Lord Of The Mics, the colossal grime platform founded and led by Jammer and Ratty, is making its return for a massive eighth season. Over the years there have been some monumental clashes and warm-up sessions that have changed the face of the grime scene in ways you couldn’t imagine. In fact, LOTM can trace its history before grime even had a name. Those iconic clashes are embedded into the minds of any true grime fan. Kano vs. Wiley, Skepta vs. Devilman, Footsie vs. Scratchy, P Money vs. Big H… and the eighth edition looks like it’ll be just as heated and just as game-changing.

Ahead of the official release, we’ve teamed up with the LOTM team to exclusively premiere the batch of Hype Sessions. If, somehow, you’re not entirely familiar with the institution that is the Lord Of The Mics warm-up sessions, each clash is preceded by a quick filmed freestyle of each MC, which basically gives them all an opportunity to rile up their opponents and stoke the flames of competition in the hopes their opponent will get too heated and make a mistake.

TRENCH will be premiering all 18 Hype Sessions in the build-up to the full release of Lord Of The Mics 8. Today, we’re profiling rival spitters Dialect and Jafro.

A radio and clash regular, Ten Dixon thrives in the heat of the moment when emotions are running high and most MCs would crumble. He’s not without his allies of course, but it all lands on his shoulders this time round. Known for his sheer aggression, it’s not impossible that Ten Dixon will be able to win just by staring down his opponent before a single bar has been uttered. Life’s rarely that easy, though, so what’s more likely is that if he does take home the win it’ll be through sheer lyrical brute force. “My Hype Session is a direct shot, warming up one of the most craziest, intense grime clashes of Lord Of The Mics history.”

A highly respected veteran of the Birmingham scene and member of the legendary Invasion Crew, Tana has more than earned his stripes in the many years he’s been grinding. His meeting with Ten Dixon at the Lord Of The Mics cypher a few months was a big highlight, with both MCs dishing out some of the most devastating lines of the night. Whether he’s surrounded by rivals and opps or thinking on his feet in a radio session, Tana’s ability to maintain a cool head under pressure is possibly the biggest reason he’s made it this far and it could be the thing to help him snatch the top prize for Lord Of The Mics 8. “Not one lyric is made up,” Tana told TRENCH. “Everything I’m saying is all truth.”