Two leaders of the UK underground have united for an unexpected but seamless collaboration. The mysterious masked producer known as Zomby has grabbed a freestyle from Wiley, the godfather of grime, and created "Step 2001," a throwback tune that comes at a time when the genre is getting maximum exposure.
Zomby's instrumentals often bear a grime skeleton, and Wiley's "eskibeat" movement, which started in the early 2000s, has been one of his biggest inspirations. Zomby's latest is a dark, pummeling club beat with a wobbling bassline that shifts carefully along with the grime star's intricate paragraphs, each one emphatically delivered at breakneck speed. The riddim is a banger on its own, but it's hollow and rigid enough for the Boy Better Know emcee to quickly take control.
The one drawback of the tune is that Wiley's vocals are recycled from a 2013 freestyle "Step 20," though Zomby makes it sound like an organic collaboration. And "Step 2001" feels relevant in 2015, as Wiley raps about being considered an up-and-coming "U.K. rapper" by uninformed bloggers when he's been the leader of an underground movement for almost 15 years.
The all-bars, no-hooks record is an ode to longtime grime fans who have seen their beloved genre gain U.S. recognition, as Drake has collaborated with Skepta, and as Kanye West brought out nearly every member of grime's new guard on stage at this year's BRIT Awards.
Though many genre purists were apprehensive of the sudden cosign, Wiley was happy to see a major artist promote the scene of which he's long been at the forefront. Just don't expect him to water down his sound.
In early 2012, Wiley began releasing a series of "Step" freestyles, many of which have since become fan favorites. "Step 1" through "Step 20" were compiled on to his It's All Fun & Games Till Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 mixtapes.
The track will be available for digital purchase and will be out on 12" vinyl on Sept. 24 via Big Dada Records.
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