From the archives
Photo by Ben Rayner. Article originally published 2006.
JME is the only Grime artist we know who’s been educated past senior school. He has about three albums worth of material ready, but won’t let any of the many labels wanting to sign him hear it. That’s his story anyway. To grime fans he’s the scene’s answer to Talib Kweli. To insiders he’s known as the scene’s “Doo-rag uni boy”. To everybody else he’s trying to copy Mike Skinner’s conversational style of rapping. Problem is he has no concept of things like “narrative” and instead raps about being the best lyricist from the toughest part of town.
Vice: What are you doing at uni?
JME: 3D Digital Design. It’s like a mix of graphics, computer animation and music stuff.
Good luck with that. Why aren’t more grime artists furthering their education?
I think some people are cut out for college and some aren’t. I think everyone should follow their own path. Don’t drop out ’cos your friends dropped out. Try hard at everything you do. I try hard at everything I do, and if I fail, I fail.
Can we do the “what was your lowest moment” question?
Probably when I came in at 9 A.M. and spent the whole day drawing a naked girl, which I didn’t mind. But I worked until 11 at night and had to get loads of trains and buses all across London to get home. I was carrying all my heavy uni shit across London after a long day.
THANDIE NEUTRON
