Boy In Da Corner

Really stupid shit. It's hard to believe that people want to listen to this and harder to believe that someone paid for it to be made

He can stay in that corner.

This album sounded like it came from another planet in 2003 despite actually coming from a 15 year old kid mucking about in his school music rooms in Bow. 18 years later those beats still sound like nothing else that has come before or since.

Absolute and utter dross. Honestly, why this sort of abject shite gets hyped up by swathes of actual grown adults is beyond me. Yobbish, dumb and painfully monotonous.

An East London rapper named Dizzee Rascal sounds exactly how you might imagine. Once you get past the novelty of the accent (TIL that a Cockney accent with Jamaican and West African influences is called Jafaican) and the slang (not the "road toad frog" kind, the "call your friends 'blood'" kind), it's actually really fun and really clever. Gangsta rap is an American export, no doubt, but Rascal has fully absorbed it and turned it into an expression of life in East London. Super fascinating stuff. Best track: Hold Ya Mouf

Despite being an unabashed fan of hip-hop, I'm never gonna be a grime head, I guess. I keep giving it a try and I just can't get into it. That said, somewhere around track 5, I started to actually understand what Dizzee, and by extension the genre, is trying to do/be. Dizzee may be rapping but this isn't hip-hop and that's a game-changing realization. It's more akin to dance genres like garage or jungle. When approached with that understanding, grime makes so much more sense. I was able to move through the rest of the album and... kind of enjoy it. I'm still not into grime, mind you. But I went from actively disliking it to respecting and appreciating it. That's worth a few stars for the boy in da corner.

Great flow and delivery, cool beats and sampling. Feels very ahead of its time.

It says a lot about how good this album is that it managed to break into my indie centric world back when it was released. It got more play than a lot of the music that is now known as landfill indie, which is a disingenuous name as every genre has forgettable music that doesn't stand the test of time. Anyway, yeah this album stands the test of time. It's just mental.

Unimpressed. Not bad production quality but repetitive and annoying. Some songs In the middle were a bit better but not great

Kidz Bop shit

Boy in da Corner is the debut studio album by English rapper and producer Dizzee Rascal. It was first released on 21 July 2003 by XL Recordings in the United Kingdom before being released the following year in the United States. Per Wikipedia (as above), this album falls under the "grime" genre of electric music. My interest is piqued... Tracklist: Sittin’ Here Stop Dat I Luv U Brand New Day 2 Far Fix Up, Look Sharp Cut ’Em Off Hold Ya Mouf Round We Go Jus’ A Rascal Wot U On Jezebel Seems 2 Be Live O Do It! Vexed "Sittin' Here" introduces Dizzee Rascal with cool beats and bass tunes. This is a solid hip hop track with clever lyrics ("same old story" "it was only yesterday). It's relatable, and it sounds very cool. "Stop Dat" is another grime track with deep bass synth chords (I'm probably butchering this terminology, bit it sounds bassy!). I dig this song, and it's giving me major Blackout vibes ("Freakshow" comes to mind). Track 3, "I Luv U," opens with a woman saying the titular line over and over as if her voice is solely activated by the push of a key. This song features a battle between two loves (with his and her vocals!) and it's very fun, and the grimey instrumentation is very addictive. "Brand New Day" features jingle-bell keys and a grimey beat. Dizz sings about his life, losing his friends, making plans for the future. It's personal. It's good. "2 Far" features Wiley and opens with funny Alvin and the Chipmunks distorted vocals that lead to a consistent "uh uh" and violins while Dizzee sings about how someone pushed him... too far. The next track, "Fix Up, Look Sharp" opens with a fun drum beat that samples "The Big Beat by Billy Squier. It's fun and semi sarcastic. "Cut 'Em Off" features more bass and a steady beat. It's dark and his vocals are echoey and it's a little spooky! "Hold Ya Mouf" features God's Gift and a synth that reminds me of Saria's Song from Ocarina of Time. Dizz sings about karma and bettering yourself. It's catchy! "Round We Go" has more "hey hey" backing vocal/sounds and more fun synthy tunes. This track sounds like a breakup song and it's pretty great! "Jus' a Rascal" opens with people chanting "he's just a rascal" that leads to Dizzee and electric guitars mixed over a cool ambient electric tune. This track sounds like Dizzee's introduction song. "Wot U On?" has bassy beats and a robo/harmonizing lady vocals in the background. I sense another breakup song! "You're looking at your jewelry thinking you're a dapper" Ahhh, a gold digger song. This song is VERY fun. "Jezebel" opens with plucking strings and some hip hop beats. This track is dark and the titular Jeze is in some deep shit. "Seems 2 Be" is more grimey synth track that opens with an iconic monologue from a woman that features this poetry: "To be honest I’m totally and completely on his dick" This track is quite outrageous and I'm all for it. He does compare Britney and Christina to Teletubbies at one point, which I simply love. "Live O" opens with claps and an automated operator ordering you to "leave a message." Dizzee mentions Perrier in this song, and I really appreciate it. The final track on the original pressing, "Do It!" opens with Dizzee reflecting on his life and planning for his future. This track features more of the same grimey instrumentation that I've come to appreciate on this album, and it's very good! Favorite track: Wot U On? Honorable mention: I Luv U

First track, "what the fuck is this?" Second track, "ouch, I'm getting a headache" Third track, "ok, this dude's rapping is pretty good but why is he banging on pots in the background" Forth track, started skipping Jesus... there are 15 tracks on here? FML

Repetitive and annoying with zero edge. Get to Fuck. 1/5

🥴

Garbage

Glad to finally get this one off my personal to-listen list after so many years, and MAN IT WAS FIRE. This is grimey as hell, and I loved it.

Cmon

Considered entry level by some grime fans, Boy in da Corner is one of the most consistently good albums in a genre more focused on singles. This is easily one of the most consistently good UK hip-hop albums in general. It's a shame none of Dizzee Rascal's subsequent albums were able to live up to it, but it set the bar pretty high.

Tempted to just give this 5 stars and move on. One of the albums that got me into hip-hop, and it doesn't sound like anything before or since. Dizzee Rascal gets annoyed with people saying Wiley is the godfather of grime music, because he was producing/co-producing this music first. Whatever the case, the production on some of these tracks is really unique and instantly recognisable. His vocal style is completely idosyncratic too. And it's worth remembering that Dizzee was 17/18 years old when this was recorded, I believe? Some of the lyrics are stupid sex & violence style rap - but others are strikingly insightful and honest. The feature by God's Gift is mediocre, and there are one or two weaker tracks musically. SO on reflection, 4*.

Grime rap, indflydelsesrigt, hårdt, tempofyldt, britisk, wagwan

I get it, but I’m not sure I like it.

Grime is a uniquely British genre intersecting hip hop and EDM, utilizing syncopated breakbeat samples to create an aggressive, energetic beat for rapping over. Boy In Da Corner is one of the foundational albums of the grime genre, winning the 2003 Mercury Music Prize and thus earning the new sound some legitimacy. Stylistically, this raw production style and MCing reminds me of the east-coast Definitive Jux production on the other side of the pond, though Dizzee Rascal is certainly a lot less abstract in his lyrics. I'll be honest, I have a certain bias against UK hip hop. I find the accent to be more irritating than anything, which leaves a lot to be desires when that's the majority of the album. I like the production otherwise though, it's unique enough to stand out.

On average this was pretty terrible, although parts were done better than I expected. Easy to see why an NME journalist would wank himself into a dizzy stupor over its gritty urban Lahndahn affect; hard to understand why anyone else would listen to this irritating mess of their own volition.

If this is grime music, I've learned I am not a fan.

I'm not sure if this is supposed to pass for music, as to me this sounded more like a terrible audiobook or radio drama. That is, if one can understand what they are saying at least because I couldn't understand more than half of it. I would rather I heard this after I was dead.

So much no

Let's be honest, unless you had a similar background to mine (born in the 90s in the UK) you might find it odd that this album has made the list. I hate to be that guy but... you had to be there. It's not THE Grime album but it definitely brought it to the mainstream and served as a gateway for lots of british kids to garage, dubstep and drum n bass, while it was looked over on the radio, it was playing from the motorola or LG chocolate mobile phone on the back of the bus. I remember very distinctly getting "I Luv U" sent to me via bluetooth at the time and wondering what I was listening to. Listening to it today, it's amazing how many sounds and elements are still prevalent in UK EDM to this day. Truly influential and made even crazier when you realise Dizzee was 17-18 when he was recording this album.

5/5. Awesome beats with some videogame style sounds and heavy bass driving the melody. His rapping is fast and with the British accent, it is hard to understand honestly, but it's just enough to get the energy you rocking to it. Each song just offers some unique and fun sounds and engaging rapping. The inclusion of a female background singer, or matching vocals on some songs, really keeps the songs present and interesting. Honestly hard to find a bad song on here, each one offers something unique. Best Song: Fix Up - Look Sharp, Stop Dat, I Luv U

Grime Origins, and boy does it slap. Between flow and beats present, I'm not sure which hits harder, but both hit hard enough to punch a new genre into the mainstream.

I used to adore this album when Fix Up Look Sharp dropped. This digs at my deepest desire to explore the world of UK Hip Hop and Grime. Dizzee hits on all the right themes of despair, anger, and cynicism yet the message comes out in the end as something positive. The beats are complex and experimental touching on sonics that most artists wish they could achieve. In a time when 50 Cent, Eminem, Jay-Z, DMX, etc ruled the hip hop scene this was something complete different to the mainstream and it still holds up today.

Intense flows, near genius beats

This album goes HARD. Most of the tracks on here just slap and are a great time and luckily there are some switch-ups so it's not too overwhelming. Really good bars, from what I could understand of them as well. 8/10

When this came out I was struck by how off the wall it was. Such good grooves and clever nasty lyrics. I remember dance floors getting filled when tracks from Boy In Da Corner got dropped. Listening to it again after many years I was surprised by a possible Sparks influence on track. Dizzee Rascal made an intelligent album that never took itself too seriously while still being important

Braggadocious, at times dated in it's slang, but overall an enjoyable delve into the early evolutions of London's grime scene

I found the tracks to be very interesting, however rap isn't my favorite. I really enjoyed it though.

hit me in the heart

While I'm not normally a fan of this genre of electronic hip hop (grime, I guess it's called?), I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this album overall. There's a terrific energy and drive to most of the songs, and Dizzee's rap prowess is impressive.

This was a pleasant surprise. Has that exotic factor due to English/afro Carribbean accent, the electronic beats are versatile and catchy, the lyrics are fun and weird

It got a bit repetitive, but I didn’t mind it. I enjoy a bit of grime and love an accent

This might be brilliant and on a day with less grind I might have enjoyed it more. The unruly rubber-banding around the beat of Dizzee Rascal’s voice and the bracingly harsh electronic bangs and booms rub against his character-driven stories, earning the applause. But I’m not sure in what moods I could drink this in happily; certainly not today’s. And maybe this is a little too long. Brilliant, probably.

Dizzee Rascal has a really distinctive flow, and the garage sound is stark and powerful. This was a fresh and radically different take on hip hop than everything coming out of America (and most of the rest of the world) at the time. It's really innovative, and it certainly captured my attention for a track at a time. But sitting through an hour of it got felt repetitive, and I couldn't really hear what makes it special any more. It just blurred into a grimy wallpaper. Fix Up, Look Sharp popped out due to the well-deployed Billy Squiers sample.

Very energetic. Never really listened to British rap before, but I believe this is the seminal Grime album. Impressive flow and witty lyricism. I'd go back and listen to this.

I remember greatly enjoying this album when it first came out, so when I saw it in my backlog I jumped straight to it. What I got was an album of two halves - the first half (more of a third, really) showed why grime music in general and this album in particular was so great, songs about hopelessness and boredom rapped over discordant beats in a style that still stands out. The remainder was much more the kind of bravado I can never take seriously when it's delivered with anything other than an American accent. Fix Up, Look Sharp, Jus' a Rascal and I Luv U were stand out tracks, but ultimately this album was just a little bit too lacking for me to give it a rating of an album I'd be keen to buy.

Remember reciting all of Fix Up, Look Sharp on the school field at lunch time? Me too.

I was expecting to enjoy this a lot more than I actually did. I think what killed it for me was the terrible beep and boop synths that were layered over everything and turned up to eleven. I've heard far better from Mr Rascal than anything on here. Not bad enough for 1 star, but certainly unworthy of 3.

I'm underwhelmed. Obviously care and time went into the production, and it's not utter crap, but I was disappointed. Lack of variety is a real problem on an album with 12+ tracks.

I'm grateful to this project for giving me an album that I'd never listen to by an artist I've never heard of, in a genre that is brand new (to me). I didn't really like it but still, grateful.

Not really into this album. Nothing about this was pleasing to listen to. Could barely get through it.

I have surprised by the fact that I have enjoyed a lot of the rap albums on the list, sadly this is not one of them. I do need some semblance of musicality in my music some melody perhaps. This album is more rapping over nonsense noises. I can't derive any listening pleasure and so the rapping no matter how honest or funny or poignant or righteously indignant can't make it through to me because the music has no redeeming qualities. 2.5 stars

Would I like this with headphones on, maybe if I smoked a bong. Would I like this in my living room, only if I was high on shrooms. Do I care about these songs, to pretend I like them would be wrong. Are these songs considered really essential, there's not much chance of that potential. I do not like this in a car. I do not like this in a bar. I do not like this in a house. I do not like this with my spouse. I do not like this here or there. I do not like this anywhere. I do not like Boy In Da Corner. I do not like this performer! Nope

Rap with electronic beats... Why?

I don’t like rap. Is the guy decently talented? Yeh. I don’t have other British rap to compare against and I won’t seek it out.

Ew. Random beats with random sounds, creating a random cacophony of sounds that go on for the entire songs without changing. I try to keep an open mind, but I can't imagine ever listening to this again.

Is this music?

Some noise with a bit of rap. Nah, don't get it.

More rap? I hate rap, it hardly qualifies as music. This shouldn't be on any musical 'best of' list.

Trash

Just so, so, so not my thing. I gave it a try but couldn't get through it.

I hate this.

Wut? Terrible beats under some British dude.

Not for me

Not my taste of music or genre. Found the vocal delivery and most of the music abrasive

If Dizzee Rascal's intent was to make an album that would make the listener want to blow his or her brains out, then I say well done sir! I tried, but I hated it. I did make it all the way through, but just barely. 1 star.

fuck outta here with that BWOSHET

Man, this site is racist.

okay. expectations shattered.

Grimey

Fun bouncy sounds, early 2000’s rapper

Af en toe verrast de lijst mij positief. Dizzee had ik hier niet verwacht. Als je doorklikt, schrijft het internet van alles over hem vanuit het hiphop perspectief. Dat is natuurlijk een belangrijk deel van Dizzee. Maar het internet doet hem daarmee ook te kort. Het onderscheidt zich toch duidelijk van andere hiphop in de lijst. Het meest opvallende zijn de krachtige bassdrums. Wellicht omdat die daarmee zo opvallen, vallen de gekozen ritmes ook op. Hier zijn we toch getuige van creativiteit. En daarmee bracht Dizzee toch vrij vroeg een soort dubstep-achtige plaat. Het gaat echt niet zo ver als bijvoorbeeld een Skrillex. Maar het is toch een soort voorloper. Dit is een prima plaat, maat niet het beste uit die hoek. Dizzee zelf heeft zich veel verder ontwikkeld. Al een jaar later kwam bijvoorbeeld Stand up Tall uit. Alweer net iets fijner. En stiekem vind ik het radio-hitje Bonkers ook wel geinig. Maar ik verwacht, mede doordat de lijst gewoon al wat ouder is, niets veel vergelijkbaars. Ik relateer de sterren daarom niet aan concurrenten en waardeer met de sterren ook een genre.

Wow

I really liked this one

If you told me this album came out in 2016 and was very popular among white hip-hop nerds who watched Anthony Fantano religiously, I wouldn’t bat an eye. To say Boy In Da Corner was ahead of its time is an understatement. The beats feel so weird and off-kilter, purposefully cheap both for practical reasons and aesthetic ones, but they’re always still so fucking catchy. While there’s a few songs here that up the production value a smidge, namely “Fix Up, Look Sharp,” most of this album sounds literally unlike anything else. It certainly doesn’t sound commercial or mainstream. But still, it bangs the whole way through. The shtick of the aesthetic never gets boring. After 15 tracks and nearly an hour, I still want to hear where else this sound can go. But who gives a fuck if it sounds futuristic if the rapper can’t handle it, right? Well, that’s the thing…Dizzee Rascal *can* handle it. In some ways, I’d almost argue he’s too good for this, even at its most experimental sounding. His flow is INSANE, and is probably only dismissed because Grime was historically dismissed by American hip-hop heads until like, 5 years ago, maybe. I think Dizzee’s pen game from a rhyme-scheme perspective isn’t god-tier, but that weakness only strengthens his flow. Really, though, Boy In Da Corner is a masterpiece album because Dizzee is a story-teller. I’ve seen people online compare him to Nas, and I see it, really. Most of the songs here feel observational yet personal, like I can see Dizzee watching a scene play out and start to insert himself into the story even if he’s just the on-looker. It’s really smart, and sure, really similar to Nas, but also just a compelling way to write a song. There’s definitely more personal songs or songs about Dizzee on here, though, because the mode would get boring quick, but it’s not as frequent as I expected, and I find that fascinating. Boy In Da Corner is influential, important, and noteworthy for multiple different reasons, and all of those reasons are also why it still holds up today, they’re why it’s still fun to listen to for the first time today, and they’re why it could literally be released tomorrow and arguably still be ahead of its time. This is a one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-lifetime album.

It’s too damn long!! Really, that’s my biggest nitpick with this album. Beyond that, it’s a great listen. Dizzee does a great job of addressing some deep, universally frustrating issues such as racism, police brutality, UK immigration policy, etc., but in an engaging way that’s pretty uplifting if anything. That, and the musical landscapes utilized that covers a wide range of styles keeps things fun and interesting. I could hear so many musical touchpoints done tastefully that ranged from early Run-D.M.C. to Parliament Funkadelic and so many other influences that worked well. Overall, a surprisingly fun album!

Es TAN diferente de absolutamente todo lo que he oído hasta ahora en la lista que he tenido que oírlo dos veces para plantarle estas 5 estrellas. Antes de empezar veo la portada y el nombre, pensando "bueno, un álbum de hip hop que podría estar bien". Pero al ponerlo escucho toques de hip hop, sí, pero hay algo más. Las bases juguetonas, más EDM que hip hop, y con rap, sí, pero no lo es todo aquí. Cada canción parece un viaje nuevo, como si estuviera paseando por un barro londinense en el que nunca he estado (muy top el acento la verdad). ¿Es esto para todo el mundo? Para nada, solo hay que ver que en esta web, que tiene un usuario medio más fan del rock popular que de las cosas experimentales de la lista (Dub Housing, por ejemplo), tiene una media cercana a un 5 pelao. Pero para mi es mi mierda absolutamente. Más álbumes que se alejan de la norma y los géneros típicos y menos rock facilón en la lista, por favor y gracias.

Holy fuck. This is a revelation. I can't believe I've overlooked and been unaware of grime music overall. As I stuff my conscience with humble pie and my ears with these sounds, I feel like a kid again. This is fresh and dirty , and strums something primal and electric in my soul. This album is genius...and my life from now on will be different and significantly more textured and flavored as i fall down this grimy rabbit hole universe!

Somehow never heard of this guy so this album was a fun discovery.

Nostalgic

My sweet cuppin’ cakes - I haven’t even finished the album and I’m already giving it 5 stars. The sheer pace of rhyming makes me want to bounce around the room like a lotto ball. And then the world-weary lyrics make me wonder where Eminem was when he first heard it. It’s like his spiritual UK brother.

With Boy In Da Corner Dizzee Rascal defined a whole new music genre: Grime. Great songs with deep bass instrumentation, all lot of variation. Amazing!

I'd consider this more of a Punk album than Hip Hop, not even to mention Grime to which this album codified that entire genre. However it's very "howl of disaffected youth" with it's abrasive style much more in line with Punk just with an urban slant. Certain tunes( "I luv u") haven't aged that well but Dizzee's vocals are so powerful and speak directly to the days of mobile credit and downloadable ringtones. Overall a great listen and important album at the time, still stands up compared to the overproduced sterile tunes.

Giving this 5 because I love it, but it's mainly fun to piss off boomers and yanks

Fire. I do feel that grime as a genre is somewhat unique in that it started at the high point, rather than building to it. When this came out, it really was a breath of fresh air. There was nothing out there that sounded like it and it wasn't merely aping the American sound.

Boy knows how to do it

This album gave me so much as a teenager. I loved hip hop and rap, but was only really exposed to American artists. Suddenly I Luv U started being played on the radio and it blew my mind. It's not that the life it was describing was mine - I was from a small village more akin to Ambridge than London - but the sounds and the slang. Really fun, raw beats - so stark that not even any Americans on this website have managed to describe it as Brit Pop. The whole thing is just a pleasure to listen to again.

Was this really 2003? Clearly sets up Dizzee as a musical force, and while I much prefer both Tounge N Cheek and The Fifth, this is where it began. Dizzee is an incredible artist, and this is an incredible album, establishing grime as a genre. Given fact that the music industry was stuffed to the gills with bomboclaat execs more worried about the imaginary trillions they were losing from than they were about finding and promoting new talent, I'm genuinely surprised they picked him up. But I'm very glad someone in the music industry was doing their job.

Bäm 💯

One of my all time favourite album

Total banger. What a massive sound for 2003.

Still slaps

Banger beats

Do try it. Quite some playful brilliance worth listening to here. Inventive and unexpectedly dynamic, right down to the phrasing or lyricism. To my inexpert ear, UK rappers made sweetly fun and catchy/enjoyable tracks for about decade after this came out. oh yeah sure, admitedly, I had to resort to my huge headphones as I di' no' wan'na shake der whole HOOD with my massif speakas playing dis up loud bruv. (Yes, there is a lot of intense rolling bass, which I enjoyed, as its well placed, but no need disturbing the neighbours). I can give this some respect, its thoroughly built, entertaining in its dynamic inventiveness, (and no, not disturbing as I didnt detect the threats of territorial violence or posing of gang oriented American rap, here the bravado just makes me smile - maybe its a young boy crying out his anfems in false Jamaican/east ender accent with extra atittude on it. It just sounds so playful form this distance. At times the lyrics turn confessional; almost reflective, a poetry of urban boy trying to rise from a gritty malaise, and then boom - "Jus a Rascal" really adds rapid dynamism which I found irrisistable. He calls on a lot of musical tropes without getting too obvious, whcih is particularly admirable for the genre. Big, out there, but not clicheed or too overplayed. (I confess, i knew track 1 "Sittin' here" already - I have no idea how I knew it, but it was fairly chill...) so, for most lsiteniners all they will hear is Sploom & an unintelligible blender of London attitude, but I get touching humour and social odcument. and the final track is a fitting bookend to that; uplifting song. I hope they hear it. I will listen to this again. (all of this is all the more surprising as I dont listen to urban music much)

This is excellent and I need to come back to it when I have more brain space/processing abilities. 5/5 stars for now.

Classic

amazing

Wagwan?! Can’t believe I haven’t heard this yet. Good grimey fun

Really impressive diversity of beats. Unique to anything else I've heard. Fun, clever, slice of life lyrics. Good stuff!

Wow, this album was fucking fantastic. Love love love love.

classic

Un rap rafraichissant tres tres bon qui m’a secoue par rapport a ce que je connaissais. 5

Need to revisit, but interesting mix of rap with some English downtempo elements.