mxdwn.co.uk » dizzee rascal https://www.mxdwn.co.uk all that matters in music in the UK Wed, 29 Apr 2026 23:37:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1 Dizzee Rascal Drops New EP ‘I Invented Grime’ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/dizzee-rascal-drops-new-ep-i-invented-grime/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/dizzee-rascal-drops-new-ep-i-invented-grime/#comments Thu, 12 Dec 2024 14:00:33 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=103973 Dizzee Rascal’s new EP ‘I Invented Grime’ and music video for track ‘Co-sign’ showcases his deep-rooted connection to the grime genre and addresses the new wave of artists shaping its future. 

Born Dylan Kwabena Mills in East London, the British rapper, producer, and songwriter is recognised as one of grime’s foundational figures. With a career spanning two decades, he has undeniably transformed the UK Rap Scene. 

His debut album ‘Boy in da Corner’ was a defining moment for grime. Released in 2003, the gritty beats paired with introspective, raw lyrics resonated with the struggles and energy of urban youth. The album won the Mercury Prize, making Dizzee the youngest artist at the time to receive the honour. 

The subsequent albums, ‘Showtime’ (2004) and ‘Maths + English’ (2007), demonstrate his style evolution as he fused grime with hip-hop and electronic music. Collaborations with artists like the Arctic Monkeys pushed Dizzee, and grime, into mainstream recognition. 

Dizzee’s fourth album, Tongue n’ Cheek’, is arguably his most successful and showcases a shift towards a pop-oriented sound. Hits like ‘Bonkers (featuring Armand Van Helden)’, ‘Dance wiv Me (featuring Calvin Harris and Chrome)’, and ‘Holiday (featuring Calvin Harris)’ all shot up the UK Singles Chart and each made No. 1. With its triple platinum status and multiple BRIT Award nominations, ‘Tongue n’ Cheek’ solidified Dizzee’s status as a mainstream artist and a festival favourite. 

One of his most iconic performances was at Glastonbury with Florence + the Machine performing ‘You’ve Got the Dirtee Love’. Dizzee’s three verses overtop the band’s hit ‘You’ve Got the Love’ reflect the relevant social issues of the time, similar to how he continues to engage with these perspective and themes in his later music.

Although his career has been shadowed at times by controversy, including legal issues and public disputes, his contributions to grime and UK music remain undeniable. 

‘I Invented Grime’ is a 4-track declaration of these contributions. The title reinforces Dizzee’s assertion of his pivotal role in grimes origins, while the EP serves as a celebration of his lasting impact and a call for emerging artists to innovate within the genre. 

 

 

 

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  A post shared by Dizzee Rascal (@dizzeerascal)

As the lead single for the EP, ‘Co-sign’ introduces the blend of self-assurance and challenge that runs throughout the EP. He emphasises his legacy throughout the track with “1999, you didn’t know grime, I was making grime and getting no shine” and speaks directly to new grime artists, urging them to push the boundaries of the genre. Lines like “Done a lot for grime, done a lot for rap” underpinned by high-energy beats further emphasise his legacy suggesting that his influence will continue. 

The next two songs on the EP reflect on Dizzee’s long-standing presence in the grime scene and display his strong ties to the culture of grime. ‘Match Fit’ blends his signature grime style with dance influences, featuring driving basslines and rhythmic syncopation, giving the track a modern edge. Similarly, gritty energy in the penultimate track ‘Arsey’ reflects the rawness of grime culture that Dizzee resonates with. The fast-paced, aggressive rhymes and punchy beats embody grime’s unrefined, bold style and create a relentless flow that continues into the last song.  

‘Daily Duppy’ ties the EP together in a final showdown which displays Dizzee’s mastery of grime. Through complex wordplay and rapid flow, he addresses haters who question his relevance and critiques the industry. He asserts his supremacy with sharp lyricism, claiming to be “the best there is, there was, and ever will be”, reinforcing that he is not yet finished with grime.

Ultimately, ‘I Invented Grime’  serves as a declaration of Dizzee’s dominance and a challenge to contemporary grime. During his career he has been a trailblazer, bringing grime to mainstream ears and shaping the sound of UK rap. His bold, introspective delivery throughout the EP reassures fans that his contributions to grime will continue, and that he remains a leading voice in the genre.

]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/dizzee-rascal-drops-new-ep-i-invented-grime/feed/ 0 Skepta Removes Artwork for New Single after Holocaust Comparisons Drawn https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/skepta-removes-artwork-for-new-single-after-holocaust-comparisons-drawn/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/skepta-removes-artwork-for-new-single-after-holocaust-comparisons-drawn/#comments Fri, 12 Jan 2024 14:05:14 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=98751 British Grime artist Joseph Adenuga, more commonly known as Skepta, has apologised on Twitter, and has removed his upcoming single’s cover artwork. The artwork in question features a photograph of several men with shaved heads, one of which is tattooed with the phrase “GAS ME UP”, in reference to the single’s title. Speaking on Twitter, Adenuga said: “it has been taken offensively by many and I can promise you that was definitely not our plan so I have removed it and I vow to be more mindful going forward”

After the artwork was posted, many were quick to point out that the photograph evoked imagery of the Holocaust. Men lined up with shaved heads in combination with the phrase “GAS ME UP” can understandably be taken as a tasteless pun, in reference to the millions of victims systematically murdered by the National Socialist Party throughout the early 1940s. According to Adenuga, this was by no means the intention, following up his first tweet with another post outlining how the artwork was inspired by British Skinhead and football culture of the 1980s, rather than anything more sinister. Citing the cultural environment that his parents entered when they moved to the UK from Nigeria in the 1980s, the track’s artwork was designed to capture the image of British football culture. In a follow up tweet, Skepta shared a selection of images that were used to inspire the creation of the “Gas Me Up (Diligent)” artwork. Speaking on the matter, Skepta said: “I can honestly see how my single artwork without context can be deemed offensive, especially in a time like this but again that was not my intention.”

To ‘gas’ someone or to be ‘gassed’ means to be excited for someone or about something. Pioneering Grime MC Dylan Mills, also known as Dizzee Rascal, used the colloquial term in a similar way with his track ‘Don’t Gas Me’ in 2018. The track is about Dizzee wishing to avoid being hyped up by others because he hypes himself up enough. In a similar manner, Skepta’s “Gas Me Up (Diligent)” means that he wishes for others to be excited for him and his music.

Some fans have applauded Skepta’s hasty removal of the controversial single cover with one Twitter user saying: “Thank you for taking and down and going with different artwork”. However, many other Twitter users have expressed their dissatisfaction with the change, claiming that the decision is a suppression of artistic expression. Given that Skepta has gone on record several times to say that the Holocaust reference was by no means his artistic intention, he is well within his right to remove the work.

Skepta’s single “Gas Me Up (Diligent)” will release on January 26 as planned in the lead up to his new studio album Knife & Fork.

]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/skepta-removes-artwork-for-new-single-after-holocaust-comparisons-drawn/feed/ 0 Ezra Collective Win 2023 Mercury Prize For ‘Where I’m Meant To Be’ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/ezra-collective-win-2023-mercury-prize-for-where-im-meant-to-be/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/ezra-collective-win-2023-mercury-prize-for-where-im-meant-to-be/#comments Sat, 09 Sep 2023 21:23:50 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=64604 Ezra Collective have made history by becoming the first ever Jazz act to win a Mercury Prize after their success at the 2023 ceremony for the Album of the Year award. The London based quintet were nominated for their album Where I’m Meant To Be, which was released in November 2022.

The Mercury Prize is a £25,000 prize that celebrates the best of British and Irish music and has become a well-known and prestigious award for both established and up and coming artists. Previous winners include Dizzee Rascal’s Boy in da Corner and Primal Scream’s Screamadelica.

The 2023 Mercury Prize ceremony took place on Thursday 7th September at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. Ezra Collective were one of 12 nominees for the 2023 Album of the Year award, and were up against acts such as Arctic Monkey’s, Fred Again.., Loyle Carner, RAYE and more.

When accepting the award, Ezra Collective drummer Femi Koleoso said “First of all, let me thank God because if a jazz band winning the Mercury Prize doesn’t make you believe in God, I don’t know what will”

“This is not just a result for Ezra Collective, or for UK jazz, but this is a special moment for every single organisation across the country, ploughing efforts and time into young people playing music.”

You can watch Ezra Collective’s acceptance speech below:

Where I’m Meant To Be spans many genres including Jazz, Afrobeat and Funk. Many artists featured on this Ezra Collective LP, including Emeli Sande, Sampa the Great, 2022 Mercury Prize nominee Kojey Radical, and 12 Years A Slave director Steve McQueen.

Ezra Collective’s debut album You Can’t Steal My Joy was released in 2019, and due to the Coronavirus pandemic, live shows and touring for the 5-piece were limited. Their sophomore, and now award winning, release was written during the 2o2o lockdown. Much to fans delight, Ezra Collective made an electric return to the stage and performed their song “Victory Dance” at this year’s Mercury Prize ceremony.

Other performers at this year’s Mercury Prize included nominees Young Fathers, RAYE, and Jessie Ware. Whilst not all nominees perform at the awards ceremony, all acts receive a trophy in recognition of their achievement.

The full list of nominees for the 2023 Mercury Prize were:

  • The Car by Arctic Monkeys
  • Where I’m Meant to Be by Ezra Collective
  • Actual Life 3 by Fred Again
  • Beautiful and Brutal Yard by J Hus
  • That! Feels Good! by Jessie Ware
  • I Love You Jennifer B by Jockstrap
  • False Lankum by Lankum
  • Hugo by Loyle Carner
  • Messy by Olivia Dean
  • My 21st Century Blues by Raye
  • Nymph by Shygirl
  • Heavy Heavy by Young Fathers
]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/ezra-collective-win-2023-mercury-prize-for-where-im-meant-to-be/feed/ 0 Ghetts Brings Out All the Stars for Final Show on ‘Conflict of Interest’ Tour https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/ghetts-brings-out-all-the-stars-for-final-show-on-conflict-of-interest-tour/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/ghetts-brings-out-all-the-stars-for-final-show-on-conflict-of-interest-tour/#comments Mon, 22 Nov 2021 13:33:30 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=49368 For his final performance on his Conflict of Interest tour, Ghetts hosted an unforgettable night at The Roundhouse by bringing out an all-star cast. The album from which the tour spawned, Conflict of Interest, is hailed as Ghetts’ magnum opus, and one of the most significant projects in UK music this year, earning a Rated award for album of the year in September.

After walking on stage and delivering his track “Squeeze” on his own, a tank was brought on stage for him to sit atop while running through the album cuts. His first guest of the night, grime legend Dizzee Rascal, joined him for album track “Fire and Brimstone”, spitting the adlibs as he wasn’t an original feature on the track. For “Sonya”, Ghetts was joined by Emeli Sande, curveballing a slow track amidst the albums typical high energy. The pacing of the show was praised, as Ghetts managed to balance the plethora of energies from the album. Listen to “Sonya” below:

 

Despite these two features being enough for a gig at the Roundhouse, Ghetts went even further to bring on Suspect on “Houdini”, Shakka on “Know my Ting”, and to complete this embarrasment of riches, grime legend Kano on “Class of Deja”. Bringing on both Kano and Dizzee for the same set, two stars that propelled grime into the force that it became, shows the draw that Ghetts has in UK music. After paying respect to the old school leaders, Ghetts honours the new, by bringing out Pa Salieu and BackRoad Gee on “No Mercy”, two long-time mutual collaborators. Honouring the new doesn’t last for long, however, as no one other than Giggs is brought out for “Crud”. Big Mike drew a massive reaction for coming out on “Skengman”, completing the feature list for the evening.

While the evening had enough features to justify a Conflict of Interest festival, the albums feature list is far more impressive, pulling Wretch 32, Dave, Stormzy, Skepta, and Ed Sheeran. With the unwieldy power Ghetts possessed in getting the biggest artists to hail from the UK to feature on the album, it is no surprise that he recruited an all-star cast for his final show on the album tour. This show will go down in legend, much like Drake and Skepta coming out for Section Boyz in 2016.

The album, Conflict of Interest, was released earlier in the year to critical acclaim. Listen below:

]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/ghetts-brings-out-all-the-stars-for-final-show-on-conflict-of-interest-tour/feed/ 0 Stereophonics To Headline Kendal Calling 2021 https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/stereophonics-to-headline-kendal-calling-2021/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/stereophonics-to-headline-kendal-calling-2021/#comments Fri, 26 Mar 2021 12:00:49 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=33133 Welsh rockers Stereophonics will headline Kendal Calling this year as the festival returns to Lowther Deer Park in the Lake District from 29th July-1st August. Acts joining the Cynon Valley four-piece on the bill this year include Supergrass, Dizzee Rascal, The Streets, and Blossoms.

2021 will mark the festival’s fifteenth anniversary, with the annual Cumbrian bash kicking off back in 2006 with headline sets from Pendulum and British Sea Power. Since then, the Kendal Calling stage has been graced by the likes of Manic Street Preachers, Suede, Echo & The Bunnymen, Calvin Harris, Nile Rodgers and Chic, Snoop Dogg and Public Enemy.

Festival co-founders Andy Smith and Ben Robinson spoke to NME about their building excitement for the festival’s return after a Coronavirus-enforced hiatus in 2020. They said “It’s a great feeling to be able to announce the return of Kendal Calling in 2021. Not being able to celebrate together in the fields last year has only heightened anticipation for our return this July with a lineup that truly captures what Kendal Calling is all about…It’s sure to be an unforgettable moment stepping back into Lowther Deer Park this July and we can’t wait to have you all join us.”

Stereophonics, who headlined Kendal Calling in 2017 as part of a triple-bill with compatriots the Manics and Scottish art-rockers Franz Ferdinand, will return to the live stage fresh off the back of frontman Kelly Jones’ reflective solo album Don’t Let The Devil Take Another Day.  The LP, released last December, included reimagined versions of a clutch of the Aberdare band’s classic hits – including Hurry Up And Wait, Mr Writer, Local Boy In The Photograph, Maybe Tomorrow, Traffic, Just Looking and Dakota – as well as a series of covers. Jones told fans that the track selection for the record – which came ten years after the tragic death of the band’s charismatic and much-loved original drummer Stuart Cable – “pulled together the songs that got him through the worst of times, whilst telling stories of how those songs came about.”

Supergrass‘ set at Kendal Calling will form part of a busy summer schedule for the Oxford outfit, who are also due to perform at Nottinghamshire’s Splendour Festival, Camper Calling in Warwickshire and the South Facing Festival at Crystal Palace in London. The band reformed in 2019 after a nine-year break.

Fellow South Facing headliner Dizzee Rascal‘s appearance at Kendal Calling will provide the festival veteran with an opportunity to perform songs from his well-received 2020 album E3 AF. In their review of his seventh studio LP, Clash praised the Bow product for “navigating the perilous landscape of 2020 with remarkable assurance“, adding that “few other UK rappers can genuinely say they’re making some of their best work 20 years in the game – staying true to his roots while absorbing the sounds that currently defined East London, Dizzee has pulled off something special.”

Stockport alt-rock merchants Blossoms will take to the stage at Kendal Calling with a 2020 hit record of their own under their belt. Their third LP – Foolish Loving Spaces – was their second UK chart-topper. The group will tour Britain and Europe next autumn before providing support to The Killers on their 2022 UK Tour. The Streets also take to the festival circuit with new music in their locker. The Mike Skinner-led unit released their first new mixtape in nine years in 2020 in the form of twelve-track collection None of Us Are Getting Out of This Life Alive, which reached number #2 in the Official UK Albums Chart.

]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/stereophonics-to-headline-kendal-calling-2021/feed/ 0 New Dizzee Rascal Album Storms To Top Spot in Record Store Chart https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/new-dizzee-rascal-album-storms-to-top-spot-in-record-store-chart/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/new-dizzee-rascal-album-storms-to-top-spot-in-record-store-chart/#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2020 20:35:46 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=26131 Dizzee Rascal’s new LP E3 AF has stormed to the top spot in the latest Official Record Store Chart Top 40. The album also heads up this week’s Official Hip Hop & R&B Albums Chart, seeing off M Huncho and Nafe Smallz’ DNA and Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God, the latest release from veteran rapper (and occasional actor) Busta Rhymes.

Dizzee took to Instagram to thank his fans for the chart success, as well as highlighting his personal connection to the independent record shops behind the chart – which is produced in collaboration between the Official Charts Company and Record Store Day. In a post to his 373,000 followers, he said “Big up everyone who bought (and streamed) my new album #E3AF. A massive shout out to all the independent record shops around the country. I started off on tapes, dubplates and White labels nearly 20 years ago so this is a nice touch!”

E3 AF is the Bow-raised rapper’s seventh studio album, and his first since 2017’s critically-acclaimed Raskit. Dummy magazine quote Dizzee as having described the record in the loftiest-possible terms, with a statement from the grime pioneer reading: “I’ve spent the last 3 years losing and finding myself in music and I’ve made something flawless. I made this album for YOU! I want you to play it at home, in your car or wherever you want but I want you to listen to it all the way through and you better have some BASS!! The link-ups are mad and I didn’t come to play! You’re welcome.”

The newly MBE-laden Dizzee Rascal has always been fond of a collaboration – his previous musical partners include Robbie Williams, Sean Kingston, Jessie J, Armand Van Helden, will.i.am and Calvin Harris, to name just a few – and the new record incorporates cameos from 11 different artists. As you might expect from an album that references a London postcode in its title, the majority of these featured acts come from Dizzee’s neck of the woods in the east and north corners of the capital: Kano (East Ham); Ghetts (Plaistow); D Double E; Steel Banglez (both Forest Gate);  Frisco (Tottenham); and Chip (Crouch End).

Chip, who recently engaged in a feud with Stormzy, joined forces with Dizzee for on the album’s lead single, L.L.L.L. (Love Life Live Large). The fiery track – with a title that playfully skewers the modern market for motivational quotes – epitomises the E3 AF‘s mission statement to be “a purposeful statement of intent.”

Last month saw the release of the third single from the album, Body Loose, which hearkens back to the dance-house feel of 2009’s platinum certified Tongue n’ Cheek. The track samples Architechs’ 2000 garage hit Body Grove in a timely tribute to the voice behind the original song – Ashley Akabah (AKA City), who died this year at the age of 49.

]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/new-dizzee-rascal-album-storms-to-top-spot-in-record-store-chart/feed/ 0 Dizzee Rascal Releases New Album ‘E3 AF’ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/dizzee-rascal-releases-new-album-e3-af/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/dizzee-rascal-releases-new-album-e3-af/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2020 10:14:54 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=25686 The British rapper returns with his 7th album, ‘E3 AF’ proving that he still has more to give to to the music industry. Having returned to his London roots, the rapper finds inspiration from the East side where he grew up. The album shows how he’s progressed since releasing his first album, ‘Boy In Da Corner’ in 2003.

On talking to NME, Dizzee said about his new album, “This album is making a statement – I’m a fucking serious rapper.” He added that,  “East London influenced me, but I was also on pirate radio in Tottenham. South London influenced me as well. If it wasn’t for music, I would never have met anyone from Leeds or Manchester or Liverpool. They were the only places I knew about because of football. Music took me out.”

The album is made up or elements of British music including grime, trap, drill, dubstep and garage. There are also moments of dance-pop with the track, ‘Body Loose’ which samples Architech’s chart topping hit ‘Body Grove.’ The track, ‘That’s too much,’ features other rap legends ‘D Double E’ and ‘Frisco’ as they bounce off of each other trading verses over the music.

 

Tottenham rapper Chip is another feature on the album, with the first track ‘L.L.L.L‘ (Love Life Live Large). Dizzee also collaborates with London dancehall singer Alicai Harley and as she opens the track, ‘Energies and Powers’  NME describes it as being, ‘a respite from five intense tracks of Dizzee spitting bars over hyped-up, frenetic beats. Her warm vocals are the refreshing summer air outside a sweaty club night.’

For the track, ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ he is joined by London rapper Ocean Wisdom who beat Eminem’s ‘Rap God’ by rapping at 4.45 words per second. Dizzie’s own verses are fast paced enough but as Wisdom deliver’s another line, Dizzie reacts with, “Jesus that’s a bloody mouthful.” – The Times

Dizzee told NME that he had named the album as a, ‘calback to a derogatory term Dizzee was called growing up in London: ‘E3 African’.’ There is no doubt that Dizzee is well routed to his hometown in East London. It was during lockdown that Dizzee returned to Bow to distribute food parcels to support local families. He told NME, “To be fair, they were dishing out the food parcels. I don’t want to claim it because child poverty is one of those things that needs to be highlighted.” 

He has certainly payed tribute to his roots in this album by staying true to the grime sound of East London. He has been named, ‘for at least eight years Britain’s best rapper,’ by The Guardian and there is no doubt that this title is well and truly deserved after releasing this album. His versatility and creativeness can be heard throughout the ten tracks on the album and there are high hopes that this won’t be the last from Dizzee.

Track List

1. God Knows
2. That’s Too Much
3. L.L.L.L (Love, Life, Live, Large)
4. Body Loose
5. You Don’t Know
6. Energies + Powers
7. Eastside
8. Act Like You Know
9. Don’t Be Dumb|
10. Be Incredible

 

 

 

 

 

]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/dizzee-rascal-releases-new-album-e3-af/feed/ 0 KISS FM Reveals Line-Up for 2020 Haunted House Party Including Dizzee Rascal, Becky Hill and Joel Corry https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/kiss-fm-reveals-line-up-for-2020-haunted-house-party-including-dizzee-rascal-becky-hill-and-joel-corry/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/kiss-fm-reveals-line-up-for-2020-haunted-house-party-including-dizzee-rascal-becky-hill-and-joel-corry/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2020 11:59:03 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=24707 Today, UK radio station KISS FM announced the full line-up for the 2020 instalment of their annual Halloween Haunted House Party. The event will take place virtually on Saturday 31st October from 6pm BST – tune in on the official website.

KISS FM posted on Twitter to reveal the acts and other details, saying, “We’re throwing the UK’s BIGGEST Halloween party and you’re all invited!” There’s no need to purchase tickets as the live-stream is free, and will be the perfect way to spend the 31st this year, as Covid-19 has prevented people from going out to parties.

The line-up consists of rapper Dizzee Rascal, who was recently awarded an MBE, followed by Becky Hill, Joel Corry, KSI, Nathan Dawe, S1mba, Ashnikko, and 220 Kid. There will also be special guest appearances from featured artists Ella Henderson, MNEK, and Craig David. Joel Corry tweeted out to his followers about his appearance, saying that he will be bringing “a few special guests”, as did ‘Don’t Need Love’ singer 220 Kid. So perhaps there will be even more artists than have been announced so far.

Presenters of KISS Breakfast Show Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely discussed the line-up on this morning’s show, commenting, “A lot of Halloween parties may be off the cards right now, but fear not – KISS FM have got you. Bringing all the treats and maybe a few tricks, we’ve got some of the biggest KISS artists putting on a party just for you.”

Usually, the Haunted House Party is held at Wembley’s SSE Arena in London, but it has been altered to move online for the unique circumstances of 2020. In 2019, the incredible gig saw the likes of Stormzy, Sean Paul and Anne-Marie take to the stage.
]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/kiss-fm-reveals-line-up-for-2020-haunted-house-party-including-dizzee-rascal-becky-hill-and-joel-corry/feed/ 0 Dizzee Rascal Awarded an MBE https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/dizzee-rascal-awarded-an-mbe/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/dizzee-rascal-awarded-an-mbe/#comments Sun, 11 Oct 2020 16:01:53 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=24199 Yesterday, 10th October, it was announced on the Queen’s Birthday Honours list that Dizzee Rascal has been awarded an MBE. He was given this honour due to his ‘services to music’ and is joined by fellow musicians Lady Leshurr and duo Krept and Konan who were all awarded BEM’s for services to music.


View this post on Instagram

Lovely stuff. New album #E3AF out October 30th pre order link in bio.

A post shared by Dizzee Rascal (@dizzeerascal) on

Dizzee took to his Instagram to comment on the award, saying ‘Lovely stuff’, and to remind followers that his highly anticipated new album E3AF is due for release on October 30th. Dizzee Rascal is no stranger to awards. His sensational debut album, Boy in da Corner, made him the youngest person ever to receive a Mercury Prize at 19 years old.

His contribution to the UK grime scene is unquestionable. Though his main achievement is surely bringing grime to the mainstream with Boy in da Corner, he also started Dirtee Stank Records in 2003 with a view to promoting promising artists with ‘social problems’ that might make major labels reluctant to take them on. Dirtee Stank has released several successful artists like Klass A and Newham Generals.

When Dizzee self produced his first single, aged 16, it was clear that he was operating in a different league from his musical contemporaries. I Luv U, with its glitchy beat, rapid cymbals and furious flow, put Dizzee on the map. The tonality of his voice here sounds like an instrument in itself, and his lyrics – although pretty derogatory by todays standards – feel entirely authentic.

This talent was first spotted by a music teacher at Langdon Park school, who was thanked in in the credits on Boy in da Corner‘s album sleeve. Dizzee wrote: ‘Special thanx to Mr. Smith, da best music teacher Langdon Park ever let go (you fools). I’ll never forget da way you kept the faith in me, even when things looked grim.’

Since then, Dizzee Rascal has released six albums, each one more innovative than the last. His most recent, Raskit, saw him ‘reclaim his crown’. It definitely signified a departure from the cocky lyricism of his earlier work, with tracks like Wot U Gonna Do? sounding like the concerns of an artist worried about fading into obscurity: ‘What you gonna do when they won’t play your records// And you don’t get booked ’cause your buzz is all gone’.

But Dizzee doesn’t have to worry about that. October 2nd release Body Loose, that sampled its beat from 2000’s garage classic Body Groove, was a catchy and inventive party-track and the rest of E3AF will be sure to deliver too. His MBE award is a well deserved reminder that the East London rapper is still very much relevant.

]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/dizzee-rascal-awarded-an-mbe/feed/ 0 Dizzee Rascal Announces New Track to be Released Featuring Noel Gallagher https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/dizzee-rascal-announces-new-track-to-be-released-featuring-noel-gallagher/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/dizzee-rascal-announces-new-track-to-be-released-featuring-noel-gallagher/#comments Thu, 08 Oct 2020 21:09:30 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=24076 Dizzee Rascal has announced a genre-blending collaboration with former Oasis guitarist and songwriter Noel Gallagher which is set to feature on the follow up to his ‘E3 AF,’ album which is being released on October 30th. According to NME the ‘Dance Wiv Me,’ rapper said that there was ‘a little something with Noel Gallagher,’ on the next album which he has already begun work on. In fact, the rapper states that the track with Gallagher was ‘being mixed,’ already.

The collaboration claim has been given further weight with Noel Gallagher himself seeming to confirm the crossover. According to Tone Deaf, Gallagher said that he’d ‘done a collaboration with somebody who is in the grime world,’ and that he was caught in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak and Black Lives Matter protest. This comes 12 years after Noel Gallagher, as reported in The Express, stated that he was ‘not having hip hop at Glastonbury,’ after Jay Z was announced as 2008’s headliner.

The potential for the merging of Rock and Hip-Hop artists on this scale holds some exciting possibilities, Oasis being one of the biggest bands to emerge from the Brit-Pop movement in the 90s, such a crossover might attract some of their fans to the Grime scene which is rapidly becoming one of Britain’s most important sub-genres. Especially with the recent tensions following the killing of George Floyd, the collaboration between black and white musicians in the UK is a welcome sign that the music industry is one step ahead in promoting racial harmony.

The collaboration is also a promising indication that the sometimes elitist rock genre is softening enough to allow mixing with non-guitar based forms of music. While Hip-Hop has always been known for its appreciation of existing genres and willingness to take influence and even extract samples from music which its producers enjoy and incorporate it into their own, Rock musicians have frequently remained stubbornly unwilling to adapt to much other than a guitar basic and technologically regressive approach. Perhaps in the future we will start to see more Rap artists featuring on the records produced by Rock bands.

While we wait for Gallagher’s appearance in a future release, we can look forward to Rascal’s upcoming album release this month, which will be followed up with shows in Kingston, Brighton, Southhampton and Leeds in March 2021. It seems as though Dizzee, like many of us, is hopeful that the new year will bring a lifting of the current restrictions keeping us from seeing live music. It is not yet known when the follow up to ‘E3 AF,’ will be released but, since the track has been recorded already, it is not impossible that we might see the Grime star with the Oasis songwriter on stage sometime next year.

Rascal has also alluded to the possibility of further collaborations on his next album, NME reported him as ‘hinting that there could be further team-ups to come,’ since he referred to his recording with Gallagher by saying ‘That’s one name,’ speculation may follow as to who else may be featured on the Grime artist’s next release which should arrive sometime next year.

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