There are only a handful of names you can trust when it comes to journalism and grime, and Hattie Collins is one of them. The celebrated writer and editor from Birmingham, England, was one of the first—alongside Chantelle Fiddy and Martin Clark—to put pen to paper on all things grime in 2002, writing for titles such as TOUCH and The Guardian and holding down esteemed positions at RWD and i-D magazines. Currently Features Director at i-D, Collins—even during grime's rocky period—has always championed the genre and has now taken her love for the culture a step further by releasing a book titled This Is Grime (which is out today).
Across 320 glossy pages of images—shot by award-winning snapper Olivia Rose—and words from the MCs, DJs, producers, photographers and writers themselves, we're given first-hand accounts of how the grime scene grew from the deep, dark depths of Bow in East London to being one of the most talked-about sounds in the world right now.
Complex hit up Hattie Collins and asked her to sell her book to us in five points—which also includes some exclusive shots from the book. If this doesn't scream BUY IT! TODAY! NOW!, we don't know what else will.