Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Banger beats
molto in anticipo sui tempi
Grime ain't for me!
AJ: explicit rascal.
Really enjoyed it, love the combination of hip hop and electronica. The sense of rhythm is much more varied than most traditional formulaic hip hop which makes for good listening.
I had a really hard time taking this guy seriously, which is probably terrible of me but this music was just odd. I could not get in the groove of it
Some OK tunes but otherwise annoying mumble rap.
not a fan.
Some noise with a bit of rap. Nah, don't get it.
Dizzee feels like that friend who makes music that you wanna support but you just don’t really like it that much
Some interesting beats and a unique sound, but I didn’t enjoy a lot of the songs
Had a good vibe, but his voice is like when you get a rock stuck in the tread of your shoe and you have to walk around with that feeling and that little clack of the rock contacting the ground, and there should be no clack, but there is a clack.
I’m impressed he was able to get so much time in the spotlight with such retarded raps and truly fucking horrible beats.
Oli odotuksia levyä kohtaan koska grime ja tykkään Dizzeestä. Ihan jees, ei mikään tajunnanräjäyttävä. Kuunnelluimat kappaleet oli parhaimmat ja kanssa oikeesti hyviä. Muuten aika tasapaksua grimeä
really boring
One of the biggest surprises of this list is that it gave me not just one, but two surprisingly good grime albums. I always hated grime and UK garage and though it was a comercial trash trend from the 2000s. And yet here you have perhaps the most influential release that defined the genre, and I could completely see how it made it so big. The beats are sharp, dark, and futuristic, with clean techno effects that belong to a PS2 soundtrack. The vocal delivery is abrasive and fast, barely audible with multi-layered chamber filters that sounds like it's recorded in a tunnel. There's pain and distress in his voice as he raps about hardcore scenes. Highly impressed by the innovation and energy, especially since this has been single-handedly produced by the 17-year-old rapper. I think the biggest downside is there is considerable filler. He relies on repetition of his beats and samples, and often this shows. "Jezebal" is a good example of a song that follows the lead of the others but doesn't have anything to stand out on its own. As with most albums from the era, it is too long, and could cut the weaker tracks. On the upside, it's really consistent and has plenty of bangers, especially at the start.
Hella cool, unique beats and unique flow. Feels like a raw version of British rap like drill.
This is 100% a personal failing of mine, but I cannot take British people rapping seriously. I couldn’t figure out why, but then my brother pointed out that it sounded like Big Shaq or RS and if you know their songs then you know what I mean. I don’t know how unique this album was when it came out, but I like the beats and the style, and I appreciated the lyrics. But gee… that English accent…
This album is a foundational grime album featuring beats with a strong UK garage influence. The flow is decent, but the album is just too long. I generally enjoy this style of music, but as I’m not too familiar with this subgenre, I found that the album dragged on a bit too long.
I bought this album in like... 2008? and today was the first time I've ever listened to it. I remember it winning the Mercury Prize and it piqued my interest, but evidently, not enough to actually listen to the album Today I thought, this album is pretty decent, i think the only negatives are that its probably at fault for a lot of the copy cat music that followed it, that aren't even close to the level of this album it's good, everything is of a similar level 3/5
This was ok, but dizzee isn’t as fun as Flo rider or as insightful as jay-z. It’s not as slick as OutKast, and it’s just there. Let’s not talk about Kanye, but dizzee isn’t in that league either. Another award winning forgettable album in a list that should not be about this. I suppose it shows the state of UK hip hop but why not look at French or Israeli or Australian hip hop? 2.5 rounded up.
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)
I acknowledge it has merit, but it’s not what I want to listen to.
I clearly remember when this dude was the new big thing for my kids. Pretty sure they went to see him at The Metro in Sydney when he finally toured here. Personally speaking, I’d never heard him before I listened to this album yesterday. It’s certainly not like anything I’ve heard before. The music is totally interesting on just about every track - the bells on Brand New Day, the strings on 2 Far, bass drum on Hold Ya Mouf, drums on Wot U On? and the choir on Jus’A Rascal. I love Jezebel - “She came with Natasha / But she’s leavin’ with Joe” - lyrically it’s outstanding. Dizzee’s vocal assault is a bit too much & a bit too repetitive for my taste. But the sound of this album is unique to my ears.
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.
I could easily name 1001 other albums I'd rather listen to. Musically some of the beats were kinda cool.
Growing up, I had heard of Grime, but never really listened to it. This style is definitely out there, heavy and "grimy", but I don't think I could listen to more than 30 minutes of it.
The British rap drill genre is always interesting to me. The beats and production are always pretty cool but the accents of the rappers make it either very difficult to understand or makes it sound cooler than some typical rap. This album was more of the hard to understand than cool but the production in this was pretty solid. Overall it wasn’t that enjoyable though as it felt very raw and unpolished compared to some other rap albums. 5.5/10
This is definitely not my thing. Nothing against the artist. I'm sure he makes good music, it's just that this isn't my preferable type of hip hop or rap. And since English isn't my first language it is really hard to hear what he is singing
Like dizzee but not the album
J'ai vraiment aimé le style plus aggresif et les beats sont différents de ce que je connais, j'ai trouvé ça très rafraichissant. Malheureusement je n'ai pas pu l'apprécier à sa juste valeur considérant le contexte dans lequel je l'ai écouté. Donc à revisiter, mais à première écoute c'est vraiment bon. 8/10
Not what I would expect from a Rap album- I guess it's a British viewpoint? It's more comical than hardedged and badass but at least it's novel.
My guy
This is excellent and I need to come back to it when I have more brain space/processing abilities. 5/5 stars for now.
Hell yeah some grime. I don't listen to grime often but every so often when it comes on it's some good stuff. It's kinda hard to dance to which is why it's not in my normal Q zone but I still get down with it.
Album is a bit long, but there are some really nice tracks in here. Not a lot of exposure to grime or British rap, I was surprised by how much I liked this album.
Rating here is more a matter of taste than execution. No doubting the innovation on this LP when it comes to wordplay and pushing lexical/vocal structures to their limits in artistic ways, just happens that several of these linguistic experiments rubbed me the wrong way. Album also ran a big long - could’ve been much punchier if each track slimmed down a bit.
It's not a bad album, but all British rap sounds exactly the same to me. I know it's rude but it just doesn't feel any different to anything before or after it
Didn't think that there would be a rap album in there, but why not after all?
I kind of remember when this album came out and had heard a few songs from it. An enjoyable and interesting album. the intensity of every song gets a bit tiring with the almost 60 min run time. 3.5
Interesting. I was not familiar with grime and really not sure what to make of it. Dizzee's rapping style is a little fast for my taste, preferring something a little slower and less hard, allowing room to absorb a little easier, but this is probably characteristic of the genre. However, I did really like the use of synth and beats. From a first time listen, I was really interested to hear what the next song was going to sound like.
I enjoy the beats and the hip hop sound, but I just can’t get over the accents. Not sure why it just grinds my brain haha. Can’t do it! Which is unfortunate because the music is good. Listen again: no Purchase for my collection: no Favourite Song:
20 years ago I used to hate this type of music but thought I'd give it a chance as your music taste can change over time and boy was I wrong. It's even worse than I originally thought. Absolute fucking dog shit and that "accent". Fuck me.
A distinctly American art form flys across the pond. Chaotic, fresh and fun.
Meh
Very unfamiliar with Dizzee Rascal and this album, but it obviously was an incredibly well received album from such a young and talented artist. Doesn't really resonate with me which is not surprising, but this album is obviously very good.
I hate this. It's god awful. Stay in the corner!
alright, production was really good and i can tell it influenced a lot of the experimental/glitchy production in rap today. dizzees actual rapping wasn't too interesting either it led to a lot of the songs sounding the same Rating - 5.8 Favs - I Luv U - Wot U On? - Jezebel
One of the most influential albums in British music Twenty years on and this album has aged a hell of a lot better than a lot of other 2000s hip-hop albums Favourite tracks: Sittin’ Here, Stop Dat, I Luv U, 2 Far, Fix Up Look Sharp’ Jus’ a Rascal, Jezebel
Really intense and engaging songs, and the energy stays high throughout. Nothing like some good quality British hip hop.
I am both intrigued and annoyed by this. The beats are closer to electronica, which makes it compelling, but they tend to be on the abrasive side. I can take it for a song or so, but a whole album is taxing.
Some neat sounds but in general perhaps grime ain't my thing.
Was disappointed
Not for me
Love the beats. The lyrics may be a little over my head. Like The Streets, this one may grow on me as I become more familiar with it.
Are there two words more fearsome and loathsome on this list than "British rapper?" Having been through the gauntlet of the Limp Bizkit album, I can certainly but the words "Chocolate Starfish" above it on the list Anyway, this album is about what you would expect it to be. British people haven't quite gotten the hang of rap yet, but, to be fair to them, they've only had the last 45 years to figure it out. I like some of the beats on this album, and the first couple of songs made it seem like this album might be worthwhile. Then it kept going and got thinner and thinner and thinner. 3/5 I think the beats were actually pretty cool for 2003, and I like the fusion of hip-hop with electronica. However, Tech N9ne was doing the same thing in 2003, and doing it much better
Better than I thought at the time.
3.7 - I love the grimey EDM beats as well as Dizzee's hard street accent. He balances these hard elements with somewhat softer subjects, mostly delving into dating and relationships. He complains about a clingy girlfriend on "Stop Dat", describes fluid liaisons on "Round We Go" and a promiscuous neighborhood chick on "Jezebel."
Grime is not my thing, but upgrading to 2 stars for originality.
Oiiiiiii! Yes bruv. But equally, nah bruv. Time and a place for this, and it was early 2000’s. Not now, and not here. “Fix Up, Look Sharp” aside, it’s an album of its time.
Glad to be introduced to an album I didn't hate of a style I normally do.
It was a bit much. It was hard to pick anything out from just the mad onslaught of sound. That said, the dialect and the momentum are stellar.
Absolutely hated it.
Nah. Noisy, grimey, not for me. I like a melody. I'm sure the lyrics were profound if I listened.
Classic
amazing
Definitely notable for bringing grime and UK rap to the world's attention. It was a unique album when first released. The single 'Fix Up, Look Sharp' is by far the best track, but the rest is a bit repetitive in my opinion.
One of the worst things I’ve listen to, I can get behind some grime but this is horrific. Boring lyrically and musically, even the production is bad it just sounds horrible. Mind opening how bad this is.
Dizzee has such a unique voice and style. I feel this album really paved the way for future Grime rappers...a genre I still enjoy to this day. 4/5
Straight Outta Dickens
Nou, dit is dan wel echt waarom ik deze lijst volg: Ga het niet veel vaker draaien, maar toch leuk om eens gehoord te hebben.
2 keer aan begonnen en 2 keer kwam ik al snel tot de conclusie dat het niet het moment was voor deze plaat. Misschien is de conclusie dan dat dat moment er voor mij nooit zal zijn.
Fresh and fun beats from Dizzee Rascal, repping for east London!
Another one that didn't hit me at the time but sounds great with a bit of time between then and now - We know he went off into more pop afterwards (which I don't think was as controversial as lot of people do) but this is a great introduction to him - A fresh sound after the end of the 90s/first couple of years of the 00s. Launched a thousand imitations but this did it best.
3.75
The album was OK. The beats were good. The rapping itself is not great. No need to revisit.
something weird about doing hip hop with a british accent. i made it three songs in before tapping out. not for me.
It was absolutely nothing notable about this except for how unnotable it was. We listened to one and a half songs.
Nope
Fifty-seven minutes and eight seconds of my life that I will never get back.
Hmmm. Whilst some catchy lyrics and cool beats here, feels super repetitive. Remember it being ground-breaking for "crossing over" into mainstream at the time, but not sure it was *that* special
Early drill rap Pretty meh though 2.5
No me gusta el g{enero de este album
This was one of the most annoying things I've heard in weeks. It managed to be on my nerves the whole time, poking and poking at me like an annoying sibling in the back seat. No thank you!
My first impression was that I found it very interesting to listen to. I was anxious to listen again, and when I did, I liked it even more. Then on the third time, I found a few tracks actually unpleasant and it lost a star.
This music isn't pretty. Not even pleasant. And sometimes the sounds are what I'd call downright ugly. The lyrics are so rapid that I'm not sure of many of them. But this album is never boring. I was surprised at how much I liked it.
The rapping was often incredible and the lyrics interesting and at times compelling. Unfortunately I found the songs very irritating. As I was researching this artist I stumbled on Dizzee’s album Tongue n’ Cheek from 2011. It apparently “breaks the commercial ceiling of grime.” Guess that’s what I needed because I love that album. This album is just to grimy for me.
I listened to part of it but it’s just so repetitive that I had to stop.
Helt sqag de blev lite långt men hans röst va nice
Pretty goofy production. Fun album though
Sick, jättenice beats! Bra rappande oxxxå, mågra meh hooks men whatever, hela projektet låter jätteunikt och bra, fokuserat och fräscht. Och han var 18???
I hate the London rap accent so much. Also these beats are so horribly cheap sounding. Really monotonous. I want to support UK hip hop, but not this.
Dizzee has been comprehensively lapped in his own genre.
This is the second debut album in a row. I didn't realize there was so much hip hop on this list. This one is a bit more experimental in some areas, and hard rap in others. Some of the melodies are really good. But I found it difficult to follow the lyrics.
It is interesting. The music is layered and has an electronic vibe mixed with it that makes it more dynamic. I definitely got the vibe on Fix Up, Look Sharp, but Dizzee's delivery and voice and not my cup of tea. A little too high pitched staccato, which makes it a bit of a slog to get through the whole album.
Great energy and some awesome beats, dizzy did something special with this.
I just don’t get it ! Eventually the tracks all start to sound the same, then just get annoying. 1 or 2*
Not a big fan. There was the odd song toward the end that was interesting.
Not my thing again but this album starts off strong. So interesting the listen to, sonically interesting. You can tell the fella has talent. But half way through it starts to feel a little samey.
Hip hop moderno. Con voz enérgica y con fuerza. Variedad de sonidos y de ritmos. Para entusiastas.
Dizzy is fun for a bit.
Hmm. I tried I really did. But I don't like the voice, the music, the rapping, the sentiment. I appreciate the effort.
Bridges the gap between garage and grime, without fully falling in either. Changed the game for UK hip-hop, not entirely for the better. Biggest song was then sampled by scroobius pip for a song about songs, which was better than anything here! But without his success, there may not have been scroob, or akala, or low-key, or stormzy - so thanks dizzee!
Mmmm Rap con acento "old tea British". Me han gustado "Stop Dat", "Brand new day" y "Fix up, look sharp". Habrá que buscar más cosas suyas.
Good hip hop! Songs feel distinct and the beats fresh
Sorry, but I find this music unlistenable.
It’s always interesting to hear how people from other countries have interpreted and created new versions of American style music. Such as the manic minimalist hip-hop of Dizzee Rascal. Remember hearing this when it came out but I feel the same about it now as I did then which is I need to be in the mood for it and I I have to be in the mood to 70 something rather chaotic because there’s not much melodic in this. So there is some fun. This is not something I would listen to on repeat it’s something every couple years.
Always enjoy dizeee
Oi bruvs get in the bin
Takes some time to get used to all of the shit you get with this rather energetic album. Some songs were quite banging, but some of them were kinda shit.
As I listened to this, I asked myself whether I would rather listen to nothing but Dizzee Rascal or nothing but The Fall. Thing is, both are challenging to my guitar-based-soft-rock-trained ears. However, Fix Up Look Sharp is genius, and the comedy and social commentary in Dizzee Rascal's raps/poetry is far more appealing to me than Mark E Smith's arrogant drivel-uh.
Kind of grew on me. Some cool sounds.
Decent, dizzie rascal is a lot of fun, such an early noughties rap album, beats sound like the fresh meat soundtrack. Extra points because it was released on my second birthday
This style is cool. Big boom grime and smooth english rap. Its a good combo that holds up even at a lower, more listenable volume. I Luv U is a standout track. Jus A Rascal is another banger.
As someone with little exposure to the UK hip-hop scene, this was a cool album to listen to. Full of energy and immaculately produced; doing this at 17/18 is incredible.
I wasn't a fan of this. I found it repetitive and tiring to listen to. I wavered between a 1 and 2.
Definition of a 3 star album. Some good stuff and some absolute trash
The production on this is wild to me. Sounds like the sort of stuff we're still hearing in Venue MOT. It zaps, tinkles and thumps. The tetchy backdrop creates a paranoid atmosphere that's matched by Dizzie's schizophrenic persona. He swings between jokes, rage, bravado and his own fears. You're left on edge, pumped up by streets encounters you'll never know. Jezebel was damning story. It's an East London electronic opera. 4.5
I tried to sing along. Managed two words. I was thinking that this would be best love, but I'm not sure even that would bring this album into the high status. Too repetitive.
Popularised UK Grime. Now you got suburban kids in Norwich wearing black air force. Some of the tracks are shite some are great. ‘Was a determined yute ah Dizzee. Took the scene he grew up around and added his own US influence. Even a subtle comedy to it relative to his contemporaries. Less subtle in his later stuff. Sot Sittin here Stop dat I luv u Fix up look sharp Jus a rascal Jezebel 3.5/5
If this is grime music, I've learned I am not a fan.
This is not for me. I disliked every second of that album.
This was ok, I think Dizzee Rascal is better when he teams up with others like in Bonkers
The birth of grime, although it never really got quite as good as on this record. Musically amazing, lyrically very introspective and sketches the dark times of the UK vividly. I have to say, the name always kind of looked uninteresting, but I'm glad this is in the 1001 albums and I finally gave it the proper spin it deserves! Favorite lyrics: - It was only yesterday, none of us could ever come to harm. It was only yesterday, life was a touch more sweet. - I call the shots like topcat. - Life ain't always nice, that's how shit goes - Looks like I'm losing sight 'cause I'm looking at the future, it ain't bright. - Looks like I'm losing hope, 'cause I climb this mountain without rope. - When the hammer hits, your head splits like banana - Don't know why you feel the need to talk to birds. But talk is dangerous, be careful with your words. - So don't keep talking like you're bright, I'll definitely get dark. - Sometimes I wake up wishing I could sleep for years. I've been through anger, pain, blood, sweat and tears. - Strong you gotta be it, if you wanna get through it. Stretch your mind to the limit, you could do it. Favorite tracks: - Sittin' Here - Stop Dat - I Luv U - Brand New Day - 2 Far - Fix Up, Look Sharp - Cut 'Em Off - Jus' A Rascal - Jezebel 8 out of 10
From someone who is not a rap-listener, I enjoyed the listen. I enjoyed the vocal prowess throughout and wasn't listening on low volume so my kids wouldn't hear cuss words. It was clean and strong. I wish more US Rap didn't have to rely on four letter words as much as it seems to. 4/5 for a clean and powerful rap album.
There's some nostalgia tied to Dizzee Rascal, though I didn't know this album all that well - I know Dizzee Rascal for his later, more pop-oriented music. That was the real big thing around the time I was in secondary. But I thought this was quite great. An early album in the UK's massively popular grime theme, and a name that practically any millennial Brit is going to know, with the addition of being one of the first British rappers to see international recognition. There were a lot of great electronic elements and heavy basslines through the album, and Dizzee Rascal's rapping was quite impressive. Not every song was a hit to me, some of them were a bit strange, others were kinda repetitive, but there were some bangers here too. Favourite: Fix Up, Look Sharp
Goofiest album of all time. This feels like an internet shitpost. Something you'd hear on an ironic Youtube video about the "Top 10 Hottest Anime Characters" that's just a Windows Movie Maker slideshow with really blurry images. Cockney rappers are the funniest shit ever. I think I understood like 3 words this guy said. My ears feel sore now.
I tried. Honestly, I didn't really enjoy this from the beginning but for a little while I was gonna give it some credit for the production and for his interesting flow. But somewhere around Jus' a Rascal I really began to hate this. Sorry Dizzee.
Can take appreciate Dizzee. Grimey, hard. Always enjoyed his music. 4/5
should not be on this list
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.
I completely expected to hate this, but it was real solid. Not my preference, and I can't pin any particular tracks I liked. I really loved the sound and vibe though. I had no urges to skip through the hour. This album feels super specific to a time and place. I felt like a tourist throughout, but I thoroughly enjoyed the visit.
7/10, it was a fun album and I liked the production (sounded like a bored 14 year old on garageband) but I can never unironically enjoy british rappers they sound like such a goofy novelty to me idk
I knew Dizzee Rascal by name only before the day, so I guess it was kinda cool discovery to learn that this record basically put grime on the map. And it’s a really cool record! The beats are insane throughout, and even though I did suffer some album fatigue towards the end, Dizzee’s performances are wild enough to keep it interesting. Very cool album.
I remember when Fix up Look Sharp came out I had that song on repeat because it didn't sound like anything else. Never gave the rest of an album a shot but I enjoyed it.
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
Wagwan?! Can’t believe I haven’t heard this yet. Good grimey fun
The flows really well, if not feeling slightly dated now. Still most influential grime artist
I'm just a rascal, just a rascal. Classic album from college. Holds up!
Really impressive diversity of beats. Unique to anything else I've heard. Fun, clever, slice of life lyrics. Good stuff!
I thought grime was a more recent genre, so it's interesting to listen to an early influential grime album. I really like the interesting rhythms, and his vocals complement it well
I love British rap. Lyrics were tight and the rhythm to each song was so catchy. Will return to this artist!
Great. I wish I had listened to this before.
Wasn't a fan of most of this album. Far too much going on in the background of most of the tracks. Favorite track: Jus' a Rascal
I get it, but I’m not sure I like it.
I don't really like drill but I enjoyed this.
Ой ну шо я могу сказать. Не мое, но как и вчера, если бы оно играло где-то на фоне, хай играет. Jus a rascal самая интересная пока. Биты не впечатляют. Наверное интересные тексты. Флоу иногда интересный Запустился второй раз… тексты конечно «по беспределу», очень интересный альбом
Not really my jam. The vocal delivery is some kind of UK bad boy variant that just doesn't mesh with my sensibilities, and I thought the music was generally dull. Call it 2.5 and round up as an allowance for the culture barrier. Some clever wordplay.
The kind of hip-hop I like. So many bangers!
very strange, pretty horrible beats. just sporadic and loud. 2.
Not good, some might say this is shit... Its me ill say its shit. Not sure what his target was but he missed it.
I'm surprised to be enjoying this album. It's just fun to listen to. Strongest in the first several tracks but entertaining throughout. I'm surprised to see how divisive it is in the ratings. 3.5 rounding up for the places where it made me laugh.
Intense - but the production awesome - even though it's skewed heavily on the rhythm and rather spare on the melody. Quite a few tracks are bangers here, and while it's not an album for all seasons because of it's intensity, it's a great one when the time and mood is right.
Welcome to London GLHF
Fix up, look sharp!
It's an impressive debut, and it's ok, but if you really want to give due credit to Brit-Hop let's talk about Kae Tempest or The Streets.
Whoa, that’s some really weird stuff, and I don’t mean that as a criticism. I felt like I had been pulled into a computer gone mad. Very interesting.
I've been known to be a bit of a dizzee rascal myself after a drink or 7, so I def vibe with the kid. I'M YOUR FITNESS INSTRACTAH...
Quite a long album, with normally is annoying, but despite the number of hip-hop albums on this list, "Boy In Da Corner" comes with fresh air (almost 20 years ago) and makes the time goes fast into a good listening session. Not the best hip-hop album of all time (maybe far from it), but it is one of the best on this list for sure. It deserves four stars for the nice job.
This one’s wild because it sounds like it could perfectly fit into that weirdo rap category like jpegmagia and be mistaken as something that just came out but this mfs 20 years old. Just awesome
Not for me
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.
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.
Not my kind of music
It's a very good album and has a sound that is unique even after being imitated since its release. 4/5
Incredible energy. Modern sounding vocals. Great production, feels dated now but it was 20years ago!
Pretty great, honestly.
Quand c'est trop c'est tropico
j'avais déjà écouté cet album, mon avis n'a malheureusement pas changé depuis la dernière fois
Pretty groundbreaking if occasionally too much
Not for me
This is a fun album, but defo could be cut down a bit, it overstays its welcome Fave tracks: Sittin’ Here, I luv U,Brand New day, Jezebel
Big shaq. Boom. Ya dun now. Quik maths Funny stuff, two stars for the novelty.
It was fine, but wouldn't ask to listen to again. Strangely enough though, I probably prefer this over some of the other rappers we've gotten on here
I thought it was kind of bland and couldn't really focus on it.
I only kinda wanted to turn it off the whole time
One of the funnier albums we've gotten. Less funny as it went on. UK Rap cannot be taken seriously. Roadman lingo very entertaining though.
These beats. Hard. Abrasive. Aggressive. Felt punched in the head. Yeah, this definitely took some adjusting too. Not sure if the first tracks hit harder, or if I started getting used to it. Probably won’t be coming back to this. But it’s good in its way, it belongs here and I’m glad I got to hear it.
hes just a rascal. dizzee rascal. love this album. have since i heard. was a fresh take on electro rap warble bass stuff. hes kind of a macho idiot, but many a man is. i like his high pitched affectations and that he raps so fast on one song i cant understand his accent. i think its a great album. its fucking great. bass boom bap shake shatter rattle. that one song thats just drums. that one where it sounds like squealing female voice sirens creaking. i like iiiiiitttt a lot.
Sorry Mr Rascal but this aged like milk in a greenhouse
this is not as good as I remember and at times is kinda grating. the highs perfectly tread the line between dated (good) and dated (bad), but the lows are more annoying than interesting. everything is still hard af even if not amazing though. best tracks: Sittin' here, I Luv U, Jus a Rascal
The song I enjoyed most was Dance Wiv Me, and when I went to add it to my 1001 songs playlist I noticed that it wasn’t on the album, the album had finished and had gone onto that song. Oh well.
The music critics lived this one. That says I’ll never fulfill my dream of being a music critic.
I haven't been exposed to Grime but I guess you'd expect UK rap to be influenced by the different electronic dance scene they have over there. I've never liked UK Garage or jungle too much, so I'm not likely to fall in love with rap influenced by these styles. That said, the first few tracks sound original. “I Luv You” with the female rapper Jeanine Jacques is interesting. I was less impressed the big hit, “Fix Up Look Sharp” which sounds more mainstream, sampling a rock song and a drum beat that apparently has been sampled three hundred times – so much for originality.
I’m still not into hip hop but this album was certainly interesting. I would almost call it Industrial Hip Hop. Hard mechanical abrasive beats. Kudos to him for pushing the envelope and not sounding like all the other mainstream hip hop artists.
boy this was not easy to listen to, from the flows to the beats to the guy's voice. grime is not for me, but i'll give it a few points because i liked some of the beats and it's also pretty impressive that a teenager made this. 3/10
2/10. I won't say this has no musical value, and for a bit during "I Luv U" my Stockholm syndrome built up enough to convince me parts of it sounded cool, but otherwise I fucking hated this shit, it was so damn annoying and I just wanted it to end, which it thankfully has now done.
His vocal delivery is incredible but I ended up with a headache because of the beats. Just not quite what I look for in rap. 4/10
I like the idea of this debut more than the actuality. Personally, I find grime becomes a bit too generic after a while and I stop listening, so a full album is more than I want to hear. That said, each track has its merits.
Dizzee certainly has flow, but if we are discussing the actual relevance and staying power outside of this particular inflection point, I feel like the argument for him begins to fall apart. For a very small and myopic point this brand of British Rap was very prevalent, but it is hardly noteworthy at this point or much worth revisiting. Instead we get an occasionally grating debut album that shows skill, but very little polish.
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.
The nicest thing I can say about this album is it certainly sounds different, but that still isn't a compliment. It sounds like they took all the Samsung ringtones no one ueses because they sound weird and made beats out of them, but squeaker and more repetitive.
Gruwelijk kutte drill-rap ofzo, 0/5
So far I'm about it. British, cool. From the sound of Stop Dat, I can't help but guess Dizzee Rascal ventured into/influenced dubstep? I can't keep up with the lyrics, but damn, this shit goes hard. I Luv U is one of the most British things I've ever heard. God damn he went after the queen on 2 Far, and he's MBE. Sick. Alright, on to the most listened track, what'll it be like? He kinda gives me ODB at times. I like it, but I don't think it's the best track that I've heard on the album. That always kinda bums me out, because it makes me think the other, better tracks might have been overlooked a little. Oh, Danny Brown too. Jus' a Rascal kinda slaps. Hmm, not big on Jezebel, big slut shaming anthem I guess.
No I just couldn’t get through this. I think this is my new least favourite genre from today
Dizzee’s underground grime album made it to the overground and inspired plenty of think pieces in left leaning newspapers marvelling at his wordplay, real outlook on urban life and raw stripped back electro beats. I can’t really blame them - it’s a powerful Debut, he was just a kid and who had heard music like this before if you weren’t on the scene?
Not what I usually listen to, but nice beats.
Maybe I just don't like UK hip/hop that much, but this album is pretty abrasive to me. The production is indeed "grimy" and the lyrics are tough for me as an American to understand. Between the distracting beats and difficult-to-understand lyrics it was tough for me to get anything out of this.
Kidz Bop shit
This slays from beginning to end
Not my thing and didn't engage me, with the exception of I Luv U and Fix Up, Look Sharp
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
Heard this once before. Not bad. Three good tracks and the might take more time to get to know better. 3.5/5.
Garbage
There has been some bad shit on this list, but there’s ranks with the worst of them. Unintelligible noise, i cannot describe it as music. Cover art 4/5
This reminded me a bit of "the batty man" rapper. I don't remember his name but Stevie would. This felt unique especially in 2003, but in the latter half of the album I was skipping a lot of songs. One that stood out and I thought was awesome was Fix Up, Look Sharp which I think had the guy who sings The Stroke.
Oy, it's the boy in da corner, innit? Been waiting for a reason to check out Dizzee Rascal, glad to see this pop up on here. Some really fantastic tracks on here. I'm pretty sure this was one of the first big breakout albums from the grime scene, and it's crazy to hear how much this style still influences acts today, like Skepta. I hear a throughline from this to Konnichiwa for sure. Obsessed with the Billy Squier flip on "Fix Up Look Sharp," took me right back to that XXL freshman cypher with Kendrick and Lil B. Give me more grime! Favorite tracks: Fix Up Look Sharp, I Luv U, Stop Dat, Hold Ya Mouf. Album art: He really is a boy in da corner. Font, colors, even his pose is cool. Really like this one. 4/5
Very repetitive without any personality, didn't like it that much
I'm usually not much into music like this, but I can vibe with this album very well. Especially the vocals are done skillfully and have me bopping my head a lot.
1. Can't believe this is almost 20 years old. 2. Losing the will to live a couple of songs in. 3. I think 20 years ago, I was too old for this. 4. 20 years later, I'm still too old for this.
Look, it ain't my thing.
Wow, this album was fucking fantastic. Love love love love.
album's trash plus he's an abuser, BIG L
He can stay in that corner.
I don't know. I started out liking it, but this just isn't my thing for a whole album's worth.
Repetitive
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Sittin here, I luv u, Fix up look sharp, Jus a rascal
2/15, 13%
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
I didn’t think there’d be another British rap album to rival that streets album but here we are. This grime album was just as hard to listen to despite being slightly better with flows and production. I would even go so far as to say I luv u is an alright song but the rest is ass
No thank you. Really difficult to listen to. It’s a jumbled mess that manages to essentially sound the same throughout. And that’s not a good thing.
Rubbish.
Just like Showtime this DR album gets a bit on my nerves and hard to listen to in one go.
Overall far too busy for my taste.
J’ai de la difficulté à évaluer ce genre de musique, parce que je n’en ai pas un gros baggage. Je me fie donc à mes repères généraux d’appréciation. Cet album n’est pas plate. Ça bouge beaucoup et ça va dans plusieurs directions. Je suis content de l’avoir écouté, mais ça ne figurera pas dans mes meilleurs album hip-hop/rap.
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.
Some interesting beats, but overall didn't hold my attention
highlights: -stop dat -luv u mid
I appreciate that this album probably had some role in making Man's Not Hot happen
Definitely not my cup of tea. Wonky beats, odd tone. Just unpleasant to listen to.
I had high hopes at the outset because the opener hits pretty hard. Then it got a bit formulaic for me.
Every single song is a 3-4 second loop that repeats for 3-4 minutes
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
Damn, this is still so cool
no no no
Fine for what it is - and a banger is a banger, but not enough bangers here for me
Remember all of those Guy Ritchie movies of the early 2000's that you thought were awesome...? Snatch, Lock, Stock and Layer Cake (not GR)? Those were super good... And then you try and go back today and rewatch those movies, and they're STILL good! Totally watchable. Then there's this album, from the same era and ... well ... huh... Not really that great. But maybe it once was great, listenable, interesting, tolerable. Things have changed over the past 20 years, right? You might imagine that Boy in Da Corner would've resonated in a different era. But notsomuch today. Weird how that happens... It did make me want to go watch old Guy Ritchie British gangster movies tho... so that's a win...(?)
I recognized the name Dizzie Rascal from his 15 minutes of fame in 2003. I vaguely recalled finding him interesting, and thus looked forward to listening to “Boy in Da Corner” nearly 20 years later. And it was, no doubt, interesting. It felt fresh and different, for either 2003 or 2022. The grime style is one I want to like. But uniqueness aside, I just couldn’t get into it. “Fix Up, Look Sharp” is the track I remember, and I do think that refrain is the coolest thing on the album. But while I’m glad grime exists, I think it’s just not for me.
I dub this album Beats Machine 1.0 programmed by Beats Technician 1.0. The amateurish beats are off kilter like two middle schoolers stepping all over each others’ feet at a dance. It’s hard to get into body bouncing rhythm Fix Up, Look Sharp was my favorite track.
classic
Hip hop. Coñazo
I appreciate what Dizzee does, but I'm not the target audience. Fave: Round We Go
A great debut from Dizzee, it definitely brought the UK grime movement to the mainstream masses. This album seems more raw and unpolished in comparison to his later works, but doesn't suffer from it's "green-ness". There are pockets in the album where his flow is not quite there, but there are gems where you can see he's taken that flow and honed it. Best: I Luv U Worst: 2 Far 3.5 Stars
This turned out to be the long-awaited so-bad-it's-good album. It's audacious; That's a word. The sounds of grime are clearly present, and I'm intrigued by the production if nothing else. That's mostly it: Few of the lyrics grabbed me, making me feel the need for a trim. But the minimal beats require the kind of exposition we get. The two halves never come together, and the effect is jarring and less than pleasant. To enjoy this I need it to be shorter or I need to listen to it a dozen more times. That latter shot is long.
Un rap rafraichissant tres tres bon qui m’a secoue par rapport a ce que je connaissais. 5
V v cool.
I used to listen to this in College and didn't love it. Even harder for me to understand now. All I can really hear are the cuss words.
Edge and energized and I suppose distinctive (I've certainly heard little like it, especially with the thickly accented rapping), but I find it also pretty annoying and not very relatable. He sure rhymes fast. Must be something the kids like.
I only knew Dizzee from that one Basement Jaxx song, so this was a real treat!
3.0
Hey chums, it's the latest case of personal-iniquity-shredding-a-musician's-reputation! I don't wish to talk about the current nastiness surrounding Dizzie Rascal. Not least, I favour death-of-the-author, and have no probs separating the work from the artist. Anyway, in 2003 Dizzie Rascal was carried everywhere on a sedan chair held aloft by slavering critics, becoming that rarity of a respected UK rapper and symbolising the transition from garage to grime. I had the album myself, but in honesty I can't say I played it too much beyond the singles. In 2022, perhaps I can manage a more studied take. Firstly, Fix Up Look Sharp is an indestructible song, properly manic and banging, with this great playground sense of kids sharing yo mamma jokes. And Boy In Da Corner is at its best when it exhibits a childlike charm, when he's bragging about his trainers. But, gangsta posturing was surely passé by 2003, or at least it should have been? It dilutes the album's appeal considerably. Another point is the attitude to women. When does a cynical stance become a noxious one? A few times it appears to accuse young women of ensnaring unthinking men (and their money) by calculated pregnancy, and the title of the song Jezebel is as shrill a warning siren as one may require. This is where immaturity festers into misogyny. In retrospect, the initial appeal of Dizzie Rascal was partly the shock of the new. Audiences had already concluded that garage wasn't especially tantalising, and any step from that felt like the right one. But the actual slab we have hear is overlong, inelegant and not sufficiently charismatic. Later albums are an improvement, but it's slightly baffling to contemporary ears how this became the critics' champion all those years ago.
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.
Great flow and delivery, cool beats and sampling. Feels very ahead of its time.
Made me feel nervous and stressed. I liked some of the instrumentation and the lyrics of the first song.
04/16/2022 Really bad, loud noise. Filled with random electronic sounds and brash clanging. Didn't bother exploring pas track 4... it's nonsense.
More rap? I hate rap, it hardly qualifies as music. This shouldn't be on any musical 'best of' list.
Need to revisit, but interesting mix of rap with some English downtempo elements.
2/5 nope
Classic grime album. I haven't listened to this in a hot minute but it's so nostalgic for me.
Tää genre ei oo kyllä mua varten. Varmaan siis klassikko alallaan mut tän kuuntelu ei oo mulle erityisen mielyttävää. 2/5
Helppo nähdä, miks tää on ollut kova juttu 2003. Muutama biisi toimii tosi hyvin edelleen, vaikka soundit ei oo kyl kauheen hyvin ikääntyneet. Ehkä ansaitsee silti just ja just 3/5, nautin jollain kierolla tavalla.
Ihan coolit soundit mut en oo koskaan juurikaan välittänyt grimesta, aika tylsää musaa. 2/5.
It's alright
I generally don't like rap, but do think that Dizzee Rascal is definitely among the better rappers I've heard. I liked the no frills electronic accompaniment as well and also the rather dark sound of the music. That said, it's still a style of music I generally dislike. Additionally, the nervousness and angstiness of the music made a couple of the tracks really hard to listen to. The album was also very long, which led me to skip a couple of tracks, especially around the middle of the album. 2.5 stars rounded down because I did quite a bit of skipping.
Pure garbage.
A noisy ride. Had some moments I liked but overall not my vibe
Actually good
I don't do a lot of british hip hop. It's okay, but I'm not going to be seeking this album out
Opening the book on the UK Grime scene with humour social commentary and a cast of diverse characters. Accessible and interesting to non-fans of the genre, especially hearing Grime emerge from DnB.
Ooooooi Some massive tracks on here. He’s got his own style and is doing his thing but I was never too into grime. Fix up still sounds huge and I’ll always turn that up as loud as I can go.
Not gonna lie... I had to listen to this album with lyric subtitles... Not 100% sure how I feel about it but I know I didn't hate it.
Wagman ma roadman tis album was peng blud don't Eva trust a wasteman innit 4/5
Album is well produced and the combination of electronic and rap is interesting, but it's not my type of rap. Disliked a lot the vocals.
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
The lyrics are far less interesting than the atmosphere created by the confused and noisy arrangements. (6/10) FT: I Luv U, Fix Up, Look Sharp
Seemed as if he was in too much of a hurry 'to spit'. Did not leave enough time to tell the story....
This album is fun. It drones on a little bit in spots but the hits are all great. Sittin' Here is an all time great album opener.
Undoubtedly creative, and undoubtedly not for me.
Repetitive and annoying with zero edge. Get to Fuck. 1/5
Interesting hip hop.
Hundleiðinleg plata. Mæli ekki með.
DIDNT FINISH, DIDNT WANT TO
Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Jus' a Rascal Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: I don't skip songs on the first listen for this list but this was the hardest test of that rule yet. Lyrics and the performances are decent but good LORD is the production horrifically abrasive and shotgun blasts (given the album's origin a better phrase would be shanks) almost any enjoyment I would've had.
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.
No acabé de escucharlo, de lo que he escuchado no he entendido nada pero me ha resultado bastante interesante y me gustan algunos temas. Una review muy vaga porque lo que escuche lo hice mientras iba a clase. Supongo que deberia haberme puesto los lyrics. Mmm yo que se.
A ver. Quiero que me guste esta mierda lógicamente, pero más allá de lo adelantado a su tiempo que está los sonidos están ridículamente anticuados (normal por otro lado) me saca un poco entre eso y el delivery del jambo, pero esas son las únicas críticas. No está mal. Es un estilo que no me encanta particularmente pero si esto es el del 2003 se ve la influencia fácilmente. MAD BANTER GOOD CHAT THIS BLOKE'S GOT THE PROPER FLOW INNIT.
Already listened before, instant classic. Can't beat it
Not Dizzee's best tbh
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.
Good, some rough tracks, some bangers.
Trash
Contextualitzat en els primers anys del mil.leni, com un dels primers i millors exemples de grime, rap anglés urbà i amb temàtiques del dia a dia, encaixava força bé. Però no em sembla gaire destacable musicalment, i amb els anys ha perdut l'interés que en algun moment va poder tenir
3.7
Oi! 'Fix Up, Look Sharp' is sweet as a nut. The rest of the album is mostly ok.
Didn't listen to it again, this is the score from original listen on solo list.
Would've got a 4 if a few filler songs were dropped from it
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.
Well the lyrics are uninspired but the beats a really cool.
Buen disco
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