Co-created by grime artist and MC Jammz, Blaze FM is the story of a pirate radio station determined to keep going amidst court orders and hatchet jobs. Jammz hand-picks a few tunes for us.
Champagne Dance – Pay As You Go
This was one of the first songs I heard that marked a direction away from Garage. It’s still got that 2-step wing but it’s darker, the lyrics were more stretched and you can hear Wiley at the start of his mission to reshape the sound of what we would come to know as Grime. It was a crossover moment for sure. Radio friendly, but still had an edge to it. Listening back now, it’s like you could hear the future in it.
Eskimo – Wiley
No vocals. No chorus. Remade on every Nokia 3310 composer, in every school, across the nation. (I wish I was exaggerating). This is Wiley at his best. No Frills. No fluff. Just stripped back pure genius. This was a precursor to what would for a time become known as Eskibeat. The crazy thing is, this could get played today, and still sound current. An all-time favourite of both MCs and casual listeners alike, and to top it off, 20 years later, it still gets the same reaction.
I Luv U – Dizzee Rascal
I still remember being on the 271, passing through Highbury corner when one of my mates passed me his walkman and told me to listen to the recording of the previous night’s radio set. He wanted me to hear this song, and when I heard it, I knew why. It was like nothing I’d ever heard before. The production was different to any other tune out at the time. But it felt familiar at the same time. This was nearly a year before the official video dropped, and when it did, things were never the same again. Dizzee was one of the first to show us that you could break through without having to water yourself down.
Wot Do U Call It? – Wiley
Still a classic. Wiley strikes again with his no nonsense approach to music. A question which a lot of us were asking at the time. What do you call it? Grime? Garage? Urban? 2 step? There were so many names which came before but none seemed to really stick. Eskibeat, sublet, 8 Bar. The reason I really love this song is because on the surface it’s questioning what we call this specific music, but on a deeper level this song really speaks about identity and where we belong in the UK. It seemed like an identity crisis at the time, but it was actually the birth of something game changing.
Serious – JME
JME for me represents what Grime is about at the core. DIY ethos. He made the beat. Wrote the lyrics, recorded it, and probably burnt the CD himself. At a time when major labels basically dictated the game, JME came through and gave us the blueprint on how to be independent, and do it well. When this came out it was a big reminder that authenticity and self belief will take you further than you can imagine. No co-signs needed.
Hit Then Run – Jammz
I couldn’t make a playlist and not include myself. Sorry not sorry. This was the track that shifted things for me. It came at a time when grime was re-entering public consciousness, but I didn’t want to ride the wave – I wanted to shape it. The tune was pure energy: radio-ready, but still raw. It caught fire and opened doors I’d been knocking on for years. It represents that middle ground between legacy and progression – new gen voice, old school attitude.
Next Hype – Tempa T
If you ask somebody to show you a Grime song, chances are, this will be one of the first three they mention. There’s not a rave in the UK where this will play, and nobody will mosh pit. Unapologetic and unfiltered, this is Tempa T at his best. This tune doesn’t get played. It plays YOU.
Shutdown – Skepta
Grime didn’t need permission to “return”. It didn’t go anywhere. Every few years mainstream cycles change and echoes of “Grime Is Dead” can be heard across forums and reddit communities online. Then someone like Skepta goes and does something like this. This song was a cultural reset. When many UK rappers and MCs were chasing fame and speaking about the luxuries of life, Skepta reminded us once again, that you can’t beat authenticity. He proved you could go global and still sound like your hometown.
1 Sec – Novelist, Mumdance
Another landmark song which changed things. Novelist and Mumdance took the DIY ethos and applied it to the sound of the genre. Minimalist, spacious, and aggressive. Showing everyone once again that as Grime MCs, we don’t need much, just us and a beat. This track represents the future facing side of Grime. Reloads are cool, but this is art too. A reminder that the genre never stands still. It just keeps moving.
Topper Top (feat. Big H, Bossman Birdie & President T) – Sir Spyro
This is a modern classic. Sir Pyro’s been a commanding figure in the genre for the past 10 years. From the days of his legendary Rinse FM show, to his unforgettable production for artists such as Ghetts, Story and Flowdan. Topper Top is one of the tunes that can get a reload in any corner of the globe. They rarely make them like this.
Blaze FM, 30 Jul-25 Aug, Pleasance Courtyard, 4.45pm