15 June 2018

D Double E is still grime’s original innovator

We catch up with a founding member of the UK's most vital musical revolution.

[G]rime is a uniquely British culture: the product of lyrical dexterity, claustrophobic inner city environments, political disillusionment and the culmination of years of musical evolution, experimentation and expansion.

In the genre’s two decades of oscillating between the musical underground and the pop scene mainstream, D Double E has been a fixture – an originator whose distinct vocal and versatile flows have retained deep connections to the jungle, garage and drum and bass sounds that would be melded into Grime around the turn of the century. His latest single “Back Then” – premiered here and cut from the forthcoming album Jackuum! – shows exactly how far D Double has come and displays the same energy that transformed Grime from its underground origins in basement clubs and tower block pirate radio stations into the UK’s most articulate, inventive and vital musical revolution.

Check out the track below alongside photographs from Lower Clapton Road, close to the defunct nightclub Chimes, where D Double played his early shows.

"That was what got me into music. To hear where I was from. It made it feel close."

What was it like going back to Clapton?

It was a mad experience to be honest. It definitely took me back. There was a lot of shit that happened there. But it became one of those places you shouldn’t really go after a while. But then it’s been a long time since then. Sometimes my mind makes me think it’s still them days, but it’s different now.

I got so much love on the corner. I had cars tooting me going “Ah D Double what’s good? What’s good?” It’s East London at the end of the day and I represent East London.

What was influencing you lyrically back then?

I think it was just mainly the music. My upbringing and the music.

Did you feel like you were creating your own genre?

I always came with my own shit, even the way I dressed, the way I looked. Even up until now I’ve always had my way. I think it’s the normal way. And I’ve only been influenced by where I’m from, I can’t turn into anything else but where I’m from.

In the day we wore Moschino, Iceberg and Akademiks tracksuits, that’s what I was wearing. I’m still that person today. Other people may have changed init.

"Today, if someone is wearing Moschino, they’re wearing it in a different way. We were wearing it in jungle raves, in drum and bass raves. Today people don’t go to dubstep dances and wear Moschino, they don’t mix those things."

Did you feel like the scene had more authenticity back then?

It was all about the way we wore it and where we wore it. Today, if someone is wearing Moschino, they’re wearing it in a different way. We were wearing it in jungle raves, in drum and bass raves. Today people don’t go to dubstep dances and wear Moschino, they don’t mix those things. But for us it was natural. It was just what we wore. We didn’t dress up for no event, we just dressed up today.

Do you think Grime is still connected to those origins?

It is. At the end of the day you can’t change where you’re from. You can’t. In terms of influencing the masses, the masses are in school today and they are connected to histories of followings, the are connected to original bass. Even today a kid that’s listening to Grime was probably introduced to music by his parents and his parents were definitely listening to UK music. So the base of it is from UK.

That was what got me into music. To hear where I was from. It made it feel close. When I used to listen to American music and watch Snoop Dogg it felt like them man are so far away. I didn’t feel connected. I felt like it was a far-fetched dream.

When I heard garage, it was right in my face – DJs, record shops,all in my face. The sound of the UK right in front of me. That’s where i”m from. That’s what I’m representing.

Did you have a vision for  what the scene could become?

I didn’t have a vision for what the scene would become, I had a vision that there could be some great events, some great raves. I just thought that people were either going to get signed or it was just like big, nice events that everyone could be a part of. My whole music beginning was not because I wanted to make money or because I wanted to do this or that. It was straight, direct, just “I wanna do music and I’m just doing music.”

That makes me think of new artists today, they’re like “rah, I wanna drive that car, I wanna do music.” Just copying someone to try and get stuff. In my day it weren’t like that. It was like playing football in some shit park – no one’s there to sign you. No one was watching us. It’s about “Where’s the music?Let’s go and play, it’s between us.” It wasn’t about the vision of making it Premier League.

Do you think it was better back then? Some moments on the album feel nostalgic?

I just feel times were more pure back in the day. Today it’s not really pure. It was pure talent that would get you where you’re going. It was graft. Street graft. It was people selling records out of the back of their car. You don’t have to graft anymore. It’s just a bit more about luck now.

Do you give advice to upcoming artists?

There are simple things people are not understanding – there are people sitting there in their house with their tunes and they’re just moaning. I tell them you need to get money, shoot a video get it on YouTube. It doesn’t matter if you get five views, six views or seven views, just get the videos done. Start something. I’m trying to give people the confidence to get their shit done. There’s a lot of people walking around like zombies. It all comes down to self-determination no matter what.

"It doesn’t matter if you get five views, six views or seven views, just get the videos done. Start something."

Did you feel like it music was a way to get away from negative things?

I didn’t do music to get away from negative things really, I just did music to do music. I think it’s more about fashion right now. It wasn’t fashionable when I did it. It’s like someone saying they play violin – it didn’t sound exciting back in the day.

People loved being around it, when I was doing a set in the bedroom, they would just come and chill. But now it’s like “If we’re not gonna do music, we’re gonna look like music.” It’s all about turning up in your car looking like your favourite rapper.

What’s it like listening to Jackuum! for you?

It’s exciting man. I just want give it to the people and then get onto my next album. I want to get more into my world. This is something that I haven’t been able to get as far into as I want to. People won’t have expected what I can do – how versatile I am.

What defines the Jackuum! world?

Jackuum! It’s a colorful world. It’s full of intensity. There’s a reason on every track where you’re gonna reload the track. And when we reload the track now, it’s not called a “reload” or “pull it back”, it’s called Jackuum! That’s who I am when I turn up in the rave – the Jackuum! guy.

What’s the one moment from your career that really stands out for you?

I would say right now it’s the album. The process of the album. Knowing that it’s coming. Knowing that I’m starting a different journey. Everything I’ve done has been momentum towards this. This is a point I’ve always wanted to get to. And the people are waiting.

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