D Double E

U.K rapper/grime artist D Double E is a major player in the U.K. grime scene, having been one of the original artists to nurture the genre off the back of drum’n’bass, jungle, and garage. D Double E, born Darren Dixon, cut his teeth MC’ing to jungle beats at various London house parties; he quickly ascended to pirate radio. His close association with jungle helped him develop a fast style, so that when grime took its first steps he had to slow down his delivery. As his style developed he became known for blending elements of dancehall, grime, and rap into his verses. As the grime scene began to blossom, Dixon banded together with the likes of Ghetts, Kano, Marcus Nasty, Terror Danjah, and Dizzee Rascal to form N.A.S.T.Y. Crew. Dixon eventually parted ways with N.A.S.T.Y. due to a disagreement with then-leader Marcus Nasty. In 2014, he formed a smaller but no less effective group that included Monkstar and longtime friend Footsie, they called themselves Newham Generals after the area in London they hailed from. In 2004, Newham Generals signed to Dizzee Rascal’s independent label Dirtee Stank; soon after, Monkstar left the group due to ideological differences. As a duo, they went on to release their debut album, Generally Speaking, in 2009. By 2014, Dixon had started to focus on his solo career, in the process setting up his own label, Bluku Music, to showcase his work. He put out a number of tracks via the label in the following years — including 2015′s “Street Fighter Riddim” and 2017′s “That’s How I Like It” — while working with other artists in the interim. 2018 saw the arrival of his debut solo LP, Jackuum. ~ Liam Martin