As I’ve mentioned before I can’t stand any of the major breakfast DJs so have my car stereo tuned to Radio 4 (I find listening to news of the world’s imminent collapse on Today much less annoying than even 30 seconds of Chris Moyles). However if I get home after 7 I find that I’ve missed the excellent PM show and whilst I may be slipping gently into my 30s I’m not yet prepared to listen to The Archers and so I occasionally turn back to Radio 1.
Last time I did I discovered, courtesy of the slightly annoying Zane Lowe, 138 Noise and tonight Mr Lowe came up trumps again. This time the track that got me jigging in my car in a manner which really isn’t appropriate for a man nearer to 40 than 20 was Against All Odds by Chase & Status, with grime star Kano supplying the vocals. As with other recent cross-over hits by grime artists (and I have no doubt that it will be a hit) such as Wearing My Rolex & Dance Wiv Me, it sees these (undoubtedly talented) British rappers drop the rather down-beat personas they often portray on record for something a lot more upbeat.
And whilst I’m all in favour of artists keeping it real & telling it like it is, if it’s a choice between listening to another slow, slightly depressing grime opus, or a bit of old-school hip-hop, with a very funky (drummer) beat, some neat samples and great rhymes, I’ll take the latter any day of the week. And if it gives Kano the recognition he deserves, but has failed to gain despite numerous awards, then I hope that the British public do too.