I’d usually write in-depth articles on the grime tunes that catch my ear, but a busy schedule has taken precedent, so I’ve decided to present a few tunes I liked from the past few days in a quick-fire list format. This COVID stuff is crap, so I hope everyone is keeping safe and feeling good.
Jammz, Mayhem NODB, Blay Vision, Buggsy & Jack Dat – FM ALLSTAR RIDDIM
“French Montana Riddim” was one of the best grime releases of last year, proving how a great instrumental and a few versions of it can have a long-lasting impact in people’s minds. The four return for a new take on the track, titled “FM ALLSTAR RIDDIM”, which takes the best bars from each version and makes them into a classic rally type tune.
Plenty of big-personality aspects of grime on show here: Buggsy’s percussive opening lyrical gambit sets off his verse, while Mayhem expertly plays off the vocal sample to finish off one of his famous calling cards. Everyone goes hard, here, but I love the line: “grew up on garage, grew up on rare groove and dancehall, so I’ve got a one away skank” from Jammz, reminding us all of just how deep the roots go when it comes to grime music.
Snowy – Nile Ranger (prod. by Kyeza)
Nile Ranger is a professional footballer most famous for playing at Newcastle, as well as a load of headline-grabbing behaviour, mad stuff that ends up as fuel for the tabloids. The title is pretty apt for the song, as it’s absolutely whacked out, lyrics sputtering from the instrumental like an erupted volcano that wants to hand out nine-million-degree burns to everything in its pathway.
Snowy has developed this chaotic take on grime over his past few releases; here he carries things off right where ‘Effed’ finished up. “Nile Ranger” is intense, no-holds-barred music, and the genre is better off for his artistry.
Taliifah ft Lioness – Karma (prod. by Dexplicit)
Taliifah is an emcee from London whose been on the grind consistently for a while now, releasing her music through Sharkey Major’s Major Muzik Entertainment label.
Her latest single is produced by grime legend Dexplicit and features a guest verse from another grime legend, Lioness. ‘Karma’ is a full-throttle banger, the two barring heavy over a judgement day instrumental with plenty of heavyweight stabs and tense melody lines.
Queenie – Letting Up Now
Queenie’s been on a hot run with the output lately. I covered her last track ‘Laid Out’ earlier in the month, and she’s back with an equally anthemic and dark track called ‘Letting Up Now’.
‘Letting Up Now’ is highly-charged, the beat sitting in that slightly dark and minimal space, giving Queenie free reign to spit her complex bars and wordplay-centric flow.
Luciferian – Covid-19 Freestyle (Prod. by GYRO)
Lockdown is tough, but it’s creativity that keeps us going, and Luciferian has blessed us with a quick freestyle aiming at the terrible government and their brand of xenophobia and general evilness.
While the subject matter is deep, the freestyle itself is a bop, largely down to the skippy flows and spritely beat courtesy of GYRO.
The Art of Grime 