By Cammy Thomas
“All respect due to garage nig*as
All respect due to Shab and Skibba,
And all hail the king Jackson
But our Quincy was Wiley, our Michael was Dylan”
– ‘New Banger,’ Kano, 2016
The Ice has finally thawed, and there are no boys in the corner, in present day stand men taking center stage, united in celebration of the music they pioneered and steered, to become the much loved and revered genre we came to know as Grime over the last 24 years. For Grime heads in the UK and worldwide who remember Wiley as jungle MC ‘Wiley Kat’ or Dizzee Rascal’s colossal single ‘I luv U’(2003) which tore up the rule book sonically and changed the landscape of British music forever, due to its D.I.Y off kilter tempo, abrasive instrumental, complimented by Dizzee’s sneering, cocky flow. To those of us who vividly remember Wiley taking Dizzee Rascal under his wing as a protegee inviting him to join Roll Deep Crew and overseeing the now infamous Choice FM clash with their Garage predecessors So Solid Crew which is dissected to this day. For those of us who have grown up alongside Wiley and Dizzee Rascal since Grime’s inception in 2001, we never thought we would see this day and heavily relied on musical memories before their infamous feud and subsequent rift ignited, after the fateful Ayia Napa incident of 2003. Grime heads who have followed the genre from the jump are more than aware of the lore behind both artists decision to stop collaborating or interacting with each other.
Over the last two decades since the pioneers parting, it’s clear from interviews and album releases, each of them had to process their complex thoughts and feelings. Both have wrestled with hurt, frustration, anger, regret, and wistfulness, especially on Wiley’s part as heard on the heartfelt ‘Letter 2 Dizzee’ (2007), for the connection they once had. Fans everywhere of the Grime founders accepted that a true reunion was highly unlikely, a conclusion solidified in 2016 when both Wiley and Dizzee Rascal were on the bill to perform at Bedford Park, which turned out to be a complete false alarm, as the only thing shared between both was the oxygen within the vicinity, as it became clear that the innovators were not quite ready to share the stage together just yet. After years of disappointment, we had teasers of a reunion between the Grime legends, notably in Dubai 2023, and Notting Hill Carnival earlier this year, leading up to this monumental moment.
No more definitely maybes, the joy was palpable across the UK and beyond when Grime’s version of the Oasis reunion finally came to fruition on 24th September 2025, with DJ MAK 10 on the ones and twos spinning nostalgic Grime riddims that have sound-tracked our youths. I must admit when I was sent the video from a fellow Grime head in Germany, my first thought was that I am clearly suffering from hallucinations and delirium after the traumatic quarter of a year I have experienced, but no! Wiley and Dizzee rascal were very much ‘Live O.’ The seasoned lyricists, with dynamite flows, and endless energy, had joined forces for a surprise shell down set, in Shoreditch. I, along with Grime spectators the world over felt truly elated to watch Grime history show up and show out during this special performance.
Holding the set within Grime’s nucleus in East London, felt like poetry in mic mastery. ‘I could not believe my eyessssss’ (if you know, you know!) or ears, as Dizzee Rascal stood atop the DJ console taking his place as one of the kings of the scene, as Wiley sat inches away from him looking up at him like a proud big bro, it hit me the arduous journey both had taken personally and musically to get to this point. It was a full circle moment of mutual respect, appreciation, and joy. It was beautiful to observe the infectious cheshire cat grins of Wiley, Dizzee, and DJ Mak 10. The venue was lined with iPhone 17’s and Samsung S25’s boucin’ in unison like beacons of approval in response to the riddims MAK 10 was flinging out, illustrating how far we’ve come since the genre’s infancy of Nokia 3310’s and Sony Ericsson’s (with no internet might I add, the struggle was real) The set began with the Dizzee spittin’ bars from his tracks ‘Girls’ (from 2004’s ‘Showtime’ album) against the backdrop of ‘Shank’ riddim, the raw n rowdy ‘Sorry Sorry Pardon what’? was also revisited, originally heard on 2008’s ‘Eskiboy Tunnel vision 5’ compilation. The precision and ease in which Dizzee Rascal flowed over the big dirty stinkin’ bass, felt as though he’d never had a hiatus from Grime to go global, a testament to the fact the genre is clearly fused to his DNA, regardless of any detours Dizzee decided to take. Watching Dizzee pass the mic to Wiley was akin to watching a relay runner pass the baton, with the knowledge they are always destined to win together, as a team.
Wiley spit heat with bars from ‘Rinse’ (heard on 2020’s solid ‘Godfather 3’ album), before launching into his signature clash proclamation – “It’s Wiley, and I’m gettin’ em hyper, I get em dirty like a baby diaper”, and hyped the crowd were! We were treated to Dizzee and Wiley trading lyrics on the equally antagonising and unapologetic instrumental ‘Stop Dat,’(2003) prompting a sea of involuntary screw faces to materialise, (I dare you to try and listen to that legendary Grime anthem with a straight face, impossible!). We had Wiley tearing up the mic dropping bars from club anthem ‘Too Many Man’ (2009, by BBK, which still bangs to this day). My personal highlight of the set came when the riddim to Grime CLASSIC ‘I luv U’ dropped, which always brings back memories of the moment Grime grabbed me and held on with a tight grip for nearly 25 years and counting! This moment during the set was absolutely ICONIC, as Dizzee instructed the crowd “To skank out, and jump about” something he has requested of us since the dawn of the millennium! What made this rendition of ‘I luv U’ so special was Wiley sitting alongside Dizzee mouthing the lyrics word for word, whilst bouncing to the industrial instrumental, screw facing, with approving gun fingers held aloft. The immense enjoyment and gratitude was felt, and it is apparent both are genuine fans of each other’s skills and lyricism, so much so, you could feel the euphoria bursting from the screen.
The euphoria continued, when MAK 10 dropped the classic ‘Pulse X’ instrumental (2002), by Musical Mobb, gassing the crowd, leaving MAK 10 no choice but to wheel up the riddim to bask in its brilliance once again, as Wiley rolled deep in the ‘When I’m ere’ (2005) lyrics. Maestro MAK 10 seamlessly transitioned to Wiley’s magnificently menacing ‘Morgue’ instrumental, reminding us that not only are Wiley and Dizzee rascal pioneers, they are also prolific producers. The legendary Grime reunion gifted us a pick n mix of seminal riddims and classic bars which played like a monster medley plucked from both Wiley and Dizzee’s enormous back catalogues and clashes. We had Dizzee spittin bars from ‘Roll Deep Regular’ (2009) over Wiley’s ‘Eskimo’ riddim, one of Grime’s earliest instruments dating back to 2002, termed “Eski beat” music by Wiley. Reminiscent riddims such as ‘Pied Piper’ (2003) by Ruff Sqwad, and the pivotal instrumental, ‘Igloo’ (2003), were spun, where we also got a quick burst of ‘Wot Do U Call It?’, which was a pertinent question upon the songs official release in 2004, when Wiley adamantly told listeners the new genre he helped to create, should not be packaged with its pretty and polished predecessor Garage or (UK Garage / UKG), urging people to enjoy the sonic without a name, as a newly emerging individual sound. Nearing the sets end, MAK 10 kept it cool as he dropped Wiley’s 2002 ‘Ice Pole’ riddim, and defining instrumental ‘Creeper’ by Danny Weed. It was at this point the set drew to a natural close, as MC Riko Dan decided to ride the riddim with his signature bad man scatter shot delivery, before deciding he could tumble off the DJ console after an impromptu risk assessment. bantering with the audience “That’s why he was sat down! It nuh safe fi raasclart”! referring to Wiley, raising a laugh from all attendees. It was the perfectly imperfect close to the set which coincidentally sums up the entire Grime genre itself – Unpredictable, charismatic, humorous, impulsive, organised chaos. I only have one question after observing the electrifying set, when do we get the joint album?
Dine On Grime / Munch on music 