Review: BBC Radio 1Xtra Urban Classic x BBC Symphony Orchestra

Ms Dynamite performed
'Wile Out' and 'Dy-Na-Mi-Tee'

Skepta's rendition of 'Rescue Me' was electric.
He also brought his brother JME along!

Devlin's delivery coupled brilliantly
with the orchestral tones

Background man Fazer showed
us he actually has a voice 

Last Saturday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra the Urban Classic performance was hosted live from the Barbican Centre in London. For those of you who don't already know Urban Classic is a one off mash-up performance of UK urban artists collaborating with the 80-strong BBC Symphony Orchestra. The show featured an eclectic mix of performances from Ms. Dynamite, Devlin, Skepta and Fazer (from N-Dubz) which did not disappoint at all. It was all hosted by 1Xtra and Radio 1 DJs MistaJam and Trever Nelson who both have a keen eye for urban talent, but were highly appreciative of the classical interfusion. It seemed like a brilliant evening for music, and it goes to show that two genres can collide and it can sound all the more beautiful. In an interview with the BBC MistaJam said: "After seeing what Nero did with an Orchestra last year, I’m really looking forward to hearing what these four artists have produced with the orchestra. It’s going to be an exciting night and I’m pleased that we can bring these collaborations to our Radio 1 & 1Xtra listeners!". It 's amazing to know that young and old people both were able to enjoy this! There's a link at the bottom of the page for you to listen to the entire show, but if you haven't got time here's a preview of the momentous occasion...

You can listen to the whole event on the iPlayer here for 28 days (UK viewers only).

Releases: Labrinth - Last Time

Labrinth: From the sidelines to the spotlight

Coming off the back of the hugely successful single 'Earthquake', Labrinth makes an attempt at topping his previous 2011 hit single. 'Last Time' is a journey, apparently 'based on a true story', where Labrinth provides us with an insight into his creative mind. Labrinth takes us to a parallel universe with a blue alien as a tour guide and we are whisked away to a world with no apparent boundaries. Sounds pretty mental but no you are not tripping, you are actually seeing what we're seeing! Anyway it is very much a grower, and may take a few listens, but we here at OBWD think it's an awesome single and will be the soundtrack to many nightclubs in the next few weeks. Considering Labrinth started out as a songwriter and producer under Sony Music before being snapped up by Simon Cowell and featuring on Tinie Tempah's breakthrough single 'Pass Out', he's done incredibly well with two #2 singles under his belt, this one is set to be another smash hit single. His debut album Electronic Earth (funky name!) is due to be released on 2 April 2012 (UK) and it's gonna be a big one! Check the video out below....

Last Time will be available for download on 18 March 2012 from all major digital stores (UK).

The debut album Electronic Earth is available for pre-order from iTunes, play.com (with signed sleeves!), Amazon, HMV, and MyPlay

Music to Video: Rizzle Kicks 'Traveller's Chant'

Two of the best dressed teenagers in Britain have not only given our ears a treat but have taken our eyes on a journey with this visually amazing music video. The track entitled 'Travellers Chant' is pretty self explanatory in the fact that the song is concentrated on the reflection period you engaging with when travelling. The smart camera usage gives you the feel that you are on the end of someone's knapsack, as if you were being carried around and shown all the sights that they have seen on their travels. One of the coolest thing about the video is the use of water as it gets some particularly amazing underwater footage.

The debut album Stereo Typical is out now (UK)

Premiere: ill MANORS

Arriving off the back of his phenomenally successful sophomore album The Defamation of Strickland Banks, Plan B is back with the first single since the success of that very album. 'Ill Manors' [which is often stylized as iLL MANORS] is a grotesquely urban single in which Plan B [real name Ben Drew] returns to his emcee roots once more, the roots that ensured him major success on the underground scene on his debut album Who Needs Actions When You've Got Words. It was debuted last night on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show as the Hottest Record in the World Today and assures Plan B's eagerly anticipated return to the music scene. It appears that he has ditched the velvety tones which dominated his previous album for a politically charged anthem which features a direct attack on politicians and current affairs. Lines in the song such as 'we're not broken Britain, we're just broke in Britain' highlight the rapper's political stance, he also refers to the 2011 August Riots. Check it out...

Plan B's successful second album has given him
 opportunity to explore other creative avenues

Plan B is said to be filming and directing his own film which is set to also be titled 'ill MANORS'. He has become a little bit of a rising star in the British film industry, what with starring roles in Harry Brown and Adulthood giving him a brilliant platform for him to be able to direct his own film. We're pretty sure it's going to feature scenes of Britain's deprived urban areas and the culture of crime which riddle these very districts. He will also be writing and composing the official film soundtrack himself, so he most definitely has his work cut out for him! The film will be on a big screen near you on 4 May (UK), and us here at OBWD are excited as to what he has to bring to the world of film.

Cover art for 'ill MANORS' EP

Ill Manors will be made available for download on March 25 (UK)

Focus: Disturbing London x Tinie Tempah

'Disturbing London baby we about to branch out' [in Tinie Tempah voice!] is the line which features in Tinie Tempah's critically acclaimed Number 1 debut single 'Pass Out', and that is exactly what we are witnessing here at OBWD base. The 'GQ Best Dressed Man of 2012's' unprecedented breakthrough onto the mainstream was one of great disillusion to us at only bespoke. It was only a few years ago when the two of us witnessed Tinie Tempah (real name Patrick Okogwu) on a very small stage as an unsigned artist in Leicester, 2006 at the age of just 18 years! At that time he was very popular on the underground course, with his debut EP 'Hood Economics Room 147' creating a storm in the UK urban doldrums. Off the back of this very successful EP he penned a major record deal with EMI of which his massive debut album Disc-Overy was born. This album produced several hits including the already mentioned 'Pass Out', 'Wonderman' and the phenomenally globally successful hit single 'Written In The Stars' landing him with two BRIT Awards in 2011. This single has also provided a platform in which Mr Okogwu has been able to have wide success in America, with a spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart with his debut album and collaboration with Wiz Khalifa on the track 'Til I'm Gone'. Tinie Tempah is flying the Union Flag for us high in the States and it is reflective as 'Written in the Stars' was used as the opening song in the 2012 SuperBowl. With another album which is set to be fittingly titled 'Sophomore' in the pipeline, it is definitely all eyes on him in the musical world for this year!

And now you ask, 'What is Disturbing London?', well Disturbing London aka DL is the sub-label created by Tinie under EMI and Parlophone, and it is the platform in which he has created his own streetwear line. Disturbing London offer Tinie's touring range, which include some graphically creative numbers such as the iconic tea mug (Tinie is a massive fan of tea as we are too!) and the DL skull with the London icons forming the crown jewels, instrumentally personifying the UK. We have always been avid fans of the range of tees he has had a hand in creating, and they really do show off Tinie's style and relevance in contemporary fashion as a figurehead. Furthermore, very recently the Disturbing London think tank have collaborated with MHI in a new, more up-market and professional venture which looks incredibly promising from where we're standing. MHI are a world renowned streetwear brand with many references in popular culture coming from rapper Sway who is a massive fan! This very original and British new look is incredibly promising, with the S/S range availablenow on the official website. We're giving you a few snaps here for you to feast your eyes on and drool over! Check it out folks....

The debut album Disc-Overy is out worldwide now.
The free Happy Birthday EP [released November 2011] is available here.
The Disturbing London and DL x MHI range are available on the official website.

Insight: Nicki Minaj vs Lil Kym

So a lot of of people are asking about what all this all this bad blood between these two young female artists? Why is there so much beef? And where did it all start?

Well there is no official date, it has been a build up of sly remarks and abusive videos for the Past 2-3 years. Lil Kym feels that Nicki is just an imitation of herself and is copying everything Kim has already done before her. Nicki has said in previous interviews that she has nothing but respect for her, however as time has gone on she has retaliated on various interviews and videos.

Possible motives are the fact that Diddy mentored both little Kim and Nicki (Kim first).

 Nicki posted for a photo in the same pose as Lil Kym.

Not to mention the numerous videos all over Youtube dissing one another. Here are two of the most blatant.
                                                               
                                                                 Nicki's Diss to Lil Kim
                                                                 Lil Kim's Diss to Nicki

And why has all this been brought up we hear you ask? Well recently Nicki created a song entitled 'Stupid Hoe' this was supposedly a direct attack on Lil Kim, and has not gone down well with her or the public as it has twice as many dislikes than likes. Lil Kim was featured on 'Watch What Happens Live' and had this to say in retaliation.


“I’m pretty sure I feel the same way everybody else feels right about now,” she began. “If you have to make a song called ‘Stupid Hoe,’ you must be a stupid ho.”


Personally we have heard it all before and it just seems to be dragging on, the worst thing is that they both have such talent and it is being wasted on each other.