For a certain generation of grime and rap fans, the early 2000s was a golden time of no-rules creativity. Pirate radio ruled the airwaves and pioneering platforms like Channel U and SBTV were our window into that raw, Wild West world. Even if it was a little before your time, the visual and sonic aesthetics were so bold and so completely unique you can spot them a mile away.
That’s the era that D Double E and Novelist are celebrating in their new video, “Pace”. Crucially, they’ve also done it without simply repeating what came before, instead creating a track that’s 100% from 2022. The track is lifted from D Double’s Bluku! Bluku! EP 2 from back in July and, like much of the EP, he produced this one himself, something we’ve been hearing more and more of over the past few years.
Director Tayler Prince-Fraser has done well to capture that DIY rawness in the video, and just like the track itself, he’s made sure to echo rather than imitate the period. The camera angles are choppy and there’s a lot of movement, but it’s also done with precision and intention.
Press play on the “Pace” visuals above and be sure to add the song to your playlists.
