I’m happy to admit that, prior to That’s Not Me, my interest in the grime scene and its key players was minimal. As an angry 15 year old, I’d listened to Boy In Da Corner, hopelessly trying to spit along to I Luv U, but when Wiley and Skepta started putting out tracks like Heatwave and Make Peace Not War, I thought I’d better look elsewhere to vent my angst. However, it is clear that those dark days are long forgotten, as grime circulates on a worldwide level rather than the underground one it once did. Skepta, J.M.E and Stormzy are all leading on from where Wiley and D Double E left off, and the hype surrounding the scene right now was exemplified by the hype surrounding the release of Skepta’s fifth album, Konnichiwa.
It is undoubtedly, for me, the raw, gritty sound associated with Grime that gives it its appeal; the fearlessness and honesty of the lyrics and the fact it is solely British. It is clear from the off that this album will be a clash between Skepta’s North London roots and the international world he now finds himself in. Title track Konnichiwa initiates an on-going, ominous tone that continues throughout the album, harnessing oriental sounds to bring it about. Then comes the siren announcing Skepta’s imminent entrance before he bursts through in punchy, unmistakable fashion. Not only is it the classic heavy grime beat which lays beneath the words, but Skepta’s frequent nods to where the scene began that gives this track its charm. ‘Pop like the fifth of November,’ is a lyric likely to go into an American’s ear and out the other, and I think that’s great.
These references for the British audience and OG fans continues over the next few tracks, with Skepta mentioning his Devilman clash in Lyrics, ‘You saw the blood on Devilman’s shirt’ whilst allowing entry for Novelist to take the stage for the new generation on the same track. On certain albums, the use of interludes works really well, adding dimensions to the albums message, however this is not one of those albums. A painfully rehearsed phone call between Skepta and Chip features at the end of Corn On The Curb and exemplifies why their use simply for the sake of it is unnecessary and cringe-worthy. This section of heavy beats and angry verses comes to a climax in the form of It Ain’t Safe, a spit-along lyrical banger which will never get old, before we hit the wall I knew would come. Ever since the famous Wireless link up in 2015, an Americanisation and morphing to suit a new audience has been inevitable. As Ladies Hit Squad starts, you almost expect Drizzy to come in with a half-singing-half-rapping hook like a knock-off 'Hotline Bling'. D Double E drops a dodgy verse at the start, but I guess you could use this track as an argument that Anglo-American link ups could work. However, Numbers, produced by and featuring Pharrell is exactly why they don’t. Laboursome and overproduced, it never seems to take off. I mean, if Pharrell asked anyone to go into the studio with him they’d say yes, but it seems that he didn’t have a grasp on what grime is, and Skepta didn’t have the guts to tell him. Of course, That’s Not Me and Shutdown make features, and they’ll always go down a treat at a house party, but I feel like they could have been left out to perhaps make room for some new classics.
Overall, Konnichiwa manages to meet the wishes of all audiences, providing forceful old school beats and bars for the OG fans whilst calling on feature artists and a more soppy side to bring the scene into 2016. With the likes of Pharrell and Nast making appearances, Skepta is certain to be making waves in the big leagues of American rap right now, I only hope he can retain his unadulterated, urban passion as he inevitably continues to grow and grow.
KWAVA SCORE: 7/10