Earlier this year, the UK network MTVBase aired a special about the UK’s best emcees of 2010, which was determined through a panel-points system. It was widely publicized and developed into quite an event, and rightly so, considering the UK's urban talent pool is finally being recognized globally. Twitter and blogs went abuzz with all-out rejections of certain people, as well as new suggestive lists written up. Of the new entries, there were expectedly a few constants. Ghetts, Kano and Dot Rotten fans appeared on forums with severe expletives as to why they should have been put on. Ghetts even took it further releasing a music video dissing the panel and the selected. But another name also surfaced with regularity: Durrty Goodz. The difference with him, however, was a lack of ludacracy on those same forums regarding his omission. It wasn’t surprising; in fact, it's almost become expected.
Doogz has been the most underrated artist since grime had artists of recognition to begin with. Personally, I’ve never understood this. One factor may be his rapid-style which may lose listeners; yet I find it to be one of the most punctuating and clear dialects within British grime. Maybe it’s his refusal to sacrifice his musical style for money, having rejected numerous label deals. Perhaps it’s his output consistency, which is relatively minimal in the hungry-for-moar mentality of grime fans. This would seem to be the best hypothesis, however no one can really knock Doogz' work ethic. That’s because when his releases are put forth, it’s a fucking mad ting. The quality-over-quantity discussion runs ramped over the waves, and Goodz is the primary example of the former. Whatever the reason, it has become standard practice to deny Durrty Goodz the due recognition. But every time ‘a season, man comes out of seclusion to shake up the scene and silence all critics. It’s these moments of musical reverence as to why I maintain that Goodz is the most underrated of artists, the best MC alive on the planet, and maybe single most talented rapper since Tupac. There I said it. Now let me give a run down on why this is the case.
First, if you haven’t read my initial review on Goodz back in early 2009, check it here. As a stated then, Goodz uses banging dubstep and grime tracks to bestow himself to listeners. Though whereas many grime emcees use pop or house beats to gain favor, Goodz does it on the flip-side using ace producers of grimey, bass-heavy, dark-sythed tracks. This has allowed the rapper to stay true to himself, while bulding a dedicated following, primarily asserting himself as a grime artist. Meanwhile his counter-parts tend to be percieved as selling out toward commercial ends. His speed, clarity, and variance define him as an undisputable top-rated lyricist in the trade, sans national borders. What makes a good emcee overall, and especially in the grime scene, is all brought out in Durrty Goodz.
WAR: In recent years grime has moved away from the battle antics that made it so popular to the public eye, as it illuminated the skills of unheard British talent. Wiley’s infamous Eskidance event was one of the single most popular showcases of grime talent. Wiley steady built his reputation clashing, and annihilating emcees on his own platform. That is, until Goodz came along to become the only emcee to clash Wiley and win outright. The years after that, war dubs toward the emcee became more difficult as he regressed off the radar. Even then, if put to the test man will clash and beat anyone. Props.
VERSATILITY: Doogz has demonstrated his versatility time and time again. He has said he considers all of the urban music genres to be hip-hop, in its original sense. And like so, he released his album last year to critical acclaim. KRS-1 vocal samples litter the album, which features appearances from Steve Marley, Caron Wheeler, and Goodz brother Crazy Titich. Goodz also released it as a free giveaway online. The album’s depth solidified Doogz as not only a grime emcee, but a lyricist all his own. Prior to that, his Axiom EP had him riding DnB tempos with ease, as well as the legendary “Switching Songs II”, which had him changing his delivery and style over classic garage riddims. The follow up release “Ultrasound” was equally versatile featuring tracks of 4/4 electro (mocking the scensters), R&B, grime and dubstep.
DEPTH: Goodz' music runs deep. His musical references substantiate this, having the anthemic tune “Give Me The Music” arranged with a single corus, put at the end. Blackdown revealed in his column that this was an homage to Stevie Wonder, demonstrating Goodz’ perspective of musical history in the youth-built grime scene, whom often seem to disregard those transcendental, street-expressive experiences of the past. “Switching Songs Pt. II” showed a methodical equilibrium between Goodz’ ‘versailty-as-concept’ and the song as a variable, interdependent canvas. Dot Rotten’s hidden production “Real Talk” runs deep emotionally as well. The incarceration of Goodz and his brother is one of grime’s most tragic tales. Goodz was put on trial alongside his half-brother, Crazy Titch for murder. Doogz was to be acquitted while his brother, a rising star within the nascent grime scene, was given a life sentence.
As a result to his tribulations, Goodz has grown into a true artist creative a substantial message to his listeners. While a lot of his counter-parts relish in negative street portrayals of bare hype, Goodz calls for an end to this negativity, which underlie the real talk and imagery his music evokes. True to form, Doogz again gets deep into creative procedure with “Jail Tales”, in which he draws comparisons of the music industry and it’s glorifications of illicit lifestyles and imprisonment, to those of his own honest reflections of jail and it’s repercussions. His BBC video freestyle is a must watch. Though his singing isn’t his status marker, his conceptualization and delivery is top-notch with metaphors and similes sublime.
Now Goodz is back. And when it seems he can no longer elevate his status, he drops a fucking bomb on the entire grime scene with hype in excess. Seemlessly integrating all the previously covered qualities of Goodz, recently he has remarkably showcased them all in one tune. In an impromptu session, Goodz had put it out there on Twitter he wanted to come into Sama’ show. Sama was actually not planning on going live that night, but with Goodz being quite the rarity, appropriate accommodations were arranged. But listeners tuning in to ear some live bars from Goodz wouldn’t get such. In promotion of his upcoming release, “Overall”, due out in early May, he came through with a few teasers tracks from the album. Included was his just released single “Oi, What You Looking At?”, which featured a well produced, if bizarre, video set in a futuristic, hobbesiean environment with Goodz at the top of the food chain. The tune that shook the Kiss studios, however, and stirring far bigger waves was “Battle Hype”. The entire interview can be played, below.
Those characteristics of depth, conceptuality, versatility, and war with a fervent lyricism, become apparent in this massive 11+ minute sonic-event. First kick it off, he bigs up “all the artists featuring”, saying they are critical to the grime scene. Then all hell ensues. Riding a simple Silencer riddim which harkens back to the old days of battle sets, Goodz’ intro set’s up a battle amongst grime’s elite; an epic battle featuring Skepta, Ghetts, Wiley, Dizzee Rascal, Kano, D Double E and Crazy Titch. At first the radio quality diminished the sound, but it wasn’t quite clear who was spitting. Then I realized it was actually Goodz. All the featured artists were Goodz. He was impersonating the emcees, used their staple flows and vocal tones to recreate a conceptual battle with the scene’s top talent; including Goodz paring himself. Matching various artists up with one another, Goodz incredibly executes these artists with accuracy. His versatility changes command with each series of bars exchanged. Then Crazy Titch to close it out?! Maaddd ting.
The beautiful aspect of Battle Hype is that he wasn’t directly aiming at these artists. He even reiterated with Sama that he was giving a nod of respect to these artists. Even so, 'he was sending' came the rebuttals… the ambiguity is fascinating. Following Ghetts’ “Who’s On The Panel” release just one day after the MTVBase special, Ghetts made a sly marketing move by releasing a tune w/ video the very next day. Likewise, Goodz knows the time is right for grime, and causing a stir like this with an indirect, passive-aggressive, but no less damaging manner, was simply genius. Further, it’s well known no one wants to directly send for Goodz. So even if someone did respond back, they would still have an uphill battle, and with Goodz off radar being an actual artist, as opposed to tweeting 24/7, there is little to take charge with him personally.
The fact he utilized so many emcees in his tune, while being a sort of relative-outsider within the top ranks (but no doubt still within them), he’s enabled himself to puppeteer a massive par without being clearly able to retaliate effectively, while by design also building massive internet hype for his forthcoming album. Genius. Seems Durrty Goodz once again is on point to elevate his stature as a music artist. It may seem a bit overzealous to suggest he’s the best rapper since Tupac, but that’s simply because he’s also the most underrated… so you just done know. So make sure you cop the new album "Overall" in May; guaranteed to be a certified banger. P.E.A.C.E.
Durrty Goodz Interview + Battle Hyper Debut on Logan Sama (Radio)
