Grime: A Powerful Tool for Social Commentary
The 2020 BRIT Awards saw Grime artist Dave perform his hit song Black in an iconic moment, expressing to the world the institutional racism and socio-economic inequalities frequently affecting black people in Britain. In 2019, Stormzy donned a stab-proof vest during his Glastonbury set. And in 2014, Ghetts released his underrated single Rebel. All three are poignant examples of Grime providing critical social commentary and an undeniable voice to politically under-represented and increasingly disenfranchised Britain.
Grime first emerged from the UK house and garage scene in Bows, East London, at the turn of the century and is now in the mainstream. However, it remains one of our most misunderstood genres—considered by some to be aggressive, abrasive, and often denounced by much of wider society for perpetuating gang-violence, drug-dealing, and the objectification of women.[1]
But Grime isn’t just about music, it’s about giving a voice to often marginalised individuals and allowing for a new generation to be heard. And while many artists conform to, or sometimes play up to this image, the genre also helps to highlight issues of inequality, racism, and social exclusion that many still face in the UK.
Its conception was soon shrouded in controversy due to its association in popular media with illicit activities and its arguable tendency to glamorise sex, violence, and money. Numerous live events have been disrupted by disputes between rival crews or police interference, and the media linked Grime to a spike in violence in the mid-2000s—including Crazy Titch being jailed for murder at the height of his career in 2005.[2] In March 2020, Grime was further implicated in violence when artist, Solo 45, a member of group, Boy Better Know, was convicted of raping four women and holding them against their will.[3]
However, through music, issues including socio-economic inequality and racism that prominently affect certain communities are brought to a much wider audience. And a substantial shift in public discourse has taken place which is similar to the impact of Hip Hop group N.W.A in the 1980s, and Wu-Tang Clan, Biggie, and Tupac in the 1990s[4] who brought awareness to the often ignored realities of police brutality, drug epidemics, and political corruption in the United States.
Stormzy is one such artist at the forefront of Grime’s political activism, illustrated by his show-closing freestyle at the 2018 BRIT Awards when he asked, ‘Theresa May, where’s the money for Grenfell?’[5] Furthermore, during his 2019 Glastonbury set he wore a stab-proof vest as a commentary on the rise in knife-crime and racial inequality in Britain.
Dave’s album Psychodrama further tackles societal issues. His 2020 hit track, Black, addresses the distorted image of black teens in the media. For example, the bars, ‘A kid dies, the blacker the killer, the sweeter the news/ And if he’s white you give him a chance, he’s ill and confused/ If he’s black he’s probably armed, you see him and shoot/,’ highlight the hypocrisy in media coverage of violent perpetrators depending on the colour of their skin, as well as the institutionally prejudiced attitudes that are arguably prevalent in the criminal justice system.
In this climate of political activism, Grime artists are sending a message, shedding light on issues that appear to be neglected by those in power, offering critical social commentary, and allowing for the frequently marginalised to finally be heard.
Dave’s hit track, Black, highlights the hypocrisy in media coverage of violent perpetrators depending on the colour of their skin, as well as the institutionally prejudiced attitudes that are arguably prevalent in the criminal justice system. Image source: Marco Grey
Stormzy is one artist at the forefront of Grime’s political activism, illustrated by his show-closing freestyle at the 2018 BRIT Awards when he asked, ‘Theresa May, where’s the money for Grenfell?’ Image source: CNN
In this climate of political activism, Grime artists are sending a message, shedding light on issues that appear to be neglected by those in power, offering critical social commentary, and allowing for the frequently marginalised to finally be heard. Image source: Instagram / Frieze
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Sources Cited
[1] Leah Sinclair, ‘How Grime Made it from the UK Underground to the Mainstream’ (V Magazine, 29 March 2017) <https://vmagazine.com/article/grime-grime-made-underground-mainstream/> accessed 4 June 2020.
[2] Ned Beauman, ‘Is violence holding grime back?’ (The Guardian, 6 November 2006) <https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2006/nov/06/isviolenceholdinggrimeback> accessed 4 June 2020.
[3] Steven Morris, ‘Solo 45: the grime star with a horrific secret life of abusing women’ (The Guardian, 11 March 2020) <https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/mar/11/solo-45-the-grime-star-with-a-horrific-secret-life-of-abusing-women> accessed 5 June 2020.
[4] Dean Van Nguyen, ‘Wu-Tang Clan: where to start in their group and solo back catalogues’ (The Guardian, 27 March 2020) <https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/may/27/wu-tang-clan-where-to-start-in-their-group-and-solo-back-catalogue> accessed 4 June 2020.
[5] Ben Beaumont-Thomas, ‘Stormzy asks “Theresa May, where’s the money for Grenfell?” at Brit awards’ (The Guardian, 21 February 2018) <https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/feb/21/stormzy-asks-may-wheres-the-money-for-grenfell-at-brit-awards> accessed 4 June 2020.