Wiley has retired from grime for the second time. Beat that, Jay-Z! What Wiley has failed to understand though is what the implications of retirement actually mean because he is still planning to make music. And that's a very good thing because the latest song I've heard from him, "Where's My Brother" (below), is truly brilliant. His singing voice is pretty decent too. News arrived this week that he has enlisted the, er, talents of Kate Nash and Lily Allen on his new album, I See Clear, but judging by this he will be showing them up in the singing stakes.
Wiley, "Where's My Brother" (radio rip)
I was a bit harsh on the new Roll Deep single, "Do Me Wrong", (and the rest of their latest album) a few weeks back but it has since grown on me. Check the video above.
Let me take a deep breath before I tell you this. Okay. I'm ready now. Bless Beats is working with the Lighthouse Family. Yes, it really has come to this. Expect the grime remix of "Lifted" featuring God's Gift imminently. (I'm not sure if you Yanks know exactly who the Lighthouse Family are, but you'll have to trust me that what I just said was very amusing and British people are now rolling around on the floor laughing uncontrollably).
I've kind of been neglecting my promise to keep you up-to-date on what's happening in the bassline scene, but you really haven't missed much. Above is a recent video by Bully Boyz for the songs "Back ov My T" and "Shut Up Star". According to the info on YouTube this is just a "typical night out" for the guys in the crew — standing around outside some houses with their hoods up and then dancing in a tiny club with a disco light that looks like it was borrowed from an 8-year-old girl's bedroom. Enjoy.
Finally, I've been listening to, among other things, the following mix by London DJ collective Heatwave as I prepare for a weekend of CS gas, dog fighting and watching women try to bottle each other on the last train out of West London*. Yes, you've guessed it - it's Notting Hill Carnival time. Wahey.
*If last year is anything to go by.
Download: Heatwave mix for Resonance FM
Tracklist:
Apple Gabriel - Heat Wave
Sway & Stush - F Ur X
Rubi Dan & DJ Q - Walk & Wine (The Heatwave Refix)
Lil Wayne & Kanye West - Lollipop (Remix)
Honorebel - Lollipop (Remix)
Sizzla - Request My Love
Sizzla - The Solution
Demarco - Sort Dem Out
Japanese & Rudeboy - No Pueden Con Scaredem
Mavado - Money Changer
The Maytones - Throw Down Your Arms
Laden - Do Yuh Thing
Sean Paul - Don't Tease Me
Assassin - Money
Sub Swara & Juakali - The Balance
Sharps & Major Trouble - Big Up Yr Punani
