What feedback did you get back from the format of Harddrive 1? Are you going to do the same for Volume 2?

Alot of people prefered the instrumentals. Its hard to chase the artist, especially in the Grime scene. I think im gonna have the same format as Wookie did on his first album, mainly instrumentals with an artist featured on a few tracks.

Is putting 10 instrumentals on a CD your way of saying goodbye to the vinyl, or do you still plan to put them out?

Well times have changed, where as a few years ago, producers could sell vinyl and be making profit, as nowadays you'll barely break even due to mainly Grime music is not in the clubs so Dj's dont purchase as much plus the arrival of cdj's have made it hard to sell vinyl. If the trends changed, then I would release vinyl regularly.
You haven't really experimented with the other genres like Funky and Bassline yet, is that because you don't like them?

Ha ha not yet, well I think its good to experiment with other styles of music, as long as it applied back into the music your renowed for. Even if I make other styles of music, you will always Terror Danjah's grime influence. Who said Grime has to be 140bpm...

Aftershock was always famed as a production crew more then an MC crew. What are the other producers up to; DOK? Magnum Force? Spyro?

D.O.K is just finished his instrumental cd entitled "Dokument", Magnum is busy working on tracks for Bruza, Mz Bratt's and Badness albums or how Badness puts it, Gyalbum. Spyro is on fire right now he's on Bruza's, Jme's Famous? album and doing a lot of remixes and production credits on various artists mixtapes, plus Loudmouth has thrown his production hat in the ring with "Suck out/Cut Out".

What made you start Hardcast? What has been the response so far?

The fact radio input is decreasing and people in general are spoilt for choice, so I decided to a podcast for the Grime Forum, because the forum is at heart of the Grime scene. Plus we email the podcast to normal people. The response is amazing, I didn't think I would get the warm reception, especially being one show deep.


Would you like to go back on mainstream radio full time? (He was on 1xtra)
Nah it is too time consuming and it brings too much politics and conflict of interest.

Grime in 2008.. What have been the positives the scene can take from the first 6 months?

Everyone becoming more business minded. Urban music in the UK has bounced back recently, so this hopefully rub off on the Grime scene. So hopefully we'll see Grime artist becoming more and more mainstream. And also the arrival of the Grime Forum!

You have been working with Mz.Bratt for a while now, do you think 2008 is going to be the year for her?

Love Mz Bratt, she like my lil sis, she has positive energy. She definately putting down the steps, I feel this is the last year of growing. I believe next year will be her year.

How do you think the raving scene can improve?

More producers including myself making more cluby, dancefloor material. Theres nothing wrong with the half tempo stroke hip hop style, but its all one sided at the moment and should be left to the singers or albums, thats my opinion.

What have we got to look forward to for the 2nd half of 2008 from yourself and your camp?

Erm, Hardrive volumes 2 and 3 from myself, Bruza's album entitled "Tales of the Underdog", Lava Unit mixtape "Pa-lava Eruption", Mz Bratt's album entitled "Time of the Month", Loudmouth's album and Elrae's album out end june, "Raeman". Also look out for The Swarm set by Sir Spyro and Various mc's, and last but not least Hardcast every month on the Grime Forum.

First of all I would like to say this CD is a good listen. I bought it, enjoyed it, have listened a couple of times....

But Skepta didn't rep for me on this one. Compared to how Skream represented himself and the dubstep scene on Rinse 02 I think Skepta could of done a better job of making himself look like the all rounder he is and showcase all the grime he is feeling. It is more like a party mixtape you would make for a friend, and these where his motivations behind his song choice as he explains in the commentary with Martin Clark.

I just think he could of used this CD to take us in a different direction.

Here is what I expected when I heard Skepta was doing Rinse 04:

Classic Skepta instrumentals, unheard Skepta and Boy Better Know productions possibly unreleased Meridian crew dubs... I don't know maybe that's too much to ask for. How about the tunes that are on Youtube rotation that he is promoting for Microphone Champion like Dark & Over The Top or other dubs that are floating about like Cricket Bat, Body Bag and Skanking Ting.
When I saw the tracklisting and realised it is tunes that have been out for a while, and have already seen a full release like Deadout, Night, Skengman Mode and Sole Fusions Base Tone I was a bit disapointed.

Highlights of the CD for me where Work Days, Tingles, Wileys Club 7 and the classic Skepta Remix of Midnight Request Line. It is definitely work picking up, but it isn't on the levels for the first 3 of the Rinse Collections.

Paleface Rinse 05 and Spyro 06. So there is a lot to look forward too.

Adulthood

I saw the film during the week, it is pretty good. It is about Sams first day out of prison for murdering Trife. Kinda like a hood version of 24. It is good balance between serious issues and comic relief backed with an all UK soundtrack. Some odd choices like Lethal Bizzle & Kate Nash and a Goldielocks tune but it sounded decent. I heard D Doubles repping London verse pretty prominent in the film which had me sitting in the mumbling to myself the lyrics. I don't want to spoil it too much as it is out June 20th so you can make your own decisions about it.

Bashy- Kidulthood to Adulthood



Skepta - The best of the Rolex Sweep.
Out on Download 4th of August, will we be tired of it by then? I suppose when the actual music video is done for it, the hype will pick up to generate iTunes sales. Doubt it will do better then Wearing My Rolex though.



Free mix season.

Half way point of the year. 6 months gone, 6 months to go. All that talk of 2008 being peoples year is quickly fading away. DJs seem to be banging out the free mixes though. Plasticians May 2008 is a percy ingle. Junior SPESH! Download Here.

OG's DJ JJ has got a quick mix up on the forum as well; bare Maniac bangers Download Here

Spyro's Swarm studio sets with Aftershock are a good listen as well, as you rarely get to hear Spyro mixing for MCs. Download Part One & Part Two.

This ain't Grime, but its interesting to hear how Lethals Keys to the Bentley works in this electro house mix by DJ Stashman Download Here. The beat is hard, but Lethal should of chosen another topic for the song.

Last but not least DJ Spooky of Slew Dem put together a free instrumental EP for download, so DJs your time. Download Here.

Dizzee getting "Old Skool" with the youth of today. This is hilarious, he nearly got swept under the rug.

This is what I expect from a mixtape. When Wiley promised 5 Tunnel Visions in early 2006 I thought he meant 5 CDs of stuff like this. How we were wrong. We got 6 CDs of freestyles radio rips and war dubs. Although I enjoyed a couple of them, they were unproductive, he could of placed all that effort into one quality release.

Grime Kid and Local Lad are the best stuff Wiley has come out with for ages. But as the Rolex hype is surrounding this release, even though it has nothing to do with this project everyone is looking for another tune that would break into the charts. None will, people are saying If your going out could. It is catchy, but it is not Top 40 material, it is good, but not that good.

A major flaw with this release is the lack of promotion from Wiley. No Logan Show, no Videos (come on do a cheap Youtube one for Grime Kid) and the tunes aren't even being performed when Wiley is doing shows (and he is doing a lot right now). If it seems like the artist doesn't care about the product, why should we. But on the other hand at least this is accessible. Instead of a Ukrecordshop exclusive this is literally anywhere they sell music. Itunes, Play, HMV and all the usual independents are selling it so it should do better sales wise compared to previous underground releases. For the bigger grime acts this should be the standard for their "mixtapes". 1000 CD copies sitting in London Independent record shops is not going to take them anywhere. Lets see what other people think about it. Who cares what I think.


What the Grime Forum is saying:

Name: Slackk aka GrimeTapes.Com
Bought From: Avalanche Music Hut
Favourite Tune: Grime Kid
Another inconsistent release from Wiley, for me. Although there are- as always- flashes of what he's truly capable of, the inclusion of more "poppy" hooks and an overuse of Flowdan's rather limited range lessens the experience for me. That said, when it's good it's very good. Wiley just needs more quality control.

Name: Tom aka FullyGrownGrime.Com
Bought From: Avalanche Music Hut
Favourite Tune: Badman Talking
Good CD, good example of commercial grime, broadening the sound and making the genre appeal to a wider audience while keeping the sound unique.

Name: Mr. Quality Control
Bought From: iTunes when they put it on there early
Favourite tune: Local Lad
It's another solid but overall underwhelming release from Wiley.....apart from Local Lad and Grime Kid which, in my opinion, are two of the best grime songs that have been released for a long time it pretty much just consists of filler tracks ranging from slightly below average to slightly above average, although having said that, i'd say it was still worth the money.

What the media are saying:

" Wiley's album deserves light shone upon it as it's far superior to Dizzee's. Rascal's no match for his mentor " - London Lite

" Grime Wave is so important, not just to him, but to the future legacy of grime, and what it might mean in 10 years time. Brilliantly Grime, fuelled with anthems and sing-a-longs and deserves to go down as his greatest work to date " - Independent Music Magazine

" Grime Wave is Wiley's most consistent album to date - 12 tracks of cocksure, undiluted grime with a new, evolved scope " - Plan B

" Wiley really hits his stride, restless wored agitated tracks like Grime Kid and living in London suggests the way forward for Grime full lengths to emulate a relentless Ramones-like attack " - Echoes

"A ghetto Cantona .. Honest, intense, funny, furious and tear jerkingly poignant .. The Definitive grime document. Mighty " - NME

" Will he deliver the masterpiece that he has long hinted ? On the evidence here, he might just do that " - One Week To Live

Might as well buy it init!