It was only two-and-a-bit years ago that Jeremy Corbyn courted Jme and other leading figures of the grime scene to help broaden the appeal of the party and mobilise voters, but that all seems to have soured now. Yes, the #Grime4Corbyn movement has fallen into disrepair as the site has now gone dormant and, despite a General Election being called for December 12 in the UK, no events have been planned under the banner.
At the time, it felt like a momentous time as the leader of the opposition seemed to be making a genuine effort to engage with young people and minority communities, but now many are questioning the sincerity of the whole thing.
An unnamed industry insider has said many in the scene feel "used" by the party, and that sentiment seems to be spreading. In a recent interview with the Observer, rapper AJ Tracey said that the #Grime4Corbyn movement had "actually helped [Corbyn] a lot and I feel like he didn't capitalise on it... He didn't utilise what he had."
Skepta was another vocal detractor at the time who, in a 2017 interview with Q, said that artists had sold "themselves for fucking bullshit" and that when #Grime4Corbyn had served its purpose, politicians didn't "give a fuck about us again."
It's a shame it had to end this way. Regardless of which way you were voting, it was a hopeful moment to see so many people mobilised and encouraged to vote — and now you can't help but sympathise with those who stay at home during elections.
