Thursday Thoughts- WTF Is Urban?

So another big year, for the UK urban scene with acts like Tinie Tempah reaching the stratosphere, N-Dubz still churning out hits like nobody's business and acts like Roll Deep, Skepta, and Wiley all charting with mainstream dancy tracks, in the case of William and his boys, consistently. Pro Green also had a very good 2010. Devlin, who released his major label debut this year, Bud, Sweat & Beers, earlier this year didn't really deviate from his sound, rapid-fire delivery, lyrical content and thought provoking material. However because of this he was never going to set the world alight, and he didn't, haven't heard the album, but unlike some other acts, will happily give it a listen.

Mainly what my gripe is, the moment when you get signed, the moment every MC/rapper (sometimes artist) dreads, underrated or overpaid? Griminal just inked with Universal a little while ago, we will see if his music steers from him single-handedly repping NASTY Crew at every possible chance to more poppy crossover appeal? 'Supa Dupa', his first release after the signing of his deal, implies otherwise. Not for a second, am I criticising any of these acts or MC's I have mentioned, but with the power of the internet I am surprised. Surprised, we haven't earthed an unknown talent, most of the time, its a popular artist who has been grinding for a while and then finally gets the little push, the backing of a machine and bucket-loads of Pounds on marketing and what not. There's no Kanye West similarity I can make off the top of my head, nor a British hip hop lyricist that has fiends fans going crazy over the product being supplied, like Jay Electronica. Not even a Soulja Boy reference or similarity can be made. Interestingly, Jessie J, Britian's newest Pop Princess, made her name on YouTube as a aspiring singer belting out hits on her bedroom floor.

 I would just like it, if artists on their second album could make songs like 'She Likes To' that would chart Top 20, but the album would sell on the strength of the artist, not whether the first single was soppy or synthy enough. The scene is called urban for two reasons, its not big enough and it has no sound. Hip-hop has trends, soul samples, Auto-Tune, chopped n screwed voice effects, but the sound more or less is the same.

Selling out is cool, I'm all for catchy singles with bait and over-featured R'n'B singers, but having to leave your genre or comfort zone, (can tell this when a song sounds forced), just so radio will pick you up, speaks volumes of a scene in its infancy.

Any thoughts on the 'urban' scene?