DJ Dibnah: What Do You Call It? mix accompanies David Kane’s book
David Kane’s new book, What Do You Call It? From Grassroots to the Golden Era of UK Rap, out now via Velocity Press, explores the history of UK rap. Here’s the press blurb:
In July 2019, eleven years after Jay-Z became the first hip-hop artist to headline Glastonbury, Stormzy became the first English rapper to follow suit. Wearing a customised stab-proof vest designed by Banksy, the South London rapper delivered an explosive performance and finished by thanking the “legends for paving the way,” name-checking Wiley, Dizzee Rascal, and Giggs. Despite how unlikely it seemed for decades, UK rap was now firmly a part of pop music and the greater hip-hop canon.
Rich, nuanced, and often misunderstood, the history of UK rap is a story of music that refused to stand still. Factoring in socioeconomics, gender, identity, music industry disruption, and innovation, What Do You Call It? charts the artform’s first four decades, beginning when rap landed on our island in the early 1980s. Shaped by sound system culture, inspired by punk, and accelerated by rave, it has evolved from Britcore, UK hip-hop, and trip-hop of the late twentieth century to garage, grime, and drill.
Through cultural theory, historical research, and original interviews with key figures and collaborators in the UK rap scene, from pioneers like Malcolm McLaren, Soul II Soul, Tricky, Roots Manuva, and Roll Deep to modern artists like Dave, CASISDEAD, Little Simz, Loyle Carner, and Skengdo x AM, adds a rich human dimension to the UK rap story — one that helped change British music and culture forever.
A mix to accompany the book has been constructed by Kane’s friend DJ Dibnah – listen below.
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“Unravels the complicated calculus between hip-hop and its offshoots (UK garage, grime, drill) against a backdrop of resistance (the Met police’s highly controversial Form 696/Operation Domain policies) with mathematical precision and a genuine fans warmth”
MOJO (4 STARS)
“Kane builds bridges in a rich musical universe full of heroes and villains—and plot twists. With an inimitable style, he merges culture high and low to bring new meaning to the music. What Do You Call It? is a landmark tome for UK rap music.”
Wax Poetics
DJ Dibnah’s musical journey started in lo-fi bands on the east London pub circuit of the 00s, inspired by bands like Pavement and the Silver Jews. In recent years he has developed an interest in electronic beats and remained true to his teenage love for hip-hop. His mix for the release of What Do You Call It? takes in classic era Britcore, and early 00s UK hip-hop, together with a few unexpected contemporary heaters.
1. How’s Life In London – London Posse
2. From The South – Cookie Crew
3. Organised Rhyme – MC Duke
4. Both – Headie One
5. Council Estate Of Mind – Skinnyman
6. Zero – Klashnekoff
7. High Plains Anthem – Jehst
8. All Hallows’ – CASSisDEAD
9. Tierney Terreace – Loyle Carner
10. Smoke With Me – Children Of Zeus
