How/why did Dizzee blow-up ahead of any other grimers?

viktorvaughn

Well-known member
I wasn't into grime at the time but it recently struck me that i didn't really know about his ascent from (presumably) your standard pirate-radio Roll Deep member to relatively big national name.

Obviously Mercury prize was instrumental in that, but what about the early bit, any key appearances, moments, or releases etc?

Cheers
 

mms

sometimes
i luv u on white label was the clincher for most people, it stood out. along with wiley's stuff.
i think that's the record that got him signed.
 

Logan Sama

BestThereIsAtWhatIDo
The fact that he outshone the whole of Pay As U Go and Roll Deep everytime he went on radio and the entire male black population knew his lyrics.
 

gek-opel

entered apprentice
Also especially on his first album his lyrics connected in a way which was massively accessible to angry urban youths of all backgrounds in the same kind of way as Joy Division 20 odd years earlier...
 

gumdrops

Well-known member
cos to be blunt, he was simply that much more brilliant. he was also more distinct but more than that, he knew how to make good songs that so many grime mcs to this day still dont know how to do.

lol@dizzee being compared to joy division, as if they even capture the same equivalent audience!
 

Cornflake

Well-known member
Definately if you listen to some of those shows/sets that he does stick out in the group as being the mc
 

Norma Snockers

Well-known member
cos to be blunt, he was simply that much more brilliant. he was also more distinct but more than that, he knew how to make good songs that so many grime mcs to this day still dont know how to do.

lol@dizzee being compared to joy division, as if they even capture the same equivalent audience!

That's what I was thinking! It's a bit of a daft stretch connecting them.
 

Sick Boy

All about pride and egos
cos to be blunt, he was simply that much more brilliant. he was also more distinct but more than that, he knew how to make good songs that so many grime mcs to this day still dont know how to do.

lol@dizzee being compared to joy division, as if they even capture the same equivalent audience!

More so than being able to make good songs, I'd say it was his ability to make good ALBUMS.

Grime artists have a serious problem with putting together "good albums" (see: Roll Deep)

Honestly, everyone is going on about this slump in grime right now, but if you ask me the slump was when Roll Deep put In At The Deep End out and then Kano followed suit by putting Home Sweet Home out. For me, that was when grime was embarassing.

At least JME is setting a good example now.
 

Keith P

draw for the drumstick
The scene was fresh. The media and labels didn't have to sift through waves of shitty MC's wanting to be Jay Z. They picked someone to champion, it just so happened that person continually delivered talent.
 
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Logan Sama

BestThereIsAtWhatIDo
He didnt get signed due to being able to make good sings and albums though.

At the time he had about 3 vocals total that he had appeared on.
 

DJ Lioness

Well-known member
Honestly, everyone is going on about this slump in grime right now, but if you ask me the slump was when Roll Deep put In At The Deep End out and then Kano followed suit by putting Home Sweet Home out. For me, that was when grime was embarassing.

Roll Deep aren't Grime. Well at least that's what Breeze said on the advert they've been showing on MTV regarding their MOBO nomination :(
 

MATT MAson

BROADSIDE
The same reason anyone blows up. He made an amazing record.

All genres have 2 or 3 great artists, and then the rest. The problem with grime is no one has even come close to making a record as commercialy successful and as credible as Dizzee did.
 

MATT MAson

BROADSIDE
Aside from More Fire, Kano, Wiley and Roll Deep, exactly the same number of people who proved themselves as 'undeniable' (to borrow a wanky A&R term) commercial properties that warrant such a gamble.
 

Logan Sama

BestThereIsAtWhatIDo
Aside from More Fire, Kano, Wiley and Roll Deep, exactly the same number of people who proved themselves as 'undeniable' (to borrow a wanky A&R term) commercial properties that warrant such a gamble.

Further re-inforcing my point regarding a need for independant labels willing to work with musicians on the basis of *shock horror* creative abilitiy, rather than guaranteed bank.
 

Logan Sama

BestThereIsAtWhatIDo
I have a few floating around.

Mainly old mix CDs or live mixes from radio/clubs

Nowhere to host them though. If you can find them check out the RWD Access All Artists cd, and my live mc sessions from my radio show. They are all floating around on DC++ or Limewire. I put things up on my myspace sporadically.
 

Norma Snockers

Well-known member
I have a few floating around.

Mainly old mix CDs or live mixes from radio/clubs

Nowhere to host them though. If you can find them check out the RWD Access All Artists cd, and my live mc sessions from my radio show. They are all floating around on DC++ or Limewire. I put things up on my myspace sporadically.

Cheers, I'll have a look around..
 

Cornflake

Well-known member
I think its lame when ppl say all these ppl have had shots to make it large in markets etc... i think only dizzee has been given the chance. Even with him bare ppl i talk to dont know who the hell he is. You talk about Kano or Roll Deep having the chance, i think thats not even close. They dont have backing...so many artists come over to north america and do bare shows...kano and roll deep have done how many? How many grime artists from the uk have done shows in north america? I can count them on my hands...so how can you make a scene big internationally when only a few shows are happenning.

I dont think that Dizzee has done anything wrong and hasnt championed the scene poorly really..its just the radio stations not playing enough of the music. I dont know how many of the kids ive known that havent liked a tune...then see it on the muchmusic countdown and then like it.

You need serious backing from the radio stations and music stations to be putting your video on constantly to get a scene going...same with having it pushed constantly in the clubs..not just seeing the mcs/djs come over once a year or wahtever....i dont put anything on the artists whatsoever...keep doing what your doing and hopefully it gets bigger over there
 
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