During Skepta’s recent trip to New York he spent some time with Fader TV and reflected on what connects UK grime and US hip-hop. The video ‘Shutdown in NYC’ also shows clips of Skepta freestyling at an NYC radio station with fellow MC’s Novelist and Stormzy.
“We all make different types of music but it’s all born from poverty, born from pain. Now America has now found out about the religion, and they’re gonna help spread it. I always knew that one day if they find out about us they’re gonna think ‘Yeh them guys are sick’.”
“Grime fashion is gonna come in now and go out but we’re always still gonna be poppin’ because that’s what we’ve been doing for the last ten years. We know how to just get a sound and send it out.”
“I just want us to be remembered for the guys that gave the streets a sound in London. I don’t wanna be big cos no-one certified us I just wanna be sick because we are sick. The whole world is gonna know about what we do. Everyone. And everyone’s gonna say that it’s sick. We’ve been on all the continents and fucked up shows. EVERYWHERE. We’re going sick in Australia, going crazy in Africa. I’ll get home and I’ll say ‘Finally’. That’s what I’m waiting for.”