Event Review: ILuvLive (Kano & Mikey J Special) - 16th January 2012

First show of 2012 and the house reached full capacity. Tonight it cannot be argued, ILUVLIVE is surely the place to be! Industry individuals of every kind are in the building, from artists to managers and A&Rs to journalists, publicists and general music lovers alike! The word most definitely got out; the Kano & Mikey J special edition with guests like Maxsta, Roses Gabor and Ghetts was set to go off!!

That it definitely did! Ghetts never failing his reputation set the stage alight with a list of endless favourites. His set included tracks like Don't Phone Me, Artillery and of course Who's On The Panel, each keeping the audience highly entertained; singing and dancing with hands in the air. Ignited further by Kano running across the stage and back into the shadows, the audience is fully amped and going for it, intoxicated by the colossal energy source in front of them as a number of MCs jump on the stage bringing nostalgia to the present.

Atmosphere continuing to peak, it falls off the scale at the presence of Kano gracing the ILUVLIVE stage. The East London rapper has the house rocking and as he's joined on stage by North London's Wretch 32, the walls are surely about to start crumbling! Euphoric levels are off the richter scale, clearly depicted on every face in the venue. The guests just keep coming, it's hard to keep up! Mikey J of course is present as is Rapid and Lighter, but the most unexpected appearance coming from Napper, East London are holding the hotspot as the MCs continue to battle. But as the bars continue to drop, as do the reloads. The house is being burned to the ground!

Job complete, audience thoroughly entertained, the MCs leave the stage. Ras Kwame pays his own personal homage to Kano before hosting the open mic competition and closing the show. ILUVLIVE have started 2012 with an event sure to be talked about by every person present, and probably even those not present while wishing that they were. I know where I’ll be on February 13th when ILUVLIVE returns… Where will you be?

Get your online ticket for ILUVLIVE on 13th February here 

Also featured on the ILuvLive Facebook page and website

New Video: UTW (Under The Weather)

Stutta ft A.L, Mercston & Ghetts

Taken from the mixtape Girls And Music Vol2 - Download Free Here

New Video: Tell Me (Remix)

A.L. feat Mercston, Stutta & Ghetts

A.L. has returned once again with the remix video for her track 'Tell Me' produced by Footsteps. Coming with a whole new raw edge, Mercston, Stutta and Ghetts have joined her on the track giving it a grime flavour....

Tell Me is due for release on 1st December 2011 via iTunes

Event Review: Musicalize - 28th April 2011

Pledged to be the only place worth being tonight, I head down to Alto in Soho, London for the Musicalize showcase hosted by Double M and presented by Claira Hermet in hope to be entertained by some great live performances. Ghetts headlining and many great upcoming acts on the bill, the prospect is promising...

Starting behind schedule, my lateness doesn't impede as I arrive just at the right time to get a drink before the first act Hannah Trigwell steps up to the stage with electric guitar in hand. Warming up the audience with a 5 set performance, it holds the audience well. Rapper Trixta follows up with a set boasting plenty of vocal energy. It's definitely warming up inside! I'm intrigued what other underground talents are going to be unearthed tonight?

Next act Leighanna kicks off with a cover of Rhianna's Rehab and continues with various other numbers to complete an impressive set. Mike Hough then seduces the audience with strong vocals that have many of the ladies in the audience screaming throughout his set. Rapper Rea leads us into the interval with another high powered set concluding the first half of the night

Time for the second half and Bianca Monet's delightful melodies have the audience bouncing... Another song added to her set would have definitely been appreciated; it's evident within her applause.

Up next is beat-boxer R-Tizt who has the cameras and phones coming out promptly. The audience is thoroughly tuned into the sounds coming from his mouth. Going through various genres in turn the audience is thoroughly engaged, entertained and appreciative.

When D.Walker takes to the stage, immediately it's sexy time! Starting off with Usher's There Goes My Baby merged into Hey Lover then Jodeci's Freek n You, D.Walker suddenly let's off some vocals that prove his range is more than bargained for. Ending his medley with Ginuwine's In Those Jeans, D.Walker goes into his own numbers keeping the audience thoroughly tuned in awe.

Up next are some surprise performances; Jack Leon Colton does an acoustic set mellowing out the mood. Picked right back up again when Snakeyman takes to the stage, followed up by Mr Faizer. Heavy beats are bumping through the venue and Mr Faizer is riding them like a jockey!

SplurgeBoys step up and bring it back with some old skool vibes, the audience are feeling the atmosphere. Treated to some remixes, I can see a few people pulling some skanks out the bag.

Deja Fate follows up with a set that grabs the attention of many. Vocals with the power to entrap the eardrums, the audience claps along to the beat and cheer as his guitarist does a solo. Breaking into some drum and bass the audience is thoroughly bubbling.

Headliner time... Finally, after a few technical difficulties and anxious moments, Ghetts starts his set and the energy is alive in magnitude not defying reputation. Joined by A.L. for a 2011 rendition of 'Inna Di Ghetto' the crowd are vibrant and cheering. Going into another rendition, this time 'Closer to my Dreams' the crowd are showing how much they appreciate it with power invested deeply into their head movements. Ghetts goes on to strongly affirm that he is a legend in the making. The beats are hard, vocals hard and the audience are mesmerised. The electricity between A.L. and Ghetts is

complementary to each other, this performance is on a level that can only be saluted. Getting into more new material, Ghetts goes back to dancing around the stage and spitting those heavy bars that keep his fans remaining loyal. Bringing Dollar the Dustman & Bruts to the stage, it's completely set alight as the bars tear the place apart! Don't phone me is ringing through but the lyrical pressure is too much! A.L. returns and shows that she can tear down the stage in exactly the same way with 'Artillery'. The pair are showing off more of arsenal that Ghetts holds under his belt. Following up to duet Who's on the Panel the set is wrapped up in total Ghetts style.

Photography by Lammy

New Music: Tell Me 2011

I've been awaiting A.L. to let me know when the video shoot is taking place for this one. I'm well excited. I absolutely loved the original of the track when it was originally released on the Funky circuit in 2009. Now Footsteps and AL have teamed up with Ghetts, Mercston and Stutta to release it with a brand new flavour and breaking the track in to a whole different genre!

What do you think?

A.L. is currently sending this track out to DJs. If you would like a copy make sure you get in touch with A.L. via her twitter: @ALOfficial

New Video: Ghetts - Who's On The Panel

If you missed the MTV Base Best MCs of 2010 debate, you can find a good run down on Marvin Spark's blog.... (I'm also awaiting the unedited version of the debate to be posted online, edited footage has a habit of not displaying the entire picture). But if you'd just like a simple display of results, the list went as follows:

10. Lowkey/Chipmunk
9. D Double E
8. P Money
7. Devlin
6. Giggs
5. Wiley
4. Professor Green
3. Skepta
2. Dizzie Rascal
1. Tinie Tempah

As you can imagine, many didn't agree with the above list. Some names didn't deserve any position, some deserved better, some names (like Ghetts, Wretch32, JME, Griminal, Scorcher) that should've been included were forgotten!!

Instant rage for Ghetts!!! He unleashes his fire!!!

The buzz is high right now!! I hope Ghetts uses it to the best of his advantage and drops us a new mixtape some time soon.... Or even an album!

Pow 2011 Official Video

Lethal B featuring JME, Wiley, Face, Chipmunk, P Money, Ghetts & Kano.

The track highly anticipated and going up against Tinchy Stryder's Game Over to be favoured within the grime scene, collaborates a number of artist to revive the classic original from Lethal Bizzle released in 2004. The video, directed by Carly Cussen, was also highly anticipated and reached over 50,000 YouTube views within 2 days.

Wiley's lack of attendace has been noted once again and not appreciated amongst the ranks..... But most are loving the video and track, whilst some feel that the classic should've been left alone. Released for download in February 2011, the figures will speak for themselves.

Ghetts Impression of Wiley

To view the full video go to the Cut The Chat website where you can view many other episodes too!!

Game Over Remix

Tinchy Stryder feat. Ghetts, Slix, Griminal, Dot Rotten, Fuda Guy,
Wretch 32, Roachee & Maxsta

When the original dropped there was more than enough opinion flying around about who had been featured and who should’ve or shouldn’t have. The original is a great track commercially and Tinchy Stryder has done something quite remarkable as to take the criticisms that were thrown at him and deliver what has been requested. Pleasing the underground circuit in the process. I wonder if those who got mouthy upon the original release are wishing they had been a little more reserved.

Personally, whilst the original caused a great level of jumping excitement within, the remix had me stunned… Go Figure!

Lethal Bizzle - Pow 2011 Remix

(Featuring JME, Wiley, Kano, P Money, 2 Face, Ghetts and Chipmunk)

What Do You Think??