How The UK Changed Hip-Hop Forever

HOW THE UK CHANGED HIP-HOP FOREVER (320kbs-m4a/355mb/2hrs33mins)
BBC Radio 1Xtra broadcast: 19th July to 14th August 2023

To mark hip-hop's 50th anniversary, this series explores the UK's influence on hip-hop. From foundational British artists to the unexpected encounters that influenced a generation, each episode will tell the story of a surprising but significant link between the UK and a key moment in hip-hop history.

Each episode starts with a key moment. We'll then reveal the UK involvement through interviews and archive moments, and ask why it matters now.

Presenter: Ashley Walters
Producer: Emily Dicks
Written by Emily Dicks
Technical production: Ant Danbury
Additional production: Dari Samuels, Tommy Dixon and Zayna Shaikh
Editor for BBC Audio: Andy Worrell
Commissioning producer: Jonathan O'Sullivan
Commissioner for BBC Music: Will Wilkin
A BBC Audio production

HOW THE UK CHANGED HIP-HOP FOREVER - 0. THIS IS... HOW THE UK CHANGED HIP-HOP FOREVER (320kbs-m4a/4mb/2mins)
BBC Radio 1Xtra broadcast: 19th July 2023

Rapper and actor Ashley Walters explores the surprising but significant moments where the UK has shaped hip hop, from the artists and producers to the chance meetings that influenced a generation. From Jay Z's first trip to London to one of the most sampled records of all time, Drake's love of British music to the making of some of hip hop's greatest record, each episode tells a story of how the UK has shaped hip hop throughout its history.

HOW THE UK CHANGED HIP-HOP FOREVER - 1. WHEN JAY-Z WENT TO HARROW ROAD (320kbs-m4a/45mb/19mins)
BBC Radio 1Xtra broadcast: 31st July 2023

The Grammy Awards in 2023 were a who's who of hip hop, with some of the greatest rappers of all time coming together celebrating 50 years of one of the world's most influential genres. Onstage is Jay-Z one of the greatest of the greats and born and raised in New York City - the birthplace of hip hop. During his verse he shouts out a street in West London... Harrow Road. Why?

Ashley Walters explores why Jay-Z's trip to London in the 80s had such a profound effect on him that he is still rapping about it over 30 years later.

Over the years Jay-Z has returned to the UK again and again, making history as the first rapper to headline Glastonbury. Why was the show so controversial and how has it changed hip hop?

In this episode we hear from Jay-Z, hip hop journalist Elliott Wilson (Rap Radar), Nick Raphael and Mimi The Music Blogger.

Archive in this episode:
Lethal B on BBC Radio 1Xtra
Jay-Z at Glastonbury: BBC

Soundtrack
DJ Khaled - God Did (featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend, and Fridayy)
Jaz-O - Hawaiian Sophie (feat. Jay Z)
Jay-Z - Can't Knock The Hustle (feat. Mary J Blige)
Jay-Z - Dead Presidents II
Estelle - American Boy (feat. Kanye West)
Oasis - Wonderwall (Taken from Jay Z's Glastonbury Performance)
Stormzy - Vossi Bop (Taken from Stormzy's Glastonbury Performance)
Public Enemy - Countdown To Armageddon

HOW THE UK CHANGED HIP-HOP FOREVER - 2. FROM HAMMERSMITH TO ARMAGEDDON (320kbs-m4a/39mb/17mins)
BBC Radio 1Xtra broadcast: 31st July 2023

How would you feel if you got a call from Public Enemy personally inviting you down to their show?

In the early days of hip hop, the UK scene was small but exciting. It was hard to discover the music, and those who did formed a strong community of breakers, rappers and dancers. When Public Enemy came to the UK for their first show they were determined to reach out and make sure the scene was invited. Everybody showed up for their legendary Def Jam show at the Hammersmith Odeon, even if they couldn't get tickets.

That show was inspirational for hip hop across the world. But what nobody who was there that night could have known is that the show would be written into history.

In this episode, we hear from Chuck D, hip hop journalist Elliott Wilson (Rap Radar), rapper Cookie Pryce and Nick Raphael.

Archive material in this episode:
Chuck D & Dave Pearce: BBC 6 Music

Soundtrack:
Public Enemy - Yo! Bum Rush The Show
Cookie Crew - Gotta Keep On (B-Boy Mix)
Marvin Gaye - I Want You
So Solid Crew - Solid
London Posse - How's Life In London
Public Enemy - Countdown To Armageddon
Public Enemy - Don't Believe The Hype

HOW THE UK CHANGED HIP-HOP FOREVER - 3. THE RULER (320kbs-m4a/35mb/15mins)
BBC Radio 1Xtra broadcast: 31st July 2023

What do Robbie Williams, Snoop and Miley Cyrus have in common? They all sample the same song, Doug E Fresh and Slick Rick's La Di Da Di.

La Di Da Di is one of the most sampled records of all time, with artists still borrowing Slick Rick's distinctive vocals, lyrics and ad libs for their own tunes nearly 40 years later. And one of the things that made Rick the Ruler's vocals distinctive was his accent… because he was born in Mitcham.

An instant classic when it dropped, La Di Da Di was also sampled by two of the biggest East and West Coast rappers at the height of the East/West divide within a couple of years of each other. But Rick wasn't around to see the reaction.

This is the story of one of the first great British-born rappers who continues to influence hip hop right up until today.

In this episode, we hear from Slick Rick, hip hop journalist Elliott Wilson (Rap Radar), rapper Cookie Pryce, Romesh Ranganathan and Mark Ronson.

Archive material in this episode:
Slick Rick on BBC Radio 1Xtra
Mark Ronson: How Sampling Transformed Music: TED Talk

Soundtrack:
Robbie Williams - Rock DJ
Mary J.Blige - No One Else
Ini Kamoze - Here Comes The Hotstepper
Miley Cyrus - We Don't Stop
Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick - La Di Da Di
Average White Band - Love Your Life
A Tribe Called Quest - Check The Rhime
Queen - Another One Bites The Dust
Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five - The Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On the Wheels Of Steel
Joe Cocker - Woman To Woman
Tupac - California Love
Dido - Thank You
Eminem - Stan
Rat Boy - Knock Knock
Kendrick Lamar - LUST
Flux Pavillion - I Can't Stop
Jay-Z - Who Gon Stop Me
Outkast - The Art Of Storytelling
The Notorious B.I.G. - Hypnotize

HOW THE UK CHANGED HIP-HOP FOREVER - 4. SUPA DUPA SOUTHALL (320kbs-m4a/47mb/20mins)
BBC Radio 1Xtra broadcast: 7th August 2023

When Timbaland dropped Missy Elliott's Get Your Freak On, it kickstarted a trend of Indian and Arabic samples in hip hop. Meanwhile, in London, a group of producers and artists were inspired by Timbaland… and were also using the exact same sample CD. They were blending Bollywood tunes with hip hop and came to be known as the Desi Beats scene, with artists like Jay Sean, Panjabi Hit Squad, Rishi Rich and Panjabi MC breaking through.

When Timbaland touched down in the UK a few years later, his first port of call was Southall, sometimes known as ‘little India' and the heart of the Desi Beats scene.

In this episode, we hear from Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Romesh Ranganathan, Rav Patti from Panjabi Hit Squad and Jay Sean.

Archive material used in this episode:
Jay Sean, NPO FunX
Timbaland, Timbaland Youtube
Missy Elliott, Rick Rubin's Broken Record podcast

Soundtrack:
Aaliyah - Are You That Somebody
Panjabi Hit Squad - Hai Hai (feat. Ms Scandalous)
Jay-Z - Big Pimpin'
Missy Elliot - Get Ur Freak On
Bubba Sparx - Ugly
Truth Hurts - Addictive
Panjabi MC - Beware Of The Boys
Nas - The Flyest (feat. Pharrell Williams)
Jay Sean - Down
Panjabi Hit Squad - World Famous Boliyan
Rouge - Don't Be Shy
The Game - Put You On The Game
M.I.A - Come Around (feat. Timbaland)
Justin Timberlake - Oh No (What You Got)
Jay Sean - Ride It
Jay Sean - 2012 (feat. Nicki Minaj)
Steel Banglez - 47 (feat. Sidhu Moose Wala, Mist, Stefflon Don)
Estelle - American Boy (feat. Kanye West)

HOW THE UK CHANGED HIP-HOP FOREVER - 5. AN AMERICAN BOY AND AN ENGLISH GIRL (320kbs-m4a/45mb/19mins)
BBC Radio 1Xtra broadcast: 7th August 2023

Amongst all the references to alcohol in hip hop, one drink reference stands out... Ribena. How did it end up getting name checked on one of hip hop's biggest US/UK collabs?

In the 90s and 00s, the UK hip hop scene was still quite small. Estelle cut her teeth freestyling in record shops before moving to the US. She ended up collaborating with Kanye West on American Boy – a tune that would become iconic.

The road wasn't easy, from leaving the UK in the first place to battling people's perceptions of how a Black British girl should break the States… Ashley reflects on his own experiences with 50 Cent and on some of the other British rappers who have tried to break the states.

In this episode we hear from Estelle, hip hop journalist Elliott Wilson (Rap Radar), rapper Cookie Pryce and rapper and YouTube reactor Scru Face Jean.

Archive material used in this episode:
Jay-Z at Glastonbury, BBC

Soundtrack:
Drake - One Dance
Young MA - Oouu
Lauryn Hill - Doo Wap (That Thing)
Nicki Minaj - Starships
Estelle - American Boy (feat. Kanye West)
The Plug - How It Is (feat. Roddy Rich, Yxng Bane, Chip)
Diddy Dirty Money - Hello Good Morning Grime Remix (feat. Skepta)
A$AP Rocky & Skepta - Praise The Lord
Ludacris - Southern Hospitality (feat. Ms Dynamite)
MF Doom - The Original
Drake & 21 Savage - Rich Flex
Monie Love - It's A Shame
Big Daddy Kane - Smooth Operator
London Posse - How's Life In London
Slum Village - Get Dis Money
Estelle - 1980
Estelle - Break My Heart
J Hus & Drake - Who Told U

HOW THE UK CHANGED HIP-HOP FOREVER - 6. THE DRAKE EFFECT (320kbs-m4a/55mb/24mins)
BBC Radio 1Xtra broadcast: 14th August 2023

The highlight of Drake's UK tour in 2019 was unarguably when J Hus – released from prison that week – appeared alongside him onstage. It was the latest in a long line of links with the UK and Drake's success smashed perceptions of who could be the world's biggest rapper.

When singer Kyla got a call in 2016 saying a huge international artist wanted to use her tune Do You Mind, she thought it was an April Fools joke.

Ashley reflects on the conversation with Drake that kickstarted Top Boy going to Netflix and reveals the impact the show had for British rappers stateside.

In this episode we hear from Drake, Kyla, 1Xtra's Tiffany Calver, Mimi The Music Blogger, hip hop journalist Elliott Wilson and rapper and singer Estelle

Archive in this episode:
J Hus onstage with Drake, O2 Arena London 2019
Drake on BBC Radio 1Xtra, 2017
Drake on BBC Radio 1 & 1Xtra, 2019

HOW THE UK CHANGED HIP-HOP FOREVER - 7. DRILLERS (320kbs-m4a/42mb/18mins)
BBC Radio 1Xtra broadcast: 14th August 2023

To mark hip-hop's 50th anniversary, this series explores the UK's influence on hip-hop. From foundational British artists to the unexpected encounters that influenced a generation, each episode will tell the story of a surprising but significant link between the UK and a key moment in hip-hop history.

Each episode starts with a key moment. We'll then reveal the UK involvement through interviews and archive moments, and ask why it matters now.

HOW THE UK CHANGED HIP-HOP FOREVER - 8. UK TO THE WORLD (320kbs-m4a/44mb/19mins)
BBC Radio 1Xtra broadcast: 14th August 2023

Dave and Central Cee are part of the new wave of British artists taking rap further than ever before. They stand on the shoulders of the innovators and pioneers who have come before, from those in the early UK hip hop scene, the artists who made waves in the States and the producers who opened up international ears for British music.

In 2023, all eyes are on Central Cee. How did the way he built his fanbase shape his journey? Why was his LA Leakers freestyle so significant? And how did and Dave manage to break streaming history?

In this episode we hear from Central Cee, rapper and YouTube reactor Scru Face Jean, hip hop journalist Elliott Wilson, 1Xtra's Tiffany Calver, Romesh Ranganathan and Mimi the Music Blogger.

Archive material in this episode:
Central Cee at Glastonbury, BBC
Central Cee LA Leakers freestyle