‘IF YOU MAKE A PURELY GRIME ALBUM NO-ONE WILL CARE 50 WE HAD TO EASE PEOPLE IN GENTLY'
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David Pollock talks to the all conquering grime hip hop heroes ROLL DEEP as they get ready for their Scottish debut at Mardi Grah!
[though it tnight have slipped under the radar
ol‘ many. one of the most inspired cameos in a
music promo of late had to be the one in the clip for grime overlords Roll Deep's‘ recent single ‘Shake a Leg‘. Before the song is played. they're shown being warmed up by a saturnine and deviously untrustworthy looking management bod. The shark in question is played with no small amount of acting skill by the big daddy of UK hip hop himself. Tim Westwood. It‘s l‘unny. but it proves the point. in a fictional sense at least. that nothing happens on the scene outside of London without lirst going through Radio ()ne‘s patois-spouting bad boy.
‘1 believe that was actually the record labels idea.‘ asserts Breeze. one of the Roll Deep crew‘s eight- strong band of MCs. besides their three producers and two DJs. ‘I mean. everyone knows his face. plus he knows us through promoting our stuff on his show. He‘s played a part. Radio ()ne’s a huge station. innit‘.’ So anyone who plays our music on there is going to get it further than we can on pirate radio. He‘s not our manager. by the way . . .‘
No. but Westwood and other national DJs who have championed Roll Deep and their like may he the only point of contact with the culture these artists represent for many fans across the nation. Whichever strand of the Londoncentric urban scene has been prevalent at any one time — be it [1K garage. grime.
eski ~— it would be fair to say that interest drops off
sharply the further up the MI it travels. To reduce all ol’ these scenes under the ‘urban‘ banner. in fact. doesn‘t seem to represent them l‘airly.
Yet they sum up the capital‘s melting pot perfectly. and by extension allude to the bright lights. big city glamour that every kid in Liverpool. Leeds or Glasgow believes burns brighter in London titan in their own town.
‘We all grew up together.‘ explains Breeze ol’ an upbringing that most other youngsters in the land will share. ‘All went to the same school. all lived on the same estate in liast London. But we started doing music separately. We all had our own agenda and it
just so happened all our mates were doing it too. So
about live years ago we decided to get together as Roll Deep and make something out of it.
‘We catne out of the grime scene — although we never called it grime — and it‘s only now we’ve been signed that we‘ve branched out into other things and tried to show we‘re not just Iiast London hoodlums. Like our album. In at the Deep End. it's got R&B on it. straight hip hop. grime too. But il‘ you make a purely grime album no-one will care. so we had to change things and ease people in gently.‘
Possibly by continuing to follow the expansive. sonically barrierless example of Roll Deep‘s most famous ex-member Dizzee Rascal (Wiley has also achieved solo success. but is still in the fold). artists such as themselves and Kano will find their l'ame continues to grow outside their home city. Shows like this are the lirst opportunity to truly showcase some real UK talent.
Roll Deep play Mardi Grah! at the Honeycomb, Edinburgh, Sat 19 Nov.
:1: Reverend Funk Come witness one of the coolest underground venues in town being brought alive with the sounds of funk, soul and jazz. The Caves, Edinburgh, Fri 18 Nov.
1:1: DFA Party Some of the lesser known but equally fantastic label stalwarts join the Optimo crew. The Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Sat 79 Nov.
:2: Mardi Grah! The UK grime and cut up hip hop masters Roll Deep make their Scottish debut. The Honeycomb, Edinburgh, Sat 79 Nov.
:2: Progression The progressive house master and Undenivater Records boss Darren Emerson takes to the decks. The Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Sat 19 Nov.
:3 Swingbeats Lenny Love and Monkey Boy treat you to a selection of dancefloor jazz. hip hop. swing and Latin. Good Tuesday vibes assured. The Bongo Club, Edinburgh. Week/y Tue.
=2: Sub Club’s Birthday It's been 19 years since this underground Mecca opened its doors and they're celebrating the fact over a long weekend. Sub Club, Glasgow, Thu 24—Sun 27 Nov.
:2: Pressure These guys have been going seven years and the right honourable Richie Hawtin joins Slam to sing happy birthday. The Arches, Glasgow, Fri 25 Nov. :1: Messenger Two mighty soundsytems collide as Jah Tubby’s (pictured) bring all their kit and heavy dub sound to the party. The Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Sat 26 Nov.
:2: White Heat London’s premiere indie night featuring a host of live acts and the best in cutting edge art rock. Sub Club. Glasgow, Wed 30 Nov; Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, Thu 7 Dec.
1/ Nov 1 Doc I’Uiifi THE LIST 33