Grime music had been thriving in England for over a decade—long before Drake or Kanye started taking interest in British rappers. The influence of hip hop on grime's sound and culture has been hotly debated. As grime continues to capture imaginations around the world, it’s important to remember traits it shares with hip hop and traits that differentiate it.
This video explores grime and how the genre formed its own identity in the early 2000s. We touch on pioneering efforts from Wiley and Dizzee Rascal and the importance of pirate radio platforms like Rinse FM in the rise of grime before it was popular enough to be played in the clubs.