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Originally uploaded by Danny Walker 1.
This review has been taken from http://www.rwdmag.com...
Online Review: Semtex Presents The Greatest Show
Billed as ‘The Greatest Show’, the DJ, Def Jam A&R, RWD Columnist and all-round man in the know had a lot to live up to in just two hours on Friday November 11th. With the BBC’s 4th Annual Homegrown Weekend kicking off just an hour before at 7pm – opening with Ras Kwame – the Weekend began with a bang. And when 8pm hit Sem dropped the intro and it was on! Fortunate enough to be inside the 1Xtra studio the RWD team sat back and awaited ‘Greatness’. He soon took charge, and the second in the 50 hour plus marathon-like bonanza continued as the first; showcasing and embracing the obvious talent the UK posses.
Kicking off with Durrty Goodz’s behemoth What’s Happenin’ Remix, Rukus’ (Baby J produced) street crusher Let it Go Remix feat. Yogi, Ty & Klashnekoff soon resounded. Just before the first guest blessed the mic, listeners and the lucky few studio-side were treated to Sway’s No Doe No Show and Klashnekoff’s Can’t You See from Run the Road Volume 2.
With that smooth intro it was time for the first visitor. Fans of the underground, pirate radio or the UK’s biggest Urban Music and Lifestyle magazine are well aware of L. Man as he recently graced October’s coveted About to Blow pages. After the host and the South London born MC looked over L’s upbringing he dropped some chunky bars over some bite sized beats that were easily ingested – inducing smiles, claps and braps [listen out for the RWD team on the http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra playback, making a whole heap of frown provoking noise]. Before L’s time was up he played what we’re sure is gonna be a future hit, Big Love feat. L.Man, Narstie & Bashy and was thoroughly/rightfully mocked over his choice of foot attire… SLIPPERS!!! It was 8ish and man had Granddad creps on! Don’t get it twisted though readers L Dot Man is still hood and dropped some more sickle bars leaving us wanting. Luckily Semtex’s show had more in store.
It was time to revert to Plan B (click_here to see his big new video), and whilst the selecta dropped more Baby J niceness in None of Dem feat. Skinnyman & Lauriss, Plan did his sound check. Once accomplished, the guitar, microphone and acoustic levels were ready, but was Sem? The 679 signing explained his early career, “Basically, I used to throw up before I performed” and continued with, “the more gigs I did the less I threw up. I used to get really nervous before gigs.” Nice, he clarified his controversial lyrical content and then dropped Sick to Def… LIVE! The tale-telling self-taught musician managed to shock Semtex (leaving him lost for words) with his must hear narrative of an inner-city guy who becomes the victim of an ‘incident’. The host went on to inform Plan he’s a talented hot commodity, “You’re like a wet dream for an A&R, you’ve got it all.”
After more tracks from the UK’s finest it was Professor Green’s turn to tear up the mic. The freestyling battle king soon did; after talk on his teeth, Rhymefest, what went down at the Hip Hop Power Summit in the Bahamas and Sem probing in regards to him possibly signing to Mike Skinner’s label The Beats. Semtex threw him a SICK beat (Gorillaz – Dirty Harry) and it was up to the self-confessed marga (skinny) guy to impress. He absolutely killed it with freestyled lyrics involving Kate Moss and glass tables, smoking substances and much more. The host hurled him subjects to rhyme about, like Rhymefest and Mike Skinner; Pro was undeterred and lyrically dotted his I’s and crossed his T’s with every topic thrown. He left leaving Sem with a hefty exclusive special of the potentially massive rapper spitting over Pharrell’s Can I Have It Like That.
With just over half an hour left of what was easily turning into a great show Sem summoned artists left, right and centre. Terra Firma’s Kyza was next to pass, holding about 30 scrunched up A4 sheets of fresh lyrics. Not wanting to freestyle he managed to squeeze out some half decent unplanned lyrics before laying into weighty predetermined bars. He then passed the mic to Cardiff’s Channel U fave Humurak D Gritty who kept us up-to-date his forthcoming mix CD before sprinkling bars from his Rags to Rags EP.
Then the microphone was handed to Cristal City’s K*Ners. The rapper from Bristol who’s never seen without a t-shirt sporting his name, was wearing… yes… a t-shirt sporting his name and soon got stuck into his few minutes of airtime. An eager studio audience watched as the camera man zoomed in on the rapid flow. With K*Ners entrancing listeners it was time for Sem to introduce the last artists of the show… Sway and Bigz!
The pair were slightly late (due to a run in with the law - being stopped, whilst en route), but were soon immovable. Sway educated listeners on when his long awaited debut album This Is My Demo will hit shelves, “It will be out January 31st.” and then went into freestyle mode. Mr Desafo let off various lines like… “I’m like a well known Eastender.” And too went on to settle a certain Rhymefest situation. “He wrote Jesus Walks! And said he won a Grammy… But whose house is the Grammy in?” Then Bigz aka Turkish finished off with bars-o-plenty.
Hats off to Semtex as The Greatest Show was our highlight of an impressive Homegrown Weekend. Which can all be heard on the Homegrown Weekend minisite. So get on over to http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra
Eye and Ear witness account from Danny Walker
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