Me, me, me

I've been preparing you over the last few weeks for this point. I'm leaving behind UrBaN Mu$iC to move into animal journalism. My column in Vice this month is the start of this new career. You can read the online version here, although it's slightly different to the printed copy. Someone has callously Americanised the word "favourite". Also, they edited my honourable animal mentions list, taking out George W. Bush.

Dirty dog

Anyone heard that new Kano mixtape?

"I'M PRESSING CHARGES, I'M PRESSING CHARGES, I'M PRESSING CHARGES, I'M PRESSING CHARGES. Where my doo-rag at?"

I think this is my favourite new "Crank Dat" version – just surpassing my previous fave. This lovely young lady even throws in some of Soulja Boy's new single, "Yahhh!", for good measure.

Hungry hamster

Cockney Boy

Much prefer this girl's voice to Estelle's nasally lounge diva vocals.

Urban faux pas of the week: acoustic versions

Urban acoustic versions are the musical equivalent of buying a new car and then taking the engine out, sealing the doors and pumping it full of faeces before strapping a bomb to the side of it while the hand brake is off at the top of a very steep hill. I'm not really into them.

Halcyon days

Today is a very special anniversary. It's almost exactly two years and 11-and-a-third months since I first posted the "Bow for the Wolves" video. This was the "Junior Spesh" of its day. Who remembers grime back then? To quote my friend Jack: it was the nangest of times, it was the aggiest of times. Incidentally, my column in Vice this month contains some "explosive" excerpts from Jack's diary from his recent tour with Tinchy Stryder. Read it here.

Jammer on Britishness

I feel this was almost custom made for here.

We're better than all that riff-raff / All Blackout Posse don't chit-chat / Our posse shake your Tic-Tac / If not, have a break, have a Kit-Kat

Introducing... Bolton's inimitable Blackout Crew, the bastard child(ren) of hard house, drum & bass MCing, Jive Bunny and Tesco Value hair gel. Is it me or does the guy who does the second verse really look like Little Kev from the Kersal Massive?

Anyway, look out for them at a couple of pHaT rAveS in the near future. Apparently they're big in Wigan.

:-D

My cat came running when she heard this. I guess they all must love theremins.

Beamz Music Performance System

Highlights:

• The high five near the start
• The silhouettes of the people dancing
  
• Baldie's face as he tries to seduce his imaginary girlfriend (around 1:50)
• The two tropical music guys in the really baggy shirts
• The words "Jam session"
  

Thursday 17th April, Visions Video Bar, Dalston

Next Thursday is the start of my new night with Hanna who does the House Party events. In celebration of this, I am going to upload some music that you can expect to hear on the night.


Dexplicit. Photo by James Pearson-Howes


Dexplicit ft. Gemma Fox - "Might Be" (TRC remix)

I know people have hysterical fits about giving away full mp3s so I have encoded this at 112kbps. If you are stupid enough to play out an 112kbps mp3, then you deserve to be hung, drawn, quartered, then burnt and dissolved in an acid bath.



Above is part of a Marcus Nasty set on Deja Vu FM. I'll be the first to admit that this "funky" stuff can be incredibly dry and dull, but the stuff Marcus plays sounds really garagey. I don't care how many people in "the scene" deny the garage influence and claim it's just straight forward house. There is no way you would ever hear anything on Strictly Rhythm with a Buju Banton sample. (Note: this set starts skipping loads in the middle, so you will need to fast forward beyond it)


Oneman. Photo by Kate Moross

Oneman will be doing a garage and classic dubstep set.

Download: Oneman on React FM. Tracklist here.


Horsepower Productions - "Gorgon Sound"

Benny Ill is in Horsepower Productions, who are one of the main reasons I first got into dubstep. It's largely been downhill since their second album.


Black Ryno - "Ay Ya Ay Ya"

I will be warming up so will get to play a lot of stuff I never get to play anywhere else. I'm thinking that will mainly include house speed dancehall (like the track above), minimal garage and grime and a bit of Martyn and Kode 9.

Tonight, Bristol