So after our inital walk-around, we see God’s Gift. He stays at the bottom of the steps and we go down, Brasco asking what he’s on.

GG: Flow Dan just rang me asking to go studio, but it’s too hot bruv.

After a quick catch-up, the chat soon turns to E3 Entertainment and his own projects. What’s next?

GG: Nightlife is the next thing. I knew that was big from when Bless was pissed that he didn’t produce it. I’m gonna try and get a label for it in the next two weeks, if not then I’m putting it out myself.

Is there anything else you’re working on?

GG: Well I’m doing two albums right now, one’s like a more commercial abum and there’s a more grimey one. I think that might be called ‘The Wait is Over’.

He said he was going to sort a video for the track as well. But after a few minutes he was off down the subway to run home and get something and, after a bit of a trot, we finally reach the station. He knocks, while talking about the music.

LB: Grime is my first love – a lot of people just say they ‘make music’ but I’ll always say I’m a grime MC. But the one thing I don’t like about grime is that people care more about what you’re doing off the mic than on the mic. For example, if they find out that you beat someone up, your status would be much bigger in grime than somebody who’s putting in an honest graft to some extent. If an MC went to church every week and everyone knew, no-one would care, but if he was on the street beating everyone up people would care. That’s the only thing that’s like negative.

Brasco knocks on the door again.

But the music is changing now – everyone’s getting older now.

LB: That’s what I’m saying. But Roachee’s been in jail, and people expect him to come out and start saying ‘when I’m ‘ere when I’m ‘ere shank shank shank’. But people have to remember that Roachee’s grown up now, like maybe he doesn’t wanna do that no-more. Him talking about sending for More Fire Crew and sending for this MC and that MC ain’t really gonna help him in the long run. I was with Roachee the other day – he certainly has a screwed-on head about his future in this music business. He has a lot of of stuff to bring out which I’m looking forward to hearing.

Brasco now slaps the door – Scratcha’s voice can just be made out, signing off from his Grimey Breakfast Show. We’re finally let in.

Scratcha is putting away his records in a yellow plastic box, and reveals that he’s just sent off a mix to FACT magazine that day. Check the website – it should be coming soon.

Outside, we talk a bit more about radio in general.

LB: It’s an honour to go on radio. I don’t even know why MCs don’t wanna go on radio – it’s an honour. See the problem with MCs is that they only wanna go on a set with a DJ that’s known because they don’t wanna help anyone. If a DJ said to me ‘I’ve got a set come up on it’, if it’s in within reasonable times, I will go without a doubt. I’ll go happily.

Some guy cycles past. Brasco recognises him.

LB: Wagwan you cool. Oi that’s mine! I need that back – I didn’t even mean to blow you up but sorry. I was gonna phone you, but it’s minor anyway, it’s cool. I’ll holla you in the hours.

He rides off.

Yeah anyway that’s one boy that’s wearing my Gucci pouch which I borrowed him about three years ago and he’s drove past me. Imagine that.

When the guy has cycled into the distance, we continue. Radio is just like barring as well – it’s practice.

LB: It’s practice man. It’s practice. And going on radio you get a bigger fanbase, the more people listen to you. Remember this – every time you do something with music, you always get at least one new fan or one new person that knows your name, so to go on radio should be an honour. I’m going on radio, like I go on radio nearly every Sunday and I go on DJ Karnage’s sets, if not I nearly go so-

Karnage has done a lot this year with the sets.

LB: Karnage has been working hard. If I ever like make it, Karnage will be my main DJ man. Karnage has known me before Lee Brasco, before MCing, before man even know what a lyric was. Like when I used to tell Karnage I was an MC he used to laugh at me, thinking I was joking. Like laugh at me. Karnage used to come to my house and play FIFA and all that against my brother on PS1.

But even though radio is and has been vital to grime, maybe the days of rave bars and that are over – or at the very least on the way out?

LB: But music has been progressed as a whole, and maybe people sitting at home writing rave bars might not be content with that anymore. Like everyone wants to take it to the stage where they can make more money and get a wider fanbase. You go into one rave and say one rave bar and you ain’t gonna get a big fanbase. Fair enough, they might say like you’re a good performer, but that’s not always constructive. Like me, I might not get a reload on a set, but listen to my tunes and they’re better than some of the tunes you hear nowadays.

But there’s a change now, from even mixtapes to more albums and EPs-

LB: But really, a mixtape now, in grime, is just like an underground album. J2K made the first mixtape – imagine if MCs were making mixtapes when J2K was, grime would have progressed a lot more. That’s what helping grime progress, the fact that everyone is putting out good solid mixtapes and good products. If people had J2K’s knowledge five years ago maybe, perhaps grime would be have more money involved.

But that’s speculating on the past. Like the change from PS1 to PS3, grime has also adapted with the times. From rave bars to mixtapes, and now even more to EPs and albums. They’re all in Rhythm, our next stop. Come with us tomorrow.

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