Jamie Adenuga's work-rate over the last 12 years has been overwhelming. It's only when you really evaluate his back-catalogue of features, mixtapes, albums, and radio sets that you start to get lost in a BBK vortex. The real beauty of Jme is that he's stuck to his morals and independent structure; he gave the fans consistent releases, stage shows and delivered grime music when it wasn't so popular to do so. Along with his brother, Skepta, they launched their own merchandise and single-handedly made a whole generation want to start their own T-shirt line.
Why Jme has gained so much love and respect is simply because he's himself. He can deliver the grimiest bars in an Iron Man suit, and still get a wheel. He's a vegan, who likes skate parks. He loves new technology, and is quite possibly the trillest nerd you'll ever know. The former MySpace prince is now the "King of Twitter", and has always used social networks to his advantage. But before all those sites came along, Jme would regularly be found lighting up pirate radio alongside the likes of Wiley Kat and Frisco, N.A.S.T.Y Crew and Crazy Titch. Fast forward ten years, and he has a brand new album out called Integrity> that is honest, humorous, aggressive and of course, 100% grime.
This week's #TBT column is dedicated to the Boy Better Know CEO.
Mr Wong – "Orchestra Boroughs" f/ Jme, Crazy Titch & Flirta D (2004)
Jme – "Shut Up & Dance" (2006)
Jme – "96 Bars Of Ambitions" (2006)
96 bars of frustration, honesty and grime, "96 Bars Of Ambitions" was a lighter version of "96 Bars Of Revenge" and illustrated Jme's positive mindset that has attracted many over the years. On the track, Jme addresses why he hasn't been sucked into grime beef and how important being true to yourself is in music and everyday life:
"People think I'm an angel, God sent
Because I'm a guy with positive content
But the reason I’m better than half these emcees
Is cos I have one thing on them
I spit the TRUTH
The whole truth nothing but the truth
Raise my right hand, blud I’ll raise both
And spit my whole album under oath"