Revered in equal parts for his densely-packed lyricism and terrifying track record in clashes, P Money is also primarily known for doing all that in the realm of grime, but there was a time when the OGz member was shelling down over dubstep beats. When everyone looked towards the charts and made some questionable decisions, P Money doubled down on his underground credentials by hopping on some dubstep riddims.
The Lewisham don's flow has always been fast and furious, packing in more wordplay and slewage into every bar than most can manage in a whole track, but his decision to spray over dubstep opened up some unique opportunities for the emcee. For the most part, the dubstep productions he chose were closer to the harder end of the spectrum, working with producers like True Tiger, Doctor P and Marco Del Horno to create teeth-crunching mid-range and thicker basslines for him to anchor his dizzying flows.
Nowadays, P mostly sticks to grime, but his dubstep output is worth celebrating. Of course, he wasn't the only mic-man to spray on dubstep beats, but he was the one to perfect it. He also deserves a lot of credit for seeing the perfect window to do so; much earlier and the beats would've been too minimal, too late and they would've been too heavy and too disconnected from their South London roots.
Whether it was hard and fast buzzsaw creations or more minimalist jams, P Money is still the master of spitting over dubstep. Here are 7 tracks to prove it.
"Dubsteppin"
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The title says it all, doesn't it?
"What Did He Say?"
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With a decade-long career now under his belt, P Money has far more than his fair share of signature tunes, but "What Did He Say?" could be the one to cap them all. Produced by Mr. Slash and taken from P's 2008 mixtape Coins 2 Notes, "What Did He Say?" is the definitive challenge to all rivals. One of the grimiest dubstep productions ever, "What Did He Say?" takes full advantage of the dramatic, lurching bass, packing the space with signature bars, including the title itself, that would crop up again and again, and still do to this day.
Marco Del Horno vs. Swerve - "Ho Riddim" f/ P Money
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"Ho Riddim" is one of P's most recognisable, quotable anthems guaranteed to blow the roof off any dance. For those who weren't day one fans embedded in the grime scene, this was the track that introduced them to P Money way back in 2010. The production here is deceptively minimal with the tempo set almost solely by P himself. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a newcomer, we challenge anyone to hear those Gameboy bleeps without shouting "RATTATTAAAA!"
Footsie - "Spookfest" f/ Jme, D Double E, Jammer, P Money, Chronik
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One of grime's most important, historic and unforgettable moments — and it's barely even grime. This Footsie production blurred the lines between grime, dubstep and the burgeoning trap scene of the time. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder alongside D Double E, Foots, Jme, Jammer and Chronik, P Money makes his presence felt on this ominous banger with unforgettable lines like I never use the "n word", but you know what, today I really ain't fucking around with these n****s. Again, this is another prime example of P Money transforming a chilly, minimal instrumental into something heart-racing.
Doctor P vs. P Money - "Sweet Shop"
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Shaun Brockhurst, aka Doctor P, first uploaded "Sweet Shop" to his MySpace in 2009 without any idea of just how massive this tune would become. It wasn't long, however, before Circus Recordings snapped the banger up and it exploded in popularity. Before 2010 was through, P Money jumped on the track for the 'Come Follow Me' version and things very quickly went into the stratosphere. One of the harder, "screwface" dubstep instrumentals he's jumped on, here P Money goes full rave MC, dishing out hooks and quotables faster than you can possibly keep up with.
"Slang Like This"
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Cuz! Bredrin! Brudda! Safe!
Stepping out on a True Tiger production this time, "Slang Like This" should be handed out to people moving to London alongside a Tube map and an Oyster card. The perfect introduction to our capital.
"Bass Cannon" Freestyle
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Whether or not dubstep producer Flux Pavilion's your cuppa tea, few are in doubt that P Money elevated this tune to create something pretty historic. Flux's production is a monumental wall of bass yet P Money's vocals still tower over it, controlling the beat and never once struggling to be heard, never once faltering with his tongue-twisting lyrics. There aren't many MCs in grime or dubstep who could dominate such a full-bodied instrumental like that, but that's why they call him King P Money.
