Words by Gabriel Heatwave—
When we kicked off this column last January, we predicted that the next 12 months would bring “ever-increasing interest in dancehall music and culture” and I’m pleased to announce that this is exactly what’s been going on.
The big news as 2012 gets underway is that suddenly EVERYONE in the UK is making bashment. The bug has infected grime legends, jungle DJs, rappers and even pop stars.
Let’s kick things off this month with Strategy from Manchester’s Broke ‘n’ English hip hop crew, self-described as “Jamaican/English with a dash of Irish.” On his new single “Marka,” Strats fully unleashes his Jamaican side, chatting double time patois with a heavy Manchester accent over a minimal, menacing march produced by Dub Phizix and Skeptical. The amazing video makes the whole movement even more moody and menacing:
Click Part 2 above or below, or here to read on.