Hold Tight: Grime On The Airwaves

A quick guide to the finest grime shows on UK radio...

It’s no secret that the roots of grime music have always been firmly pitted in radio. Back in the mid ‘90s when grime was quietly emerging, pirate radio stations were pioneering the genre. Free from music streaming, and surprise music drops on social media, if you wanted to know about grime, you had to be listening to pirate radio.

With grime resurgent in recent years, commercial radio stations have begun to open their eyes to the mark the genre has been making. KISS FM recently launched a brand new radio show dedicated to grime music hosted by Rude Kid, a producer and DJ who is a staple name in UK grime. Kiss Grime, scheduled for a Sunday slot at 10.00pm plays on the original essence of radio being a platform for grime, aiming to be full of exclusive new music.

Of course KISS is not the only radio station with a grime show. It will be competing with some of the best in the business known for their solid roots, underground feel and original sources for new music. We take a look at five of the best grimes shows on radio right now.

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Rinse FM – The Grime Show
Established in 1994, Rinse FM can be classed as the mother of grime. Nurturing and supporting the genre, it started off as a pirate station based in East London. Its founders, DJ Slimzee and DJ Geeneus ensured that Rinse was the platform for the newest grime tracks and artists. Today, it runs a slick operation having received a radio license in 2010.

The Grime Show is one of Rinse’s hottest entities running on Sundays from 9.00pm to 11.00pm. Hosted by Sir Spyro, it’s safely a trusted source when it comes to quality grime. Having your track played on The Grime Show or appearing in the Rinse studio is definitely on the bucket list of any grime lyricist. Taking a look at the names this show has attracted explains why. P Money, D Double E, Stormzy and new Kiss DJ Rude Kid have all previously appeared on The Grime Show.

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BBC 1Xtra – #SiansStudio
If there’s one woman who knows about the in's and out's of grime, it’s Sian Anderson. Hosting her show every Wednesday on BBC 1Xtra from 10.00pm to 1.00am, Anderson started her DJ career at Rinse FM having previously worked at Warner Music working as Product Manager for Wiley. Sian frequently has some pretty huge grime artists passing by her studio to drop a freestyle which have included Nolay, Chip, Shystie and AJ Tracey in the past. But the DJ doesn’t just fill her segment with established artists. Any great grime show knows the importance of embracing new talent. Anderson does this with her weekly, Next Generation Shout, giving airtime to the next big thing.

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Flex FM – GrandMixxer (The Square)
Flex FM describes itself as the “world’s no.1 electronic dance music radio station.” However, it can be credited for hosting one very epic grime show. Scheduled from 8.00pm to 10.00pm every Wednesday, the show is presented by GrandMixxer who has seen grime music go through its highs and lows. The DJ has had shows with NTS and Rinse FM in the past and is also frequently seen with grime artist Novelist. This show is no doubt for the hardcore grime fans. There’s definitely nothing polished or clean cut here. Grime crew, The Square, is also involved with the radio show spitting endless freestyles.

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Radar Radio – I Am Grime Show
Radar Radio is pretty young when it comes to radio stations. Launched by Ollie Ashley in 2014, the station is all about fostering new talent. Speaking to FACT Magazine, he said, “As long as you’re not a dickhead and you’ve got good taste in music, I’m sure we can find a slot for you here.”

LIve every fourth Monday between 10pm – 12am, Jammz and Mic Ty head up the show with a real pirate radio sound. The segment continues to be well sprinkled with star guests, which have included Kano and General Courts taking over in the past. The I Am Grime Show certainly does well to stay commercially untainted.

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Mode FM – Spooky Bizzle
If you are after the newest and greatest back-to-back grime tracks, look no further than Spooky’s show. Mode FM keeps it simple as an underground online radio station. Every Thursday at 12.00am to 3.00am, Spooky Bizzle drops the latest tracks in grime. Like many in his field, Spooky is also a producer, a remixer and runs his own label, Ghost House, on top of being a DJ. Spooky’s show is stripped back without the fuss. Here, we most certainly have a genuine grime platform for today’s modern age.

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Words: Nikita Rathod

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