November 30, 2003
Eskimo Dance.
I put on my wedding shoes and went down to Eskimo dance. Waited two hours in the queue. Purgatory. An incessant struggle twixt security and ravers. The lead security officer ressembling a First AD in the movies. His late-arriving crew greeted him like a commandant. Wiley performed a walk-by with camera crew in tow. The queue stretched the length of the arch. Bristling for nearly half a mile. All along its length shifty guys and gals were hovering, observing possible moments in which to jump in. Our "general" walked its length offering a ten pound entrance to people who doffed in jumpers. Also forcing us onto the pavement. Suddenly people start screaming. The queue behind me dissolves into panic and overwhelms the security, people fill the tunnels breadth. As a wave of fear sweeps through my surrounding group we duck into an enclave to avoid a crush. Gradually things are brought back into control.
Wiley walks by the queue.
Inside the crowd is mellow, cheerful. In fact I get no agression from any punter through the night. Even the girl whose leather boots I soaked with my drink.
First up were two kids from Direct FM in Battersea Nikke and Nyke. A bit squeaky. Then Wiley on his own, not quite commanding the excitement he thinks he should. "You call it garage, you call it urban, I'm a topboy" etc. Security wouldn't let MCs through the crowd. Jammer was kept hanging around at the foot of the stage. Eventually loping on in white, his dreads swaying. We waited while Nasty crew coalesced backsatge. CK Flash spun some more dancehall and Jay Z's Pimp.
Nasty explode onto the platform. All eight of them. Kano seems to be the star. Like early Wu-Tang or Old Skool Jams the individual personalities are often hard to pick up. It's the collective that forms the focus. The other evening, with Davis around, I finally GOT the shows. It's all about excitement isn't it, the best act is the most exciting radio phenomenon. Davis rolled his eyes like I'd been well late on the pickup, "Exactly!". The metaphor extends to Grime, or Eski as Wiley calls it. It's not music really. It's just an expression of excitement, like a rush of adrenaline or crack. The crowd is hyped beyond reckoning as Nasty Crew pitch rhymes at one another. One by one each coming to the boil, triggering a rewind. They jostle one another, not a whiff of the kind of showmanistic entertainerism of Heartless Crew. It's real. Enervatingly so.
Nasty Crew onstage.
Then Donao. Proving one MC aint enough. "Bounce" is always fun though. Wiley steps up as Roll Deep, this time only with Karnage from that crew. Major Ace and Special Delivery filter onstage and all an a sudden there are twenty or thirty MCs on stage. Wiley looking coy but chuffed. For ten miuntes it seems to good to be true. In telekinetic style MC tosses verse to MC from crew to crew, the DJ hitting every switch bang on time.
Then.
Somewhere in the middle of "Countdown" Kano gets into some kind of fight with someone else. The repartee immediately breaks down. The music cuts. The gang on stage heave back and forth. Security sail into the melee dragging Kano from the stage. Wiley intervenes and rather than calming the situation things get worse. This time waves of panic ripple into the audience, the crowd crush back across the dancefloor. I huddle into a fire exit by a speaker stack. The doors spring open onto the street. There people are confused and disorientated.
While the sound is still off, I head back inside and gather my coat. On the way out I'm bowled aside by a phalanx of overexcited security, sprinting backstage looking for a fight. On the street there is now a heavy HEAVY police presence. Dogs howling. The queue, now aware of some kind of struggle happening inside (the doors had been shut) still stretching far along the tunnel.
I walk home.
Posted by Woebot at November 30, 2003 03:19 AMHow wonderful to have a review of this. I'm in Australia for the year, but to be honest, haven't felt I've missed that much this year. Seeing the flyer for this at hyperdub, realised was the first new club I was excited about since Bodyrockers last year (which was much less pretentious and more fun than you'd have thought). Shame it all got out of hand, but great to know how it went down.
Posted by: tom at November 30, 2003 01:56 PMAmsterdam, Friday 23 January 2004 @ Melkweg
Roll Deep Crew: MC's Wiley / Flowdan / Scratchie / Jamaka B / Tinchy Strida / DJ's Danny Weed / Bionics
Nasty Crew: MC's Sharky Major / Kano / DJ Mac 10
I'm there! :-)
Posted by: JoB at December 1, 2003 01:13 PMYeeeah booooyz! Woebot inna bourgeous imposter dancehall action seen!
Posted by: Matt at December 1, 2003 09:43 PMactually KANO backed his fellow band member so get facts STRAIGHT before posting ur shit on the web
Posted by: at January 12, 2004 11:28 AMOh and where did you *READ* that? Who *TOLD* you that? Did you actually *SEE* it with your own eyes?
Because if you were watching the stage you'd know that it was a very messy scenario, practically impossible to see *EXACTLY* what happened.
I posted that entry at 3.19 am in the morning before I'd had the chance to ask some other monkey what he thought had happened. Whereas you, you lame twat, have waited 5 weeks before you are sure of your facts. I stand by what I saw.
Posted by: Matt at January 12, 2004 12:02 PMYo does n e body kno where i can get hold of da whole eskimo dance on mp3. or wav. 2 download off a website or sumthin?
Cos i dont want it on c.d or tape , dats just long and moneyz , if u do , let me kno by messagin on here , or by sendin me an e-mail.
Safe im out....
You know its K.A.
Do I play?
N.O.
I Gonna get sprayed?
N.O.
KANO is a badman, who cares what he done.
Posted by: The Gunbutt Kid at January 26, 2004 03:21 PMIts Wiley an im gettin em hyper
get em dirrty like a baby diaper
whose on the riddim, the lyrical sniper
all badbwoy dem fi flash da lighter
U musta thought I was a 1st timer
time to hit em wiv a 16 liner
I am the roll deep grimer
gyal finder....
I'm a gangsta 4 life
I sex ur wife, take ur life
an' everyting nice
I'm a gangsta for life....
oi listn ye...kano tried to bring armzhouse to the slk mandem and all of his boys from east rushed the stage. dey got swarvo outside but da rest of slk got away. for all of u who dont know. bare east manz got hurt the following week for trien dat wid biga manz
HOLD TIGHT ALL DA X-RATED MAFIA POWIS SQUARE GANGSTERS VAGER, SIMA, KING CRAZE, SOLOW, DJ FUKEREZE, PRO STYLE, NEW ERA MONSTA, WEREWOLF AND DA COLD HEARTED CREW
Posted by: JOHNNY CAGE PRODUCTIONS at February 4, 2004 12:03 PMITS A WEST TING HOLD TIGHT NW MANDEM ITS A LADBROKE GROVE TING
Posted by: X RATED CREW at February 4, 2004 12:04 PMkano got mekeddddddddddddddddd nast crew r pussyholes 4 lIFE.hangtyte my SLK man dem drive byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Posted by: flirta-d at February 10, 2004 11:47 AMWho saw at New years eve eski wen flirta merked D Double and Nasty rushed him? Nasty are tryin to hype up, rushin mans on stage is an idiot ting. theyre not redy for flirta and slaughter kids - who knows about beenie b / battleaxe - dutty singing chats and everyting...
n.a.s.t.y r da best. dont hate SLK. flirta aint nothing to d double so you manz need to stop runnin ur gums! its all about kano, he is da heaviest along wit d double, stormin and da rest of nasty. all mc's need to take note'
Posted by: shandi at February 18, 2004 09:38 PMn.a.s.t.y r da best. dont hate SLK. flirta aint nothing to d double so you manz need to stop runnin ur gums! its all about kano, he is da heaviest along wit d double, stormin and da rest of nasty. all mc's need to take note'
Posted by: shandi at February 18, 2004 09:38 PMX RATED CREW ON LAY LOW FM 88.4 EVERY MONDAY
SIX PM UNTILL EIGHT PM..
XRATED READY 2 BLOW....
JOHNNY CAGE PRODUCTIONS
KING CRAZE
NEW ERA MONSTER
VAGER
IRON SOLOW
JAZZY JIZZLE
ALL DA POWIS SQUARE MANDEM.
ITS A WEST TING STRICTLY....
MONDAY 6PM-8PM LAY LOW FM 88.4
MONDAY 6PM-8PM LAY LOW FM 88.4
MONDAY 6PM-8PM LAY LOW FM 88.4
MONDAY 6PM-8PM LAY LOW FM 88.4
MONDAY 6PM-8PM LAY LOW FM 88.4
MONDAY 6PM-8PM LAY LOW FM 88.4
ITS A WEST TING STRICTLY.... XRATED CREW
Posted by: X RATED CREW at February 23, 2004 12:31 PMflirta-d is straight up wack i dont know wat the fuck he thinks he's doing making all those pussywhole noises. people seem to forget these days and think if something is different its heavy. No No NO NO, screaming in your lyrics is a straight up BITCH ting, and you aint drive bying NOTHING. the sooner this prick is gone and forgotten about the better.He's making it look like anything jack asses can make it. your not a rude boy i aint NEVER heard about you on ROAD.
Posted by: S.*** at February 27, 2004 02:48 PMFlirta is big suck ur mum u hater
Posted by: Diesel at March 1, 2004 09:24 AMIm sick of all these fake mc,s there all FAKE hold tight d double thats a real nigga. big up North Riderz ur big.
Posted by: Crazy T at March 1, 2004 09:31 AMU PRICKZ! u claim u no bout garage! U DNT NO SHIT! look im gona tel u straigt u man r on a hype ting u need 2 calm dwn U GET ME! wat u man eve heard ov rey mysterio! guess not! he wil merk any challenger who stepz up! u'll no bout him wen u man grow!
Posted by: m***Z at March 5, 2004 09:19 AMFUCK ALL DEM CREWS. EAST CONNECTION BE RUNNING TINGS BIG UP JOOKIE MUNDO SHIZZLE DEMON N FURY. KANO N D DOUBLE SHOULD JOIN EAST CONNECTION DEN DEY WILL BE UNTOUCHABLE ! FUCK ALL DA NORTH SOUTH N WEST CREWS 4 REAL, EAST BE RUUNING DA SHOW N ALLU PUSSY OLE DUN KNO IT !!!!
Posted by: at March 6, 2004 07:18 PMI agree EAST CONNECTION R HEAYY, BUT DEY NEED 2 LOSE FAT JOOKIE N DA LESBIAN FURY YA GET ME COS DEY BR WACK. ITS 2004 N ITS ALL ABOUT A NEW SOUND.....WILEYS SOUND YA GET ME! ALL DA OLD EMCEESSHUD JUS LEAVE DA GAME COS DEY KEEP CUMIN WIT DA SAME OLE LYRICS N ITS BORIN. BIG UP ALL DA MARE STREET HUSTLERS DEM U KNO WHO U BE ! HOLLA IM OUT......................
Posted by: at March 6, 2004 07:23 PMim from wolverhampton so i neva knew any of dis mad shit was goin on, nasty crew tryina rush man an ting. no way!!
Posted by: v d at March 8, 2004 10:41 AMF WID DA L I R WID DA BRHHHHHHHHHHHH
WWW.TOPCATKIDS.TK
CRUISE CONTROL 12-2 SATURDAYS SOON COME
must've taken Matt ages to fake all these posts from da kidz... ;-)
Posted by: paul "Hook! Hook! Where's Hook"!" meme at March 9, 2004 05:35 PMyes,
he's on the verge of causing me a problem
Posted by: Wiley at March 10, 2004 09:03 PMFUCK DIS I AM FROM SOUF WILEY IS A BWOY IN DA GAME HES A BIG PUSSY HES NOT SERIOUS D DOUBLE E & KANO R REAL DUTTY BLOODCLART DOOGZ & CRAZY TITCH R REEEEEAAAAAALLLLLLL
Both kano flirta d need 2 fix up der both 4rm da same manna like u get u need 2 war wid more fire or sutum anyway HANGTYTE da se5 n se15 massive wer large in dis big up dj rulez da lms thugs dem 1 2 my younger bro littleman south east thugz rulez
Posted by: Crazydogz at March 12, 2004 12:25 PMBoth kano flirta d need 2 fix up der both 4rm da same manna like u get u need 2 war wid more fire or sutum anyway HANGTYTE da se5 n se15 massive wer large in dis big up dj rulez da lms thugs dem 1 2 my younger bro littleman south east thugz rulez
Posted by: Crazydogz at March 12, 2004 12:25 PMhttp://www.XRATEDCREW.moonfruit.com
MONDAY 6 UNTIL 8 PM ON 93.00 LAY LOW FM 93.00 LAY LOW FM.
HOLD TIGHT NEW ERA MONSTA, KING CRAZE, VAGER, JOHNNY CAGE, IRON SOLOW, KILLER, J.J.
HOLD TIGHT NORTH, SOUTH, EAST AND WEST,
2004 IS MOVING
Posted by: X RATED CREW at March 15, 2004 10:00 AMFukk dee double e he talks shit thee mother fukka all da garage m.cz r fake and if u think different go and sukk ya mum
Posted by: Ng2 at March 15, 2004 11:22 AManamanics will meeeeerrrrrrrkkkkkkk any crew
Posted by: shocka t at March 15, 2004 05:14 PMBless, listhen yer VeNoMaS Crew and HaZaRDoS Crew bill bun ne MC u get me
Posted by: DuNT MaTa BLuD at March 15, 2004 07:34 PMnuff ppl chat to much shit on this. ITS ALL ABOUT FLIRTA,kANO, d doubles, doogz and wiley! jus listen to the bloodclart music, its not ur beef!
Posted by: grimetime at March 16, 2004 05:07 AMlooking to make a short film about the whole eski/grime movement, anyone got any pointers on where's the place to start and how i could get in touch with some MC's such as Kano, please e-mail me.
Rich
Posted by: Gudammmm at March 16, 2004 02:04 PMHOLD TIGHT DA WEST LONDON MASSIVE. HOLD TIGHT DA X RATED NIGGAZ WHO NEVA EVA BIG MAN UP ON LAY LOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: STAF at March 17, 2004 05:00 PMyou need 2 get some pictures of buff boyz