New BBC4 Documentary Tracks The Lineage Of Black British Music That Led To Grime

New BBC4 Documentary Tracks The Lineage Of Black British Music That Led To Grime


October 15, 2018

UK hip-hop legend Rodney P has a new documentary out. Last Friday, BBC4 aired Beats, Bass And Bars—The Story Of Grime, an hour-long doc that features Rodney P chatting with figures like Jammer, Flowdan, Asher D, Megaman, Geeneus, DJ Target, NoLay, D Double E, Davinche, Saskilla, Risky Roadz and Chantelle Fiddy, while also going further back in the history of black British music to speak to Dennis Bovell (Matumbi), David Hinds and Mykaell Riley (Steel Pulse), and the Ragga Twins.

In the film, they go back to the '70s when the first generation of British-born black immigrants were coming of age while Enoch Powell was giving his infamous 'rivers of blood' speech and the National Front was on the rise. In response to that antagonism we got political protest songs like Matumbi's "Go Back Home" and a cultural movement that would help to define the black British identity.

From there, the doc takes us through the history of reggae, UK hip-hop, jungle and UK garage, before going into grime's rise, fall and rebirth. Watch the full documentary here.


Words: James Keith


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