MOBOs Spotlight: Wiley
Paving the Way for Generations to Come
The MOBO Awards 2015 are just around the corner and it’s all set to be an incredible evening at the first direct arena celebrating world-class musical talent. Throughout the build-up, we’re shining the spotlight on some of this year’s top acts…
If there’s one name that’s synonymous with Grime music, it’s Wiley. Dubbed the Godfather of Grime, he’s a pioneer in the truest sense.
Now 36, Wiley’s been honing his craft for many years. To put that into some sort of context, Stormzy – winner of Best Grime Act at the 2014 MOBOs – wasn’t even born when Wiley first laid the foundations for the emerging genre. At the tender age of fourteen, he broke new ground for future generations on London’s pirate radio stations like Rinse FM.
What Wiley first called Eski or Eskibeat (due to the music’s cold sound and lyrical content) is now known simply as Grime. Originally a member of the Pay as U Go Cartel, he later went on to become a founding member of Roll Deep. With over 100 top quality EPs/singles and 12 albums to his name, it’s easy to see why Wiley’s renowned for his prolific work rate and versatility as an artist.
‘Treddin' on Thin Ice’ (XL, 2004) and ‘Playtime Is Over’ (Big Dada, 2007) were both formidable albums, but Wiley caused controversy amongst his diehard fans in 2008 when he released ‘See Clear Now’ (Asylum). It featured the hit song ‘Wearing My Rolex’, which peaked at number 2 in the UK charts.
Despite the album's success, Wiley later disowned it, citing his anger at the label and lack of creative control. ‘See Clear Now’ will always be seen as somewhat of an anomaly in Wiley’s illustrious career.
To this day, Wiley continues to release incredible music in the form of studio albums, free downloads and white labels (the latter of which are usually the best) and is still rightly considered a legend amongst the Grime community. His latest work, ‘Snakes & Ladders’, is up for Best Album at this year’s MOBOs.
A testament to his status as a true originator, he was recently awarded the first ever MOBO ‘Paving The Way’ prize. To honour the school he and his dad attended, the prize now forms a paving stone at Bow School in Tower Hamlets.
If you were lucky enough to grab a ticket for The MOBO Awards 2015, don’t let parking be a problem. Remember to pre-book your space at the official first direct arena car park – the most affordable parking for The MOBO Awards!