Wiley (musician)

Wiley

Wiley (born Kostas Sampson, 19 January, 1979) is a British Grime MC and producer of Trinidadian descent from Bow, East London. He has released several albums, both as a solo artist and as part of groups, including Roll Deep and Pay As U Go. Wiley also has two clothing ranges in addition to his music. The performer announced his retirement in 2007 but quickly ended it to continue recording.

Wiley has pioneered the grime genre of UK garage, as both a record producer and MC, though he calls his music "eskibeat" or "eski", short for Eskimo. Wiley is therefore also known as Eski-boy. He explained his choice of name for his music and the continuing theme in his song and album titles such as Treddin' On Thin Ice, partly because he likes the wintertime, but mainly meaning cold in spirit. Wiley was quoted in conjunction with his "cold" theme: "Sometimes I just feel cold hearted. I felt cold at that time, towards my family, towards everyone. That's why I used those names."

This Grime genre Wiley helped to pioneer "emerged from the rave culture of the late nineteen-nineties, and will sound to most Americans like hip-hop performed by m.c.s with English accents and really fast raps". Rather than Hip Hop which is often dance music, "Grime sounds as if it had been made for a boxing gym, one where the fighters have a lot of punching to do but not much room to move".. Grime is a fast flow of rap with a london beat in the background using a Pumpkin Sound System. Like his self-named genre of 'eskibeat' or Eskimo, one of his first grime tracks was called Eskimo, and has been recently released on an album in the United States. In the most "hopped-up" track on the album, Destruction VIP, Wiley begins with music reminiscent of a police chase, and then leaps in with "'I know hungry—he said he don't know you. I know who's who, and who's who don't know you.' The music ping-pongs between half time and a faster tempo, seguing into the next verse". Wiley proclaims that though their "music was made for the whole country (of the UK)...now (they) want to take the music international". This album may have helped to pave the way for Grime in the United States, which has been shown by the acknowledgement of more recent Grime artists in nomination for music awards. In the 2005 MOBO awards, “artists from the scene called ‘grime’ - the uniquely British style of rap - were not only nominated against but beat superstar American rappers such as Snoop Dogg and The Game for the main awards”. However, widespread appreciation for Grime has still not been achieved since the members of the Roll Deep tour in New York City (including Wiley, MCs Scratchy, Taliban Trim, Flow Dan and DJ Karnage) often perform to an arena half-filled.

He has mentored, among others, the grime musician Dizzee Rascal. However, Wiley says that he has gained as much from Dizzee as Dizzee has from him, helping Wiley to expand his horizons. Wiley said, "I got energy from him. When he was growing up listening to me it was vice versa." Wiley and Dizzee have collaborated in some of their musical productions as well, including Run the Road, a series of compilations documenting the industry and energy of the grime genre. Unlike Dizzee however, Wiley has made it clear he will never change his origin to break into the mainstream.

Discography

Albums

• Treddin' On Thin Ice (2004)
• Da 2nd Phaze (2006)
• Playtime Is Over (2007)
• Grime Wave (2008)

Mixtapes

• "Tunnel Vision Vol.1"
• "Tunnel Vision Vol.2"
• Tunnel Vision Vol. 3
• "Tunnel Vision Vol.4"
• "Tunnel Vision Vol.5"
• "Tunnel Vision Vol.6"
• "Umbrella Vol.1"
• "£10 An Hour Vol.1"

Singles

Full singles

• "Wot Do U Call It?" (2004) UK #31
• "Pies (Wiley Song)" (2004) UK #45
• "Wearing My Rolex" (2008) UK #2

Promo singles

• "My Mistakes"
• "50/50"
• "Bow E3"
• "No Qualms"
• "Talaban""
• "Stormy Weather"
• "Gangsters"

Forthcoming albums

• Grime Wave (2008)
• The Race Against Time (due September 2008)

External links

• Template:MySpace
• Wiley on the Grimepedia