London Grime MC’s Skepta and JME have announced a very special headline London date at O2 Academy Brixton on Friday 18th December.
In 2015, Tottenham-raised Londoner Skepta embodies the Grime scene. His energy, his power to lead with his own choices and lifestyle, his ability to change the game on his own terms, his unbending commitment to his music is reflected now on a worldwide platform and places him at the epicentre of a new phase of meaning for street music culture. Growing up on Meridian Estate in North London, he operated behind the scenes in Grime’s very early days with Meridian Crew. Coming through in the early 2000s, initially as a DJ and producer with tunes such as Gun Shot Riddim and Private Caller, Skepta’s contribution to the emerging grime sound back then helped shape the culture for years to come and still provides the template today. Known now for his lyrical mastery and commanding presence, his vitality and energy as an artist, the power of his live shows has become notorious. What started for him as MC-ing in clashes and on pirate radio has, a decade later, transcended boundaries of the underground to reach a global audience in undiluted musical form.
His brother JME also first emerged as part of North London’s Meridian Crew, before joining Roll Deep and later co-founding Boy Better Know. Emerging with his still famed tune Serious in 2008, JME's character set his stall from the outset. Over the years his rise to prominence has been both as an artist and as a cultish figurehead, free from the norms of the music industry. Just as he says on his twitter page: JME "Philanthropist/Musician UKG (Grime). No label, No PR, No Publisher, No manager, No Pa, No Stylist, No Instagram, No Meat, No diary, No egg & No Flouride". Reaching fans directly via social media from myspace days to today's twitter, he is as known for his gaming talents, his lifestyle, for the character he is as much as for his musical output. The 2015 album Integrity was released fully independently and soared up the album charts to firmly re-highlight him as one of Grime’s leading lights. Man Don't Care is one of the biggest Grime tunes of the year. Over the years, his BBK label, collective, clothing empire and notoriety encapsulated the very spirit of Grime. JME's independence is iconic and hugely influential across the entire scene.
This year, BBK has continued from strength-to-strength through live presence. Skepta and JME’s profiles have surged musically in the UK and across the world. After stand out performances on the festival circuit this year at Glastonbury, Wireless and Bestival, the London date in December is set to be the biggest Grime shows of 2015. Skepta and JME bring an all-star line-up to the stage with South London based rap collective Section Boyz, CASISDEAD, BBC Sound of 2015 nominee Novelist, as well as Grime’s elusive and enigmatic figure and BBK's very own Frisco.
Tickets are available from 9am on Friday October 9th via www.gigsandtours.com