Hand-held cameras, local video vixens and close-up shots of the "mandem" on the block. 2003 was the launch year of the popular (and controversial) Sky TV station, Channel U, which quickly became the unofficial home of low-budget music videos, hood stars and aspiring TV presenters.
With MTV Base taking great care of the major label cats a few clicks down, Channel U's soft spot for the unsigned underdog allowed those artists to take that next step from pirate radio favourite to household name. Tinchy Stryder, Chipmunk, N-Dubz and presenters Ace & Vis all got their big break from appearing on Channel U. But, in equal measure, the cult channel also hosted some of the most cringe-worthy characters and struggle-rap songs that, to this day, still get mentioned in online discussions.
With the channel now operating under the name Channel AKA, with a more sleeker feel to the brand, Complex trawled through the vault to pick out 15 of its most memorable—and ratchet—music videos of all time. Tuck in below.
Lethal B – "Forward Riddim (Pow)" (2004)
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From Fumin's "barking up the wrong tree" line to Demon vowing to bring "arms-house to your mum's house", Lethal B's 2004 idea sparked one of the biggest tunes in UK music history, with each of the nine featured emcees bringing their A-game to create an anthem that could literally shut down clubs. Even with an initial low-cost video and limited airplay on national radio, "Pow" couldn't be stopped: the on-going hype eventually resulted in a second, polished video being made after the Dexplicit-produced track got signed to EMI in 2005.
Choong Family – "Memory Lane" (2004)
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Representatives of the burgeoning UK hip-hop scene of the early noughties, Choong Family consistently churned out videos on the U, ranging from the highly-charged ("Adrenaline") to the raw and animalistic ("I'm Choong"). On "Memory Lane", the Fam, who frequented stations like BBC Radio 1Xtra and Choice FM and graced the pages of RWD Magazine, kicked back and took time to reflect on memories of years gone past.
Jammer – "Murkle Man" (2005)
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"Doin' it all for the green and purple" was Jahmek Power's cry in arguably one of Channel U's most hilarious videos ever shown. In under four minutes, Jammer—donning a leather mask and Superman-inspired costume—dodged attacks from Tony Blair and George W. Bush on his mini motorcycle, and then saves a damsel twice his body size. With cameos from Jme and Skepta, not to mention a wicked production courtesy of Wiley, Jammer's legacy as a grime legend remains bulletproof just from this video alone.
SLK – "Hype, Hype" (2005)
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The deadly combo of Van Damage, Flirta D and Lady Envi caused havoc in the clubs when they teamed up with UKG beatsmith Sticky for "Hype Hype". Van's cocksure delivery complements Flirta's versatile style of mixing bars with sound effects, while Envi's acid-tongued performance rounds it all off. Picked up by Ministry of Sound shortly after its success on TV and radio, "Hype Hype" has truly stood the test of time.
Bearman – "Brown Bear Picnic" (2005)
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If you went down to the South London woods in the mid-2000s, you may have bumped into gargantuan rhymer Bearman with a brew in-hand, surrounded by video honeys, clashing MCs in their droves. "Brown Bear Picnic" provided more than enough laughs during its time on-air, with the behemoth Bearman prowling on-camera, spitting comically aggy bars in a bear suit. Although Bearman has since retired from the mic, he'll forever be remembered for his not-that-serious, ringtone-worthy grime music.
Fresh – "Real-ion" (2005)
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Posse tunes flooded in around 2005, but Fresh's "Real-ion" stood out amongst a sea of mediocrity that began to pollute Channel U upon hitting its stride in the mid-noughties. An important time for grime music as a whole, this 13-man track brought together some of the best bar-slingers that the LDN (a term coined by Fresh and crew) had to offer — such as Jme, Lethal Bizzle, Flirta D and Neeko, who all took turns to drop their 16 bars of real-ity. The whereabouts of Fresh is unknown, but we applaud him for uniting some of the UK underground greats for this memorable gem.
N-Dubz – "Better Not Waste My Time" (2005)
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Dappy, Fazer and Tulisa's road to fame began when they debuted "Better Not Waste My Time" on Channel U in 2005, however their winning mix of street rhymes and pop hooks was destined for much more than being rotated on the station. With Dappy's uncontainable charisma, Faze's cool exterior and Tulisa bridging the gap between the two, this song was the ice-breaker that led to them being picked up by a major label and whisked off to superstardom. Time will tell if their rags-to-riches story ends in glory.
Bruza – "Get Me" (2005)
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Walthamstow's Bruza remains a cult fave in the grime scene, partly due to his breakout debut single "Get Me". The track gave viewers an insight into the comedic side of the "microphone hooligan", while his reputation for being a bar-for-bar bully was becoming more and more evident after his clash with Crazy Titch on Lord Of The Mics. Following "Get Me", Bruza was seen in a few other notable videos, including The Streets' "Get Out Of My House" grime remix and his single "Doin' Me", which spawned a remix featuring a young Tinie Tempah.
Klashnekoff – "Murda" (2005)
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Blasting onto our screens "like a gun blast from Lennox", UK rap legend Klashnekoff introduced himself to the Channel U faithful back in 2005 with a visual for his now-classic anthem "Murda". An all-black visual with the rapper spitting menacingly down the camera, "Murda" ushered in the militant Terra Firma movement after spending a number of years tearing up underground shows. Following this, Klashnekoff immediately gained critical acclaim for his uncompromising bars and ferocious delivery, and remains one of the most sought-after names in British rap today.
The Mitchell Brothers f/ Kano – "Routine Check" (2005)
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The Mitchells Brothers, aka Teddy and Tony who was signed to Mike Skinner's own label, gave us laddish banter made for quality entertainment during the mid-2000s. Most notably on "Routine Check", with Kano and Skinner, as they gave listeners some insight into what goes on during a random checking over by the feds. Referencing police codes such as "IC3" and "10-9", this track provided Channel U viewers with a how-to guide on what to do when the boys in blue pull you over.
B.M.D – "North Weezee" / Southside Allstars – "Southside" (2005)
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North and South London stood tall when Channel U premiered the two anthems that represented their respective boroughs. B.M.D's "North Weezee" and Southside Allstars' "Southside" each called on an assembly of lyrical minds that included Flirta D, Bashy and So Solid Crew's Asher D, to wave the flag for Willesden, Harlesden, Battersea, Peckham and various other London locations.
Nu Brand Flexxx – "Gash By The Hour" (2006)
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Accompanied by a dance routine that made it onto Match of the Day (thanks to Premier League goal machine Darren Bent), MCs Boya Dee and Saskilla crafted undoubtedly one of 2006's most infectious underground drops in "Gash By The Hour". Boasting of their sexual conquests, the Nu Brand Flexxx boys had a whole lotta fun putting together the visuals for it, dancing with girls in front of a condom-plastered wall and all that good stuff. Now a reporter for Channel 4 News and The Guardian, Boya Dee's days of banging gash by the hour probably seem like a lifetime ago.
Talapaton – "Time To Blow" (2006)
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Sporting a rope chain, backwards hat and camouflage jacket, on first assumption, Talapaton could have been casted off as a future Britain's Got Talent reject chasing his 15 minutes. But listen to his lyrics of the government's disregard for the lower class and the importance of unity among races, and you'll be taken aback at the broadened mind of this protagonist. In the "Time To Blow" video, Talapaton travels around the country receiving daps and pounds from supporters and spreading the message of love from behind a moving white van. This track divided the opinions of many for Talapaton's questionable use of patois, but his name is etched in Channel U's history.
Mr Wong – "Not On A Longage" (2006)
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Of all the colourful, strange characters to emerge from Channel U, East London's Mr Wong served up some of the most memorable laughs with outlandish visuals and comical verses delivered in a heavy oriental accent. "Not On A Longage" offered up vintage "wongage", with the MC declaring that his time is now (among other musings). Add to this a unique Mr Wong flip of New Edition's "Cool It Now" at the end, and you have a truly surreal experience from one of the station's early ambassadors.
S.B.D – "Where Are You Now?" (2008)
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A voice for a generation of fatherless kids, or a school project for Father's Day? Either way, S.B.D won admiration from the mothers and aunties of Channel U viewers when he dropped "Where Are You Now?", the emotionally-charged rap song about his absent father. A monochrone video depicted the pint-sized, not-yet-teen wondering the streets of Manchester sharing the mental scars his father's disappearance had on him. Although it remains unclear why his father wasn't around, one other unsolved mystery from the video was why Darren Campbell, the GB Olympic sprinter, was chilling in the background throughout? The mind boggles.
