Is Grime Legless?

Jihadia on the Fire Truck, originally uploaded by moaksey.

Martin Clark came around for dinner earlier, we discussed our lack of blogging these days. We're from the same school of thought though - if you've got nothing to say don't say it. But I've got something I actually want to type, so consider me back.

No, this isn't the eagerly anticipated Fiddy announces 'GRIME IS DEAD' post, but a look at the lack of crutches propping up the legs. Must like the NHS, we're crippled.

The reason I'm writing this now, at a totally unsuitable hour given I have to get up for work in a few hours, is something just struck me. At the weekend I was directed to an interview I did with uksoundtv, a new website that's launched to promote, yep you guessed it UK sounds. Needless to say I cringed, I was talking sense alright but my head looked semi-rectangular and I looked close to the brink of death (ok, slightly too far with this point but give a girl a break). I remember being really nervous on the day when I had to meet John and the guys at Rhythm Division cause believe it or not, I don't like cameras, especially not ones that capture moving moments. Anyway, having watched the clip, I'm not exceptionally vain, so I just put it down to experience and laughed it off. Much to my amusement, I just looked on the RWD forum for the first time in four weeks, found a thread about uktv and read two pages debating my experienced words... or not... no, they're more concerned as to whether I'm wearing a bird in my ear (this is why I prefer to write for i-D), or whether i'm uglier than they previously expected...

How has it come to be that a good website can launch full of grime 'stars' and live footage, yet the supposed fans don't mention any of it but waste their words on me? Shit if I could MC I'd release a record, I've got more heat on me than friggin Ruff Sqwad's PA! I'm not even going to get into the blatant sexism, female bashing or outright egotistical nature of these comments or the manner in which ladies in the scene are treated, i'll be here all night. But to any women reading this who think it's a laugh and a joke, it's not. Have your wits about you, spit the venom back in their cake hole and think twice about the decisions you make. I could be earning a lot money doing something else, and the number of times I think 'why do you bother', trust me there's a lot. Don't get it twisted though - unlike the talkers, I'm walking and earning my p's. Anyone who's got time to sit on forums all day when they're not getting paid for it can't be stacking.

Now I understand grime is a youth movement, and I'm by no means judging all the followers by what's written on a teenage forum (and there's a lot of them out there), but is it really any wonder people with an ounce of sense no longer give it half the time of day? I wasn't surprised to see Dubstep get a mention in the Sunday Times Style this week cause although it's not about fashion, it's following is a tad maturer and although I don't always share their love of the beats, it's got a nice vibe about it.

If grime music was stronger on the whole (do you know how hard it is to find 10 good grime some months that are actually being released?), maybe people would be more willing to stick with it instead of throwing their hands up, but the sad fact is the same people doing it now are the same people who were doing it years before (bar the odd few). Some artists in this scene have got caught up in the bubble too, judging the scene and planning their path forwards based on the words of the inexperienced, frequently unintelligent, forum ramblers. Don't even get me started on myspace. While it's doubtless good for promotion, getting 50,000 friends does in no way shape or form = 50,000 sales. Where's your distribution? Where are the events? Where is your game plan? Where's your head at?

I look forward to part 2 getting uploaded on uktv. Red nose and all. Say what you want but i'm standing firmly on my two.