dizzee rascal – boy in da corner (2003)

In 2003, American hip-hop was run by bling – a commercial, club-inclined era that emphasised bravado before wit and soul. ‘Boy in Da Corner’ grinds harder than the surrounding releases because it unearths the harshness of the genre’s greatest era (1987-1994). Much of the records from o’er the Atlantic were siphoning baby-making R&B’s friskiness – Dizzee was on the estate, unafraid to express ugliness, questioning whether things would ever change. Even when addressing relationships, he eschews any jaw-clenched, cheeks-sucked-in, eyes-narrowed facade. The industrial, electronic architecture, high BPMs, and East London modulation narrate a whirring city of cynicism. It is staggering how original this album is. 

30/30

A favourite: ‘I Luv U’