Skepta and Wiley are 2 of the most prominent names and faces within Grime music. Status, success and without a doubt have together contributed to the foundations for the UK rich music scene it has grown to become, so why can’t the king of grime and the God father get along?
If you have followed Wiley and Skepta’s journey you would know Skepta reps roll deep (Wiley’s crew) and Wiley is a member of boy better know (Skepta’s crew)
Skepta even goes on to pay homage to Wiley on his last album konnichiwa. The track entitled Detox, with the lyrics
“I remember when Wiley told me to jump on mic
And I got stage fright
Never thought I could jump on right
Thought I would jump on light
Now I’m like an air hostess how I jump on the flight
Sky scanner, I book it on sight “
Skepta clearly crediting Wiley for his start into grime which he has also said in multiple interviews. Interestingly enough this isn’t the first time they have clashed musically.
So let’s take a look over the years into the interesting relationship between Wiley and Skepta.
2005
Skepta and JME join Roll Deep. Around this time Skepta is predominately known as a DJ while his brother JME is an MC. JME catches the Wiley’s attention through the music he’s releasing and is invited to studio sessions with Wiley. Sceptical Skepta isn’t sure of his younger brother travelling by himself to east London so tags along and is introduced to Wiley.
2006
Skepta and JME part ways from Roll Deep to form their own collective which is known today as Boy Better Know. One of the most successful collectives to come from the grime scene. Wiley goes on to release his second studio album Da 2nd Phaze on the boy better knows label. Wiley also joins the collective.
2007
Skepta releases his debut album Greatest Hits which has production from Wiley. Wiley also features on the album.
2009
Taking a page out of the 50 cent vs Kanye moment, Skepta and Wiley attempt similar efforts to bring attention the release of their albums dropping on the same day in June 2009. The albums were promoted as a faceoff between the MCS’s.
On June 1 2009 both Microphone Champion and Race Against Time were released. Leading up to the release of the album, Wiley releases a track from the album entitled zip it up with the lyrics
“Grime lands mine, I’ve already marked it, I’m the king when I roll through anywhere, and you’re just a king when you roll through Barnet”
It’s at this point for the first time we see Wiley and Skepta musically clash.
Skepta goes on to reply to this line with a track of his own entitled in the country with the lyrics
“Yo zip it up. How can you be a king when you roll through anywhere, Wiley you don’t roll through anywhere, I go anywhere blood I’m never scared, you said you rep E.3 but you’re never there”
Both albums featured the hit single To Many Man, which is to date arguably the group’s biggest song collectively. Wiley also features on microphone champion, track entitled Are you Ready.
As you can see even during a face off both MC’s worked together during this time period.
2010
A few months after the release of Skepta’s album Microphone champion he releases his mixtape at the top of the year entitled Been there done that, which features a track entitled Stupid featuring Wiley and Jammer.
2012
Wiley releases his single “Can You Hear Me? (Ayayaya)” featuring Skepta, JME and Ms D, which charted highly on the UK Dance charts.
2014
Skepta produces Wiley’s first single ‘On A Level’ from his tenth studio album Snakes & Ladders. You can see both MC’s featured in the video.
2015
Skepta appears on Hot 97
There 2 Key points in this interview
1. At the 13.54 minute mark Peter Rosenberg goes on to ask if he has a relationship with Dizzee. He also goes on to mentions seconds after Wiley being in his corner as one of the main people who supported him in the early days and being inspired by him.
2. At the 16 minute mark Skepta also mentions Wiley telling him to write his first grime lyrics
2016
Dizzee Rascal appears on Hot 97
Key point in this interview
At the 10.45 minute mark Peter Rosenberg goes on to ask Dizzee about his relationship with Skepta who dismissed any relationship with Dizzee.
Skepta also releases his 4th studio album Konnichiwa which sees an appearance from Wiley on track entitled Corn on the Curb. He also shouts Wiley out on the track Detox.
2018 (April)
Fast forward 2 years later both Dizzee and Skepta are photo’d in the studio and then go on to release Dizzee’s single Money right a few months after the picture.
It appears that behind the scenes they were able to reconcile any misunderstanding from the HOT 97 interviews and work on music together.
2018 (October)
As a result of Dizzee and Skepta’s new song, Wiley goes on to release a series of videos on Instagram dissing both the MC’s. It’s commonly known in the UK that Wiley and Dizzee had fallen out over past issues.
2018 (November)
A disgruntled Wiley wastes no time about his feeling regarding the Skepta and Dizzee song Money right and releases a diss track entitled Flip the Table.
With lines in the track clearly aimed at Dizzee
“You’re not a killer, you’re a table flipper, Boy in the corner, grime scene quitter, I will slap you in the head with one with one slipper”
2019 (Feb)
Naturally fans were under the impression the clash between Wiley and Skepta had died down, however, Skepta does 2 things which gets the attention of fans and the grime scene.
- Skepta shows up to Wiley’s birthday bash and performs some of his infamous lines.
- Skepta releases New Diss Track entitled Wish you were here (Listen Below)
2019 ( FEB )
Wiley responds to Skepta with a new diss track entitled “Don’t Bread Me “
In the track Wiley goes on to accuse Skepta of lying about coming to squash beef but also reiterates his disinterest in putting differences aside.
Wiley also alludes to the fact he prevented his brother JME from releasing music a few years ago.
Take a listen
The Wrap Up
Over the years the two MC’s have worked on numerous amount of music together, produced songs for each other, in the same music group, have seen the game go from predominantly pirate radio sets/grime DVD’s to main stages around the world. They were even credited as composers on the track list for Kanye West “Ye” album. You can’t say the word grime without thinking Skepta and Wiley, so it’s going to be intriguing to see what happens next.
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