D Double E, the man quite rightly named the ‘Lyrical Farda‘, has been in the grime scene since day one. He is considered one of the legends of grime, and has stayed true to the underground sound to which he gained his popularity all those years ago. Personally, he’s up there with my favourite grime artists, and has therefore truly gained his place in our Grime Royalty Hall of Fame.
“Don’t you know us man are foundation,
Man try to slew me on radio station,
I’m too busy spitting bars in another nation“
Originating from Forest Gate (E7), London, in his early days D Double E focused on building his name on London’s pirate airwaves, including the notorious Deja Vu FM. His style made an instant impact on the scene, the originality behind his flow and general sound being unlike anything heard at the time. His signature echo “Oooaahhh ooaahhh” and other classic trademark gestures let audiences know D Double was about to step on the mic, building hype and arousing excitement in all cases. His legacy got off to a flying start with underground classics such as ‘Prangman’, ‘Frontline’ and ‘Signal‘.
He has climbed the ranks in the scene, progressing through a spectrum of collectives such as the 187 Crew with Jammer, as well as the Nasty Crew, which he later left with Footsie and Monkstarr. These MCs, along with DJ Tubby, later established the grime collective Newham Generals, who are now amongst the most respected and critically acclaimed underground acts in the UK today. As grime MCs soften their music in light of renewed mainstream interest, the Generals stand firm – continually versioning the biggest underground beats and working with some of the most credible producers in the country.
With a heavy and dark dub-based sound, the appeal of Newham Generals has expanded into vast new depths, and I speak from personal experience when I say there are few (if any) UK urban artists who put on a better live show. Their 2009 debut album ‘Generally Speaking’ was a melting pot of creativity, versatility and originality, and proved it was possible to widen the sound of grime without compromising it’s hard edge. Featuring some of the most revered verses from the Generals‘ pirate radio career, ‘Generally Speaking’ was a pivotal moment in grime, surpassing many expectations.
In terms of work rate, D Double E has always had a consistent flow of content. A mixture of album and EP releases both solo and as part of Newham Generals have kept the heat rolling since the pirate radio days; check out the ‘5 Star General EP‘ which dropped earlier this year, and has received nothing but 5-star ratings on iTunes. Being one of grime’s originators, D Double is almost a father figure and is massively respected, as well as being a big personality in the game. He is widely known as a joker, which you’ll probably remember us discussing in a previous HTF Grime Weekly. Above all, he has mastered his lyrical ability and has the flow and content to compete with the best in the game; his input to the ‘Gate E7‘ video below says it all.
What are your thoughts on D Double E? How long have you been a fan? Feel as if any other artists deserve a spot in our Hall of Fame? Leave a comment with your thoughts below!
