Tuesday 31 May 2005

A Hair Tie


channtie, originally uploaded by chantelle.

It's a look I discovered a while ago but it could work. If you want to rock it just remember to do so with pride.

Pumpkin Pie


Pumpkin Pie, originally uploaded by chantelle.

JME said he saw this and thought of me. Charmed.

The Ave

If you're stateside check out my grime feature in The Ave. Even if you don't wanna check out my work, get the magazine anyway cause it's big and I long for the day a UK magazine keeps me occupied for as long as The Ave does. I'm very happy to have been allowed to contribute to this street movement in print so share my joy for just one minute. www.theavemagazine.com

Monday 30 May 2005

Logan's Run


logans run, originally uploaded by chantelle.

Playlist from Kiss 100FM 26 / 05 / 05

SHE SAID (FREESTYLE) / DONAE'O / DUB
LOOK WHAT TIME (FREESTYLE) / KATIE PEARL / DUB
YOU GOT ME (D'EXPLICIT REMIX) / PARABEATS FT. CARMEN REECE / PUBLIC DEMAND
NEWHAM GENERALS / NEWHAM GENERALS / DUB
UH OH / LETHAL B / V2
THE AVENUE (WEED & TARGET REMIX) / ROLL DEEP/RELENTLESS
UNTITLED / WILEY / DUB
SINGLE / SKEPTA / DUB
COMPASS / P JAM FT. FRISCO, FLIRTA D, NARSTIE & GUYVER / DICE
MAKE IT EASY (DAVINCHE REMIX ) / SHYSTIE / POLYDOR
SHYSTIE INTERVIEW
SHE'S A HO / SHYSTIE / DICE
HOUSE OF CARDS / SHYSTIE / DICE
ON THE TRAIN / SHIZZLE FT NAPPER / DUB
FOOD FOR THOUGHT / ALEX MILLS / DUB
FALLIN (MR FIDGIT REMIX) / DONEA'O / UK PANTER
COME ON / D POWER PRESENTS DOCTOR FT RIKO / D POWER
DOCTOR INTERVIEW
NEVER WANT TO SAY BYE / SOUND BOY FT DOCTOR /SMOOVE
DOCTOR LIVE IN THE MIX
YOUR BODY / DOCTOR & AARON SOUL / SWEET BEATS
LIFE / CHRONIC / SLU DEM
RADAR FREESTYLE / JAMMER / AFTERSHOCK
RADAR FREESTYLE / SKEPTA / AFTERSHOCK
RADAR FREESTYLE / ROYALE / AFTERSHOCK
RADAR FREESTYLE / RYDER / AFTERSHOCK
RUBBLE FREESTYLE / TRIPLE THREAT & BRUZA / DUB
FREESTYLE / FACTION G / DUB
UNITED / DONAE'O / UK PANTHER
WHERE'S THE MONEY / DOGZILLA / DUB
IN THE PLACE (CHUNKY BIZZLE REMIX) / NASTY / DUB
RUN IT UP / NASTY / DUB
YOU SHOULD LET ME LOVE YOU (TERROR DANJAH REMIX) / TEMPERAMENTALS / SMOOVE

Sink Or Swim?


Roll Deep Artwork, originally uploaded by chantelle.

By me from Touch Magazine... the unedited version

Roll Deep:

Not all of us have been fortunate enough to live our lives locked into pirate radio frequencies, where British sounds roam free. For those of us that do it’s part of everyday life, crews such as Bow E3's finest Roll Deep and their many counterparts of far greater importance than any of the latest American imports.

Now in their fifth year of business, the Roll Deep brand has spread way beyond the M25. Dedicated Touch readers will no doubt have seen the various sixteen or so members grace these here pages before, be it as a group or as individuals. But Roll Deep are going to be surprising not only an existing fan base with their debut album, In At The Deep End, but listeners the country over.

Take for example the producers. Wiley, the unofficial Roll Deep forefather is famed for his eski-beat genius, a trend setting beat maker if ever there was one in the new millennium who has a penchant for nu jack swing and anything with a twist. Target’s distinctive sound is often epic and while still around the average grime tempo of 135BPM has a far more apparent hip hop influence. Danny Weed on the other-hand having only let off one heater on vinyl, Creeper, his sound as witnessed on Target’s Aim High mixtapes is pretty unpredictable and what the crew might call ‘one-away’. Put the three in a room or on an album together and and the resulting sound spectrum? It's equally diverse.

“Wiley and I sat down and wrote a plan of what we were going to do,” explains Danny from new label home Relentless Records (who previously bought us So Solid and more recently Lethal B’s ‘Pow’) “We have thought maybe we need more grime or more or where we've come from on it but it's something different and I’m happy with everything on it… we’re coming a bit like a Club 18-30’s” he laughs before Target backs him up. “Everyone will be surprised by it. We're trying to bring a breath of fresh air and not do the same thing all the time because our scene is simply not growing.”

A breath of fresh air? Shit. First single ‘The Ave’ is a straight 80’s throwback, while the inspiration for future classic ‘Shake A Leg’ came from a Buddha Lounge CD. The ‘Good Girl’ sample was found in Wiley’s dads vintage record collection (he also engineered a few tracks), then there’s ‘Be Careful’ featuring vocals from EMI rock act Alex Catana. Another artist Danny & Target are developing, Alex Mills, also provides a female touch to ‘Remember The Day’ among others. Equally as surprising is that the only guest producer is not a grime king pin but Eurogang's Dirty 4orts (responsible for 'Show You').

Lyrically it’s low on the testosterone fueled ramblings, instead more time showcasing a vibrant party vibe while still being informative throughout of the respective MC’s mindset and life on (and off) road.

The only thing that remains absent now is Wiley whom it seems is not getting heavily involved in the Roll Deep album promotion. Having parted company with XL Recordings last year, he’s kept a fairly low profile of late, according to him, on a journey of self re-discovery both musically and personally. It was largely due to issues surrounding Wiley’s contractual desires that led to In At The Deep End, going to Relentless instead of Island Records.

In a separate conversation with Touch, Wiley broke it down. “I was always playing catch up to Dizzee and I wasn’t ready for the competition… But I learnt a lot from back then and from when I was talking with Damon Dash. It made me realise that we’ve got to do what we feel is right. This is our country and we know it better than anyone else.”

Of course a lot of people will be thinking so why's Wiley seemingly contradicting himself and repeating history? But between Wiley and the rest of Roll Deep they appear to have struck upon a formula that works.
.
“A lot of people put our music down saying it’s not commercial, it won’t work… and that makes you really think sometimes.” Wiley pauses “The others understand that I’ve done a lot of work already on the group album, the initial stuff, and I know the boat won’t sink just cause I’m not doing certain things. They’re working hard to promote this album and they’re all big enough to do it... It's just since I heard 'Pow' it made me think that I don't need to change my music to make people happy and ever since that I’ve been making bare grime, some of the heaviest tunes I've made in ages, so I'm in the studio with the new Roll Deep members (Meridian Crew’s JME and Skepta and ex-OT MC Syer) getting new stuff ready. Roll Deep are going to be keeping the streets happy too this year, you know this right?”

On the subject of Wiley, the state of play is totally understood by the rest of the Entourage. “Where he fails in some areas he's doubly good in other stuff so we can't really moan at him, look he's the best A&R out there” says Danny. “It's just one of the things people will have to accept and one of the first things they'll get to know about how it is with Roll Deep” Target concludes on the subject.

It’s the crews strong friendships that allow for such compromise. Despite many people thinking Roll Deep formed a couple of years ago following divisions within the Pay As U Go Cartel (PAUG), which Target, Flo Dan and Wiley all belonged to, it was actually born in 2000, a mere nine months after Pay As U Go.

Wiley, having made ‘Terrible’ as a follow up to the now seminal PAUG debut ‘Know We’, needed a name to put the tune out under as it featured MC’s that weren’t in the Cartel. It was over hearing Flo Dan talking about rolling deep (meaning rolling with more than one person) that got the stamp of approval with the other original members Breeze and Bubbles (whose current status within the crew is unspecified). But they only really came into prominence when they grew in numbers, Wiley pledged an exclusive allegiance to Roll Deep, and the arrival of a young MC called Dizzee Rascal. From there on in the story unfolds. Hours spent on pirate radio, headlining raves, DVD appearances, magazine articles… then Dizzee got signed and left. A lot of cynics thought that would be the end of the book, but it was a new chapter. It hasn’t overly effected the crew personally (bar perhaps Wiley) nor creatively. Unlike many of their supposed rivals, Roll Deep boast many individual characters and artists in their own right; Scratchy, the boy next door with slang to rival the dictionary, Riko, a war lord who flips between cockney and yard, Flo Dan, the bashment scholar and social thinker, Trim, a fresh poet in the mix, Breeze, the missing hip hop link.

And here we are, In At The Deep End, an album that's no doubt going to be revered or described as ‘an experimental masterpiece’, ‘standout alternative' or 'pop-grime showcase’, because (being real part 1), that’s how perception goes. For some reason, let’s call it history and a dose of habit weighed in with an ounce of ignorance, but if you’re bringing through music from the streets, especially if you're group is predominantly black, the cliched tag is on before you’ve even attempted the climb the charts. Will Roll Deep have to face ‘the new So Solid’ tarring simply because of their roots? It’s arguably this kind of lazy stereotyping that means we're still yet to see a multi-ethnic Busted or a black Coldplay perhaps.

And that’s exactly why there’s something more significant at work here. There’s a glimmer of hope at least that by sticking two fingers up to expectation and standing up to be counted by their music and that alone Roll Deep are challenging these dogged perceptions.

“We don’t want to fit in we want to fit out” Target says. Trim on the otherhand puts it like this “I mean, this isn’t for the tugs dem. But when you’re with your bredrins you have fun so that’s what we’re doing like any other boys might. I don’t think anyone in Roll Deep expected to go in this direction but listen to it and don’t care about anything. That’s what we tried to do.”

Looking at it slightly differently, If it’s true that you can take a man out the hood but not the hood out of the man then in this context it's also fair to argue that you can’t save a man from himself. So while the society that’s breeding some of Britain's most creative forces still appears to be on the verge of self-destruction, perhaps what Roll Deep are doing, and without even realising it, are introducing themselves and a new generation to the prospect of saving themselves by breaking free from society's expectations. It will be an interesting swim to safety but surely worth every stroke?

Sunday 29 May 2005

Lioness' Playlist


lioness, originally uploaded by chantelle.

Jaygo & Lilly - Freestyle
Fire Camp - No [White]
Flirta D - Warp Speed [White]
Regal Players - Rude Boy (Instrumental) [Frog Music]
Regal players - Rude Boy (Remix) [Frog Music]
Lethal B - Uh Oh (I'm Back) (Instrumental) [V2]
Lethal B - Uh Oh (I'm Back) [V2]
DPM ft Shizzle, Bruza, Nappa - Ave Some Of That [White]
Riko ft Gods Gift - Dead Dat
Jammer - Fire Hydrant Original [Jah Mek The World]
Footsie - War In Here [Jah Mek The World]
Wiley - Merkle Man (Instrumental) [White]
Jammer - Merkle Man Outburst [Jah Mek The World]
Mariah Carey - We Belong [Island]
DaVinChe - F Loote [Paperchase]
Kano - Mic Check 1,2 [679]
Kano feat Demon & Ghetto - Mic Check 1,2 (Remix) [679]
Kano - Remember Me [679]
Kano - Brown Eyes [679]
DaVinChe ft Bashy & Katie Pearl - Pryin [2NV]
Trim ft Riko & Wiley - Boogie Man [White]
Saskilla ft others - Oi Hoii [Terrarbeats]
Blazer ft Mastermind Troopers & NdoubleA - Monster Riddim
Narstie - Life Is Short
Bluzey - Love For The Dough
Jaygo ft Bruise Boy, Havok - Freestyle
M.I.A - Bucky Done Gone (DaVinChe Instrumental Remix) [White]
Faction G - One Step Ahead
Faction G - WMD
Vix n Trix - Good From Far
Skepta - Private Caller [Mastabeatz]
Chunky ft various - Shoggle Riddim [White]
B Live - Freestyle
Kano ft Lethal B, Ghetto, Demon - Ps & qs (Remix) [679]
Eastwood ft Neesha - Not For Me
Teedra Moses - Tell Her
Bossman - Bongo eyes (Remix) [White]
Terror Danjah - Nite Crawler 2 [FL]
Macabre unit - Unit Jam [B Line]
DJ LIONESS: SATURDAYS 3PM 'TIL 5PM ON RINSE 100.3FM. Lioness also has a blog over at www.djlioness.blogspot.com

Thursday 26 May 2005

Home Sweet Home


Home Sweet Home, originally uploaded by chantelle.

Excluse! Kano album artwork just in and looking T.I.D.Y. To keep you going until the album's out here's another not-heard-before cut from his forthcoming mixtape promo.
Kano rides a Dre Classic

Clarks Time

Martin Clark letting loose over at Pitchfork

Go on boy!

New Look RWD

The RWD forums are back up and running with a new look to boot. Matt Mason has also announced that he'll soon be departing after three and a half years as Editor In Chief. He says "being part of the team that has grown RWD and FFWD into two of the UK’s most respected youth brands has been the highlight of my career, but I’m craving a new challenge and will be leaving for the US shortly to pursue various opportunities over there..." There you have it. Here's wishing Matt all the best for the future, he's been great to work with and no one can deny the importance of his work over the last few years. Watch for the announcement on the new editor coming very soon.

Crazy Bitch

Apparently there's rumours circulating about Crazy Titch's demise. I even had an email from a young lady today asking me to confirm whether it was true that Titch has passed away. Hell no. He was very much alive when I heard his new material yestersay. Titch and J2K have been in NY and laid down some tracks over there. Keep your ears open.

Wednesday 25 May 2005

Rhythm Division Chart

1. Delinquent – Ghetto Queen (Spoilt Rotten)
2. Low Deep – Takeover Ep (Colourful State Recordings)
3. MIA – Buck Dun Gone/Pull Up People Remixes (XL)
4. Amerie – 1 Thing Sticky Remix (White)
5. Southside Dubstars presents DJ Eastwood (Southside)
6. Agent X – Killahertz Alias Remix (Heatseeker)
7. Wiley Kat & Ruff Squad – Jam Pie (White)
8. J Sweet feat Doctor & Essentials – Bring It (White)
9. Riddler Records EP Vol. 3 (Riddler)
10. Sparks & Kie – Flyby Megamix (White)

Compiled by Sparky @ Rhythm Division, Roman Road, Bow E3. You can listen to audiio in this chart at www.rhythmdivision.co.uk

Close Your Eyes


Close Your Eyes, originally uploaded by chantelle.

I swear down mum, it wasn't me! http://www.flier1.com/porndoll.htm

Brappppppp!

Pull up that one. Shout out to DJ Megatron from San Fransico who sent me a copy of his show. Heavy grime mix going on, got some skills. And if that was him scatching then pull up again. Share it, share it!

Tuesday 24 May 2005

Big Tune In


Skinnyman, originally uploaded by chantelle.

New HB & Rat Promos now in stock over at www.hardcorebeats.co.uk A very limited amount, so get in quick, not officially released for another 4 weeks.

The one I'd like to recommend is RAT021. I've only heard the original so don't watch it if the other mixes are serious poop. Trust me on this one!

Booty Bouncers "Fame & Money" ft. Wiley, Skinnyman, Wunda & Hyperactive
Original / Stanton Warriors Remix / Ashley Beedle Remix / Beni G (Mixologists) & Plus One (Scratch Perverts) Remix

In their words, not mine... Deekline & Wizard have gathered the cream of UK emcees from varying urban genres (alas, Joss Stone not included) to feature on their new 12 Fame & Money

Repping UK Hip Hop, is the undisputed king of high-rise lyrics, Skinnyman. In the corner with his New Era cap low and Eski-Flow tight is Roll Deep Entourage front man Wiley, who is partnered in Grime with SLK's Wunda Kid and returning to reunite with his old-school garage compadre (see Sexy Cinderella) is the UKs answer to Twista, Hyperactive.

The Original edit sees Deekline & Wizard serve up a slice of garage infused break-beat outweighing his branded God Flesh-esque, a*se quake bass with a Virus mutilated, treble loaded, synth. On the flip is a class-A remix by Beni G of the Mixologists and the perverted turntablist Plus One who lower the tone several octaves to create an altogether more broody semblance. The second dub-plate sees Lords of the Break Beat, Stanton Warriors add their rendition whilst the flip features a Detroit style, sunshine remix from one of the UK's most celebrated house producers, Ashley Beadle.

Introducing Sadie Ama


Sadie & Terror, originally uploaded by chantelle.

Yes, she's the one on the right I mean left...

Mercedes Hall, better known under her Sadie Ama moniker and as sister of vocalist Shola, may only be 17 but record labels are already hunting her down. With only a few tracks doing the rounds, is it just hype? It would appear not. UD got the lowdown from the first lady of R&G - and that's Rhythm & Grime if you didn't yet know...

The first thing I saw you in was a So Solid video, was that the first thing you did?
I've been modelling since I was four so I've travelled to countries like Portugal and stuff doing magazine bits. The first video I was in was a Spice Girls video, Mama. That was a long time ago! I was pretending to be Mel B when she was younger.

Have you always sang?
No. When I was younger I thought I want to be a singer but it wasn't always on my mind and then as I got older I met up with Terror Danjah and he gave me this track but it took me a year... I called my sister and said I really want to do this and Terror and Shola wrote So Sure. It was quite mad the response that we got from it, I wasn't expecting that. I was expecting to record it and that was it but obviously it got a good response.

Are you learning to write?
Shola's teaching me, well we're co-writing my album. Everything should be ready for summer. We've had interest from labels already but I don't think it's the right time yet. I've just been signed up for the Arts Council and have funding so I can develop myself a bit more. There's a lot of opportunities here for me. I've only done stuff with Terror so far but I'm going to be working with DaVinChe, Wonder, and other producers from outside of the scene.

Is there pressure because of Shola?
Not really because my sister's thing is very different as in our careers. We've got different voices, completely different. She's very supportive, because she's been there I have to learn from her mistakes and she helps me a lot. We haven't recorded together yet but there's a track waiting for us to do.

What tracks are there other than So Sure?
The One with Wiley but that's not finished, Can't Let Go, Right Now but most of it is demo or towards the album. I've not laid down a lot to be honest as I was in hospital for a month, I have my appendix taken out but they didn't know what was wrong with me for two weeks and they moved me to another hospital. I was in Park Royal first then went to St Mary's where they worked it out the same day! It was getting really bad I was lucky. I lost alot of weight so I went on holiday to Jamaica for a month to recover. I'm just back and thinking I really want and need to do this singing thing. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it before. I've put my mind to it.

What put you off singing?
It was because I've seen what my sisters gone through and I wasn't sure if I wanted to go through all of that. Also the response off the back of So Sure was so sudden, record labels phoning, it was a bit too much and I didn't understand what was going on. I just thought I don't want to sing anymore.

So R&G?
I really like it. When I first heard it I didn't know what it stood for but Rhythm & Grime is it. I don't mind being called the first lady of R&G, I actually like that. I think Terror came up with it (the name).

Who've been your inspirations?
Aaliyah, I really, really like her, obviously and not just saying it because she's my sister but Shola because these days there's not that much good UK talent out there that can really sing. She has really, really got a good voice and she's had her ups and her downs.

It's hard for UK singers, especially black females...
Exactly. It's like we can only get so far, I don't understand why we don't support ourselves. The UK just supports America and it really bothers me. Most people are only interested in Americans.

Do you get on with other singers in the scene?
Yeah I think Katie Pearls really good, I really like her stuff I'd like to do something with her. I think my sister asked her to do some writing with me on one of my tracks.
Katie Pearl is one of the best, there's so many people trying to do this thing nowadays.

Anything we should be looking out for?
Some people want So Sure but it's two years since I recorded it. It was signed to Relentless but there were a lot of complications. And that's going back to what I was saying with all these meetings happening too soon. I got scared. I'm not now though.

Hear Sadie Ama on the Aftershock Mixtape out now. www.ukrecordshop.com are distributing this worldwide.

A version of this article appeared in B&S 2005.

Bossman Appeal


Street Anthem 2, originally uploaded by chantelle.

Bossmans Street Anthems 2 is now in in stores. Anyway he's looking for distribution further afield so if you or your local record shop is interested in stocking it, particularly if you're overseas, drop me a line so I can put you in touch with Bossman. Seriousness only. No wastemen, or wastewomen need reply. Spread the music.

Go On Then, Go On Then


Go On Then, Go On Then, originally uploaded by chantelle.

Big up my cousin on this one

Monday 23 May 2005

Kano Freebies

I've got some Kano T-shirts for the man dem to give away. If you fancy one tell me which is your fave Kano tune to date in the comments box then email me your preference (red or white, L or XL) and a postal address. www.ka-no.com...
Ladies! I've just wangled three vests... they're tight, all size medium and make your chest look pert so first come first served.
**OK COMP CLOSED BUT FOR MORE CHANCES TO WIN LOG ONTO WWW.KA-NO.COM. ALSO YOU CAN GET A FREE DOWNLOAD OF 'WE HAVE A PROMLEM' FROM HIS SITE**

 

Middle East Winding


Middle East Winding, originally uploaded by chantelle.

Particularly favoured by the girls because the men don't touch you out here... nice

Collins In The House

Read her Roll Deep piece in the Guardian today http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/features/story/0,11710,1490125,00.html

Long Live The Hood


Long Live The Hood, originally uploaded by chantelle.

Bluewater profits from 'hoodies' ban
By David Derbyshire, Consumer Affairs Editor
(Filed: 20/05/2005)

The number of shoppers at the Bluewater centre in Kent has risen by more than a fifth since it banned gangs of youths wearing hoods and baseball caps.

The centre, near Dartford, says that 22 per cent more shoppers passed through its doors last weekend than during the corresponding period in 2004.

Days earlier it had announced a zero tolerance policy on face-obscuring "hoodies", baseball caps and swearing. The ban, part of a new code of conduct on anti-social behaviour, followed complaints about gangs intimidating shoppers.

The move won backing from Tony Blair and John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, but was criticised by youth organisations for "confusing fashion with behaviour".

Mathew Clements, of Bluewater, stressed that the ban covered only groups acting in an aggressive or intimidating way who were using hoods or baseball caps to hide their identities. Individuals walking through the centre in a hooded sweatshirt were unlikely to be asked to expose their faces for the benefit of security cameras.

He said the publicity surrounding the hood ban had been "extraordinary" and had contributed to the "abnormal" rise in visitor numbers.

But he added: "Footfall is notoriously fickle, and affected by a variety of factors including weather, the economic climate and marketing activities."

The Elephant and Castle shopping centre in south London announced yesterday that it too was introducing a ban on hooded clothing. The centre houses several large chains including Tesco, Woolworths, WH Smith and Iceland.

Mike Knell, the manager, said: "When you look at how the general public view these youths with hoods on they are quite intimidated. The ban on hoods has been introduced to make people a bit more at ease so they feel safer when they are doing their shopping here.

"We have CCTV installed throughout the shopping centre and the ban on hoods will make the cameras much more effective in identifying any troublemakers. Since we introduced the ban we have noticed the malls are a lot quieter as we have not got so many gangs of youths simply hanging around.''

Despite the publicity given to the Bluewater ban, only a handful of other centres are cracking down on hooded tops. The Trafford Centre has been operating a similar ban since it opened in Manchester seven years ago, while a shopping centre in Middleton, north Manchester, also bans hoods.

However, the Metro Centre in Gateshead, Britain's largest shopping and leisure centre, said it had no plans to introduce a ban. The Queen's Arcade in Cardiff and the Meadowhall Centre in Sheffield are not banning hoods.

The Children's Society described the Bluewater ban on hoods "blatant discrimination based on stereotypes and prejudices". However, Bluewater insists that the ban is not "children-specific".

Saturday 21 May 2005

Before: Dulux Dog


DSCF0832, originally uploaded by chantelle.

After: Tanorexic To Be?


chantannn, originally uploaded by chantelle.

1. tanorexic
A pun that combines the disorder of anorexia with tanning. Is used to describe people, usually white women and teen girls, who are very tan/dark in skin tone. Tanorexics are more specifically women who purposely get tan by either sunbathing frequently or by a fake bake. It was suggested that, like anorexics, they have an addiction to tanning and won't stop no matter how dark they get. Hence, the term tanorexic.

Christina Aguilera was a full-blown tanorexic; Lindsay Lohan is borderline tanorexic.
I am yet to decide between life and death, pale and peachy or dark and lovely?

Riko Gets A Blog

Ok, speculation and interrogation... cut the chat... or like Myrie said last night "I'm digressing like I'm confessing." Well no confessions, It's not me doing Riko's blog. Anyone who's read it or knows him will see it's quite obviously his words (regardless of whether he's uploading it everyday or has help). If you haven't yet checked it out www.rikodan.blogspot.com. It's fresh and as far as I'm aware he's the first grime player to enter the blogging arena. You'll find general info, exclusive pics as well as some press stuff not to mention all the latest Roll Deep news. I'd imagine it's going to get interesting from here on in. If the grime scene blogged as much as they smoked weed, I can see research getting easier while phone bills decrease. I did realise on my holiday that I can live without grime, a revelation of sorts. That's not to say that the love has died, far from it, but there's many a fish to fry, right?

Mic Controller

JME is going to getting rid of his face pic soon. "Im cool. I dont hate Nobody. Nobody Hates Me. Face pic's Getting Old. My Account will soon be gone. I do not eat Healthyly. I am not fat. I am not underweight. I never go shopping. I always have new
stuff. My Desktop does not have one icon on it. I have More Blank Cd's than You. I drive illegaly. I answer private number. Pain is Temporary. Love is Annoying. Life is Good. Death is Inevitable. I like finding money in my Jeans. Money is the root of All Evil. Money is the Root of all Good. I have 17 Friends. I Will Reply To Most Messages." http://www.face-pic.com/jme
*Useless info but I've seen JME do a Rubiks Cube in about two minutes. Serious, serious.

Friday 20 May 2005

And?


And?, originally uploaded by chantelle.

MC's At The Ready!

Top boy producers Dexplicit (Lethal B 'Pow!') and P Jam (D Double E 'Anger Management') have donated an exclusive big ass beat called 'Concrete Matrix' and all you need to do is download it, vocal it and MP3 is back to us asap. The version that comes up on top will be selected by the Run The Road A&R team and used on a future compilation. The rules? There are no rules. The competition is open to everyone and anyone, established acts, newcomers, crews, individuals, ladies, gents, mums and dads... so what are you waiting for, grab a pad and pen and plug your mic in. Good luck ya see! www.runtheroad.com

Don't Lose Your Head


Don't Lose Your Head, originally uploaded by chantelle.

I will knock it off and put you in a jar, bitch

You'd Better Believe It


Hatties shot again, originally uploaded by chantelle.

Things I'm Especially Liking Today

Abu Dhabi, Plan B, JME, Brandy Greatest Hits, Amerie album, R Kelly Out The Closet Part 2, Sovereign 9-5 (including JME remix!), Roll Deep album, Kano album, not drinking lots of coffee, new issue of i-D, Martin Clark (always), Drumz Of The South, Volvo short movies, Sade, my old mate Dave pretending to be a dog in Maxim, JQ with a tash, dancing in front of my mirror, plaiting my hair, Raw T, Street Starz, Cadburys chocolate, Logan's Kiss Show, Wiley, Target & Danny Weed, Nicolette.

Friday Night Plan?


PLANB, originally uploaded by chantelle.

HAVING WON OVER WILLIE MASON FANS COME AND SEE HIM FOR YOURSELF... PLAN B - LIVE AND DANGEROUS AT THE ENTERPRISE, 2 Haverstock Hill, London, NW3, 20TH MAY DOORS FROM 7PM, 1XTRA DJS SUPPORTING.

WATCH HIM HERE:
http://mfile.akamai.com/9139/asf/stream.wmg.com/wmi/uk/planb/Kidz_vid_Hi.asx
http://mfile.akamai.com/9139/asf/stream.wmg.com/wmi/uk/planb/Kidz_vid_Lo.asx
http://mfile.akamai.com/9139/rm/stream.wmg.com/wmi/uk/planb/Kidz_vid_Hi.ram
http://mfile.akamai.com/9139/rm/stream.wmg.com/wmi/uk/planb/Kidz_vid_Lo.ram

Limited guest list available, so holler. Note: Review from Touch Magazine.

Wednesday 18 May 2005

Honey, I'm Home


Honey, I'm Home, originally uploaded by chantelle.

The Fulla doll... get to know

Tan My Hide


Tan My Hide, originally uploaded by chantelle.

And spot the white bits

Mosque And A Half


Abu Dhabi Mosque, originally uploaded by chantelle.

A Good Man


A Good Man, originally uploaded by chantelle.

From rags to riches

Better Than My Balcony


A Real View, originally uploaded by chantelle.

Need I say more?

You Like?


Emirates Palace, originally uploaded by chantelle.

The view from my bedroom window the last two weeks has meant my return to east London is really not that exciting. Give me the heat back, please.

Street Starz


Street Starz, originally uploaded by chantelle.

The Street Starz team have put out a free UK mixtape/album called 'Starz of da Street Vol 1'. You can download the artwork and all tracks from www.streetstarz.co.uk. Ya see.

Need A Whip?

Check out the BMW M5 animation over at http://www.roadmonster.co.uk/ Lands at all good dealers soon.

Get Rolled Over?


Get Rolled Over?, originally uploaded by chantelle.

Tuesday 17 May 2005

I'll Be Back...


I'll Be Back..., originally uploaded by chantelle.

Tuesday 3 May 2005

I Can't Wait


LOTD3/3, originally uploaded by chantelle.

Lord Of The Decks 3


LOTD3, originally uploaded by chantelle.

Street date 28th May. Advance orders been taken at www.ukrecordshop.com. You can also catch the preview over there...

Monday 2 May 2005

Detention


Detention, originally uploaded by chantelle.

How Stankee?

*Dizzee Rascal is the latest hip hop performer to set up his own record label. The rapper plans to invest some of the money he has made through the success of his albums 'Boy In Da Corner' and 'Showtime' in Dirtee Stank records with the mission of discovering and promoting UK urban music talent. Commenting on his new venture, the rapper said he was motivated to set up the label after becoming disillusioned with the way established music companies tone down urban artists and their music to make them more mainstream: "Majors don't fully understand the scene. They try and water it down and it doesn't work. That's why I'm working on Dirtee Stank. I got my group Klass A and I think they're really strong."* I read this on CMU Daily but I thought Dirtee Stank had existed for some time and Klass A were signed to it time ago?