UK Hip-hop- What the Deal?

I don’t understand the hip-hop artists in the UK

Sure, I get that they feel comfortable with their own accents and repping their hometowns. No more imitating New York for those guys.

And I think I get the whole grime thing and how it fits with the dance music already being played in the UK clubs. Sure.

But I still don’t understand what these emcees are saying. Literally. When I listen to Dizzee Rascal I can only catch a few words. The accent and slang are too thick for me. One UK group I can mess with is SAS aka Dispet London aka those guys from EuroGang. The rest I'm not feeling too tough.

Check out some tracks from SAS:

1. SAS-Bad Boys ft Haze
2. SAS ft Juelz Santana-Ur in da Army
3. SAS ft Jay Z-Crew Love
4. SAS ft Un Kasa,Bezzel,Hell Rell-The Line Up pt 2
5. SAS-Dont even think about it
6. SAS ft Cam'son-So Free
7. SAS-Fly Boys
8. SAS-Top Of the Globe
9. SAS-Freestyle(drop it like its hot beat)
10. SAS-Freestyle(move bitch beat)
11. SAS-Freestyle(damn beat)

Comments

[rocwell]

It's all about 'Roots Manuva' man, check for Roots Manuva.

[ian]

But SAS are a throwback to that imitating NYC hip hop thing. Why fcck with a bootleg UK take on the Dipset sound when you can get and, in your case, Hashim, you literally live down the block, from the real thing? WTF?

[Hashim]

Ian, you're exactly right.

But the only reason I like them is because I get what they're saying. It's Dipset with a funny accent. I like it.

[cherryl with 2 R's]

one of the dopest UK emcees is Skinny Man of Mud Family. He has some ridiculous tracks produced by DJ Vadim...back in 2002. he is working on some new stuff but i haven't heard it yet.

[Tego]

You still don't get it Hash? Check these MP3's.... http://www.artrockeraudio.com/041215/mars_bars.mp3 ... http://www.artrockeraudio.com/250405/emily_kane_remix.mp3

I remember when the South first started to blow, the main complaint was that "I can't understand them, and they all sound the same". I think with British rappers, it's an aquired taste. Dizzee lyrically is a monster, I think if you listen to his album a couple of times you'll pick it up.

It's like watching Lock Stock or Snatch a couple of frames faster.

p.s. SAS are Poo-Poo!

[Stone]

Do you listen to dancehall? Because most of the UKHH rhyme style is based on that very same Jamacian patois. And yet, no one complains about understanding dancehall lyrics.

Yes, UK Hip Hop is an aquired taste, but true hop hop heads should admire the fact that they have taken a US creation and added their own style and spin to it, rather than have yet ANOTHER imitation of US hip hop.

[Joey]

Hashim, no Kool Savas? The German Diplomats? LOL. The Euro Gang is everywhere. "So Free" is a funny track.

[Yassine]

Ahhhh the memories: Gunshot, Silver Bullet, Hijack, Demon Boyz..
they still get a regular spin in my cd-player.

[Miss Hipstah]

Take into account that the slang they are using mixed with the heavy accents is also a factor of not understanding them.

The (slang) language that is used in the UK has always been mindblowing to many on this side of the pond. I still remember being baffled the first tiem I heard terms like "snog" or "trainers".

And yeah it is similar to dancehall patois. How much of that slang do we hear on a regular basis since it's been introduced to the American music scene? If you give it some time, I'm sure there will be future Hip Hop heads who will be saying things they learned from listening to Dizzee or Kano.

[Miss Hipstah]

Take into account that the slang they are using mixed with the heavy accents is also a factor of not understanding them.

The (slang) language that is used in the UK has always been mindblowing to many on this side of the pond. I still remember being baffled the first tiem I heard terms like "snog" or "trainers".

And yeah it is similar to dancehall patois. How much of that slang do we hear on a regular basis since it's been introduced to the American music scene? If you give it some time, I'm sure there will be future Hip Hop heads who will be saying things they learned from listening to Dizzee or Kano.

[Khar]

Check out Jehst, Foreign Beggars , Klashnekoff ,Braintax,Taskforce, Phi Life Cypher and Skinnyman for some of the bigger british acts that aint acheived massive fame .....yet

[jazzr]

i agree with the last post. Jehst is one of the greatest ever lyrically. plus he has crazy wordplay. i know it sounds unbelievable that a uk mc could be that dope because i find most non u.s hip hop is wack and sounds ridiculous. but i suggest you listen to the song "high plains anthem" to get an introduction to jehst. i listen to 99.99% u.s hip hop, and have for a very long time, so something international has gotta be amazing for me to even bother checking for it, and jehst (and to a lesser degree klashnekoff and kyza - peep the song"nightbreed") is worthy. normally the accent immediately puts me off, but i think he pulls it off. if you like dope metaphors, he is the best ive heard. peep some of his lyrics:

i ride with lost peasants,
hot steppin across deserts,
lettin the dust settle for sheep who want shepards,
yeah i rock sessions,
with unorthodox methods,
the messenger,
ready for death when god beckons.
on frontlines,
worldwide kids have got weapons,
and grey skies hide the sunshine from heavens,
im threatened
by the seven
sins of my species.
i dont need t.v,
i read tea leaves,
smoke the peace pipe,
in the chiefs tee pee,
i speak freely,
the 3D
graffitti writer,
its kinda like the new easy rider,
more bad apples in the crew
than cheap cider.....

this saga will be spoken in 3 parts,
starting form the moment this tree sparks,
opponents get broken,
like weak hearts.
step into my theme park,
the beats cant fu*k with my karma,
any drama's
confined to these speachmarks,
margins n paragraphs.
bastards try to sabotage,
but cant see past the camouflage.....

[Miss Hipstah]

I am so happy people are mentioning Jehst and Klashnekoff. Also, peeps should check out Yungun. His lyrics are amazing as well (I think.)

[Discombobulation]

I think its a sad day when I see comments like I listen to 99.99% us hip hop, as not only is it narrow minded but lets face it the rest of the world is by and large passing you by.... when you have talent such as skinny man, skeleton, skitz, roots manuva, taskforce, NTM, Saien Supa Kru, IAM etc it seems a damn shame.

Dizzee is not easy to understand but he tells it like it is, he is in fact expressing himself truly and sincerely, and I was under the impression that Hip hop was about expression, thoughtful lyrics that handle a n artists perception of the world and a good beat (cf this is of course a matter of taste).

If I have to deal with another rubbish NERD or 50 cent "song" I will cry its not art it is hip hops answer to popular music and there is not substance at all.

If you do not understand what they are saying, let face it similar to Drum and Bass MCs and Dancehall than try to listen to them. I am american and yet I have no problems understanding in essence the country that gave us our language with which we can express ourselves and to create the hip hop scene....

So lets face it the deal is the UK is adapting and growing the scene not detracting it.....

There that should put it all to rights...!

[Discombobultion fan]

I totally agree with what Discombobulation stated... Whoever is down for the expansion of Hip Hop culture say "I"!!!!

Hate it or love it, Hip Hop (made from Jamaican Kool Herc) has spread from America, to Japan, to the UK, France & Germany, and is basically showing the rest of the world how to make good music. Spread more love & keep your mind open!

[Coxman]

UK hip hop over in the land down under has got a big following, acts like Braintax, Mystro, Yungun, Jehst, Skinnyman etc.

over in oz we've had a huge accent debate and that may be why we like the 'natural' sound of those artists, where as new zealand went the other way and only like 'american' sounding raps.

uk hip-hop is mad, the accent makes it different hip-hop from anything else, who really wants everybody to sound like they're from new york.

[Black]

You should peep this unsigned kid from london called 9inekeyz, He is Ill and sticks to the way he speaks, beyond that he i writing songs people can digest without a heartburn.
Peace
I found his page located at
www.soundclick.com/9inekeyz

[topporkie]

How comes when ever s.a.s are mentioned people stat getting nervous. Please listen to who dares wins its amazing so stop trying to turn these comment to other mc advantage because hasim was not comenting on them

[dj step one]

I still dont care whayt anyone says, Dizze is fucking rubbish.I'm not saying 'he's not hip hop' or whatever but if you ever heard anything by Nas,Guru,Kane,Jadakiss or even fucking LL then how can you think he's anything approaching good?
while people are bigging up their fave UK artists I should mention Karl Hinds,,Task Force,Rodney P,Skeme,and all the rest of 'em - bt its really all about Terra Firma!

[dj step one]

also, for those having trouble with the slang, get hold of
Karl Hinds 'Don Gramma' (the orig not the remix) - its a british take on Big L's Ebonics so it might clear some things up

[denozag]

some bady give it up to uk artists.those boys are really good homie ,they spit rymes like em aint gat no tongues,they toss tha mic like em gona toast the lyrics down the amplifier.thos e boys really good.
NB__ look out for the denozag 5 years from now.he sure gona blow up whether in uk ,canada,sweden, or NY
he gona blow up.he toasting homies ,prepare for the bake.
geah heah

[Big Phil]

Whagwan people!

I'm from England myself....i respect that my people r gettin time in the US, the home of Hip Hop.I agree with it takin time 2 understand, I'm not from London, I dont fully understand sum the stuff sum1 like Dizzee is sayin, but u jus listen hard + U'll get it.

I mean, it takes a while 4 me 2 understand wat sum of u US guys r chattin!

We on the rise over here! we had a sticky stage in UK Hip Hop, + there is still a lot of improvement needed. we aint reached out golden era yet, but it will cum. Roots Manuva is the UKHH king, if he likes it or not!! Skinnyman the prince along with Rodney P as the Prime Minister.+ no matter wat ppl say Tim Westwood is the spokesman!
Laters!

[Big Phil]

p.s. Klashnekoff is heavy, he is UKHH, he is the street, he is the Yout of all youts!Dizzee is individual, between worldwide HH + within UKHH...he is a one off! He is nothing other than HH!Props 2 SAS 4 makin ground in the US stay UK guys!

[Big Phil]

p.p.s. Jehst..........lyrically up there with the best US lyracists, if u dont check him ur damn fool!U need him in ur life!

[Rekless]

at last i find somewhere to comment about my big passion The uk hip hop scene, i dont know about you ppl but iam sick to effing death of all this fake american gansterism and this pretendin to be a pimp . . .please hip hop heads from the states need to wake up and sniff the talent from the uk. i deffinetly feel skinnymans style, roots is just roots man he can show the us mcs a few tricks, and then theres 57th dynasty, i say no more, does anyone feel the social misfits, just peep them you will not regret it. The uk is finally gettin it right U.K STAND UP !!!!!!