An Introduction to the Next

Not knowing what to expect from music is an interesting feeling. Like walking through the darkness, not knowing what lays ahead sparks the curiosity to go further, and at the same time your skepticism tries to dispel your curiosity by telling you that there is nothing worthwhile on the other side. The hype surrounding Dizzee Rascal brought about similar feelings. Not being a fan of European rap, and not knowing what garage music was had me little apprehensive, but at the same time the buzz surrounding Dizzee’s debut, Boy In Da Corner, was too much to ignore. Without trying to sound like somebody who lost 200 lbs on some diet pill advertised on a late-night infomercial, the effort was worth it. Dizzee Rascal is the shit.
With a sound that stomps on the line between hip-hop and garage, Dizzee’s music is autonomous and original. Born in Bow, East London, the 19-year-old Dizzee broke away from what was expected, and the result has him being crowned as the “voice of the next generation.” It’s a big title to live up to, and while he remains humble, he speaks with the confidence and mental strength of a solider. He pursued his destiny with a grass roots approach, invading airwaves on pirate radio and releasing a string of white label singles. His accent is thick, with slang alien to most this side of the Atlantic, but his motive is universal; make good music and remain true to self. Anyone who recognizes E-40 as one of the greatest rappers is worth hearing out, so do your part and soak game.

I know I’m coming across ignorant but can you break down exactly what garage music is?
Garage came from America initially. A couple of people in England from the older generation caught onto it and then made it into speed garage. Basically they sped it up. From there, it started evolving cause in London, first there was drum & bass and then the whole speed garage took up, and the next generation, like my kind of generation, went in and started getting a little grimier, sound a bit more industrial. Ya know what I mean? People started using their PlayStations, computer programs like Reason, Fruity Loops and other things, cutting them up and playing them on pirate radio. That’s what garage really is. It started out like clubbing with suits and shoes and that kind of thing, eventually they started letting my kind of people with the hats and hoods in the club.

So your sound comes from not feeling the local scene?
I wasn’t frustrated with hip-hop; I was frustrated with garage at the time. If anything, I love jungle. The kind of garage at the time, like I said there was all that bubbly, champagne sippin’ bravado — all the shoes and suits. My whole edge was a lot more of a street take on it.

What’s the difference between a jungle MC and a hip-hop MC?
A jungle MC has a little less substance to what they’re saying. Like the early stages of hip-hop, it wasn’t really about the MC. The MC was like hosting and going along with the music, keeping the crowd entertained. A couple Jungle MCs started writing more lyrics, but there ain’t really been no drum & bass artists albums that I can think of. That might be the main difference.

What would you say your style is, more garage or hip-hop?
I’m just a big fan of music in general. I’ve always listened to hip-hop, drum & bass, a little rock in my time. My ears are open to anything. So when it came to creating music, mainly like I come with my own sound, but I just try to harness whatever. I don’t sit there and try to make anything particular. But like most, I might try to emulate what I like. There is a difference between emulate, and imitate.

Are there any aspects of hip-hop that you feel are necessary to have in your music?
Yeah, I mean, I’m just rollin’ with what I’m doing. I’ve always been a fan of hip-hop. In England, people follow a lot of New York hip-hop culture, almost like it’s ours as well. As far as hip-hop’s concerned, I really watch how I spit and try to be as tight as possible. Just do whatever sounds good at the time.

You talked about New York hip-hop. Do you think that different street lives like those in South London and New York breed different sounds?
In London, our hip-hop, like I said, [emulates NYC hip-hop culture]. You got the fake, premier sounding, watered down beats, and like, all rappers in England try to sound like they’re from the Bronx, but you know they’re not. Know what I’m saying? But our hip-hop was garage. It’s really stated to come up in the past three years seriously. Me personally, I wasn’t into the East Coast or nothing like that. I was into a lot of West Coast first like Snoop, 2Pac, E-40. I got a big love for the south as well. I listened to a lot of crunk before they were like the new juggernaut or mainstream magnet. But I always liked Three Six Mafia, Cash Money, No Limit, but they were only hot for a minute.

Do you see what you’re doing as pioneering music?
It’s starting to look like it. I know that what I’m doing is original, and it comes from inside me. I know a lot of people are following suit. The second album is in progress now. But definitely, with that first album I was doing something I don’t really think had been done before by UK standards, or even the world. Hip-hop is hip-hop, but this is something different.

So you’re pretty confident that what your doing is going to impact music?
It’s hard to say. It’s gotten so far, I’ve been around the world now, and it’s gone really well. I played in Brooklyn, the Jimmy Kimmel show in Hollywood. I didn’t even expect it in the first place. It’s interesting too, ‘cause I’m getting supporting [spots on tours] from completely different sounds like Justin Timberlake, that’s strictly pop crowd, and I supported them for weeks… It has gotten to where it really could be something man.

Is there any US artist that you’d like to, or are gonna work with?
I think E-40’s is in the run. That would be wicked; he’s the one I really respect. That’s a connoisseur of rap, you need to know your shit to be up on some E-40.

That’s ill that you say that because being from the West Coast I know what he’s done, and I’ve seen how he gets no love, so for you to recognize that from thousands of miles away, that’s respect.
Yeah man, I know my shit. He’s a rapper’s rapper I think. He’s responsible for the all the slang — pop ya collar, all that shit man. His whole thing — metaphors, scrilla scratch and all that. Of course.

You did most of the production for Boy In Da Corner?
Yeah, but there are a couple tracks produced by other people, but that was more like showing that I could spit on other peoples beats as well.

And this is your first album?
Yeah that is my first. I was on pirate radio before any of it. I came up from the bottom man, so that’s why hitting the mainstream was amazing. There is one song on the album “I Luv U,” and I put that out on white labels, and a couple instrumentals on white labels. It got on the charts top 30, and from there I went to the big beat to rock as well.

Do you feel the need to change your style, or are you going to continue to spit like you are now?
Nah, I’ll just find new horizons. To tell the truth, I haven’t been MCing that long. What, four years? So I’m still learning as I go along. I’m getting older and getting a deeper understanding of what the music game is all about. It’s a lot to take in.

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