124-594: Shaun Lewis (15 February 1984 – 19 February 2018), better known by the stage names Stormin and Teddy Bruckshot , was a British grime and drum and bass MC and rapper from Plaistow , London. At the age of 13, Shaun began making a name for himself locally by participating in workshops within the London Borough of Newham at youth centres across the district. Stormin participated in a jungle rave called 'Kool Skool', wherein MC's from all around London would clash on stage, with
248-467: A MOBO award for the best Female Act. As well as hosting large events, the pirate radio scene includes stations such as Silk City Radio, where Birmingham DJ Big Mikee hosts a regular slot between 10-12pm every Sunday. Birmingham producers such as Preditah and Swifta Beater have become established figures in the grime scene, with leading artists such as Wiley giving recognition to their contribution to grime. In 2011, Preditah released his Solitaire EP;
372-546: A collection of four grime instrumentals. This EP reached number 1 on the iTunes album charts. Channel U commissioned the first grime comedy series in 2002: The Booo Krooo , made by RWD magazine 's founding team members Matt Mason and Lex Johnson . Comedy, satire, and playing on stereotypes would become a common theme in grime music, with artists such as Mr Wong, Bearman, and Big Narstie , Junior Spesh, and Tempa T employing humour in their music. In 2006, Afrikan Boy 's "One Day I Went to Lidl" song went viral gaining over
496-500: A group, the most well known names in the industry, Dizzee Rascal and Kano, both getting their first hits at the age of 16 with " I Luv U " and " Boys Love Girls " respectively, and the resultant package of "youth making music for youth" is seen as a crucial factor for grime's success. Grime producers often battle in so-called "war dubs". Clashing between MC's is generally considered to be an important part of grime culture. Dizzee Rascal , Wiley , Kano and Lethal Bizzle were among
620-577: A key community hub for both developing and established Grime MCs during this time. The store was frequented by artists like Wiley, Skepta and Dizzee Rascal before its eventual closure in 2010. Jammer created Lords of the Mics in 2004. The DVD primarily showcased underground artists clashing (or "battle rapping") each other. Lord of the Mics was originally sold by Jammer, Jammer secured an exclusive deal with ukrecordshop.com which helped catapult sales worldwide. The DVD eventually helped smaller grime artists find
744-529: A larger area, similar in size to Greater London, although some outer districts are excluded and some just outside included. The Greater London boundary has been aligned to the M25 motorway in places. Further urban expansion is now prevented by the Metropolitan Green Belt , although the built-up area extends beyond the boundary in places, producing a separately defined Greater London Urban Area . Beyond this
868-447: A limelight. Many grime MCs also began to move towards commercial electro house -influenced rap and away from grime music. Artists such as Tinchy Stryder , Chip , and Wiley began to shift away from grime music and instead began releasing music with pop elements to much success. Wiley's track " Wearing My Rolex ", produced by Bless Beats, has been credited for kickstarting this wave of commercialisation, but while it managed to gain
992-465: A member of Musical Mobb, are also often considered to be contenders. Dizzee Rascal personally claimed his song "Crime", released in 2000, was the first grime song. DJ Slimzee and DJ Karnage have also suggested "Year 2000" (released 2000) by Wiley as a contender. Other tracks that were among the first to be labelled as "grime" include "Ice Rink" and "Igloo" by Wiley, "Creeper" by Danny Weed , and "Dollar Sign" by Sticky featuring Stush. Wiley at
1116-489: A million views on YouTube by 2007. 2014 saw the release of People Just Do Nothing , a mockumentary series that parodied UK garage, pirate radio culture, and the early stages of grime. In 2017, the show won 'Best Scripted Comedy' at the BAFTA Awards . In June 2018, grime MC Big Narstie and comedian Mo Gilligan launched The Big Narstie Show on Channel 4 . In November 2019, IKEA UK used grime MC D Double E as
1240-577: A new generation of fans. In January 2017, Wiley released his eleventh studio album Godfather , debuting at number 9 in the charts. In February 2017, Stormzy's Gang Signs & Prayer was the first grime album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart . In June, the British Phonographic Industry reported that grime sales had risen over 100% with physical sales growing over 109%, digital sales 51% and streaming up 138%. This led to
1364-422: A number 2 spot in the official singles chart , many of the initial attempts to replicate this success failed. Tinchy Stryder's " Stryderman " only managed to peak of No. 73, while Roll Deep 's " Do Me Wrong " failed to chart at all. Skepta 's " Rolex Sweep " only peaked at number 86, although it did briefly start a dance craze after it was released, received a remix by the band Coldplay , and featured on
SECTION 10
#17329046567801488-551: A number of collaborations and genre-blending projects between South African and UK gqom musical artists and grime MCs such as Lady Lykez, Scratcha DVA and Novelist. London London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom , with a population of 8,866,180 in 2022. The wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe , with a population of 14.9 million. London stands on
1612-499: A platform through selling the DVDs to independent record stores throughout the UK and eventually helping grime form an internet following from uploads to YouTube. This series built a unique platform for artists, because the majority of prior exposure for these artists was through pirate radio. This video series allowed artists to be more visible, and spread their sound. In 2003, TV channel Channel U
1736-487: A platform to perform his music. Lethal stated in 2012 to The Guardian that he was unable to play in urban clubs for over a year due to the bans placed on him. Many other grime artists also experienced difficulties performing in clubs due to Form 696 , a police risk assessment form that many clubs were asked to fill in by the Metropolitan police . The form was created in 2005 after a spate of gun violence in clubs. The form
1860-403: A population density of 802 per acre (325 per hectare). In addition to the growing number of stores selling goods, such as Harding, Howell & Co. —one of the first department stores —located on Pall Mall , the streets had scores of street sellers . London's overcrowded conditions led to cholera epidemics, claiming 14,000 lives in 1848, and 6,000 in 1866. Rising traffic congestion led to
1984-549: A population of 7,172,036 in 2001 and a population density of 11,760 inhabitants per square mile (4,542/km ). The extended area known as the London Metropolitan Region or the London Metropolitan Agglomeration, comprises a total area of 3,236 square miles (8,382 km ) has a population of 13,709,000 and a population density of 3,900 inhabitants per square mile (1,510/km ). Modern London stands on
2108-521: A range of different tempos earned him praise amongst his peers and listeners alike. As one of the earliest MC's to take UK garage instrumentals and use dark lyrics similar to US influenced hip hop it was this sound which saw the birth of grime . Early affiliates included Dizzee Rascal with whom he recorded one of his first ever tracks. In later years he was part of a group of jump-up MCs called SaSaSaS and also worked under an anonymous and masked alias Teddy Bruckshot inspired by Louie Rankin's character in
2232-488: A response from Shizznit which also included disses towards various producers within the scene, who in-turn followed up with their own diss instrumentals. In the following year, grime experienced a commercial MC-led revival, initiated by the success of Meridian Dan's " German Whip " featuring Big H and Jme . The song reached number 13 in the UK Singles Charts. Two months after that, Skepta reached number 21 in
2356-788: A space for fans to discuss grime as a whole, something that was important to people outside of London due to the lack of information they had access to. Canadian artist Tre Mission credited the forums importance in his early growth. The lack of media attention towards grime, or any mainstream platforms that would reliably showcase grime, gave rise to internet platforms such as SB.TV (formed in 2006), Link Up TV (formed in 2008), and Grime Daily (formed in 2009, now known as GRM Daily). With their initial focus only on grime music (though this has since changed), these platforms provided an easy outlet for artists to funnel their music through and gain fame from, collectively creating an ecosystem that allows artists to easily record, produce, and release music to
2480-542: A temperate oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ). Rainfall records have been kept in the city since at least 1697, when records began at Kew . At Kew, the most rainfall in one month is 7.4 inches (189 mm) in November 1755 and the least is 0 inches (0 mm) in both December 1788 and July 1800. Mile End also had 0 inches (0 mm) in April 1893. The wettest year on record is 1903, with a total fall of 38.1 inches (969 mm) and
2604-399: Is Lady Sovereign , who appeared on Late Show with David Letterman , signed to Jay-Z 's Roc-A-Fella Records , and whose " Love Me or Hate Me " became the first video by a British artist to reach number one on MTV 's Total Request Live . It was not until the release of his third album, 2007's Maths + English , that Dizzee Rascal experienced international acclaim. He was nominated for
SECTION 20
#17329046567802728-690: Is 1,049.8 millibars (31.00 inHg) on 20 January 2020. Summers are generally warm, sometimes hot. London's average July high is 23.5 °C (74.3 °F). On average each year, London experiences 31 days above 25 °C (77.0 °F) and 4.2 days above 30.0 °C (86.0 °F). During the 2003 European heat wave , prolonged heat led to hundreds of heat-related deaths. A previous spell of 15 consecutive days above 32.2 °C (90.0 °F) in England in 1976 also caused many heat related deaths. A previous temperature of 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) in August 1911 at
2852-496: Is a significant element of the style, and lyrics often revolve around gritty depictions of urban life. The style initially spread among pirate radio stations and underground scenes before achieving some mainstream recognition in the UK during the mid-2000s through artists such as Dizzee Rascal , Kano , Lethal Bizzle , and Wiley . In the mid-2010s, grime began to receive popular attention in Canada. The genre has been described as
2976-528: Is formed of two tiers: a citywide, strategic tier and a local tier. Citywide administration is coordinated by the Greater London Authority (GLA), while local administration is carried out by 33 smaller authorities. The GLA consists of two elected components: the mayor of London , who has executive powers , and the London Assembly , which scrutinises the mayor's decisions and can accept or reject
3100-738: Is headquartered in Thames House on the north bank of the River Thames and the foreign intelligence service ( MI6 ) is headquartered in the SIS Building on the south bank. Crime rates vary widely across different areas of London. Crime figures are made available nationally at Local Authority and Ward level. In 2015, there were 118 homicides, a 25.5% increase over 2014. Recorded crime has been rising in London, notably violent crime and murder by stabbing and other means have risen. There were 50 murders from
3224-618: Is held by an independent . The ministerial post of minister for London was created in 1994, however as of 2024, the post has been vacant. Policing in Greater London, with the exception of the City of London , is provided by the Metropolitan Police ("The Met"), overseen by the mayor through the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC). The Met is also referred to as Scotland Yard after
3348-553: Is known as London . It is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England by convention rather than statute. The capital of England was moved to London from Winchester as the Palace of Westminster developed in the 12th and 13th centuries to become the permanent location of the royal court , and thus the political capital of the nation. Greater London encompasses a total area of 611 square miles (1,583 km ) an area which had
3472-593: Is the fourth-most populous in Europe, with about 9.8 million inhabitants as of 2011. The London metropolitan area is the third-most populous in Europe, with about 14 million inhabitants as of 2016, making London a megacity . Four World Heritage Sites are located in London: Kew Gardens ; the Tower of London ; the site featuring the Palace of Westminster , Church of St. Margaret , and Westminster Abbey ; and
3596-523: Is the vast London commuter belt . Greater London is split for some purposes into Inner London and Outer London , and by the River Thames into North and South , with an informal central London area. The coordinates of the nominal centre of London, traditionally the original Eleanor Cross at Charing Cross near the junction of Trafalgar Square and Whitehall , are about 51°30′26″N 00°07′39″W / 51.50722°N 0.12750°W / 51.50722; -0.12750 . Within London, both
3720-529: The Black Death in the mid-14th century, London lost nearly a third of its population. London was the focus of the Peasants' Revolt in 1381. London was a centre of England's Jewish population before their expulsion by Edward I in 1290. Violence against Jews occurred in 1190, when it was rumoured that the new king had ordered their massacre after they had presented themselves at his coronation. In 1264 during
3844-506: The Brit Awards . Following criticism of the performance, Stormzy released " Shut Up ", using the 2004 instrumental "Functions on the Low" produced by XTC, a member of Ruff Sqwad . The song was a massive hit for Stormzy and helped further popularise grime music. Stormzy's performance of the song during the ring walk to Anthony Joshua's Heavyweight boxing match with Dillian Whyte further pushed
Stormin - Misplaced Pages Continue
3968-571: The Canary Wharf development. This was born out of London's increasing role as an international financial centre in the 1980s. Located about 2 miles (3 km) east of central London, the Thames Barrier was completed in the 1980s to protect London against tidal surges from the North Sea . The Greater London Council was abolished in 1986, leaving London with no central administration until 2000 and
4092-567: The City of London , but since then it has also referred to the County of London and to Greater London . In 1993, remains of a Bronze Age bridge were found on the south River Thames foreshore, upstream from Vauxhall Bridge . Two of the timbers were radiocarbon dated to 1750–1285 BC. In 2010, foundations of a large timber structure, dated to 4800–4500 BC, were found on the Thames' south foreshore downstream from Vauxhall Bridge. Both structures are on
4216-648: The Corn Laws in 1846 was specifically aimed at weakening Dutch economic power. London then overtook Amsterdam as the leading international financial centre. With the onset of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, an unprecedented growth in urbanisation took place, and the number of High Streets (the primary street for retail in Britain) rapidly grew. London was the world's largest city from about 1831 to 1925 , with
4340-779: The FA Cup Final , the Wimbledon Tennis Championships , and the London Marathon . It became the first city to host three Summer Olympic Games upon hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics . London is an ancient name, attested in the first century AD, usually in the Latinised form Londinium . Modern scientific analyses of the name must account for the origins of the different forms found in early sources: Latin (usually Londinium ), Old English (usually Lunden ), and Welsh (usually Llundein ), with reference to
4464-553: The Georgian era , new districts such as Mayfair were formed in the west; new bridges over the Thames encouraged development in South London . In the east, the Port of London expanded downstream. London's development as an international financial centre matured for much of the 18th century. In 1762, George III acquired Buckingham House , which was enlarged over the next 75 years. During
4588-488: The Greater London Authority . As one of the world's major global cities , London exerts a strong influence on world art , entertainment, fashion , commerce, finance, education , healthcare , media , science, technology, tourism , transport , and communications. Despite a post- Brexit exodus of stock listings from the London Stock Exchange , London remains a European economic powerhouse, and one of
4712-609: The King's Road , Chelsea and Carnaby Street . The role of trendsetter revived in the punk era. In 1965 London's political boundaries were expanded in response to the growth of the urban area and a new Greater London Council was created. During The Troubles in Northern Ireland, London was hit from 1973 by bomb attacks by the Provisional Irish Republican Army . These attacks lasted for two decades, starting with
4836-654: The London Ambulance Service (LAS) NHS Trust , the largest free-at-the-point-of-use emergency ambulance service in the world. The London Air Ambulance charity operates in conjunction with the LAS where required. Her Majesty's Coastguard and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution operate on the River Thames , which is under the jurisdiction of the Port of London Authority from Teddington Lock to
4960-748: The Mediterranean was normally through Antwerp and over the Alps ; any ships passing through the Strait of Gibraltar to or from England were likely to be Italian or Ragusan . The reopening of the Netherlands to English shipping in January 1565 spurred a burst of commercial activity. The Royal Exchange was founded. Mercantilism grew and monopoly traders such as the East India Company were founded as trade expanded to
5084-530: The Mercury Music Prize again, and despite the fact that the album was not released in the United States in 2007, it received high praise from international music critics, magazines, websites and blogs, including Pitchfork Media , Rolling Stone , and Rock Sound . By 2010, he had achieved three number one singles in a row. In Canada, British Man Dem (B.M.D.), a grime collective originally from
Stormin - Misplaced Pages Continue
5208-594: The New Model Army entered London in 1647, and they were levelled by Parliament the same year. London was plagued by disease in the early 17th century, culminating in the Great Plague of 1665–1666, which killed up to 100,000 people, or a fifth of the population. The Great Fire of London broke out in 1666 in Pudding Lane in the city and quickly swept through the wooden buildings. Rebuilding took over ten years and
5332-554: The New World . London became the main North Sea port, with migrants arriving from England and abroad. The population rose from about 50,000 in 1530 to about 225,000 in 1605. In the 16th century, William Shakespeare and his contemporaries lived in London during English Renaissance theatre . Shakespeare's Globe Theatre was constructed in 1599 in Southwark . Stage performances came to a halt in London when Puritan authorities shut down
5456-459: The Official Charts saying grime had "smashed" its way into the mainstream. By 2018, grime's momentum had begun to slow down. Grime's rise has been credited for 'opening the door' for competing genres, such as afroswing and UK drill , that had begun to take the limelight. In 2019, Stormzy became the first grime artist to headline Glastonbury Festival . As grime became more popular in
5580-590: The Old Bailey bombing . Racial inequality was highlighted by the 1981 Brixton riot . Greater London's population declined in the decades after the Second World War, from an estimated peak of 8.6 million in 1939 to around 6.8 million in the 1980s. The principal ports for London moved downstream to Felixstowe and Tilbury , with the London Docklands area becoming a focus for regeneration, including
5704-513: The River Thames in southeast England, at the head of a 50-mile (80 km) estuary down to the North Sea , and has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years. Its ancient core and financial centre , the City of London , was founded by the Romans as Londinium and has retained its medieval boundaries. The City of Westminster , to the west of the City of London, has been the centuries-long host of
5828-637: The Second Barons' War , Simon de Montfort 's rebels killed 500 Jews while attempting to seize records of debts. During the Tudor period , the Reformation produced a gradual shift to Protestantism . Much of London property passed from church to private ownership, which accelerated trade and business in the city. In 1475, the Hanseatic League set up a main trading base ( kontor ) of England in London, called
5952-568: The Stalhof or Steelyard . It remained until 1853, when the Hanseatic cities of Lübeck , Bremen and Hamburg sold the property to South Eastern Railway . Woollen cloth was shipped undyed and undressed from 14th/15th century London to the nearby shores of the Low Countries . Yet English maritime enterprise hardly reached beyond the seas of north-west Europe . The commercial route to Italy and
6076-543: The Thames , its primary geographical feature, a navigable river which crosses the city from the south-west to the east. The Thames Valley is a flood plain surrounded by gently rolling hills including Parliament Hill , Addington Hills , and Primrose Hill . Historically London grew up at the lowest bridging point on the Thames. The Thames was once a much broader, shallower river with extensive marshlands ; at high tide, its shores reached five times their present width. Since
6200-521: The Victorian era the Thames has been extensively embanked , and many of its London tributaries now flow underground . The Thames is a tidal river, and London is vulnerable to flooding. The threat has increased over time because of a slow but continuous rise in high water level caused by climate change and by the slow 'tilting' of the British Isles as a result of post-glacial rebound . London has
6324-536: The "most significant musical development within the UK for decades." Though they are often compared, grime is generally considered distinct from hip hop due to its roots primarily being genres such as UK garage and jungle. Many but not all grime artists are from the black British community. Grime emerged in the early 2000s in London . It has origins tied with UK pirate radio stations such as Rinse FM , Deja Vu, Major FM, Delight FM, Freeze 92.7 and Mission. and it
SECTION 50
#17329046567806448-505: The 11th century, London was clearly the largest town in England. Westminster Abbey , rebuilt in Romanesque style by King Edward the Confessor , was one of the grandest churches in Europe. Winchester had been the capital of Anglo-Saxon England , but from this time London became the main forum for foreign traders and the base for defence in time of war. In the view of Frank Stenton : "It had
6572-494: The 18th century, London was said to be dogged by crime, and the Bow Street Runners were established in 1750 as a professional police force. Epidemics during the 1720s and 30s saw most children born in the city die before reaching their fifth birthday. Coffee-houses became a popular place to debate ideas, as growing literacy and development of the printing press made news widely available, with Fleet Street becoming
6696-407: The 2002 movie release Shottas releasing on labels such as Deep Medi Musik . Stormin won awards for Best DnB Group (with SaSaSaS) and 3 x Best Crowd Hype DnB MC in 2016, 2017 and posthumously at the 2018 Drum and Bass Awards. At 16 years old Shaun was diagnosed with lupus , which as a result left him with red patches on various parts of his face. He was hospitalised with skin cancer in 2016 but
6820-511: The Booth session. The feud catapulted Bugzy Malone to national fame and he has so far released three commercial projects, all debuting in the top 10 in the UK with his latest album charting at number four. The largest scene outside London is based in Birmingham and the wider Birmingham area. So Solid Crew influenced many grime artists, their raw dark track "Dilemma" considered by some to be one of
6944-420: The City of London and the City of Westminster have city status . The City of London and the remainder of Greater London are both counties for the purposes of lieutenancies . The area of Greater London includes areas that are part of the historic counties of Middlesex , Kent , Surrey , Essex and Hertfordshire . More recently, Greater London has been defined as a region of England and in this context
7068-588: The London area. This called for the Corporation of the city to extend its jurisdiction and administration over expanding areas around the city. Fearing an attempt by the Crown to diminish the Liberties of London , coupled with a lack of interest in administering these additional areas or concern by city guilds of having to share power, caused the Corporation's "The Great Refusal", a decision which largely continues to account for
7192-434: The Mics is one of the earliest examples of a Midlands MC at the forefront of the scene and is credited by Jammer with helping to break down the stigma of accents from outside London over grime music. The clash is considered to be one of the greatest in the LOTM series with artists such as Drake praising it. Devilman would later link up with Mike Skinner to appear on the remix of "Prangin' Out". In 2007, Trilla released
7316-401: The Mics is a series of grime clashes hosted by Jammer . Both the LOTM III DVD and CD charted. Wiley, inspired by the return of LOTM, also brought back Eskimo Dance the following year, a grime rave from the 2000s that had been discontinued. Jammer suggested that the success of Eskimo Dance encouraged more grime raves to be held than had been previously. By 2013, a revival of instrumental grime
7440-469: The UK Singles Chart with his single " That's Not Me " featuring his brother Jme. Two months later, Lethal Bizzle released the single " Rari WorkOut " featuring Jme and Tempa T , which also charted, peaking at number 11 in the UK Singles Charts. A wave of new successful young grime MC's also began to emerge, such as Stormzy , AJ Tracey , Novelist , Jammz , and Lady Leshurr . In 2015, Kanye West invited various grime artists to join him on stage at
7564-446: The UK throughout the mid-2000s, it spread out of London to other major British cities. Birmingham , Manchester , Nottingham , Leeds , Sheffield , Blackpool , and Bristol now have grime MCs who are currently gaining major exposure in the scene and have featured on Lord of the Mics , an annual DVD released by Boy Better Know 's Jammer . The national growth of the grime scene has also been evident with many grime artists playing on
SECTION 60
#17329046567807688-420: The UK, popularised grime with their radio show "Brits in the 6ix" in 2008 in which they brought grime artists to the spotlight in Canada. Grime became increasingly popular in Canada during early 2010, most notably by Canadian grime artist Tre Mission , one of the first North American artists to be associated with the predominantly United Kingdom-based grime genre. Drake also proved helpful in bringing grime to
7812-405: The Viking incursions formally agreed by the Danish warlord , Guthrum and the West Saxon king Alfred the Great in 886. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that Alfred "refounded" London in 886. Archaeological research shows this involved abandonment of Lundenwic and a revival of life and trade within the old Roman walls . London then grew slowly until a dramatic increase in about 950. By
7936-412: The beat. By the early 2010s, the grime scene in Birmingham was well established and the city hosted several highly successful events called 'Goonies' at the Rainbow Warehouse in Digbeth . These events attracted some of the biggest names in grime, most notably P-Money, who referenced the events on his single "Slang Like This". Other prominent artists include Deadly, who formed the grime group N.O.D.B,
8060-437: The centre of the British press. The invasion of Amsterdam by Napoleonic armies led many financiers to relocate to London and the first London international issue was arranged in 1817. Around the same time, the Royal Navy became the world's leading war fleet, acting as a major deterrent to potential economic adversaries. Following a fire in 1838, the Royal Exchange was redesigned by William Tite and rebuilt in 1844. The repeal of
8184-425: The city's metropolis. The City of London at its core once comprised the whole settlement, but as its urban area grew, the Corporation of London resisted attempts to amalgamate the city with its suburbs , causing "London" to be defined several ways. Forty per cent of Greater London is covered by the London post town , in which 'London' forms part of postal addresses. The London telephone area code (020) covers
8308-412: The city, to intimidate the inhabitants. In 1097, William II began building Westminster Hall , near the abbey. It became the basis of a new Palace of Westminster . In the 12th century, the institutions of central government, which had hitherto followed the royal English court around the country, grew in size and sophistication and became increasingly fixed, for most purposes at Westminster , although
8432-443: The combined revenue expenditure by London councils and the GLA amounted to just over £22 billion (£14.7 billion for the boroughs and £7.4 billion for the GLA). The London Fire Brigade is the statutory fire and rescue service for Greater London, run by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority . It is the third largest fire service in the world. National Health Service ambulance services are provided by
8556-490: The comedy show Misfits . Dizzee Rascal found more success than most, with his songs such as " Dance wiv Me " finding itself on the number one spot on the UK Singles Chart . The wave of commercialised music received some criticism from fellow grime artists for being inauthentic to the original sound. Another commercialisation that happened during this period was grindie , which fused grime with indie rock . Grime did still have some success during this period, such as
8680-500: The creation of the Greater London Authority . To mark the 21st century, the Millennium Dome , London Eye and Millennium Bridge were constructed. On 6 July 2005 London was awarded the 2012 Summer Olympics , as the first city to stage the Olympic Games three times. On 7 July 2005, three London Underground trains and a double-decker bus were bombed in a series of terrorist attacks . In 2008, Time named London alongside New York City and Hong Kong as Nylonkong , hailing them as
8804-419: The creation of the London Underground , the world's first urban rail network . The Metropolitan Board of Works oversaw infrastructure expansion in the capital and some surrounding counties; it was abolished in 1889 when the London County Council was created out of county areas surrounding the capital. From the early years of the 20th century onwards, teashops were found on High Streets across London and
8928-485: The decline in popularity grime experienced during the late 2000s. Logan Sama's show on radio station Kiss FM was one of the only daytime radio shows that would regularly play grime during the 2000s. By the late 2000s, grime had begun to enter into a decline. Record labels, radio, and the media struggled with knowing what to do with grime, and as a result limited its impact and exposure. The rise of dubstep and UK funky also made it harder for grime to gain
9052-713: The driest is 1921, with a total fall of 12.1 inches (308 mm). The average annual precipitation amounts to about 600mm, which is half the annual rainfall of New York City . Despite relatively low annual precipitation, London receives 109.6 rainy days on the 1.0mm threshold annually. London is vulnerable to climate change , and there is concern among hydrological experts that households may run out of water before 2050. Temperature extremes in London range from 40.2 °C (104.4 °F) at Heathrow on 19 July 2022 down to −17.4 °C (0.7 °F) at Northolt on 13 December 1981. Records for atmospheric pressure have been kept at London since 1692. The highest pressure ever reported
9176-603: The first Muslim mayor of a major Western capital. The mayor's statutory planning strategy is published as the London Plan , which was most recently revised in 2011. The local authorities are the councils of the 32 London boroughs and the City of London Corporation . They are responsible for most local services, such as local planning, schools, libraries, leisure and recreation, social services , local roads and refuse collection. Certain functions, such as waste management , are provided through joint arrangements. In 2009–2010
9300-520: The first grime songs ever. Mike Skinner released an EP entitled All Got Our Runnins , which featured a number of grime MCs on the remixes of some of his tracks. Skinner also produced and featured on Kano 's 2005 hit single "Nite Nite", from the critically acclaimed Home Sweet Home album. In 2006, the second in the series of Lord of the Mics DVDs was released. It featured Devilman from Birmingham, clashing Skepta. Devilman's appearance on Lord of
9424-453: The first group from Birmingham to feature on BBC Radio 1Xtra ; Mayhem , who is also a founding member of N.O.D.B, known for his bombastic sound and his 2012 feud with Wiley , C4, Sox, JayKae and SafOne. Many Birmingham artists have now had success outside the Birmingham region in recent years. The fourth edition of Lady Leshurr 's "Queen's Speech" freestyle has gained over 28 million views on YouTube as of May 2016. In 2016, Lady Leshurr won
9548-460: The first to bring the genre to mainstream media attention in 2003–2004, with their albums Boy in da Corner , Treddin' on Thin Ice , Home Sweet Home and Against All Oddz respectively. Dizzee Rascal garnered widespread critical acclaim and commercial success with Boy in da Corner winning the 2003 Mercury Music Prize . From 2001 to 2006 The RWD magazine forum was cited as a key development in
9672-524: The genre's culture. Moderators included Logan Sama , and artists such as Wiley , Skepta and Jme would often come on the forum to engage with the community. This was the birthplace of Wiley's famous rants, where he would often target forum users and resort to either trolling or humorous insults. The genre was predominantly non-visual in its early stages, meaning you would primarily only hear artists on pirate radio or through their music as opposed to actually seeing what they looked like. This changed with
9796-795: The historic settlement in Greenwich where the Royal Observatory defines the prime meridian (0° longitude ) and Greenwich Mean Time . Other landmarks include Buckingham Palace , the London Eye , Piccadilly Circus , St Paul's Cathedral , Tower Bridge , and Trafalgar Square . The city has the most museums , art galleries, libraries, and cultural venues in the UK, including the British Museum , National Gallery , Natural History Museum , Tate Modern , British Library , and numerous West End theatres. Important sporting events held in London include
9920-404: The known developments over time of sounds in those different languages. It is agreed that the name came into these languages from Common Brythonic ; recent work tends to reconstruct the lost Celtic form of the name as * Londonjon or something similar. This was then adapted into Latin as Londinium and borrowed into Old English. Until 1889, the name "London" applied officially only to
10044-622: The location of its original headquarters in a road called Great Scotland Yard in Whitehall. The City of London has its own police force – the City of London Police . First worn by Met police officers in 1863, the custodian helmet has been called a "cultural icon" and a "symbol of British law enforcement". Introduced by the Met in 1929, the blue police telephone box (basis for the TARDIS in Doctor Who )
10168-400: The masses without the need of support from traditional media or the music industry . In 2012, Charlie Sloth created "Fire in the Booth" on BBC 1Xtra (later moved to Apple Music ). The show became a popular segment and granted grime MCs and UK hip-hop artists a large platform to showcase themselves. In 2011, a new edition of Lord of the Mics was released, the first since 2006. Lord of
10292-455: The mayor's budget proposals each year. The GLA has responsibility for the majority of London's transport system through its functional arm Transport for London (TfL), it is responsible for overseeing the city's police and fire services, and also for setting a strategic vision for London on a range of issues. The headquarters of the GLA is City Hall , Newham. The mayor since 2016 has been Sadiq Khan ,
10416-650: The most diverse cities in the world. In 1951, the Festival of Britain was held on the South Bank . The Great Smog of 1952 led to the Clean Air Act 1956 , which ended the " pea soup fogs " for which London had been notorious, and had earned it the nickname the "Big Smoke". Starting mainly in the mid-1960s, London became a centre for worldwide youth culture , exemplified by the Swinging London sub-culture associated with
10540-410: The name sublow being a reference to the very low bassline frequencies, often around 40 Hz ) and eskibeat, a term applied specifically to a style initially developed by Wiley and his collaborators, incorporating dance and electro elements. This indicated the movement of UK garage away from its house influences towards darker themes and sounds. Wiley's song " Wot Do U Call It " was released in 2004 and
10664-468: The national government and parliament . London grew rapidly in the 19th century , becoming the world's largest city at the time . Since the 19th century, the name "London" has referred to the metropolis around the City of London, historically split between the counties of Middlesex , Essex , Surrey , Kent , and Hertfordshire , which since 1965 has largely comprised the administrative area of Greater London , governed by 33 local authorities and
10788-467: The old Roman city. By about 680 the city had become a major port again, but there is little evidence of large-scale production. From the 820s repeated Viking assaults brought decline. Three are recorded; those in 851 and 886 succeeded, while the last, in 994, was rebuffed. The Vikings applied Danelaw over much of eastern and northern England, its boundary running roughly from London to Chester as an area of political and geographical control imposed by
10912-461: The popular Tempa T song "Next Hype" released in 2009. "Pow" by Lethal Bizzle was dubbed the 'unofficial song' of the 2010 student protests . The grime scene outside of London was also flourishing in the midlands , particularly in Birmingham . In 2008, GrimeForum was created by Hijj. The forum was a major platform for grime music at the time, providing a space for artists to promote themselves and
11036-486: The principal city of the Roman province of Britannia in 100. At its height in the 2nd century, Roman London had a population of about 60,000. With the early 5th-century collapse of Roman rule, the walled city of Londinium was effectively abandoned, although Roman civilisation continued around St Martin-in-the-Fields until about 450. From about 500, an Anglo-Saxon settlement known as Lundenwic developed slightly west of
11160-462: The resources, and it was rapidly developing the dignity and the political self-consciousness appropriate to a national capital ." After winning the Battle of Hastings , William, Duke of Normandy was crowned King of England in newly completed Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066. William built the Tower of London , the first of many such in England rebuilt in stone in the south-eastern corner of
11284-624: The rest of Britain, with Lyons , who opened the first of their chain of teashops in Piccadilly in 1894, leading the way. The tearooms, such as the Criterion in Piccadilly, became a popular meeting place for women from the suffrage movement. The city was the target of many attacks during the suffragette bombing and arson campaign , between 1912 and 1914, which saw historic landmarks such as Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral bombed. London
11408-505: The rhythms of dancehall to capture all three genre's essences and add a new half-time, down-tempo dimension to the mix. The genre's popularity grew exponentially in the United Kingdom, as people across the scene's musical spectrum appreciated grime's eclectic mix of instrumentation and subcultures. This hybridisation united many different music scenes, allowing for it to spread in the same word-of-mouth and mixtape-based style as hip-hop, yet still appeal to fans of electronic music. It also paved
11532-555: The rise of various DVD series' such as Lord of the Mics , Lord of the Decks , Risky Roadz , Run the Roads and Practise Hours , filmed by amateur videographers such as Roony 'Rsky' Keefe and Troy 'A Plus' Miller. The DVDs often featured artists giving interviews and performing freestyles. These videos often featured record store Rhythm Division on Roman Road in East London, which served as
11656-454: The royal treasury came to rest in the Tower . While the City of Westminster developed into a true governmental capital, its distinct neighbour, the City of London , remained England's largest city and principal commercial centre and flourished under its own unique administration, the Corporation of London . In 1100, its population was some 18,000; by 1300 it had grown to nearly 100,000. With
11780-534: The sea. London is the seat of the Government of the United Kingdom . Many government departments, as well as the prime minister's residence at 10 Downing Street , are based close to the Palace of Westminster , particularly along Whitehall . There are 75 members of Parliament (MPs) from London; As of June 2024 , 59 are from the Labour Party , 9 are Conservatives , 6 are Liberal Democrats and one constituency
11904-546: The single "G Star", produced by the Dwellaz. A fusion of grime and bassline, it became an underground hit. Several other tracks were released during this time which were also well received by fans, such as Slash's "Birmingham" and C4's "Oorite". In 2009, Wolverhampton producer S-X released the Woooo Riddim, which was widely regarded as one of the most successful instrumentals that year, with many MCs recording their own vocals over
12028-501: The song higher up the charts, eventually peaking at number eight on the UK Singles Chart. In February 2016, Ministry of Sound and DJ Maximum released a grime compilation entitled Grime Time , which topped the UK compilations chart. In May 2016, Skepta's fourth studio album, Konnichiwa , entered the UK Albums Chart at number two. The album was awarded the 2016 Mercury Prize , and was later credited for introducing grime to
12152-537: The south bank of the Thames, where the now-underground River Effra flows into the Thames. Despite the evidence of scattered Brythonic settlements in the area, the first major settlement was founded by the Romans around 47 AD, about four years after their invasion of 43 AD. This only lasted until about 61 AD, when the Iceni tribe led by Queen Boudica stormed it and burnt it to the ground. The next planned incarnation of Londinium prospered, superseding Colchester as
12276-664: The spotlight in Canada; Skepta 's single Shutdown sampled a video by Drake, and Skepta later worked on Drake's More Life project. Various UK MC's have had successful tours in New Zealand, such as Wiley , Stormzy and Eyez. Stormzy's album Gang Signs & Prayer reached No.14 in the New Zealand charts. A grime tour known as Eskimo Dance was intended to occur in Australia and New Zealand in late 2018, featuring MC's Wiley , Lethal Bizzle , Devlin , P Money & Little Dee, President T and producers DJ Target and Rude Kid. It
12400-424: The start of 2018 to mid April 2018. Funding cuts to police in London are likely to have contributed to this, though other factors are involved. However, homicide figures fell in 2022 with 109 recorded for the year, and the murder rate in London is much lower than other major cities around the world. London, also known as Greater London , is one of nine regions of England and the top subdivision covering most of
12524-725: The theatres in the 1640s. The ban on theatre was lifted during the Restoration in 1660, and London's oldest operating theatre, Drury Lane , opened in 1663 in what is now the West End theatre district. By the end of the Tudor period in 1603, London was still compact. There was an assassination attempt on James I in Westminster, in the Gunpowder Plot of 5 November 1605. In 1637, the government of Charles I attempted to reform administration in
12648-465: The timed dubbed the sound 'eskibeat' rather than "grime", which had yet to gain popular usage. His song "Eskimo" was characterised by its sparse and cold production, and "awkward, off-kilter rhythms". Wiley explained this colder, darker sound, reflected his mental state at the time, stating "The music reflects what's going on in society. Everyone's so angry at the world and each other. And they don't know why" to Spin magazine in 2005. The name "grime"
12772-691: The unique governmental status of the City . In the English Civil War , the majority of Londoners supported the Parliamentary cause. After an initial advance by the Royalists in 1642, culminating in the battles of Brentford and Turnham Green , London was surrounded by a defensive perimeter wall known as the Lines of Communication . The lines were built by up to 20,000 people, and were completed in under two months. The fortifications failed their only test when
12896-503: The urban music stages of the big summer festivals such as Glastonbury , Reading and Leeds , T in the Park and O2 Wireless Festival in Hyde Park . Dizzee Rascal played at all these events in the summer of 2008. In 2015, Manchester grime artist Bugzy Malone was involved in a heavily publicised grime feud with London-based MC Chip who had created controversy with comments during a Fire in
13020-554: The voice of their Christmas advert 'Silence the Critics'. D Double E wrote a song talking about how dirty the house was and the lyrics were placed over animated household items. The 2005 release of 679 Recordings ' Run the Road compilation showcased some of the most popular grime releases to that point, increasing the popularity and fame of grime and grime artists internationally. A particularly notable grime artist who has had success overseas
13144-531: The way for more electronic music artists to incorporate stronger Jamaican influence in the future. Grime never received the same attention worldwide that it did in the UK. Much like many other less mainstream forms of British electronic music, its main scene and fan base remain in the United Kingdom. Although grime is recognised as a creative and innovative musical style, there are other contributing factors to its rapid and widespread growth in popularity. The MCs producing current grime music are overwhelmingly young as
13268-582: The way for what would eventually be called "grime". Members of these crews would begin to experiment with accessible music creation software such as Fruityloops to write their own instrumentals which were cut to dubplate for shows. The first grime track is often debated. Some will credit Pay As U Go's "Know We" or So Solid Crew's "Dilemma" (both were released in 2000), however, " Eskimo " by Wiley (produced in Christmas 1999 or early 2000, but released in 2002) and " Pulse X " by Youngstar (released in 2002),
13392-407: The winner taking home £100 and a slot on Kool FM. After that, his name got around and Stormin was able to circuit various radio stations across London. After making waves across the numerous pirate radio stations, he co-founded Nasty Crew alongside Marcus Nasty and Sharky Major . The crew went on to recruit MCs such as Kano , D Double E , and Jammer . His versatility and ability to MC across
13516-413: The world's busiest city airport system . The London Underground is the world's oldest rapid transit system. London's diverse cultures encompass over 300 languages. The 2023 population of Greater London of just under 10 million made it Europe's third-most populous city , accounting for 13.4% of the United Kingdom's population and over 16% of England's population. The Greater London Built-up Area
13640-461: The world's major financial centres . It hosts Europe's largest concentration of higher education institutions , some of which are the highest-ranked academic institutions in the world: Imperial College London in natural and applied sciences , the London School of Economics in social sciences , and the comprehensive University College London . It is the most visited city in Europe and has
13764-625: The world's three most influential global cities . In January 2015, Greater London's population was estimated to be 8.63 million, its highest since 1939. During the Brexit referendum in 2016, the UK as a whole decided to leave the European Union , but most London constituencies voted for remaining. However, Britain's exit from the EU in early 2020 only marginally weakened London's position as an international financial centre. The administration of London
13888-1014: Was bombed by the Germans in the First World War , and during the Second World War , the Blitz and other bombings by the German Luftwaffe killed over 30,000 Londoners, destroying large tracts of housing and other buildings across the city. The tomb of the Unknown Warrior , an unidentified member of the British armed forces killed during the First World War, was buried in Westminster Abbey on 11 November 1920. The Cenotaph , located in Whitehall ,
14012-417: Was anticipated to be the 'biggest ever' grime tour in New Zealand. The event was cancelled in late 2018 by Wiley himself for unclear reasons. New Zealand grime MC Stanza Switch Blade and NZ grime crew Spreading The Sickness (STS Crew) have both featured on Risky Roadz, a long-running influential grime video series wherein MC's are made to freestyle over handpicked beats. The late 2010s and early 2020s
14136-622: Was coined by journalists who initially termed the music's sub-bass heavy sound as "grimy", which subsequently became "grime". It has also been suggested by artists themselves that the term fits as the music frequently talks about "grimy goings-on" in deprived areas. Initially, some referred to the genre as 'grimey garage'. At this point, the style was known by a number of names, including 8-bar (meaning eight-bar verse patterns), nu shape (which encouraged more complex 16-bar and 32-bar verse patterns), sublow (a music style and movement created by Jon E Cash with Dread D (T Williams) and crew "The Black Ops",
14260-493: Was criticised in 2009 by John Whittingdale , a Conservative Party MP, for being "draconian". The form was also criticised for allegedly targeting black music nights due to it asking specifically what ethnic groups may be attending the event. Many grime raves were shut down by police using the form. Lethal Bizzle stated in 2012 this led to a shift from making grime music for the clubs, to making grime music for "in-your-house listening". Form 696 has been blamed for contributing to
14384-480: Was declared cancer-free later that same year. The cancer returned early in 2018 and he died in a hospice about a month later. After his death, artists and fans mourned throughout social media including Skepta , Dizzee Rascal , Example and Rag N' Bone Man explaining the difference he had made to the UK underground music scene. The hashtag #BussIt, named for his 2015 single, trended on multiple social media platforms following his death along with #Stormin. Stormin
14508-435: Was formed (later became Channel AKA, now Now 70s ). It would become one of the most important places for people to discover new grime music. In 2004, grime received its first UK Top 20 single with Lethal Bizzle's song " Pow! (Forward) ". The song would prove controversial for the alleged fights it caused in clubs, leading to many venues banning the song from being played. This made it difficult for Lethal Bizzle to find
14632-468: Was made to address the identity problems grime was experiencing at the time, and to establish its separation from garage. It became Wiley's first grime hit song. Grime is not an offshoot of early electronic music, but rather a subgenre that draws from a wide variety of influences. Early innovative artists such as Dizzee Rascal and Wiley were able to take the strong thumping drums of drum and bass , lyricism and vocal styles of UK garage and alter some of
14756-468: Was occurring in the underground, with a new wave of producers experimenting with grime music. Logos, who was credited by FactMag for initiating the revival, credited the fall of dubstep as inspiration for going back to grime and reimagining it. In 2013, just a year prior to grime's resurgence in the mainstream, a large 'war dub' occurred amongst dozens of grime producers. It started off with grime producer Bless Beats releasing "Wardub" on Twitter, followed by
14880-497: Was of Dominican and Jamaican descent, with family from Clarendon . Grime (music genre) Grime is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) that emerged in London in the early 2000s. It developed out of the earlier UK dance style UK garage , and draws influences from jungle , dancehall , and hip hop . The style is typified by rapid, syncopated breakbeats , generally around 140 beats per minute , and often features an aggressive or jagged electronic sound. Emceeing
15004-437: Was once a common sight throughout London and regional cities in the UK. The British Transport Police are responsible for police services on National Rail , London Underground , Docklands Light Railway and Tramlink services. The Ministry of Defence Police is a special police force in London, which does not generally become involved with policing the general public. The UK's domestic counter-intelligence service ( MI5 )
15128-459: Was supervised by polymath Robert Hooke . In 1710, Christopher Wren 's masterpiece, St Paul's Cathedral , was completed, replacing its medieval predecessor that burned in the Great Fire of 1666. The dome of St Paul's dominated the London skyline for centuries, inspiring the artworks and writing of William Blake , with his 1789 poem " Holy Thursday " referring to 'the high dome of Pauls'. During
15252-645: Was through pirate radio that artists could first present themselves and build an audience. In the late 1990s, UK garage grew in popularity and also found crossover commercial success with shows on Kiss 100 and BBC Radio 1 . Whilst much of the popular UK garage sound fused soul and R&B influences, a 'darker garage' sound was also appearing which was more instrumental and less vocal, which allowed MCs to lay down lyrics over them. The role of MCs became more prominent on radio shows, and collectives such as So Solid Crew (on Delight FM), Heartless Crew (on Mission), and Pay As U Go (on Rinse FM) would begin to pave
15376-516: Was unveiled on the same day, and is the focal point for the National Service of Remembrance held annually on Remembrance Sunday , the closest Sunday to 11 November. The 1948 Summer Olympics were held at the original Wembley Stadium , while London was still recovering from the war. From the 1940s, London became home to many immigrants, primarily from Commonwealth countries such as Jamaica, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, making London one of
#779220