Emerging from London’s culture of pirate radio stations and
garage music during the early 2000’s, Wiley followed in the
footsteps of his father - a reggae musician who introduced him
to hip-hop at a young age - and began producing instrumentals
mixing the regional influences of dancehall and jungle music,
adding verses to his tracks with a wide variety of collaborators
including members of his original grime crew Roll Deep, formed in
2001.
As grime became a global phenomenon during the 2010’s, Wiley
remained at the forefront of the genre, pushing the movement
forward through his innovative work ethic and a consistent ethos
of collaboration. Today, his enduring legacy is present within the
sound he helped pioneer, becoming a foundational influence on a
new generation of stars across the scope of UK rap and drill music.
This issue also highlights M Huncho, Bel Cobain, AJ Tracey, TOX DDS, Amy
Leung, Dynamite, Victory Lap Radio, D Double E, Potter Payper, Charlie Birch,
Karim B, E Pellici, Tim & Barry.
