grime by its nature is abrasive, angry, etc etc, which no, isnt going to attract EVERYONE, but it would have been nice to allow it to develop some sort of strong niche market for itself.
i dont disagree with logans points that there needs to be better A&Ring (urban A&Ring and development is at an all time low in the US and UK at the moment) and that the odds are stacked against urban music in the UK. i dont think any one could say british labels were trying to buy up artists in order to silence them though - no one got signed in grime, that was the problem.
obviously the way the industry only wants to invest in potentially big selling mainstream-ready product at the moment and nothing else is depressing and a big reason to do with why grime never got really invested in (and if were honest ISNT going to be invested in - that dream is over now) BUT how come UK garage guys put out proper vocals and songs etc without having to rely on the majors? i mean, werent sticky and people like that releasing records without proper A&R people or the majors backing? how did they manage to do it? i think a large reason to do with why grime hasnt done what we thought it would is like someone said in that hyphy piece - a lot (not all though) of artists just werent 'ready'. maybe A&Ring could have helped with that, i dont know. the only reason for the majors to get involved would be to get these guys to do albums. but most albums from UKG or d&b artists even arent that great anyway. i cant imagine it would be that different for grime. i know grime isnt 'dance music' in the trad sense but UKG had lots of vocal tracks too didnt it? yes it would be great if someone showed artists how to really beef their beats up, or how to record vocals better or make songs but if ukg guys were able to do it, why cant grime? were major labels telling so solid how to make songs before they got signed?
grimes problems have just been too manifold - being unable to decide on the mere name, never being able to decide on what the sound actually is, wanting to go commercial but NOT go commercial, its just never been content or had enough confidence in itself. yeah, british urban dance artists have always had that to a degree, but with grime, its just been so conflicted. sometimes that tension is a good thing but here, im not sure what happened. the fact were all STILL discussing more or less the same problems years later is a bit sad. and were all still hoping for the same things - big deals, mainstream attention, better quality control (my biggest gripe), etc etc. these things are NOT coming. its time to move on, think of some new ideas, take some risks (maybe some underground grime events organised impromptu like old raves? i dont know). i love the music, but it needs to decide what it wants to be. independent music is a huge market -you think guys like steve spacek, nicolette or 4hero are raking in mega bucks? theyre not but they still make great music. grime artists just need to realise their place in the scheme of things, stop expecting things that arent there, and work to the best of their ability within these parameters. become underground legends instead of trying to prematurely consider the needs/preferences of a mainstream audience that doesnt yet exist/give a shit. stop trying to fit into the mainstream industrys way of doing things - do things your own way and with some balls, not just cos you cant get signed. if they did get signed they would probably be moaning that they had to compromise.
