last year was a landmark. Then it felt like new ground was being broken. Live, The Bug compared them to the first time he saw Wu Tang. It was awe inspiring. Maybe it felt like again that to people who’d never seen Roll Deep before. This time most tunes were rewound seconds after the drop and the MCs trademark lyrics increasingly dissolved into indiscernible shouting, reloads earned by the vocal energy dissipated not the MCs individual lyrical prowess.
It was like being attacked by an enemy armed only with hand grenades to throw, not equipped with a continuous hale of automatic weapons fire. And it did feel like a sonic assault. My response to Run the Road should be measured in the background of extreme tiredness. By 3am, after Forward>> and work the day before, I was really starting to hurt. All over. Fabric doesn’t help either: it’s a venue where the clientele are constantly funnelled through dark narrow bottlenecks. Like a micro-metaphor for London, it feels like to get anywhere you will have to individually fight each member of the population. Perhaps it’s the perfect environment to experience grime then.
In retrospect Brixton is a perfect venue for Digital Mystikz’ dubstep. A stronghold of London’s Anglo-Jamaican community, Brixton has always been a reggae, not garage, heartland. Perhaps that’s how DMZ were able to come across the most insanely loud and bassy speaker stacks that towered either side of the decks. Even in compared to Fabric and Plastic People’s badboy sounds, this system made them look weak. My ears rang the next day after wearing professional earplugs.
DMZ always had the potential to be a landmark. The hype has been building for DMZ for about 18 months now. “Pathwayz” being smashed by Hatcha at Forward>>, the Grime 2 comp exposure, DJing at Maida Vale for the John Peel Tribute night, Loefah remixing Bugz in the Attic: now is their time.
Equally it had the potential to be a disaster. I’ve trekked forever sarf to Croydon several times to hear them play, only to see more people behind the decks than on the dancefloor. Personally it’s always worth it – Mala, Coki and Loefah always keep their powder dry, always have new anthems to premiere on dub – but disappointing to see this music not reaching it’s audience. They found an audience at DMZ.
Digital Mystikz’s uptempo tracks like “Neverland,” “Conference,” “Twissup remix,” “Forgive” and “Roots” achieve a unique balance. On one hand they empower rooms, smothering them in heavy sub bass and energetic swung rhythms. On the other there’s a warmth and melodic element that triggers memories of great black music past. They never need resort to cold, distorted breaks or distorted midrange noise that the breaks crew feel “makes” people dance. Like all great black music – jungle, hip hop, dancehall, reggae, 2step – DMZ riddims don’t “make” you dance, they ask.
2004 was grime’s year, there’s no question of that. Culturally it’s still undeniably unique, vital and groundbreaking. In grime’s shadow, dubstep has suffered from a degree of reverse snobbery. But over these three days, nothing got even near the emotion unleashed by Mala and Loefah back-to-back at DMZ. Nothing.
Friday, February 18, 2005
Blog clash!
hype hype! all the big boys of grime blogging slugging it out on one thread. if you think you've got something to say about grime and ain't up on this thread you get air! :)
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Rough v smooth
Apologies for the radio silence of late, I’ve been in court. Not banged to rights but summoned to civic duty in the epic surroundings of Britain’s most famous court. It was a thoroughly draining yet incredible experience. Naturally the irony of getting a case steeped in grimey east London subculture was not lost on me. This much I now acutely know: crack fuck up lives. Heroin can cripple the very strongest men.
Bigup Chan for publicly elaborating on the unique predicaments of garage journalism. Speaking personally, one of the things that first appealed to me about writing for magazines about garage when I started in 2000 was the direct contact with the artists. The lack of bullshit PRs, fake sincerity and insipid marketing campaigns was a breath of fresh air. I felt, and still feel, you can actually make a difference, even if it does feel like you’re pissing into the wind most of the time.
Of course this freedom has downsides. Garage people simply don’t accept the liberal middle class ideology that criticism is healthy. It’s never healthy to them, it’s a direct and personal insult. And as you had to phone them to beg a dub (infinitely preferable to being choked by valueless promos), they unsurprisingly have your number - and aren’t afraid to use it.
Put simply if you think you write about garage haven’t had your first threat yet, you’ve not written about garage. It goes with the (rough and exciting) territory and I suspect no amount of liberal bleating to road mans about freedom of speech is going to stop it. I’ve come to accept it. OK make that suffer it. You just have to be careful who you cuss.
Keeping your head down is helpful. “If you don’t have anything positive to say don’t say it at all,” might be criticised as a weak ideological argument but it’s often an argument made by journalists living in cosy gated communities where the worst they have to risk is being removed from a mailing list.
Bigup Chan for publicly elaborating on the unique predicaments of garage journalism. Speaking personally, one of the things that first appealed to me about writing for magazines about garage when I started in 2000 was the direct contact with the artists. The lack of bullshit PRs, fake sincerity and insipid marketing campaigns was a breath of fresh air. I felt, and still feel, you can actually make a difference, even if it does feel like you’re pissing into the wind most of the time.
Of course this freedom has downsides. Garage people simply don’t accept the liberal middle class ideology that criticism is healthy. It’s never healthy to them, it’s a direct and personal insult. And as you had to phone them to beg a dub (infinitely preferable to being choked by valueless promos), they unsurprisingly have your number - and aren’t afraid to use it.
Put simply if you think you write about garage haven’t had your first threat yet, you’ve not written about garage. It goes with the (rough and exciting) territory and I suspect no amount of liberal bleating to road mans about freedom of speech is going to stop it. I’ve come to accept it. OK make that suffer it. You just have to be careful who you cuss.
Keeping your head down is helpful. “If you don’t have anything positive to say don’t say it at all,” might be criticised as a weak ideological argument but it’s often an argument made by journalists living in cosy gated communities where the worst they have to risk is being removed from a mailing list.
Saturday, February 05, 2005
Rinse pressure
Big set featuring Trim, JME, Gods Gift, Riko, Footsie and more on Rinse. Some f**king crazy dubs and aggiest session I've heard in a while. (Re-uploaded from Yousendit).
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
The best tracks we couldn't sign to Run the Road...
DIZZEE RASCAL FT BREEZE AND JAMACABI "WIN"
The "I love girls/I love trance" one. We asked Dizzee: "It's unfinished". A lost classic.
BIG ED FT. DEMON AND BRUZA "THE RUSH"
Contains a large piece of metal. Madonna's lawyers eat labels for breakfast.
SKEPTA FT D DOUBLE E "THUGGISH RUGGISH"
Contains a large Thug and Some bones. Some Harmony too.
STATIK FT D DOUBLE E "SUPADOOP"
The greatest unreleased grime '80s Miami Vice theme ever. Sample probs getme.
WONDER AND KANO "LATELY"
Politics innit.
LETHAL B AND FRIENDS "FORWARD RIDDIM"
Relentless flashed much cash. fairnuff.
Run the Road is out now. Represent for UK street music.
March 4th Run The Road at Fabric
Kano, Wiley, D Double E, Riko, Tailban Trim, Bruza , No Lay, Cameo, Mac 10, Semtex and J33.
SO...
…what would you put on your Run the Road 2? Answers below please.
The "I love girls/I love trance" one. We asked Dizzee: "It's unfinished". A lost classic.
BIG ED FT. DEMON AND BRUZA "THE RUSH"
Contains a large piece of metal. Madonna's lawyers eat labels for breakfast.
SKEPTA FT D DOUBLE E "THUGGISH RUGGISH"
Contains a large Thug and Some bones. Some Harmony too.
STATIK FT D DOUBLE E "SUPADOOP"
The greatest unreleased grime '80s Miami Vice theme ever. Sample probs getme.
WONDER AND KANO "LATELY"
Politics innit.
LETHAL B AND FRIENDS "FORWARD RIDDIM"
Relentless flashed much cash. fairnuff.
Run the Road is out now. Represent for UK street music.
March 4th Run The Road at Fabric
Kano, Wiley, D Double E, Riko, Tailban Trim, Bruza , No Lay, Cameo, Mac 10, Semtex and J33.
SO...
…what would you put on your Run the Road 2? Answers below please.
Monday, January 31, 2005
Friday, January 28, 2005
The view from the top
London is an 8 million-person melting pot. Writing about grime is grassroots reporting within that pot. Seeing hard data that correlates with daily experience, therefore, is gratifying and interesting. Check the Guardian's visual representation of multicultural LDN:
Maps: London by ethnicity
Maps: London by religion
What the maps don't show
Master article
Maps: London by ethnicity
Maps: London by religion
What the maps don't show
Master article
Monday, January 24, 2005
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Rhythm vision
A simple observation: what a golden grime era we're living in.
Last Sunday's Rinse set with Wiley, JME, Trim, D Double E and Footsie just took the piss. The tunes Wiley was dropping just took the piss.
Compared to the rigid structures of d&b, house or rock, grime is outrageously fluid. Such is the cultural weight behind them, anything - half time, 3rd beat snares, variable tempos, no beats... accordions - anything Wiley and Roll Deep do is runnin'. Anything is grime. Except perhaps, what has come before.
And this is even in a post-Dizzee era, when Dylan has already burnt the rulebook.
Beyond Roll Deep there's a new remix to last year's most rhythmic yet popular riddim Bongo Eyes remix. First heard played by Bossman on Cameo's show last October, the new Bongo Eyes remix has the balls to reverse the whole bar. Not even the direction of the rhythm of the track is sacred!
Cameo himself was talking about "R'n'G" - yes that's rhythm & grime - to represent Terror Danjah r&b tracks like Life.
And these observations don't even give due credit to Targets' sinogrime/electro melodies, DOK's g-funk (grime-funk?), Syre's modal sinogrime and ...
Last Sunday's Rinse set with Wiley, JME, Trim, D Double E and Footsie just took the piss. The tunes Wiley was dropping just took the piss.
Compared to the rigid structures of d&b, house or rock, grime is outrageously fluid. Such is the cultural weight behind them, anything - half time, 3rd beat snares, variable tempos, no beats... accordions - anything Wiley and Roll Deep do is runnin'. Anything is grime. Except perhaps, what has come before.
And this is even in a post-Dizzee era, when Dylan has already burnt the rulebook.
Beyond Roll Deep there's a new remix to last year's most rhythmic yet popular riddim Bongo Eyes remix. First heard played by Bossman on Cameo's show last October, the new Bongo Eyes remix has the balls to reverse the whole bar. Not even the direction of the rhythm of the track is sacred!
Cameo himself was talking about "R'n'G" - yes that's rhythm & grime - to represent Terror Danjah r&b tracks like Life.
And these observations don't even give due credit to Targets' sinogrime/electro melodies, DOK's g-funk (grime-funk?), Syre's modal sinogrime and ...
Monday, January 17, 2005
DMZ Allnighter Alert
DUBSTEP PIONEERS DIGITAL MYSTIKZ ANNOUNCE CLUB NIGHT DEBUT: DMZ @ 3RD BASE.
Dubstep innovators and John Peel faves Digital Mystikz have unveiled details of their very first event. DMZ takes place Saturday March 5th 2005 at 3rd BASE, St Matthews Church, Brixton.
These DJs represent the cutting edge of the South London dubstep sound. Digital Mystikz and Loefah headline with Sgt Pokes. They are joined on a heavyweight line up by SLT Mob (Rinse FM, Rephlex, Soulja), J Da Flex (1Xtra, Thriller Funk, FWD>>), Kode 9 + Daddi Gee (Hyperdub, Tempa, Rephlex), Plasticman (Terror Rhythm, Rephlex), Youngsta (FWD>>, Rinse FM) and Skream & Chef (Big Apple, Rinse FM).
DMZ will showcase the best in the post-garage hybrid “dubstep.” If grime is the voice of angry urban London, dubstep is its primary echo, the sound of dread bass reflecting off decaying walls. Mixed into this echo are shards of dub reggae, jungle, broken beats, grime, Detroit techno and dark swung 2step. DMZ at 3rd BASE is a chance to experience the bass-heavy fusion in its full Mystical glory.
Digital Mystikz and Loefah exploded onto the scene last year with mesmerising releases on Big Apple, Tempa and their own DMZ label. They were stars of the Grime 2 compilation on Aphex Twin’s Rephlex label. They’ve DJed at dubstep nerve centres club Forward>> and Rinse FM. John Peel was a big fan and they DJed at his Maida Vale tribute night held by Annie Nightingale on Radio 1. DMZ at 3rd BASE: come meditate on bass weight.
DMZ
SATURDAY 5TH MARCH 2005
10 - 6am. 3rd BASE. St. Matthews church. Brixton. SW2.
ENTRY £ 5 (MEMBERS) - e-mail digitalmystikz@hotmail.com for membership. £ 7 (NON MEMBERS)
DIGITAL MYSTIKZ + LOEFAH + SGT POKES
SLT MOB
J DA FLEX
KODE 9 + DADDI GEE
PLASTICMAN
YOUNGSTA
SKREAM & CHEF
SOUND SUPPORTED BY A 12K TURBOSOUND SYSTEM WITH NO LIMITERS.
Online: www.dmzuk.com and www.hyperdub.com
email: digitalmystikz@hotmail.com
Dubstep innovators and John Peel faves Digital Mystikz have unveiled details of their very first event. DMZ takes place Saturday March 5th 2005 at 3rd BASE, St Matthews Church, Brixton.
These DJs represent the cutting edge of the South London dubstep sound. Digital Mystikz and Loefah headline with Sgt Pokes. They are joined on a heavyweight line up by SLT Mob (Rinse FM, Rephlex, Soulja), J Da Flex (1Xtra, Thriller Funk, FWD>>), Kode 9 + Daddi Gee (Hyperdub, Tempa, Rephlex), Plasticman (Terror Rhythm, Rephlex), Youngsta (FWD>>, Rinse FM) and Skream & Chef (Big Apple, Rinse FM).
DMZ will showcase the best in the post-garage hybrid “dubstep.” If grime is the voice of angry urban London, dubstep is its primary echo, the sound of dread bass reflecting off decaying walls. Mixed into this echo are shards of dub reggae, jungle, broken beats, grime, Detroit techno and dark swung 2step. DMZ at 3rd BASE is a chance to experience the bass-heavy fusion in its full Mystical glory.
Digital Mystikz and Loefah exploded onto the scene last year with mesmerising releases on Big Apple, Tempa and their own DMZ label. They were stars of the Grime 2 compilation on Aphex Twin’s Rephlex label. They’ve DJed at dubstep nerve centres club Forward>> and Rinse FM. John Peel was a big fan and they DJed at his Maida Vale tribute night held by Annie Nightingale on Radio 1. DMZ at 3rd BASE: come meditate on bass weight.
DMZ
SATURDAY 5TH MARCH 2005
10 - 6am. 3rd BASE. St. Matthews church. Brixton. SW2.
ENTRY £ 5 (MEMBERS) - e-mail digitalmystikz@hotmail.com for membership. £ 7 (NON MEMBERS)
DIGITAL MYSTIKZ + LOEFAH + SGT POKES
SLT MOB
J DA FLEX
KODE 9 + DADDI GEE
PLASTICMAN
YOUNGSTA
SKREAM & CHEF
SOUND SUPPORTED BY A 12K TURBOSOUND SYSTEM WITH NO LIMITERS.
Online: www.dmzuk.com and www.hyperdub.com
email: digitalmystikz@hotmail.com
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Stop The Bashment Bashing
Like many an idea, Stop The Bashment Bashing began in the pub, or the Knowledge mag Christmas party to be precise. As the issue of homophobia in dancehall was debated in mainstream circles, Sarah Bentley explained how she had become increasingly enraged at the ignorance about dancehall displayed by mainstream journalists. After a few pints, I goaded her into unleashing her fury. Within a few minutes it was clear her point of view needed airing. Mainstream media wouldn’t listen, so Blackdown Soundboy obliged.
Without writing a biog for her, Sarah Bentley is to dancehall magazine journalism what Chris Muniz and Pete Rogers are to d&b journalism, Steve Yates is to hip hop, or what perhaps myself or Chantelle Fiddy hope to be to garage. Her views are not necessarily those of Blackdown Soundboy, but properly informed on the international dancehall movement, they’re very worthwhile.
//Stop The Bashment Bashing//
Words: Sarah Bentley
If you’ve read the UK mainstream press this autumn you couldn’t have escaped the controversy over Jamaican dancehall and reggae artists apparent homophobic lyricism. Sizzla has been banned from performing in the UK. Beenie Man was retained by the police on the basis that his lyrics, ‘incited violence’. And Buju Banton’s, ‘Boom Bye Bye’ tune, somehow dominated headlines again, twelve years after its original release.
So how did all this happen? Well, Gay Rights activist and OutRage’s front man, Peter Tatchell, had timing on his side. With the rise in popularity of dancehall the papers were ripe to listen to his long standing argument that dancehall is, ‘murder music’. And why not? Anyone whom believes they are being disrespected has the right to speak out. But the right to sabotage an entire musical genre and with it a large proportion of a nations economy, that’s a different thing.
Throughout 2004 I watched in horror as journalists, radio and TV presenters seized Tatchell’s mantle to brand all dancehall artists murder inciting homophobes with no regard for the wider effects these comments were having.
My favourite newspapers ran copy with embarrassingly inept descriptions of the various Houses of Rastafari (check Alexis Petridis article that states “Bobo Rasta’s believe in racial segregation”). Buju Banton was wrongly accused by The Guardian in June of being involved in a violent ‘gay attack’ in Jamaica.
Inexcusably wrong patios translations were rife. Check every ‘literal’ patios translation on Outrage.com. And the nation developed pseudo expertise on Jamaican culture, history and social science. Check my pensioner parents telling me about the perils of ‘that terrible reggae’ after watching Channel Four documentary ‘Trainers, Reggae & The Olympics’. To date no "Apologies for an error made in issue/programme xx” have been printed/broadcast.
Thanks to OutRages online ‘Essential Guide To Homophobic Lyricism In Dancehall’, anyone could become an overnight expert in bashment bashing. It was so easy. Check the web and make that money. It didn’t matter that patios was a creole that required more than a literal translation. What do you mean burn, doesn’t mean burn? And fire doesn’t necessarily mean physical fire? You can’t get one up on us that easily. We might be western but we’re down. We know what your jungle language means, man.
Before I proceed I’d like you to know I’m a stereotypically left wing music hack. I drink soya milk. I’ve been to Trade. I use eco friendly washing powder. I’ve applied nail varnish to a gay friend’s toenails. I fully accept Jesus, if he did exist, was a blackman. I read The Guardian and The Observer. I believe no one should suffer prejudice. Violence is wrong. I mourn if I accidentally tread on an ant. But, when it comes to dancehall, the general publics not getting the full picture. And now the witch hunts on, there’s no stopping the hypocrisy of its most ardent critics. And someone, anyone, has to start presenting the flip side.
Fact is, its illegal to be a sexually active gay man in Jamaica. Buggery or in fact any intimacy between two men is unlawful and punishable by prison. No such direct laws refer to lesbians. It seems Jamaica’s don’t take so much offence to the thought of two women getting it on. Somehow, I doubt dancehall, a genre of music yet to be invented when Jamaica was granted independence in the 60’s, had little impact on the Jamaican governments decision to maintain the law the British had previously imposed.
Taking things to 2004 a recent opinion poll stated 96% of the country opposed having this law over turned. And if you think 96% of the country is influenced by dancehall, you’re wrong. Like garage in the UK, dancehall is the music of ghetto youths. If anything unites the 96 out of 100 people that didn’t want the buggery laws over turned, it would most likely be the church.
We all know Christianity is big in Jamaica and the island has more churches per square capita than anywhere else in the world (broadsheet hacks got that right at least). Well has anyone ever thought where that strident belief in the Bible came from? Er, hello, we took it there. Before being shackled, wedged into a coffin size space and packed off to the Caribbean, do you think Africans had much experience with Christianity?
Christianity was the religion of the plantation owners and slave masters. After blacks supposed emancipation in 1830, ex slaves, desperate to gain respectability, social mobility and status, only found equal footing to Jamaica’s light skinned, upper class society in religion. Back then, both in Jamaica and in England, the churches word was final. And with regards to homosexuality, the Bible taught this was a heinous sin, one the monarchy believed should be punishable by death.
175 years on and still it’s the light skinned population that fill Jamaica’s uptown restaurants, security guarded housing estates and private schools. Jamaica’s poorest rural and downtown communities are almost entirely populated by descendents of the original African slaves. Many people are still illiterate. Men and women do hard labour jobs for less than £20 a week. Gang, and political related fighting devastates downtown communities. The church continues to be a central force in people’s lives.
Now I’m not trying to excuse homophobia, I’m merely trying to illustrate the background to Jamaica’s hard-line stance. Now we’re all such shining examples of liberated, PC-ness, it’s easy to forget that homosexuality wasn’t legalised in Britain until 1967 and even then the age of consent was 21. It wasn’t until 1980 and 1982 Scotland & N.Ireland came to the same conclusions, the last amendment a mere 22 years ago. Furthermore it wasn’t until 1994 England lowered the age of consent to 18, the debate on lowering it to 16 still a hot debated subject in this country today.
Without intending to sound patronising, Jamaica is a third world country. Soap operas don’t have token ‘gay characters’. The nation doesn’t watch Queer As Folk whilst eating their tea. TV presenters do not dress in drag. They don’t have a fashionable gay district with nice bars and restaurants border-line homophobes like my Dad can visit to conclude, “They aren’t that bad are they? The gays.” Most people are worrying about how to feed their children and pay the rent. It might take longer for the notion of the homosexual lifestyle to become accepted in Jamaica than in did in England. Is that really so surprising?
The baiting of conscious dancehall artists Buju Banton and Boboshanti Rastafarians Capleton, Sizzla and Antony B rattles me more than any factor of this whole blood thirsty affair. Buju, Capleton and Antony B all started their artistic lives as gun toting rude boys before experiencing a spiritual enlightenment that switched them onto more righteous ways. Today they offer hope to young men in Jamaica’s desperate ghettos. They employ people from their local communities, the artist’s income also the lifeline to the survival of tens of other families.
They wear humble clothing or traditional African dress. They denounce drug taking and drinking. They eat strict vegetarian diets. Women are their empresses and queens (albeit they have a few of them). Achievement is measured through the richness of a person’s heart, soul and mind, not their wallets. They openly praise the family unit, particularly mothers. They are the antithesis of the thugged out, gangster puppets and glassy eyed, sexually available hoes of the US rap world.
Lyrically their main subject matters are Rastafarian philosophy and the promotion of black pride, education, unity, clean living and love. Yes they perform homophobic lyrics in a low percentage of their material but they perform them within the context of Biblical teachings. Is it really reasonable to expect religious artists in a country where homosexuality is illegal, to not express anti-gay sentiments?
Sure to the unaccustomed ear the vernacular seems harsh. But, like the artists say, their words shouldn’t be taken literally, an aspect of patios people choose to embrace and ignore in equal measure. When Bob Marley sang, “I shot the Sheriff,” I don’t remember him being arrested for inciting violence against the police. It’s safe to conclude Bob didn’t like the way the police conducted themselves (after all he said he shot one), so why can’t the same conclusion be drawn from Capleton singing, “Burn fire pon de battyman.”
Patios is a dialect that uses strong words to express a feeling. Take the following sentence, “I step pon Tatchell an burn fire pon de murder music campaign”. What I mean by this statement is, “I earnestly disagree with Peter Tatchell and I’d like to see his Murder Music campaign come to an end.” However the literal translation, as pioneered by the OutRage department of creole expertise, means, “Stamp on Peter Tatchell and all homosexuals and set alight anyone whom supports the Murder Music Campaign.” There are subtle, but oh so important differences: Dislike-death. Anger-violence. Disagree-eradicate.
I’m not denying it must be hard to be gay and live in Jamaica. But it’s also hard being an average person on the street there as well: robbery, rape and sexual attacks on women far more frequent crimes than gay assaults. Personally I find homophobic lyrics uncreative and lazy (Jamaican artists know the public will love any tune featuring them-it’s a no brainer). But until government changes the law and initiates nation wide programmes of education and integration, why would dancehall artists stop using anti-gay lyrics?
It all goes back to the same age-old argument. Does music reflect life or dictate it? Well I’ve been to Jamaica and seen crews of openly gay men dancing to Elephant Man’s ‘Log On’ at downtown dances such as Passa Passa. A few people stared, but no one stamped on them. I’ve read newspaper columns where male writers have written accounts of being come on to by a gay man in the bank, the man merely embarrassed, not enraged as the whole queue laughed at him, “in his predicament.”
Looking at today’s music business it appears that if you’re raking in millions for corporations you’re merely a victim of social circumstance singing/rapping about your personal experiences. However if you’re not shifting 50,000 units you’re the devil, the cause of every social ill you dare mention (in the case of dancehall the ill is homophobia not homosexuality) and fare game to the media bloodhounds.
As a departing shot I’ll leave you with the profound words of 50 Cent, a rapper whom regularly appears on kiddie music station MTV donning a bullet proof vest spitting lines such as, “But I’ll hunt or duck a nigga down like it’s sport, Front on me, I’ll cut ya, gun-butt ya or bump ya…I’m the type that’ll kill your connect when the coke price rise.”
With morality like that filling our pre-watershed TV schedules, no wonder there is such a furore over dancehall.
Without writing a biog for her, Sarah Bentley is to dancehall magazine journalism what Chris Muniz and Pete Rogers are to d&b journalism, Steve Yates is to hip hop, or what perhaps myself or Chantelle Fiddy hope to be to garage. Her views are not necessarily those of Blackdown Soundboy, but properly informed on the international dancehall movement, they’re very worthwhile.
//Stop The Bashment Bashing//
Words: Sarah Bentley
If you’ve read the UK mainstream press this autumn you couldn’t have escaped the controversy over Jamaican dancehall and reggae artists apparent homophobic lyricism. Sizzla has been banned from performing in the UK. Beenie Man was retained by the police on the basis that his lyrics, ‘incited violence’. And Buju Banton’s, ‘Boom Bye Bye’ tune, somehow dominated headlines again, twelve years after its original release.
So how did all this happen? Well, Gay Rights activist and OutRage’s front man, Peter Tatchell, had timing on his side. With the rise in popularity of dancehall the papers were ripe to listen to his long standing argument that dancehall is, ‘murder music’. And why not? Anyone whom believes they are being disrespected has the right to speak out. But the right to sabotage an entire musical genre and with it a large proportion of a nations economy, that’s a different thing.
Throughout 2004 I watched in horror as journalists, radio and TV presenters seized Tatchell’s mantle to brand all dancehall artists murder inciting homophobes with no regard for the wider effects these comments were having.
My favourite newspapers ran copy with embarrassingly inept descriptions of the various Houses of Rastafari (check Alexis Petridis article that states “Bobo Rasta’s believe in racial segregation”). Buju Banton was wrongly accused by The Guardian in June of being involved in a violent ‘gay attack’ in Jamaica.
Inexcusably wrong patios translations were rife. Check every ‘literal’ patios translation on Outrage.com. And the nation developed pseudo expertise on Jamaican culture, history and social science. Check my pensioner parents telling me about the perils of ‘that terrible reggae’ after watching Channel Four documentary ‘Trainers, Reggae & The Olympics’. To date no "Apologies for an error made in issue/programme xx” have been printed/broadcast.
Thanks to OutRages online ‘Essential Guide To Homophobic Lyricism In Dancehall’, anyone could become an overnight expert in bashment bashing. It was so easy. Check the web and make that money. It didn’t matter that patios was a creole that required more than a literal translation. What do you mean burn, doesn’t mean burn? And fire doesn’t necessarily mean physical fire? You can’t get one up on us that easily. We might be western but we’re down. We know what your jungle language means, man.
Before I proceed I’d like you to know I’m a stereotypically left wing music hack. I drink soya milk. I’ve been to Trade. I use eco friendly washing powder. I’ve applied nail varnish to a gay friend’s toenails. I fully accept Jesus, if he did exist, was a blackman. I read The Guardian and The Observer. I believe no one should suffer prejudice. Violence is wrong. I mourn if I accidentally tread on an ant. But, when it comes to dancehall, the general publics not getting the full picture. And now the witch hunts on, there’s no stopping the hypocrisy of its most ardent critics. And someone, anyone, has to start presenting the flip side.
Fact is, its illegal to be a sexually active gay man in Jamaica. Buggery or in fact any intimacy between two men is unlawful and punishable by prison. No such direct laws refer to lesbians. It seems Jamaica’s don’t take so much offence to the thought of two women getting it on. Somehow, I doubt dancehall, a genre of music yet to be invented when Jamaica was granted independence in the 60’s, had little impact on the Jamaican governments decision to maintain the law the British had previously imposed.
Taking things to 2004 a recent opinion poll stated 96% of the country opposed having this law over turned. And if you think 96% of the country is influenced by dancehall, you’re wrong. Like garage in the UK, dancehall is the music of ghetto youths. If anything unites the 96 out of 100 people that didn’t want the buggery laws over turned, it would most likely be the church.
We all know Christianity is big in Jamaica and the island has more churches per square capita than anywhere else in the world (broadsheet hacks got that right at least). Well has anyone ever thought where that strident belief in the Bible came from? Er, hello, we took it there. Before being shackled, wedged into a coffin size space and packed off to the Caribbean, do you think Africans had much experience with Christianity?
Christianity was the religion of the plantation owners and slave masters. After blacks supposed emancipation in 1830, ex slaves, desperate to gain respectability, social mobility and status, only found equal footing to Jamaica’s light skinned, upper class society in religion. Back then, both in Jamaica and in England, the churches word was final. And with regards to homosexuality, the Bible taught this was a heinous sin, one the monarchy believed should be punishable by death.
175 years on and still it’s the light skinned population that fill Jamaica’s uptown restaurants, security guarded housing estates and private schools. Jamaica’s poorest rural and downtown communities are almost entirely populated by descendents of the original African slaves. Many people are still illiterate. Men and women do hard labour jobs for less than £20 a week. Gang, and political related fighting devastates downtown communities. The church continues to be a central force in people’s lives.
Now I’m not trying to excuse homophobia, I’m merely trying to illustrate the background to Jamaica’s hard-line stance. Now we’re all such shining examples of liberated, PC-ness, it’s easy to forget that homosexuality wasn’t legalised in Britain until 1967 and even then the age of consent was 21. It wasn’t until 1980 and 1982 Scotland & N.Ireland came to the same conclusions, the last amendment a mere 22 years ago. Furthermore it wasn’t until 1994 England lowered the age of consent to 18, the debate on lowering it to 16 still a hot debated subject in this country today.
Without intending to sound patronising, Jamaica is a third world country. Soap operas don’t have token ‘gay characters’. The nation doesn’t watch Queer As Folk whilst eating their tea. TV presenters do not dress in drag. They don’t have a fashionable gay district with nice bars and restaurants border-line homophobes like my Dad can visit to conclude, “They aren’t that bad are they? The gays.” Most people are worrying about how to feed their children and pay the rent. It might take longer for the notion of the homosexual lifestyle to become accepted in Jamaica than in did in England. Is that really so surprising?
The baiting of conscious dancehall artists Buju Banton and Boboshanti Rastafarians Capleton, Sizzla and Antony B rattles me more than any factor of this whole blood thirsty affair. Buju, Capleton and Antony B all started their artistic lives as gun toting rude boys before experiencing a spiritual enlightenment that switched them onto more righteous ways. Today they offer hope to young men in Jamaica’s desperate ghettos. They employ people from their local communities, the artist’s income also the lifeline to the survival of tens of other families.
They wear humble clothing or traditional African dress. They denounce drug taking and drinking. They eat strict vegetarian diets. Women are their empresses and queens (albeit they have a few of them). Achievement is measured through the richness of a person’s heart, soul and mind, not their wallets. They openly praise the family unit, particularly mothers. They are the antithesis of the thugged out, gangster puppets and glassy eyed, sexually available hoes of the US rap world.
Lyrically their main subject matters are Rastafarian philosophy and the promotion of black pride, education, unity, clean living and love. Yes they perform homophobic lyrics in a low percentage of their material but they perform them within the context of Biblical teachings. Is it really reasonable to expect religious artists in a country where homosexuality is illegal, to not express anti-gay sentiments?
Sure to the unaccustomed ear the vernacular seems harsh. But, like the artists say, their words shouldn’t be taken literally, an aspect of patios people choose to embrace and ignore in equal measure. When Bob Marley sang, “I shot the Sheriff,” I don’t remember him being arrested for inciting violence against the police. It’s safe to conclude Bob didn’t like the way the police conducted themselves (after all he said he shot one), so why can’t the same conclusion be drawn from Capleton singing, “Burn fire pon de battyman.”
Patios is a dialect that uses strong words to express a feeling. Take the following sentence, “I step pon Tatchell an burn fire pon de murder music campaign”. What I mean by this statement is, “I earnestly disagree with Peter Tatchell and I’d like to see his Murder Music campaign come to an end.” However the literal translation, as pioneered by the OutRage department of creole expertise, means, “Stamp on Peter Tatchell and all homosexuals and set alight anyone whom supports the Murder Music Campaign.” There are subtle, but oh so important differences: Dislike-death. Anger-violence. Disagree-eradicate.
I’m not denying it must be hard to be gay and live in Jamaica. But it’s also hard being an average person on the street there as well: robbery, rape and sexual attacks on women far more frequent crimes than gay assaults. Personally I find homophobic lyrics uncreative and lazy (Jamaican artists know the public will love any tune featuring them-it’s a no brainer). But until government changes the law and initiates nation wide programmes of education and integration, why would dancehall artists stop using anti-gay lyrics?
It all goes back to the same age-old argument. Does music reflect life or dictate it? Well I’ve been to Jamaica and seen crews of openly gay men dancing to Elephant Man’s ‘Log On’ at downtown dances such as Passa Passa. A few people stared, but no one stamped on them. I’ve read newspaper columns where male writers have written accounts of being come on to by a gay man in the bank, the man merely embarrassed, not enraged as the whole queue laughed at him, “in his predicament.”
Looking at today’s music business it appears that if you’re raking in millions for corporations you’re merely a victim of social circumstance singing/rapping about your personal experiences. However if you’re not shifting 50,000 units you’re the devil, the cause of every social ill you dare mention (in the case of dancehall the ill is homophobia not homosexuality) and fare game to the media bloodhounds.
As a departing shot I’ll leave you with the profound words of 50 Cent, a rapper whom regularly appears on kiddie music station MTV donning a bullet proof vest spitting lines such as, “But I’ll hunt or duck a nigga down like it’s sport, Front on me, I’ll cut ya, gun-butt ya or bump ya…I’m the type that’ll kill your connect when the coke price rise.”
With morality like that filling our pre-watershed TV schedules, no wonder there is such a furore over dancehall.
Sunday, January 02, 2005
SNAPSHOT 2004
2004 DUBSTEP 5
KODE 9 FT DADDI GEE “SIGN OF THE DUB” (Hyperdub) and “FUKKAZ (SUBKON VOX)” (dub)
One beatless bass excursion. The other a sino-dub quantum leap. The next dubstep phaze has begun.
DIGITAL MYSTIKZ “GIVE JAH GLORY” (Tempa) and “FORGIVE” (dub)
Deep sounds from within. Essential.
LOEFAH “JUNGLE INFILTRATOR” (Big Apple) and “HORROR SHOW” (DMZ01)
DMZ’s Loefah’s opening shots.
PLASTICMAN “SHALLOW GRAVE (SKREAMZ MIX)” (Terror Riddim dub) and “FUNERAL VIBEZ”
Yo Gilles Peterson are you still “looking for the perfect beat?” Skreamz has made it.
GEENEUS “CONGO” (Tempa)
From the essential Tempa Allstars 2 doublepack.
2004 GRIME 5 (that could be 50)
ROLL DEEP “LET IT OUT” and “UNKNOWN (the Asian one on the LP demo)”
Proof that grime 2004 belonged to the Entourage
TRIM FT RIKO, WILEY, D DOUBLE E AND FOOTSIE (TERROR DANJAH PRODUCTION) “BOOGEY MAN” (White)
Irresistible grime anthem and Trim’s vinyl debut.
TARGET AND RIKO “CHOSEN ONE” (Aim High)
Talking loud and saying something. Target’s a genius.
DOK FT BRUZA “GET ME” (Aftershock)
“Yo DOK is this me blad?” G-funk goes Cockney-Eski.
WONDER FT KANO “LATELY” (New Era)
Surfing the popular/innovation boundary.
ALBUMS OF 2004
HIGH CONTRAST “HIGH SOCIETY” (Hospital)
Ecstatic, euphoric, irresistible.
JUNIOR BOYS “LAST EXIT” (Kin)
80s + r&b bounce + melodies to kill for = this years’ Metro Area.
DIZZEE RASCAL “SHOWTIME” (XL)
Inpenetrable yet essential.
GRIME MIXTAPES
LOGAN SAMA
The definitive grime mega-mixtape, even though it’s talked over.
ROLL DEEP PRESENT CREEPER VOL 1
Not as good as their Rinse FM sets but seriously mucky in places.
AIM HIGH VOL 1
It’s by Target. Say no more.
RUN THE ROAD
A labour of love throughout 2004 by me and 679’s Dan Stacey.
MIXTAPES/COMPS OF 2004
KNOWLEDGE MAGAZINE PRESENTS BASSBIN RECORDS MIX
Doc Scott-style dub roller.
KNOWLEDGE MAGAZINE PRESENTS INPERSPECTIVE RECORDS MIX
The return of the breaks to d&b
HOLLATRONIX “Inperfection makes is fresh-sha”
R&b, crunk, classic hip hop, dancehall and even The Clash. Fresh.
YOUNGSTA LIVE AT FWD>> VOL 1
A love/hate CD, yet the definitive snapshot of a skunked out sound pushed to the limits … for better or worse.
MC OF THE YEAR: Trim
GRIME INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR: Wiley
D&B TUNES OF THE YEAR
CALIBRE FT MC FATS “DROP IT DOWN” (Signature)
Blissful sub-bass singjay jam.
AR RAHMAN “THE AMERICANS ARE COMING (NURIYA HAMIED & MOISES MODESTO REMIX)” (bootleg)
Insane Indian string epic given the bootleg d&b treatment.
FUTURE PROPHECIES “EASTERN ORGANIC” (Sound Trax test press)
Steps like “Pulp Fiction”. Sounds like Digital Mystikz or DJ Distance. Refreshing Oriental sounds.
Q PROJECT “NATION 2 NATION” (Hospital)
The perfect marimba groove?
0=0 “SOUL HUNTER TESTIFIES” (Inperspective dub)
What Squarepusher should have sounded like. Is this the rhythmic limit of d&b? Is this even d&b?
R&B 5
CHRISTINA MILIAN “DIP IT LOW”
KELIS “MILKSHAKE”
ASHANTI “ONLY U”
KELIS AND ANDRE 3000 “MILLIONAIRE”
BRANDY “APHRODISIAC”
TOP 6 PLACES IN 2004
Hackney Wick by twilight
Interviewing Roll Deep and Whileout Onez in Limehouse aka “Whilehouse”
The space in front of Plastic People’s speakers during Forward>>, RinseSessions or Co op
The 2am Sunday nightbus home from DMZ Sessions in Croydon
In Sainsbury’s: getting a call from Riko to say he’s free
On the footie pitch getting the f**kin tackles in
2004 BOTTOM 5
War and poverty
Inequality and intolerance
Intra-scene bitching
Right wing media
The collapse of the dance/urban magazine sector/record sales
FUTURE 5 FOR 2005
The Digital Mystikz, Loefah and Kode 9 & Daddi Gee LPs
Burial, Pinch, Fumin and Lowdeep releases
Kano’s LP
Influx Datum’s LP (Formation)
Drumfunk Vol 1 compiled by Paradox
WISHFUL THINKING 5 FOR 2005
A Trim LP
Some next MC who raises the bar further
Some insane next scene from around the world that’s not buss yet
World peace
A Dusk & Blackdown 12”
KODE 9 FT DADDI GEE “SIGN OF THE DUB” (Hyperdub) and “FUKKAZ (SUBKON VOX)” (dub)
One beatless bass excursion. The other a sino-dub quantum leap. The next dubstep phaze has begun.
DIGITAL MYSTIKZ “GIVE JAH GLORY” (Tempa) and “FORGIVE” (dub)
Deep sounds from within. Essential.
LOEFAH “JUNGLE INFILTRATOR” (Big Apple) and “HORROR SHOW” (DMZ01)
DMZ’s Loefah’s opening shots.
PLASTICMAN “SHALLOW GRAVE (SKREAMZ MIX)” (Terror Riddim dub) and “FUNERAL VIBEZ”
Yo Gilles Peterson are you still “looking for the perfect beat?” Skreamz has made it.
GEENEUS “CONGO” (Tempa)
From the essential Tempa Allstars 2 doublepack.
2004 GRIME 5 (that could be 50)
ROLL DEEP “LET IT OUT” and “UNKNOWN (the Asian one on the LP demo)”
Proof that grime 2004 belonged to the Entourage
TRIM FT RIKO, WILEY, D DOUBLE E AND FOOTSIE (TERROR DANJAH PRODUCTION) “BOOGEY MAN” (White)
Irresistible grime anthem and Trim’s vinyl debut.
TARGET AND RIKO “CHOSEN ONE” (Aim High)
Talking loud and saying something. Target’s a genius.
DOK FT BRUZA “GET ME” (Aftershock)
“Yo DOK is this me blad?” G-funk goes Cockney-Eski.
WONDER FT KANO “LATELY” (New Era)
Surfing the popular/innovation boundary.
ALBUMS OF 2004
HIGH CONTRAST “HIGH SOCIETY” (Hospital)
Ecstatic, euphoric, irresistible.
JUNIOR BOYS “LAST EXIT” (Kin)
80s + r&b bounce + melodies to kill for = this years’ Metro Area.
DIZZEE RASCAL “SHOWTIME” (XL)
Inpenetrable yet essential.
GRIME MIXTAPES
LOGAN SAMA
The definitive grime mega-mixtape, even though it’s talked over.
ROLL DEEP PRESENT CREEPER VOL 1
Not as good as their Rinse FM sets but seriously mucky in places.
AIM HIGH VOL 1
It’s by Target. Say no more.
RUN THE ROAD
A labour of love throughout 2004 by me and 679’s Dan Stacey.
MIXTAPES/COMPS OF 2004
KNOWLEDGE MAGAZINE PRESENTS BASSBIN RECORDS MIX
Doc Scott-style dub roller.
KNOWLEDGE MAGAZINE PRESENTS INPERSPECTIVE RECORDS MIX
The return of the breaks to d&b
HOLLATRONIX “Inperfection makes is fresh-sha”
R&b, crunk, classic hip hop, dancehall and even The Clash. Fresh.
YOUNGSTA LIVE AT FWD>> VOL 1
A love/hate CD, yet the definitive snapshot of a skunked out sound pushed to the limits … for better or worse.
MC OF THE YEAR: Trim
GRIME INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR: Wiley
D&B TUNES OF THE YEAR
CALIBRE FT MC FATS “DROP IT DOWN” (Signature)
Blissful sub-bass singjay jam.
AR RAHMAN “THE AMERICANS ARE COMING (NURIYA HAMIED & MOISES MODESTO REMIX)” (bootleg)
Insane Indian string epic given the bootleg d&b treatment.
FUTURE PROPHECIES “EASTERN ORGANIC” (Sound Trax test press)
Steps like “Pulp Fiction”. Sounds like Digital Mystikz or DJ Distance. Refreshing Oriental sounds.
Q PROJECT “NATION 2 NATION” (Hospital)
The perfect marimba groove?
0=0 “SOUL HUNTER TESTIFIES” (Inperspective dub)
What Squarepusher should have sounded like. Is this the rhythmic limit of d&b? Is this even d&b?
R&B 5
CHRISTINA MILIAN “DIP IT LOW”
KELIS “MILKSHAKE”
ASHANTI “ONLY U”
KELIS AND ANDRE 3000 “MILLIONAIRE”
BRANDY “APHRODISIAC”
TOP 6 PLACES IN 2004
Hackney Wick by twilight
Interviewing Roll Deep and Whileout Onez in Limehouse aka “Whilehouse”
The space in front of Plastic People’s speakers during Forward>>, RinseSessions or Co op
The 2am Sunday nightbus home from DMZ Sessions in Croydon
In Sainsbury’s: getting a call from Riko to say he’s free
On the footie pitch getting the f**kin tackles in
2004 BOTTOM 5
War and poverty
Inequality and intolerance
Intra-scene bitching
Right wing media
The collapse of the dance/urban magazine sector/record sales
FUTURE 5 FOR 2005
The Digital Mystikz, Loefah and Kode 9 & Daddi Gee LPs
Burial, Pinch, Fumin and Lowdeep releases
Kano’s LP
Influx Datum’s LP (Formation)
Drumfunk Vol 1 compiled by Paradox
WISHFUL THINKING 5 FOR 2005
A Trim LP
Some next MC who raises the bar further
Some insane next scene from around the world that’s not buss yet
World peace
A Dusk & Blackdown 12”
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