Boy Better Know

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Boy Better Know
BBK transparent.png
Boy Better Know logo
Background information
Also known asBBK
Origin London, England
Genres Grime
Years active2005–present
LabelsBoy Better Know
Members
Past members
Website boybetterknow.com

Boy Better Know, often abbreviated as BBK, is a British grime collective and record label. The collective was founded in North London in 2005 as an independent record label by brothers Jamie and Joseph Adenuga, better known as Jme and Skepta, respectively. The former also serves as a sole owner and director of an associated company, Boy Better Know Limited, incorporated in 2008. [1] All members of the collective use the record label as a means to publish their music, and is digitally distributed by The Orchard, a subsidiary of Sony Music.

Contents

History

In the early 2000s, Meridian Crew, consisting of MCs President T, Skepta, Jme, Big H, Bossman Birdie, Meridian Dan and Paper Pabs regularly appeared on pirate radio stations, including Heat FM and later on Déjà Vu FM. [2] In 2005, Meridian Crew dissolved after affiliates of the crew were convicted on attempted murder charges. [3] After this event, Jme founded Boy Better Know alongside his brother Skepta while other Meridian members reformed as Meridian Bloodline, known later simply as Bloodline. [4] [5]

In its early period, "Boy Better Know" was well known for its line of eponymous T-shirts. The crew also had a regular show on Rinse FM with DJ Maximum. [6] Jme's debut album, Famous?, was released on the label in 2008. [7] "Too Many Man", the first single from the album, was released on 25 May 2009. [8] The song is also featured on the Wiley and Skepta albums, Race Against Time and Microphone Champion , respectively. The song was written because of Skepta's annoyance over 'the lack of women in clubs'. It entered the UK Singles Chart on 6 June 2009 at number 97, reaching number 79 the next week. [9] The second single from the album V.I.P, titled "Goin' In", was released for download on iTunes on 13 December 2009.

Jme's second studio album, Blam! , was released on 4 October 2010. Three singles from this album were released; "Over Me", "Sidetracked", which features Wiley, and "CD is Dead" featuring UK grime artist Tempa T.

In 2008, Boy Better Know pioneered a short-lived dance fad called the "Rolex Sweep" which accompanied the song of the same name by Skepta. [10] [11]

In November 2011, Boy Better Know Mobile was established, a 3G network which leases network bandwidth from Hutchison 3G. [12] This venture was ended in mid-2013.

In October 2018, Wiley began a feud with Skepta and Dizzee Rascal over Skepta working with Dizzee on the track 'Money Right'. [13] [14] On 19 November Wiley released the track 'Flip the Table', where he refers to Dizzee as the 'Grime scene quitter'. [15]

Notable Members & Previous Members

Musicians

DJs & Producers

Potential Members & Previous Members

Musicians


DJs & Producers

Discography

Albums, Mixtapes & EPs

^ = Released on CTA Records; not released via Boy Better Know Records

Singles

YearTitlePeak chart positionsAlbum
UK
2009"Too Many Man"79V.I.P
2010"Goin' In"
2018"Athlete"
(featuring Goldie1)
Non-album single

Related Research Articles

Grime is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) that emerged in London in the early 2000s. It developed out of the earlier UK dance style UK garage, and draws influences from jungle, dancehall, and hip hop. The style is typified by rapid, syncopated breakbeats, generally around 140 beats per minute, and often features an aggressive or jagged electronic sound. Emceeing is a significant element of the style, and lyrics often revolve around gritty depictions of urban life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roll Deep</span> British grime crew formed by Wiley in 2001

Roll Deep are a British grime crew. They were founded in 2001 by Wiley shortly before the disbandment of UK garage crew Pay As U Go Cartel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kano (British musician)</span> British rapper

Kane Brett Robinson, better known as Kano, is a British rapper, songwriter and actor from East Ham, London. A significant contributor to grime music, he is widely considered one of the pioneers of the grime culture, alongside artists such as Wiley and Dizzee Rascal. His fifth album, Made in the Manor was shortlisted for the 2016 Mercury Prize and won Best Album at the 2016 MOBO Awards. On screen, he is best known for playing the role of Sully in Top Boy.

Run the Road is a series of compilations released on 679 Recordings and Vice. It is intended to showcase a wide variety of grime artists from the genre such as Dizzee Rascal, Wiley and Kano.

DaVinChe is a British record producer and songwriter from South London, England who is best known as one of the pioneer producers in the UK grime scene. His notable works include Kano's "Brown Eyes" and "P's and Q's", Mez Featuring Stormzy "Lex Luther", Giggs and Shola Ama "Blow Em' Away", Bashy featuring Wretch 32's "Male Pride", Tinie Tempah's "Tears", Tinchy Stryder's "Something About Your Smile", and a funky house hit collaboration with long time friends DJ Perempay and Katie Pearl "Something in the Air".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tinchy Stryder</span> Ghanaian-British rapper, singer-songwriter and entrepreneur (born 1986)

Kwasi Esono Danquah III, known by the stage name Tinchy Stryder, is a British rapper, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur and investor.

Mizz Beats is a record producer and DJ from London. She has collaborated with Skepta, Dizzee Rascal and Roots Manuva, D Smoke, Sir (singer), Tiffany Gouché, Terrace Martin

The discography of Tinchy Stryder, a recording artist whose real name is Kwasi Danquah, consists of four studio albums, one compilation album, one collaboration album, five extended plays, four mixtapes, 17 singles, five singles as a featured artist, and ten collaborations. Danquah has sold over 22.2 million digital singles worldwide. Danquah performed under the stage name Stryder from 1997 to 2006, and has performed under the stage name Tinchy Stryder since 2006.

<i>Street Anthems</i> 2009 greatest hits album by Roll Deep

Street Anthems is a compilation album by Roll Deep, released on 19 October 2009. It features well-known tracks from 2001 to 2009 and some previously unreleased tracks, showing the early days of grime and Roll Deep, as well as presenting tracks from the early members of Roll Deep such as Dizzee Rascal, Tinchy Stryder, Syer Barz, Trim, Bubbles, Biggie Pitbull etc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skepta</span> British rapper and record producer (born 1982)

Joseph Olaitan Adenuga Jr., known professionally as Skepta, is a British grime MC, rapper, record producer and DJ. Alongside his younger brother Jme, he briefly joined Roll Deep before they became founding members of Boy Better Know in 2005. With Boy Better Know, Skepta clashed with fellow MC Devilman for the video release Lord of the Mics 2, in what is remembered as one of the biggest clashes in grime history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jme</span> British grime MC (born 1985)

Jamie Adenuga, known professionally as Jme, is a British grime MC, songwriter, record producer and DJ who was born in Hackney, and raised in Tottenham. He is the co-founder of the crew and label Boy Better Know. He also serves as a sole owner and director of an associated company, Boy Better Know Limited, which he incorporated in 2008. He was previously part of the grime collective Meridian Crew and later Roll Deep alongside his older brother, Skepta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skepta discography</span>

The following is a discography of Skepta, a British MC from Tottenham, London. He is a producer and DJ commonly associated with the North London grime scene, including Roll Deep and Boy Better Know. Skepta released his debut album Greatest Hits on 17 September 2007. It was released on the Boy Better Know label. Skepta self-released the first single "Rolex Sweep" in September 2008, which reached number 89 on the UK Singles Chart. He released the album Microphone Champion on 1 June 2009. The single "Too Many Man", with JME, Wiley, Frisco and Shorty, charted at number 79.

Brandon James Theophilus Jolie, known professionally as Maniac, is a British grime producer. Maniac has produced for various artists such as Wiley, Tinchy Stryder, and Chip.

Ruff Sqwad are an English grime crew. The group was formed in 2001 in Bow, East London. Various members and affiliates of the crew are considered key figures in the early development of grime music.

<i>Im Back U Know</i> 2006 mixtape by Tinchy Stryder

I'm Back U Know is the first of 3 mixtapes by Tinchy Stryder, It was released on 2 March 2006 on the label Boy Better Know. The mixtape sees Stryder rapping with big-name rappers such as Wiley, Kano and Flow Dan from the grime collective Roll Deep. Featuring 17 original productions with Stryder on the mic from start to finish with tracks including big grime hits such as "I'm Pro", "96 Bars" and "1 of them Days".

<i>The Ascent</i> (Wiley album) 2013 studio album by Wiley

The Ascent is the ninth studio album by English rapper and producer Wiley. The album was released on 1 April 2013, by Warner Music Group and Boy Better Know, after being delayed twice. The Ascent succeeds Evolve or Be Extinct which was released in January 2012. The album features a variety of experimental genres, varying from dance pop to grime.

Dean Fullman, best known by his stage name DJ Slimzee, is an English DJ who currently hosts a show on Rinse FM, returning from his previous show on NTS. He is best known for his show on pirate radio station Rinse FM in the early noughties and its influential role in the development of grime music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Too Many Man</span> 2009 Single by Boy Better Know

"Too Many Man" is the debut single by English grime group Boy Better Know, released on 25 May 2009. It broke into the UK singles chart on 6 June 2009, peaking at #79 the following week.

Deshane Cornwall, known professionally as Frisco, is a British grime MC, songwriter and record producer who is part of the Boy Better Know (BBK) music label which includes Jme, Skepta, Jammer, among others. He has released three solo albums and a series of mixtapes, guested on tracks by his label mates and established a successful monthly grime event in East London, contributing to the popularity of grime within the UK music scene.

Pay As U Go or Pay As U Go Cartel were a UK garage crew formed in 2000. In 2002, the collective achieved a No. 13 UK hit with "Champagne Dance". After Pay As U Go disbanded, Wiley went on to form the grime crew Roll Deep with fellow Pay As U Go members. Roll Deep would eventually include prominent artists such as Dizzee Rascal, Tinchy Stryder and Skepta.

References

  1. "BOY BETTER KNOW LTD people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". Companies House . Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  2. "I am nothing but a grime MC": Introducing Meridian Dan (14 April 2014). ""I am nothing but a grime MC": Introducing Meridian Dan". fabric blog. Fabriclondon.com. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  3. "BBC NEWS – UK – Gunman who gloated in rap jailed". 25 February 2005. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  4. "Niet compatibele browser". Facebook. Archived from the original on 3 December 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  5. Adabra, Michelle (25 August 2005). "Boy Better Know Now", New Nation (602): 15.
  6. "Maximum – Rinse FM". RinseFM. Archived from the original on 9 October 2015.
  7. "Jme – Famous?". Ukrecordshop.com. 14 July 2008. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  8. "Bigga Fish Bigga Valentine's Bash @ matter, Tues 16th Feb". altsounds. 23 January 2010. Archived from the original on 29 January 2010. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  9. "UK Singles & Albums Chart Archive – Boy Better Know – Too Many Man". Official Charts Company. 13 June 2009. Archived from the original on 5 June 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  10. "Fresh links: do the Rolex sweep!". The Guardian. London. 1 April 2008. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  11. Mistajam (17 June 2008). "MistaJam: Coldplay do the Rolex Sweep". BBC. Archived from the original on 25 April 2019. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  12. "Boy Better Know launch pay as you go mobile network Archived 29 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine ", The Wire (magazine).
  13. "Wiley calls out Skepta for working with Dizzee Rascal: 'Why is everyone such a pr**k?'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 30 November 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  14. "Wiley calls Skepta and Dizzee Rascal "paigons" in rant on Instagram Stories". Mixmag. Archived from the original on 1 December 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  15. "'The war has officially started' – Wiley takes aim at Dizzee Rascal and Skepta in new track 'Flip The Table'". NME. 19 November 2018. Archived from the original on 30 November 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  16. "The Wiley-Dizzee-Skepta beef triangle explained". NME. 3 March 2019.