Having roots in Trinidad, Wiley is one of the original founders of the Grime music genre which emerged in East London. His earliest recordings date back to 1997, when Wiley featured on pirate radio rapping over jungle beats. Three years later he joined 'The Hit Squad' garage crew with school friends DJ Target and MC Maxwell D. They achieved some success on the UKG scene but then decided to merge with rival crew 'Pay As U Go' to form a 'Super Crew'. The collective achieved a UK#40 with 'Champagne Dance' in 2002.
Soon after, the crew disintegrated due to the power of the individual members who had differing ideas of the direction the crew should take. Wiley went on to form the 'Roll Deep' collective, which included Dizzee Rascal and Tinchy Stryder as MCs. They were making music deriving from UK Garage, which, for a while, didn't even have a name. The label 'grime' was the one that stuck.
From 2001, Wiley produced a few instrumental singles, most famous 'Eskimo', 'Avalanche' and 'Ice Rink'. This led to his record deal with XL Recordings. In 2004, Wiley released his debut album 'Treddin' on Thin Ice', which includes 'Wot Do U Call It?', a record questioning what name should be given to his music. Reviews made comparisons between Wiley and his previous labelmate Dizzee Rascal, who had achieved success with 'Boy in Da Corner' the previous year. During this period, Wiley occasionally referred to his music as 'Eski' - short for 'Eskibeat' – the name he initially gave to Grime. He explained his choice of name for his music and the continuing theme in his song and album titles such as 'Treddin' on Thin Ice', partly because he likes the wintertime, but mainly meaning cold in spirit.
Then finally, in May 2008, Wiley found mainstream chart success with 'Wearing My Rolex'. People saw this as him selling out: the instrumentation, such as the slower house style beat and lack of sub bass, caused some unrest within the Grime scene, as Wiley had previously vowed that he would never change his origin to break into the mainstream. In the same month, Wiley released the album Grime Wave, which was described by The Times as a 'very pre-Rolex' (brilliant description! :-) album, with its roots firmly based in the harsh, bass-heavy rhythms of the scene.
Wiley feat. Skepta - Wearing My Rolex (2008)
UK#2, IRL#31, DK#32
Wiley 'Wearing My Rolex' - Director: Kim Gehrig from Tom Lindsay on Vimeo.
DSK - What Would We Do (1991)
Lyrics:
What would we do?
Usually drink, usually dance, usually bubble
All I want to do is tell you I love you
That's when I start promising the world
To a brand new girl I don't even know yet
Next thing shes wearing my rolex
What would we do?
Usually drink, usually dance, usually bubble
Usually drink, usually dance, usually bubble
What would we do?
Usually drink, usually dance, usually bubble
All I want to do is tell you I love you
All I want to do is tell you I love you
That's when I start promising the world
To a brand new girl I don't even know yet
Next thing shes wearing my rolex
Too much shamps don't know where my phone is
Heres my number, she already knows it
This chapters alot, better close it,
Just the look in her eye was so evil
Wileys a party guy and she knows it
What would we do?
Usually drink, usually dance, usually bubble
All I want to do is tell you I love you
That's when I start promising the world
To a brand new girl I don't even know yet
Next thing shes wearing my rolex
What would we do?
Usually drink, usually dance, usually bubble
All I want to do is tell you I love you
That's when I start promising the world
To a brand new girl I don't even know yet
Next thing shes wearing my rolex
What would we do?
Usually drink, usually dance, usually bubble
Usually drink, usually dance, usually bubble
What would we do?
Usually drink, usually dance, usually bubble
All I want to do is tell you I love you
All I want to do is tell you I love you
That's when I start promising the world
To a brand new girl I don't even know yet
Next thing shes wearing my rolex
Too much shamps don't know where my phone is
Heres my number, she already knows it
This chapters alot, better close it
Just the look in her eye was so evil
Wileys a party guy, and she knows it
What would we do?
Usually drink, usually dance, usually bubble
All I want to do is tell you I love you
That's when I start promising the world
To a brand new girl I don't even know yet
Next thing shes wearing my rolex
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