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This is Grime
Narrated by its originators This is Grime is the first oral history of the most influential and inventive musical culture produced in the UK in the last two decades.
13 years ago, from the depths of Bow E3, the voice of a generation emerged.
It was dark, it was angry, it was loud, it was unapologetic.
It was provocative and fiercely independent.
It was the brittle sound of disillusionment, resentment and despair, but also the voice of hope...
This is Grime.
Written by Hattie Collins (i-D, the Guardian, The Sunday Times), an authority on Grime who has documented the scene since its beginnings, and accompanied by beautiful images shot by award-winning photographer Olivia Rose solely for the book, This is Grime will have unrivaled access to the artists and influencers who have created and cultivated the culture over the past fifteen years. Telling their stories and the story of this musical culture - one of the most significant working class British subcultures of its time - in tandem.
13 years ago, from the depths of Bow E3, the voice of a generation emerged.
It was dark, it was angry, it was loud, it was unapologetic.
It was provocative and fiercely independent.
It was the brittle sound of disillusionment, resentment and despair, but also the voice of hope...
This is Grime.
Written by Hattie Collins (i-D, the Guardian, The Sunday Times), an authority on Grime who has documented the scene since its beginnings, and accompanied by beautiful images shot by award-winning photographer Olivia Rose solely for the book, This is Grime will have unrivaled access to the artists and influencers who have created and cultivated the culture over the past fifteen years. Telling their stories and the story of this musical culture - one of the most significant working class British subcultures of its time - in tandem.
- GenresMusic
320 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2016
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133 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 29, 2018
Very engaging read. Gives an insight on the early days of the genre, the current push and the future for grime. With comments from some of the biggest veterans in the scene, it certainly paints a picture.
November 9, 2016
C’est un livre très complet. Sorti au bon moment. Les très nombreuses photographies forment un tout très cohérent. Les auteurs ont laissé une place non négligeable aux points de vues des différents protagonistes et ces derniers sont représentés de manière équilibrée. Pas mal d’informations s’enchainent, depuis les tout débuts jusqu’aux arrivées récentes des albums de Kano, Skepta, l’intérêt porté par des artistes nord américains permettant de faire découvrir le grime à un public encore plus large. A acheter. Soit pour étoffer la partie des livres photos, soit pour les livres musicaux…
February 19, 2018
Really enjoyed reading this. Worth a read if your into grime or uk music and culture.
January 14, 2026
As a longtime fan of Grime from the early 2000s, I found This is Grime to be a phenomenal read. Although it was written in 2016, I read it for the first time in 2026, and it remains incredibly relevant, capturing the genre’s origins, evolution, and continued influence. Collins’ interviews with key figures, from Skepta, Ghetts, and Wiley to influential bloggers and archivists like Chantelle Fiddy, Hyperfrank, and Prancehall, make this book the quintessential account of Grime.
The photographs throughout the book are fantastic, capturing the nuances of Grime culture in a way that complements the text and brings the stories to life.
The Adenuga family plays an absolutely central role in Grime, and you cannot talk about the genre without referencing Skepta, JME, and Julie in some way. Their perspectives are essential, and the book rightly covers them. That said, I felt the book spent a disproportionate amount of time on the Adenugas compared to other important voices. I would have appreciated more focus on the lack of visibility of women in Grime, particularly from the perspective of female artists and producers. Figures like NoLay, Ny, Shystie, Lioness, and Mizz Beats made critical contributions to the genre, yet the book only touches on them briefly. For example, Mizz Beats, as the first female Grime producer, not only pushed boundaries musically but also bravely addressed mental health awareness at a time when such discussions were far from mainstream at the time (bear in mind this book was released in 2016). Their perspectives would have added important depth and context to the narrative.
I was also surprised that DaVinChe did not make an appearance beyond a photographic reference of PMoney at his studio in Putney. His work is pivotal to the genre, particularly for introducing tracks with singers from the very start, and it would have been fascinating to hear his insights and commentary.
Overall, This is Grime is an extremely well-rounded, candid, and valuable book. Some of the commentary feels prophetic, some real and valuable, but it all captures the authenticity of the scene. It is not only essential reading for Grime fans but also an important contribution to Black British history and culture. Hattie Collins’ debut is impressive, and I would love to see her write another book delving further into the genre in the future.
The photographs throughout the book are fantastic, capturing the nuances of Grime culture in a way that complements the text and brings the stories to life.
The Adenuga family plays an absolutely central role in Grime, and you cannot talk about the genre without referencing Skepta, JME, and Julie in some way. Their perspectives are essential, and the book rightly covers them. That said, I felt the book spent a disproportionate amount of time on the Adenugas compared to other important voices. I would have appreciated more focus on the lack of visibility of women in Grime, particularly from the perspective of female artists and producers. Figures like NoLay, Ny, Shystie, Lioness, and Mizz Beats made critical contributions to the genre, yet the book only touches on them briefly. For example, Mizz Beats, as the first female Grime producer, not only pushed boundaries musically but also bravely addressed mental health awareness at a time when such discussions were far from mainstream at the time (bear in mind this book was released in 2016). Their perspectives would have added important depth and context to the narrative.
I was also surprised that DaVinChe did not make an appearance beyond a photographic reference of PMoney at his studio in Putney. His work is pivotal to the genre, particularly for introducing tracks with singers from the very start, and it would have been fascinating to hear his insights and commentary.
Overall, This is Grime is an extremely well-rounded, candid, and valuable book. Some of the commentary feels prophetic, some real and valuable, but it all captures the authenticity of the scene. It is not only essential reading for Grime fans but also an important contribution to Black British history and culture. Hattie Collins’ debut is impressive, and I would love to see her write another book delving further into the genre in the future.
April 6, 2023
In their own words. From all of the usual suspects in terms of DJ’s, MC’s and Producers to the less well known A&R’s, marketing, media and countless others who made the scene from its start in 2003 to 2016.
This book won’t change anybody’s mind as to whether they like and/or understand the music and where it came from but it will leave all readers in no doubt Grime isn’t going away.
It’s the music for the young generation of UK youth who have had to look to America since the birth of Punk in the 1970’s for cultural reference points. There is now an unashamedly British musical culture and movement that gives zero fucks what other countries and the people in those countries think of them.
This book won’t change anybody’s mind as to whether they like and/or understand the music and where it came from but it will leave all readers in no doubt Grime isn’t going away.
It’s the music for the young generation of UK youth who have had to look to America since the birth of Punk in the 1970’s for cultural reference points. There is now an unashamedly British musical culture and movement that gives zero fucks what other countries and the people in those countries think of them.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews