This is for those who said "We dont support each other in the UK" and the "We don't need US to rate us" crews. You lot don't know what youre talking about.This is inspired by them.
But anyway, while the essence of the "We don't need US" statement is truth, it isn't wholly. Reason being, the fassies amongst us ("us" being those who believe the statement to be true) wouldn't be shouting about it without it. Let's be honest, until Krept & Konan charted without help from the corporations, media or the aforementioned fassies, UK rap was a road man thing. It wasn't a viable genre. It existed on YouTube, got high figures but so did "Charlie bit my finger". It didn't really mean much beyond that.
While I championed the songs I liked (especially tweeting the hell out of their now classic Behind Barz (see below)), I didn't see where it was going in terms of commercial viability nor longevity as a result of. First out the gate was the talented K Koke. He was supposed to be the leading light following his much-hyped signing to "Jay Z" at Roc Nation.
A lot of optimism was about, nuff used that as their inspiration that ting could gwaan. The whole scene needed him to do well because labels open their chequebooks based on the success of one. And we all saw what happened there. Arrests and cancelled tours aside, the music wasn't cutting the cake. One top twenty and one no charter.
Krept and Konan released their project less than a month after Koke took to Twitter to inform us the label dropped him. And we all saw what happened there. That's why I call them the UK rap scene saviours. A lot of man woulda hit the roads if that never happened. And it wasn't supposed to happen as evidenced by the Guinness world record for highest unsigned album in UK music history. They took everyone by surprise much like the "Otis freestyle" video which people still question (rightly or wrongly). Debut album was only stopped from hitting top spot cos Ed Sheeran's album was in the bargain bucket for the first time in its lifecycle ahead of the Wembley Stadium show.
Stormzy's #WickedSkengMan 4 is one of the 20 best-selling singles in the chart this week without mainstream radio, TV play or major marketing budget. Straight grafting and connecting with independent tools (and whatever else he's negotiated). Not to forget the national "tour, yeah blud, sold out". Section Boyz 'Don't Panic' project is out this week and they'll be looking to get a piece of album chart action. Lady Leshurr's making waves with her "Queen's Speech" freestyle series, then obviously there's the figurehead and main beneficiary of the US recognition, Skepta.
All of this is happening. Grime is now a buzzword not the thing you refer to as some yout' man ting from a bygone era. Nor is UK rap purely a road man ting.
Which brings me on to Rita Ora. Grime has been coming out of her mouth a lot recently. She's talking about how it's what she grew up on grime and bredding Section (they embody grime energy and spirit but are they grime?) etc. But where was grime when she was getting number 1's? True her ting ain't hot right now, she waan talk 'bout grime. Do insta vids, remixes and features with the man dem. Yeah, she did the feature on K Koke's tune but they were label mates.
See all of this is the result of people making things hot 'cos the artists' reflect the ends. The aspirations, thoughts and lifestyle. The lesson we should all learn from the sudden attention our black Londoners (plus Lady Leshurr and Bugzy Malone) are currently receiving is without us who didn't care about US ratings to supported the ting live and direct, these artists' wouldn't be in a position to be seen by Americans. And Rita Ora would be bredding some Yank.
But really, how is she out here begging man from her own ends cos foreigners are? I needed to stress that again.
Thing is, if the artists' weren't making the music we wanted to consume, we wouldn't have anything to support. That's why statements like below are nothing short of bollocks. Make better music bros. 'Llow the discount Yankee shit. Man like Shakka is out here getting a bag of support. Grime guys were leaving grime to make pop songs 'cos grime didn't support. Don't forget.
Moral of the story is don't beg for support. People who say "people don't support in the UK" are the losers. If you have to beg for support, something ain't right with your ting. Sort that out or own that you aren't gonna buss like someone else. You don't get respect, you earn it. Likewise, you don't get support, you earn it. If artists' make what we want to hear and we will support the ting. If you don't, we won't even waste data allowance on your 'claarts!
And don't bred 'cos everyone else is bredding. We see through your bredding.
And no, we don't need US to rate. It just helps get others on board. But I spoke about that circa Skepta at the Brits anyway.
Last thing, imagine Krept & Konan, Stormzy and Section Boyz were signed to their own label. Just the CR7 man dem. And gave opportunities and development back to their ends. How mad would that be?
But anyway, while the essence of the "We don't need US" statement is truth, it isn't wholly. Reason being, the fassies amongst us ("us" being those who believe the statement to be true) wouldn't be shouting about it without it. Let's be honest, until Krept & Konan charted without help from the corporations, media or the aforementioned fassies, UK rap was a road man thing. It wasn't a viable genre. It existed on YouTube, got high figures but so did "Charlie bit my finger". It didn't really mean much beyond that.
While I championed the songs I liked (especially tweeting the hell out of their now classic Behind Barz (see below)), I didn't see where it was going in terms of commercial viability nor longevity as a result of. First out the gate was the talented K Koke. He was supposed to be the leading light following his much-hyped signing to "Jay Z" at Roc Nation.
A lot of optimism was about, nuff used that as their inspiration that ting could gwaan. The whole scene needed him to do well because labels open their chequebooks based on the success of one. And we all saw what happened there. Arrests and cancelled tours aside, the music wasn't cutting the cake. One top twenty and one no charter.
Krept and Konan released their project less than a month after Koke took to Twitter to inform us the label dropped him. And we all saw what happened there. That's why I call them the UK rap scene saviours. A lot of man woulda hit the roads if that never happened. And it wasn't supposed to happen as evidenced by the Guinness world record for highest unsigned album in UK music history. They took everyone by surprise much like the "Otis freestyle" video which people still question (rightly or wrongly). Debut album was only stopped from hitting top spot cos Ed Sheeran's album was in the bargain bucket for the first time in its lifecycle ahead of the Wembley Stadium show.
Stormzy's #WickedSkengMan 4 is one of the 20 best-selling singles in the chart this week without mainstream radio, TV play or major marketing budget. Straight grafting and connecting with independent tools (and whatever else he's negotiated). Not to forget the national "tour, yeah blud, sold out". Section Boyz 'Don't Panic' project is out this week and they'll be looking to get a piece of album chart action. Lady Leshurr's making waves with her "Queen's Speech" freestyle series, then obviously there's the figurehead and main beneficiary of the US recognition, Skepta.
All of this is happening. Grime is now a buzzword not the thing you refer to as some yout' man ting from a bygone era. Nor is UK rap purely a road man ting.
Which brings me on to Rita Ora. Grime has been coming out of her mouth a lot recently. She's talking about how it's what she grew up on grime and bredding Section (they embody grime energy and spirit but are they grime?) etc. But where was grime when she was getting number 1's? True her ting ain't hot right now, she waan talk 'bout grime. Do insta vids, remixes and features with the man dem. Yeah, she did the feature on K Koke's tune but they were label mates.
See all of this is the result of people making things hot 'cos the artists' reflect the ends. The aspirations, thoughts and lifestyle. The lesson we should all learn from the sudden attention our black Londoners (plus Lady Leshurr and Bugzy Malone) are currently receiving is without us who didn't care about US ratings to supported the ting live and direct, these artists' wouldn't be in a position to be seen by Americans. And Rita Ora would be bredding some Yank.
But really, how is she out here begging man from her own ends cos foreigners are? I needed to stress that again.
Thing is, if the artists' weren't making the music we wanted to consume, we wouldn't have anything to support. That's why statements like below are nothing short of bollocks. Make better music bros. 'Llow the discount Yankee shit. Man like Shakka is out here getting a bag of support. Grime guys were leaving grime to make pop songs 'cos grime didn't support. Don't forget.
Is @jermaine_riley correct. Is UK #R&B selfish? Or dead? What do you reckon #lemmeknow @thisiswestside #onairnow pic.twitter.com/2xKPKks8Kh
— THE AMAZING Mr. RUDE (@RudeDJ) September 13, 2015
Moral of the story is don't beg for support. People who say "people don't support in the UK" are the losers. If you have to beg for support, something ain't right with your ting. Sort that out or own that you aren't gonna buss like someone else. You don't get respect, you earn it. Likewise, you don't get support, you earn it. If artists' make what we want to hear and we will support the ting. If you don't, we won't even waste data allowance on your 'claarts!
And don't bred 'cos everyone else is bredding. We see through your bredding.
And no, we don't need US to rate. It just helps get others on board. But I spoke about that circa Skepta at the Brits anyway.
Last thing, imagine Krept & Konan, Stormzy and Section Boyz were signed to their own label. Just the CR7 man dem. And gave opportunities and development back to their ends. How mad would that be?
Comments
Post a Comment