BRITHOPTV: [Video Interview] Wiley (WileyUpdates) The Interview [VladTV] | #Grime

Wiley (@WileyUpdates) The Interview [@VladTV]

The Godfather of Grime sat down with  VladTV for an in depth interview about his upbringing, music, and more.  Click on the top left corner of the player to select a part of the interview you would like to see.

1)  Wiley on Selling Drugs as a Kid, Extorted by the “Local Suge Knight”

2) Wiley: Dizzee Rascal Was a Star Like Lil Wayne, I Didn’t Want To Hold Him Back

British grime pioneer Wiley to talk about the early stages of his career with fellow legend Dizzee Rascal. Wiley says that Dizzee Rascal was the first artist he encountered who listened to artists that resonated with him, such as Lil Wayne and Master P. Wiley also noted that Dizzee Rascal was destined for greatness, and he, “Didn’t want to hold him back.”

3 Wiley on Missing Shows Over Threats, Going Crazy, Never Snitching

Grime Pioneer, Wiley, opened up about old school English gangsters trying to extort him when he gained popularity as a rapper. Wiley says he didn’t bother going to the police, just because of street code, but he says that he prevented them from catching up with him and even missed show appearances. While trying to keep himself in the clear, he admits that he created a defense mechanism and overcame his fear.

4) Wiley on Getting Stabbed 7 Times Twice within 3 Weeks by the Same Person

UK artist Wiley is a prolific, hardworking MC–and he has a unique background, starting out chasing record deals and leaking music for free before he was finally signed to a major label. He’s also not unfamiliar with violence–the scar running down his cheek is difficult not to notice–and here, he tells Vlad about the many violent “dramas” he’s been involved in. Watch above.

5) Wiley on Skepta and JME Being Part of Roll Deep, Helping to Launch BBK

UK artist Wiley was a pioneer in the grime scene and is perhaps most known for his work with the Roll Deep crew. Here, he talks about how his career took shape–working with Dizzy, getting signed to and then leaving XL Records, his extensive catalog, and what he learned from artists like Lil Wayne. Watch above.

6) Wiley Explains the Events Around His Face Getting Slashed

In the above clip from Wiley’s interview with VladTV, the UK grime legend tells the story behind the scar running down the side of his face. “There are old school gangsters in London,” he says, telling Vlad about the incident that left him scarred for the rest of his life. Wiley then explains that even though he personally knows a number of the people who have stabbed him over the years, he’d never go to the police. Even though he’s not a “full-time gangster,” as Vlad says, Wiley still thinks the non-snitching rule applies. Watch the clip above.

7). Wiley on Past Beef with Ed Sheeran, Ed Coming Up Through the Grime Scene

Wiley is proud of his status as a grime pioneer. “I’m proud of our music, I’m not proud of my number one hits,” he says in the above clip from his interview with VladTV. Here, Wiley talks about how his career went from a financial standpoint, rumors of drug use and not showing up to gigs, and his relationship with Ed Sheeran. Watch above.

8) Wiley on Azealia Banks Trashing U.K. Hip-Hop, Language Barrier in Music

Wiley opened up to VladTV about the language barrier in U.K. hip-hop that makes it harder for rappers to cross over into the U.S. market. He explained that he is no longer chasing that dream because he wants to make music for the people who can understand his music right away and don’t have to look up meanings to his slang.

During the conversation, Wiley also spoke about how Skepta has gained notoriety with the help of Drake, but he pointed out that his millions of views on YouTube hasn’t translated to a large U.S. fanbase.

26th March 2017

w/c 20th March 2017