Dizzee Rascal

Dizzee Rascal

Dylan Mills (born November 1, 1985 in Bow, East London), known professionally as Dizzee Rascal, is a Mercury Prize-winning English MC/rapper and producer. His (largely self-composed) music is a blend of garage MCing, conventional rap, grime and ragga, with extremely eclectic samples and more exotic styles.

Biography

Dizzee grew up in the East End of London in South Bow on a council estate. As a teenager, he was detained for stealing cars and robbing a pizza deliveryman, and expelled from four secondary schools. Jeff Chang in his article titled Future Shock explains Dizzee Rascal as a "fatherless child coming up in the East London council estates, aimless youth failed by the schools and the shitstem but saved by music, bedroom beat-head who went top of the pops by representing his streets but can't escape their judgment. Right outside his front door, mates have turned predators...Childhood school chums who grow up to knife and shoot each other. There are no great leaps here. The daily is never routine. There are only moments for Dizzee to capture, encapsulate, and preserve, griot-like." A sympathetic music teacher introduced him to music production on a school computer. He began MCing on pirate radio and at raves at fifteen, but since his mainstream success he has distanced himself from the fledgling scene. He used to be a member of the Roll Deep crew, until a conflict with former friend Wiley.

His acting debut came in a cameo appearance in London-based black gangster film Rollin' With The Nines (2006) where he played a drug dealer.

Music

His music is an eclectic mixture of garage and hip-hop beats with an extremely broad palette of influences, ranging from metal guitars to found sounds, drill and bass synth lines, eclectic samples and even Japanese court music. Like most Grime artists, he utilizes "beats born of ringtones, video games and staticky pirate-radio sounds" Dizzee's tracks are traditional Grime in that the beats are often asymmetrical and make it difficult to dance to his music. His vocal performance is also distinctive, he uses a fast style of rapping which blends elements from garage MCing, conventional rap, grime and ragga. He raps about the same issues a confused generation of youth tends to; broken family, faithless mentors and a lack of support. Dizzee's videos are similar to many grime and garage artists in the UK. They are frenetic and fast, often matching the speed of the rapping. This is especially visible in the videos to "Fix up, look sharp" video and " I Love You". Although his fast style of rapping and his subject matter are nothing more than ordinary in the UK, Dizzee Rascal's diversity nonetheless separates him from other UK rappers. In songs like "Just remember this: I am you" and "Cut 'em off", "when Dizzee thinks very deeply—worrying about growing up, about those around him who won't grow up, about dying before he grows up—he sounds like"...."He delivers threats with KRS-style meta-awareness" More than just as a venue through Dizze Rascal chooses to express his thoughts, "music stopped him from drifting into crime like many others on his estate." Dizzie is probably the best known grime artist to Americans. He worked closely with his mentor Wiley who created one of the first grime tracks called "Eskimo".

Dizzee is Grime's most popular artist globally. Grime is still considered underground even after Dizzee's mainstream exposure. It is still considered underground because the lack of mainstream success and most artists get their music noticed through independent produced DVD's and by selling their music out of barbershops. Dizzee's DJ, DJ Semtex, says, "the biggest conflict I have is with major labels because they still don’t get it." . He says this because major U.S. labels have not signed artists of grime music because they don't believe it has commercial appeal. Although grime music has not received mainstream and international success, that has not stopped Dizzee from still trying to make it happen. To date, Dizzee has released 3 albums and none have been released in the U.S. only in the U.K.. Also, he now has endorsement deals with U.S. businesses such as: Ecko and Nike, which shows that he is making progress to put grime music in international and mainstream success.

Dizzee says he has outgrown grime’s street scene. He signed an endorsement deal with urban clothier Ecko Unltd. last year, and recently worked with Nike to design a limited-edition Dizzee Rascal running shoe. (He lifts an unworn pair from the tour bus floor: “See, that’s where I grew up,” he says, pointing to the London Underground map printed on the insoles.) He now prefers headlining his own concerts to attending communal clashes, happy to avoid skirmishes with lesser-known competitors: “I’ve stepped out of that world. I’ve got two gold albums in England. I always saw [clashing] as counterproductive anyways. I figure you can get more done working with someone, producing new songs together.”

Dizzie Rascal is a young rapper that raises awareness among the youth. His lyrics highlight the issues young people currently face; Rascal is seen as the British 50 cent. T.O.K.'s hysterical dancehall harmonies, a synthesized guitar line halfway between death metal and the English beat, are all part of his musical rhythm touching a large population of young individuals. Rascal won United Kingdom’s Mercury awards; he has been a successful young rapper that has made music as a form to influence adolescents in positive ways.

In his song "Brand New Day", he used "flat, punching out riddims into cheap PC software, beats born of ringtones, video games, and staticky pirate-radio sounds".(Chang, Jeff. "Future Shock." Village Voice (2004). 14 Mar. 2008 <http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0403,chang,50366,22.html>.) He is able to change his sound of music completly, by using different processor. In "Jus a Rascal" he uses "T.O.K.'s hysterical dancehall harmonies, a synthesized guitar line halfway between death metal and English Beat, stuttering Southern hi-hats and a kick drum retarded to a crawl"(Chang, Jeff. "Future Shock." Village Voice (2004). 14 Mar. 2008 <http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0403,chang,50366,22.html>.) Dizzee raps, in his high pitched pace, about "fatherless child coming up in the East London councl estates, aimless youth failed by the schools and the shitstem but saved by music, bedroom beat-head who went top of the pops by representing his strees but can't escape their judgement." “They’ve got estates over there that look just like ours,” Dizzee explains, “except there are still bullet holes in the buildings and that’s in the nice part. It’s definitely being opened up a bit because they’ve just joined the EU, but away from the touristy part, it’s still a deep and eerie vibe. It’s like my friend over there was saying, the fa_ade is thin - it feels like anything could happen at any time, and sometimes it does.” (Rascal, Dizzee. "Dizzee Rascal-London, UK-Garage/HipHop/Rap." Myspace. 13 Mar. 2008. 14 Mar. 2008 <http://www.myspace.com/dizzeerascal>.) In "I Luv U", his breakout single, Dizzee describes two teens argue about unwanted pregnancy. They use sex as blackmail, realizing that they are still stuck in their relationship. In a end, boy ends up fantasizing about a college girl,who has left but still gives out sexual favors. "Then the frenetic beat seems to take over and the boy freestyles his last lines as if once the music fades he too might disappear. Dizzee manages to make this all sound funny and horrifying at once" (Chang, Jeff. "Future Shock." Village Voice (2004). 14 Mar. 2008 <http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0403,chang,50366,22.html>.)

In 2004, Dizzee Rascal made an international endorsement deal with urban brand Eckō and designed his own shoe with Nike in 2005.

Dizzee worked with cross genre artist Beck in a homosexual session involving gerbils, lots of lubricant, and a large black man named Bubba.

Dizzee has also provided guest vocals on an Arctic Monkeys track, the B-Side to their single Brianstorm named 'Temptation Greets You Like Your Naughty Friend'. Dizzee's version of the same song is featured as "Temptation" on his album Maths + English.

Dizzee is a man committed to his music and making it better. Dizzee once told author Ben Thompson in an interview with the Sunday's Observer magazine that, “Everything I do is for the music – I want to master it like Bruce Lee mastered martial arts.”

Boy In Da Corner

Dizzee Rascal on the cover of his 2003 album Boy in Da Corner

After winning a Sidewinder award for 'best newcomer MC' in 2002, his album Boy in Da Corner was released to universal critical acclaim in August 2003, entering the UK top 40 at #40. The album later reached #23. The album was preceded in June 2003 by the top 30 hit single I Luv U, a tale of accidental teenage pregnancy. In the same year the rapper was stabbed five times in Ayia Napa. Many tabloids suggested that this event was connected to an apparent feud between Dizzee and UK Top 40-topping garage act So Solid Crew. Dizzee has been described as "the vital unvarnished voice of modern-day inner-city London" , and social commentary is usually present in most of his tracks. Despite the often serious content of his music, there are frequently humorous elements to be found.

Following the success of the I Luv U single and the album, the second single from Boy in Da Corner was Fix Up, Look Sharp. The single, released in August 2003, gave Dizzee his first UK top 20 single and also became the biggest hit from his debut album. In September, Dizzee was awarded the prestigious Mercury Prize for the best album of 2003. He was the youngest person (at 19) to do so and the second rapper (after Ms. Dynamite the previous year). The album was also chosen as the #1 album of the year by Planet Sound.

Along with being picked as the #1 album of the year by Planet Sound, "Boy In Da Corner" was also chosen as one of the top 50 albums of the year by Rolling Stone, joining the likes of Kanye West, Mos Def, Eminem, and Jadakiss for 2004. His unique style, as "words pour out at a high pitch and pace, as if syllables are the only thing that can hold back a scream," have given him a sound that hip hop heads can embrace as something new and original in the hip hop scene.

Later in the year he collaborated with the Basement Jaxx on their third album, Kish Kash on the track Lucky Star. The track, which was released as a single in November 2003 and gave Dizzee his third top 30 hit. The third and final single, taken from his debut album, was Jus' A Rascal, which became his fourth top 30 success. The song was also featured in the movie Kidulthood, released in 2006.

'Jezebel' was never released from the album 'Boy in Da Corner', but was well received and was exposed to well reviews and popularity on the underground scene. The song told the tale of a young London girl, who through years of going to parties, getting drunk, doing drugs and having sex earned herself the title Jezebel, translated as a slut, slag, whore etc. The fictional girl in the story was a teenage mother to two little girls, who would no doubt grow up to be just like their mother. Dizzee wrote the song as an account of his real life and the types of people that surrounded him.

He made his U.S. concert debut on February 7, 2004 at Volume in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn.

Showtime

Dizzee Rascal on the cover of his 2004 album Showtime

In 2004, Dizzee Rascal won The NME award for Innovation. His second album, Showtime, came out in September of the same year, eclipsing the peak of his debut album by entering the UK album chart at #8. The first single from the album, released two weeks earlier in August 2004, was titled Stand Up Tall. This track gave Dizzee his highest charting single to date, managing to enter the UK top 10. This song was written and produced by Jasal.

The second single Dream, another top 20 hit, was released in November 2004. It sampled (and used the chorus of) Captain Sensible's song Happy Talk, originally from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, South Pacific. The Dream music video consisted of a mock 1950s style children's marionette show depicting scenes corresponding to the lyrics about Mills' East London youth: street culture, crime, single teenage mothers, pirate radio and garage clubs.

Later in 2004, Dizzee Rascal was part of Band Aid 20, a group of British musicians who re-recorded Do They Know It's Christmas? He did not sing in the song; rather, he rapped two lines of it ("Spare a thought this yuletide for the deprived, if the table was turned would you survive?" and "You ain't gotta feel guilt just selfless, give a little help to the helpless"). Dizzee Rascal was the first person to add to the song since the original was released.

In March 2005, the Double A-side single Off 2 Work / Graftin was released. Graftin' was the third and final single from the Showtime album, whilst "Off 2 Work" was a new track that did not appear on either of his albums. The accompanying music video featured Rascal in various ordinary workplace situations (as a policeman, a fast food vendor, a businessman, etc.) and PM Dizzee Rascal announcing his engagement to Cherie Blair. This was Dizzee's lowest charting single and smallest hit to date, peaking outside the UK top 40 at #44.

Since, he has been busy setting up his own record label 'Dirtee Stank' and signing MC acts from across the country, most notably the 'Newham Generals' from the Grime Scene.

Rascal's music has also had a major impact on the youth of London. His success has broken barriers in terms of the United States and other countries collaborating in making a new era in Hip Hop music. Many teens growing up in London admire Rascal's determination to make societies and music improve.

Maths + English

File:MathsandEnglish.jpg

Dizzee Rascal on the cover of his 2007 album Maths + English

Dizzee's third album Maths + English was released on June 4, 2007. He stated in an interview before the album's release that "Maths" refers to producing, in terms of beats, deals and money and "English" to writing lyrics. The first single off this album, Sirens, was released on May 21. While American influences were vital to the creative evolution of “Maths & English,” the album never compromises its distinctively British identity.

Maths + English was one of the 12 nominees for the 2007 Mercury Prize, which went to The Klaxons' album Myths of the Near Future.

The official U.S. release date was announced to be April 29, 2008, in retail stores and it will contain 2 new tracks. It is to be released on Definitive Jux.

Politics

A measure of the success of Dizzee and of Grime as a whole is the political attention it has recieved in the UK. Two prominent politicians Home Secretary David Blunkett and Culture Minister Kim Howells have set their sites on 'black music'."blaming rap for 'glorifying gun culture and violence.'" Dizzee himself has been quoted by UK newspaper for his line that says "I'm a problem for Anthony Blair" As a result in a move to censor Grime Channel U has with the pressure from the police begun to sift through grime videos, being highly selective with the ones that are broad casted.

Dirtee Stank

Dizzee Rascal has created his own record label, called “Dirtee Stank” (He is not signed to it, however). Dizzee Rascal's explanation of the name: "The name came from one of the first lyrics I had: "going on dirty/going on stank…So I thought ‘yeah fuck it, Dirtee Stank.’"" Dizzee has stated "I had Dirtee Stank before I had my record deal". The first white label release of 'I Luv U' was made on Dirtee Stank, released when he was 16. Although both of his albums and their subsequent singles have been released under XL Recordings. It was not until 2005 that Dizzee Rascal ‘revived’ the label and made his first signings, Klass A, and Newham Generals. Dizzee has stated the ethos of the company is “The label is about bridging the gap between indies, majors and the street. Stank is the way forwards” . The label's logo is a picture of flies circling feces, when asked why this logo was chosen Dizzee stated that it was: “gulliest thing I could think of".

The label was formed and is owned by Dizzee Rascal, and is co-run by Dizzee's manager, Cage. According to Cage, Dirtee Stank exists to promote gifted artists with "social problems" that might scare off other labels. "People who, through the conditions they live in, might not be stable." The label should also help artists overcome hurdles such as access to studios that "take something from a raw demo to something people will get excited about on the street".

The Newham Generals' mixtape Welcome to Newham and their debut album Generally Speaking were supposed to have been release in 2006 on Dirtee Stank.

As of September 12, 2006 a notice on Dizzee's official site reported on the availability of Newham Generals' mixtape Best of Newham Generals Vol. 1 both in stores and online.

In an August 2007 Q Magazine interview he stated that he was working on his next album. He said that it is due out for release in late 2008 but did not say what the name of his new album will be.

Discography

Albums

• 2003: Boy in Da Corner (#23 UK)
• 2004: Showtime (#8 UK)
• 2007: Maths + English (#7 UK)

Singles

Year	Title	Chart positions		Album
		UK Singles Chart	UK Indie Singles Chart
2003	"I Luv U"	29	-	Boy in Da Corner
	"Fix Up, Look Sharp"	17	-
	"Lucky Star" (Basement Jaxx featuring Dizzee Rascal)	23	-	Kish Kash
	"Jus' a Rascal"	30	-	Boy in Da Corner
	"Do They Know It's Christmas?" (as part of Band Aid 20)	1	-	—
2004	"Stand Up Tall"	10	-	Showtime
	"Dream"	14	-
	"Off 2 Work" / "Graftin'"	44	-
2007	"Sirens"	20	-	Maths + English
	"Pussy'ole (Old Skool)"	22	1
	"Flex"	23	1

Notes

Dizzee Rascal has been officially named as one of many acts at the 2008 Leeds & Reading festivals.

a. Downloads only

Dizzee Rascals new single yet to come is called 'Dance For Me' and will be released sometime in 2008. It is produced by Calvin Harris who also features in it.

External links

Official sites

• www.myspace.com/dizzeerascal
• Official Website
• XL Recordings — Official Record Company Web Page