AJ Tracey Has Harsh Words For The Grime Scene

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AJ Tracey says the grime scene "is not really lit anymore."

AJ Tracey is fresh off of the release of his latest project, Flu Game. The MC has been praised as a grime artist but in the past few years, he's shown a vast amount of growth musically. His latest project is a testament to his evolution as he tackles trap, hip-hop, drill, and pretty much every other genre except for grime.

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There's a reason for that as he explained in a new interview with The Guardian. The artist was asked about his break-out hit "Thiago Silva" ft. Dave and the possibilities of a sequel, given the success of the track. "It was a long time ago,” Tracey said of the track and potentially fulfilling fans' wishes for a part 2. 

“And also, sorry, but it was a grime beat, and grime is not really lit anymore," he explained. "It’s not what it used to be, and it’s their fault because [people in the grime scene] don’t like change. I was in there, I was open to change, I changed and I’m doing well. They did not want to change and it’s just crabs in a barrel. They don’t want to see anyone do better than themselves; it’s a horrible culture and I really don’t like it. I will not be making any more grime music … unless [scene veterans] P Money or D Double E asked me to.”

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He expressed a similar sentiment in the past when he told a journalist not to refer to him as a grime artist anymore. It's unfortunate since many of his fans feel like he's at his best when he's doing grime. 

What are your thoughts? Sound off in the comments. 


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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