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An England Story (Compilation)

Twenty-one track compilation showcasing over 25 years of MC culture in the UK, from dancehall to grime, hip hop to jungle and breaks to garage. The album comes with extensive sleeve-notes, interviews, song lyrics and exclusive photographs.

Featuring classic tracks from 80s chatters such as Papa Levi and Tippa Irie, and Jamaican-influenced UK hip hop acts London Posse, Roots Manuva and Estelle, dancehall vocals by ragga jungle MCs like Top Cat, General Levy, Navigator and Tenor Fly and up to the time bashment and grime from the likes of Stush, Doctor, Riko Dan, Suncycle, Warrior Queen, Tubby T and YT.

The global pre-eminence of American hip hop means that music like grime and UK hip hop is often seen as a form of rap, whereas it owes as much to reggae music and culture as it does to any American influence. Black music in Britain has fashioned its own identity in contrast to that of America, Africa, or elsewhere, by drawing on the unique relationship that the UK has with the Caribbean. As Rodney P, of celebrated 80s UK hip hop group London Posse, says:

"This is a UK thing, it's hip hop and it's reggae and we do reggae - and those Americans don't know about that"

Since the evolution of the 'fast chat' dancehall style of the early 80s, the influence of reggae music and culture has been crucial to the development of urban music in Britain: from the heavy sampling of Jamaican vocals/instrumentals employed by jungle, hardcore and garage, to grime's London take on soundclashes, riddim versions and patois-inflected rhymes. The importance of the Jamaican soundsystem concept and its dubplates, specials, clashes and heavy, heavy bass is also a constant throughout these different stylistic mutations.

Related Links

• An England Story - Original Heatwave Mix
• Buy the CD from Soul Jazz Records
• Warrior Queen & The Heatwave - Things Change 12"

Tracklist

CD 1

1. YT - England Story
2. Suncycle - Somebody
3. Doctor & Davinche - Gotta Man
4. Ty & Roots Manuva - So U Want Morre? (Refix)
5. Papa Levi - My God My King
6. Tenor Fly - Bump and Grind
7. Skibadee - Tika Toc
8. Riko - Ice Rink Vocal
9. Jakes & TC - Deep
10. Jah Screechy - Walk and Skank
11. Top Cat - Love Mi Ses

CD 2

1. Warrior Queen & The Heatwave - Things Change
2. Glamma Kid - Fashion Magazine
3. General Levy - Champagne Body
4. London Posse - Money Mad
5. Navigator & Freestylers - Ruffneck
6. Stush - Dollar Sign
7. Tubby T - Ready She Ready
8. Blak Twang - Red Letters
9. Est'elle & Joni Rewind - Uptown Top Rankin'
10. Tippa Irie - Complain Neighbour

Feedback

• "A vital reminder of the power of the voice" - The Observer
• "This CD is very very important because it traces the history of the MC in British urban street music" - David Rodigan
• "The electrifying, grass-roots creativity on An England Story hints at just how great the future could be. Bigots of all colours will hate it" - New Statesman
• "The essential primer for your head, hips and feet" - The Wire
• "This compilation is essential: it not only provides an insight into the Caribbean influence on UK MCing over the years, but almost every tune is brilliant" - Tom Lea (FACT)
• "Four out of five: will appeal to Dizzee Rascal-loving grime newbies as much as dancehall nerds" - The London Paper
• "As much a history lesson as a compilation, An England Story soundtracks the collision of Caribbean and English cultures" - Andy Fyfe (Q)
• "Essential - the best Soul Jazz have put out in time! The extensive sleeve notes make great reading too, and it is obvious that a great deal of time and effort has gone in to the creation of this incredible compilation" - Andy Peek (Fat City)
• "Killer compilation tracing UK MC culture from 1980s dancehall to grime via UK rap and jungle. Good to hear the dots being joined between all the styles and the progression of rave MCing to rapping" - Rahul Verma (Metro)
• "The Heatwave boys have been one of my favourite DJ bookings at Bestival the last few years cos they know whats what on the dancehall and underground bogling bashment scene! This compilation will make you dance your ass off – absolutely essential for any lover of British black music" - Rob Da Bank
• "An incisive and comprehensive tracing of reggae's influence on British urban music of the last 25 years" - Dave Stelfox (Pitchfork Media)
• "Nice one to Soul Jazz for allowing one of London's most forward thinking reggae systems Heatwave to compile this awesome history of the British MC in British Dance music" - Warp Mart
• "Do yourself and favour and grab your copy now - you won’t regret it. If there is a release more important than this in 2008 I will be very surprised" - John Eden (Uncarved/Woofah)
• "A massive selection with informative notes and lyrics on the lush gatefold sleeve" - Boomkat
• "This release is gonna be absolutely wicked" - DJ C (Mashit)
• "A brilliant compilation" - Orantes Moore (New Nation)
• "A good thing" - Simon Reynolds
• "Pick up this one" - My Ninja Please
• "Trust Soul Jazz Records to hammer home the message that MCs are well decent" - Time Out
• "9/10: This will be an important release not just now, but in years to come. Run and buy this now" - Three D World
• "A highly worthwhile history lesson" - The Sydney Morning Herald
• "The unique identity of black music in the UK is on display in spectacular fashion. If you're a fan of UK dancehall, hip-hop, jungle, or grime this compilation will knock your socks off" - Batooga (The Scene, Australia)
• "For those with a passing interest in dancehall, hip-hop, reggae, grime or jungle, it’s a must-own compilation, as many of the tunes have been sampled or have been cropping up in DJ mixes for years. The accompanying extensive booklet of interviews, lyrics, sleeve notes and photographs is worth the purchase alone and aficionados also should relish the opportunity to own the tracks collated here on quadruple vinyl" - Niall Byrne (State Magazine)
• "One of the records I'm most looking forward to hearing right now" - Iván Conte (La Increíble Verdad)
• "A fitting tribute to the pioneers of black British music" - Socialist Worker
• "A solid compilation" - Computerstyle
• "The spectrum is broad but without concession: only best quality!"- Le Gouter
• "A worthy purchase undoubtedly with a dash of everything" - Data Transmission
• "An utterly compelling compilation" - Jim Pinckney (New Zealand Listener)
• "Key tracks from each style are included here and there's barely a dud among them" - Sunday Star Times (New Zealand)
• "Really impressive. Exactly what I wanted to hear" - El Blog Sin Emoción