Save Yourself

murkle, originally uploaded by chantelle.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s the Murkle Man! Forget Bananaman, He Man, Spiderman, hell even the Isle of Man, because the latest super-hero to be unearthed is the east London Murkle Man. Ex-Nasty Crew producer-turned-MC (but lifelong Rasta) Jammer might not be able to fly to save your fat-assed girl from the wreck of a burning cockpit, but he’s sure as hell trying to save grime. “Everyone wants to kill each other, listen to their songs. It’s depressing. I wanted to have some fun me and my boys, we’re fun guys... When Murkleman drops – whether it’s on radio, Channel U, whatever, people just start jumping.” He hype's it not. We're talking the big boob swinging, black eye inflicting sort of devastation. The only thing stopping a club ban a la Lethal B ‘Pow!’, is that there’s hardly any club nights left for it to get played at. Shoppers and local residents didn’t know quite what had landed when Jammer aka Super Dread (a nickname acquired after drop-kicking a hotel room door in Germany), and his Jahmek The World record label co-d’s hit the streets of Leytonstone to shoot his debut video. Armed with a soiree of ladies, the mini murkle motor and a one-away custom made outfit which could make it’s away onto Ebay if a clued up record label doesn’t bite the bullet soon, he claims to be no joker when it comes to business. “I’m not kidding” Jammer assures himself, perhaps more than anyone, “If the tune blows up anymore watch me start the bidding war. The demand for Murkle Kids could be massive.” As to what Murkle actually means, it’s still open to interpretation. “If somethings murkle it’s like the best, like if you’ve murked someone (in a clash) you’re like the murkle.” Get it? Whether you do or don’t is besides the point, you need this record in your life like most of Jammer’s back catalogue. Previous anthems include the bassline frenzy, ‘Feedback’, Nasty classic ‘Take You Out’, and one of grime’s standout moments ‘Destruction VIP’ featuring Wiley, D Double E, Kano and Durrty Goodz. Continuing to churn out heaters, be it cameos on tracks like Mizz Beats ‘Saw It Comin’ which features on Run The Road 2 or Lady Sovereign’s ‘Hoodie Remix’, production for his protégée Ears or remix projects, he’s keeping the beats banging. “I went through a bad patch but I’m back now. I can feel it. Straight nekkling, I'm the Murkle Man." Words: Chantelle Fiddy Photography: Tim & Barry. A version of this article appears in i-D magazine.