Music
Take a deep dive into UK music culture with these 8 Red Bull lectures
From legends of grime and UK rap to global names with a special relationship to the British Isles – watch some classic interviews on the Red Bull couch.
The United Kingdom might be comparatively small in the grand scheme, but in terms of music-making, this little collection of islands punches way above its weight. From grime to dancehall, hip-hop to soul, some major players from up front and behind the scenes have pushed boundaries and shaped the nature of the idiosyncratic and always-quirky world that is UK music. It's a scene whose ripples can be felt in culture across the globe
We’ve compiled some lectures from the massive Red Bull back catalogue to give a sense of where we’re at in UK music culture today, and how we got there. Watch everything from A$AP Rocky’s incredulous awe at Glasgow’s club scene to Dizzee Rascal reflecting on how he made I Luv U.
Dizzee Rascal (2016)
48 min
Watch a lecture with Dizzee Rascal from 2016
The grime pioneer goes in-depth on his career on the RBMA couch.
This lecture was the pre-fight for Dizzee’s big moment 2016 show where he performed his classic Boy In Da Corner album in its entirety. With Not For The Radio's Duane Jones on the questions, Dizzee proves himself to be a natural joker whilst also giving poignant insight into what it’s like to be a young boy from a council estate who became paparazzi-baiting famous overnight. Find out about his early-days aspirations as a jungle DJ; his love of Iron Maiden, Korn and Guns N' Roses; the influence of US crunk on his sound; how Fix Up Look Sharp was originally created as a dubplate for Tim Westwood; and why the grime scene’s poster boy will always be its biggest outsider.
BEST BIT: Get some deep insight into the influences and creative thinkings that went into the making of I Luv U at the 25:53 mark.
Giggs (2016)
1 h
A Conversation With Giggs
An in-depth filmed interview with the Landlord, UK rap trailblazer Giggs.
We meet the Landlord at the apex of what can legitimately be described as a Very Good Year, following the release of his chart-topping fourth album. Journalist Hattie Collins goes into the rapper’s former gang life, his refreshingly unmercenary outlook on his career and the musical influences that created one of the UK’s best ever rappers. He shows love to Dizzee, citing him as his inspiration for putting work in lyrically. He proves himself to be a great storyteller – not just on record – working the crowd with takes on everything from getting fired from McDonalds to letting his Mum to write his lyrics as a 13-year-old boy.
BEST BIT: Gain some very cute behind the scenes insight into Giggs as a father around the 09:19 minutes in.
Krept and Konan (2016)
55 min
A Conversation with Krept & Konan
Sian Anderson sits down with UK rap pioneers Krept & Konan for an in-depth chat about their career to date.
DJ and broadcaster Sian Anderson catches up with UK rap’s most lovable duo in Liverpool and at the top of their careers. They talk with infectious passion on the importance of youth clubs in fostering future talent; the relevance of the MOBOs for black music’s visibility; and the mechanics of the industry for youngers coming through. The duo have always been outspoken on mental health in their community and never more than here. They’re frank about the surreal dichotomy of being the talk of the town while still being skint and under pressure from major labels (men in suits asking them when they’re going to make the next Pass Out). In a particularly moving aside, Konan compares himself to the crab from SpongeBob SquarePants when dealing with the grief of his mother passing.
BEST BIT: Watch out early doors (around 02:09) for a mad story about the pair getting ‘chased out of Leicester’ with Skepta.
Skepta (2015)
1 h 25 min
Watch a lecture with Skepta from 2015
The BBK MC and producer takes a seat on the RBMA couch.
This entire lecture is one long pep talk in British pride. Filmed back in 2015, it serves as a great reminder of the thrilling swagger that Skepta was bringing back in the Shutdown era, when Grime 2.0 found him on stage with Kanye at the Brits. He is a walking life-lesson in how you can win in all areas of life: keep doing your thing like nobody’s watching and in the end people will take notice. It’s also a masterclass in how to navigate the industry and the importance of face-to-face music-making sessions (he’s got no time for “email music”).
BEST BIT: At 59:28 He talks us though the the birth of a classic Skeppy adlib, “Go on then, draw for the ‘chete”
A$AP Rocky in London (2015)
“I’m skinny and pretty, what can I say” grins Harlem’s finest. And he continues with this magnetic level of bravado throughout the entirety of Hattie Collins’ grilling on everything from his skincare regime to his attitude to women. Watch Rocky bring Mos Def on stage to show love to his forefathers. Then watch Mos Def drive home that the success of A$AP Mob was not some happy accident: they knew exactly how they were going to take over the world. Rocky’s recipe for success? Look to the bar-raisers in the game (listen out for a list of the artists he feels walk their own path and do things on their on terms) and never tour with stale material.
BEST BIT: Around 1:12:11 minutes in A$AP acknowledges Glasgow’s raw energy. He’s discovered the one remaining place left on the planet where people can still shock him.
Spice in London (2019)
49 min
Spice
Get an insight into the life and music of Jamaican dancehall superstar Grace Hamilton AKA Spice.
This good-times lecture finds an animated and hilarious Spice shooting the breeze with Sian Anderson and offering some great insight into why she's an icon of the dancehall scene. She entertains on her relationship with Vybz Kartel; clashing Bounty Killer as a young and fledgling star; her time living in the UK; and her infamous colourism stunt. The crowd lap up her tale of a life evolved from poverty in Jamaica to worldwide domination. And her drive is spectacular as she breezily drops that she has her eyes set on a Grammy (“Bob Marley did it for reggae, I wanna do it for females in dancehall”). Keep your ears peeled for a great anecdote about the first time she came to the UK and discovered that we keep dogs as pets here!
BEST BIT: Watch the Queen of Dancehall flexing her British accent at 3:40.
Norman Jay (2018)
Journalist Emma Warren is a thoughtful and thorough interrogator of the man who coined the phrase ‘rare groove’. Here we find a detailed history of the origins of UK nightlife, going right back to the days when clubs were known as ‘appreciation societies’. It's essential viewing for anyone who wants to gain an insight from one of the only DJs in the world to be awarded an MBE for services to music. Jay is engaging on topics ranging from his role as a flag-flyer of British black music to internet radio and how pirates can successfully go legit. Hold out until the end for Jay's own account of what constitutes the complete Notting Hill Carnival experience.
BEST BIT: Norman describes what it’s like to collect an MBE from the Queen at 01:29:24.
Hudson Mohawke (November 2015)
This classic RBMA lecture with DJ and broadcaster Benji B at the helm is a true gift for bedroom beatmakers everywhere. Ross Birchard, AKA Hudson Mohawke is humble and honest as he explains why you should never be snobby about Fruity Loops or happy hardcore. He offers great insight into what makes Glasgow’s club scene special and the musical legends who shaped his city. Ross and Benji have great fun reminiscing on the MySpace era (remember Top 8s?!); the birth of TNGHT and how nobody knew what to do with this brand new club sound. The lecture serves as an important reminder of just how important the Numbers and Lucky Me crews were to the club and pop culture that we know today. It’s worth watching this one with Spotify on standby so you can listen to the tunes that they reference throughout the lecture.
BEST BIT: Jump to 18:20 to hear Ross on how a kid from Glasgow found himself.
Follow Red Bull Music UK on Facebook, Instagram, and on Twitter at @RedBullMusicUK
