http://www.flickr.com/photos/18835710@N00/65545292/
Originally uploaded by Danny Walker 1.
Taken from http://www.rwdmag.com/
Online Review: Jammer, Scratchy, Skepta and Co: Straight Outta Bethnal @ 333
Oh my diddy! The first in this exciting series of monthly nights kicked off with a (hmmm what’s louder than a bang) at its Shoreditch based home Friday November 18th. Not ones to shy away from such a splendid line-up of promised proceedings the RWD team made their way down a chilly Old Street and stopped at number 333. After the pleasant door staff checked our guest list credentials we gained access to the dance. Without a single moment spent resting on our lorals, we swiftly moved to the Run the Road Basement only to be greeted by none other than Hattie Collins (RWD Editor) and Chantelle Fiddy (679 A&R, Freelance Journalist) pon-ze-decks. Both with DIY ‘We Don’t Mix’ slogans Puff Painted to their t-shirts we knew we’d be in for an interesting start to the evening. Fiddy seemed content on stirring up crowd hype for her partner in crime who was in fine form and excelled with her timeless selection, choosing an eclectic array of riddims ranging from the grimiest of Lady Sovereign remixes to R&B classics like Foxy Brown and Blackstreet’s Get Me Home. Her epic set was only let down by slight crowd-seething technical hitches [which were not her fault but the person who bought connecting wires from Netto] and her inability to mix, but all-in-all jolly good show girls.
Def Jam UK’s DJ Samurai (who’s more street than the A-Z) and Luckie from Advance replaced the two budding Disc Jockey’s and the night upped its speed. Samurai drew his sword and unleashed just about every big track under the sun and audiographically showed exactly what he’s made of. Ms Collins who so far held the prestigious title of Track of the Night was soon surpassed when we heard Forward 2 (which we like to call Forward 1.91567) - you know the one that was leaked with Flirta D having an asthma attack about half way through. After the various reloads of F1.91567 and many trying to get their breath back from limited Flirta imitations, Ears made his way to the stage.
The Pronoun Boy and his entourage of hungry MCs including the lyrically vast Stamina Boy, the video camera wielding All in One and up-and-coming Hoodlum were waiting for instrumentals and the DJ duly obliged. Right now MC Ears has grown out of Jammer’s shadow and is arguably the hottest thing on road (GO GET HIS MIXTAPE!). Ears with his unique dance style got the crowd to pre-boiling point and his ‘Ear ‘em scare ‘em, wear ‘em tear ‘em’ bars got a massive hijack. Going through each lyric with more vigour than a freshly charged Energiser Bunny, he excelled and proved why he’s one to watch for 2006.
Just when we thought that was it for the night and contemplated a pipe and slipper, Ovaltine influenced early night, it soon took a turn for the better. From nowhere No Lay emerged on the mic and breathed lyrical fire to the avid and growing crowd. The well-known flows which earned her a much deserved reload were a grimed-out audience pleasing treat and she murked the beat until the mic was eventually passed to Roll Deep’s Scratchy.
Mr B.U.N. then proceeded to go back to back with his less talented partner in crime JD but best moments definitely came from Scratch as he let loose with infamous lines like, ‘Stab you in the back, but I’m not a back stabber’ and equally reload-worthy vocal content… Big!!!
With no sign of Bruza or Ace and Invisible (apparently across the other side of town) it was down to Logan ‘more dubs than a mastering suite’ Sama, Skepta, Jammer and co to represent. Skepta (who was once again rocking insane comrade styled From Russia With Love headwear) wasn’t waiting around and soon let off kingsized bars sending for many a crew. Multiple much deserved rewinds followed and then the Murkle Man donned the microphone. Being too far away from on-point selecta Sama to initiate a self-reload he earned one through his own verbal efforts, leaving those inside 333 watching in anticipation. That eagerness was soothed as Skepta unleashed another big bar aimed towards a certain artist from North West London and at that point Jammer went head first into the crowd, performing a Superman Dread stage dive into the unsuspecting individuals at the front. Dressed from head-to-toe in white adidas, Jammer was a blanc blur and somehow at that very moment intensified the jubilation of all those lucky enough to be inside… Once again big big big!!!
Big bad Rossi B did a massive jungle set upstairs and the night in the basement finished with Logan dropping brand new Wiley joints, Slew Dem’s ‘Blaze more than you’ soldier Chronik getting a few big reactions and Fuda from Ruff Sqwad wiping the floor with life-size bars. Another massive night for the RWD team and massive props to the organisers.
Tales from the frontline by Danny Walker
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