It's December 1st, so that leaves us 30 days until we enter the year 2010, time flies doesn't it? This year we’ve seen our economy fall, the BNP gain favour amongst other happenings, but one thing that has been going strong is the underground grime scene. MCs, producers and DJs have re-built a once struggling scene making it ready to take on the next chapter. Chipmunk, Tinchy Stryder and Dizzee Rascal have all had a great year, but they are no longer just grime acts, they are now ‘artists’. So what about the next batch of underground MCs? Can they follow in the footsteps of the aforementioned? I've put together a top 5 list of who I think will be big in the grime game for the year 2010. In no particular order...
P Money
With one of the biggest selling mixtapes this year with Money Over Everyone, P Money has managed to elevate his status from a Smokey Joe, to one of the biggest names in the scene all in less than a year. From performing at trendy club nights in Shoreditch, to doing sets on mainstream radio stations such as Kiss and BBC 1xtra, this guy has it on lock at the moment. Many grime MCs don't have the same work ethic that I've seen this guy come with, if there’s a rave somewhere, he will be there with his crew and will even perform for free if needs be, just to let people know what's really good and I think a lot of MCs have forgotten the days when they’d go and just ‘spit’ on a random one mainly for the hype factor. His style and flow has been compared and copied by many, but none have come close, just yet.
Griminal
Next we have Griminal. This time last year I did a piece on him, Chipmunk and Double S for Mixmag as the new faces of grime and although Chipmunk has gone on to bigger and better things, Griminal is just getting there. Having recently singed to Indie label, 360 Records, his next project is set to be an album which he says; "will be full of different kinds of tunes, not just grime." Although us grime corers are used to the Griminal with the angry, hype flow, we need to get ready to see him in a different light for 2010, but all we ask Grim, is that you don’t do a Dizzee on us and go all electro-pop, we beg of thee!
Dot Rotten
Dot Rotten is one of those MCs that you have to listen to closely to get what his lyrics means, call it an intellectual flow by all means, I think a lot of MCs lack that these days. Dot has been active when it comes to releasing free mixtapes, online videos et al, but lacked on the live shows and radio this year (are him and Logan Sama friends now after he ran out of the studio that time?), but he has a committed fan base that have backed him for a long time now and I’m pretty sure they won’t see him go to waste.
Young Kye
The first time I heard of Young Kye was when he came on a show me and grime blogger Hyperfrank hosted for Diesel Music Radio and he was with Manga, J2K and JJ. When he touched MIC, me and Hyperfrank both looked at each other and nodded with fingers in gunfinger mode, because we knew this guy will be big one day and I still stick by that. If he can come with a decent mixtape, a video or two and a few more radio appearances, then I think he might just be in with a chance to join the big boys (no homo).
Devlin
Dagenham resident, Devlin, has been around for many years with his crew O.T and he’s been one of those acts that we occasionally hear from that was until early 2009 when he brought out a tune entitled, London City. Devlin’s lyrics aren’t typical when it comes to grime, he tends to talk in-depth about governmental issues and the community it affects, which gives us a different respective on the scene, which he puts across well. I highly doubt we will see him opt for the electro-pop route anytime soon, because it just isn’t him. Thank God! Watch out for his debut album Bud Sweat And Bears coming out in the new year, should be something epic!
Below are some other good MCs that didn't make my list, but I'm sure would've made other peoples...
Ice Kid
Maxsta
Voltage
Double S
Roxanne
Dream Mclean
Blacks
Little Dee
Wrigley
Grimetime 2010 you say?
