If you’ve been outside recently, you might’ve noticed something in the air – and no, it’s not just the bass shaking the walls. Grime is bubbling again. The vibes are picking up. The energy, the reloads, the hunger is all creeping back into the venues, the freestyles, and the culture at large.
I’ve been at a bunch of shows lately and trust me, the vibe is shifting. There’s a new wave of artists coming through with real intent, while the vets are stepping back in like they never left. The sets feel alive again with proper reloads, sharp bars and crowds that actually care.
I feel like people are starting to really notice the realness in grime again – especially my generation. I’m 20 and only recently properly started opening my ears to the bars and the raw energy behind it all. A lot of other genres of music just aren’t hitting the same, at least for me anyway. But that’s just my opinion. Tell me what you guys think.
One of the people bringing that realness is a guy called Eze – he goes by @EzeWasHere on socials. I actually met him through a friend of a friend at a Ghetts show in Liverpool last year. Funny enough, Ghetts is someone that he really looks up to, which makes sense- who better to draw inspiration from other than Ghetto? His old school stuff still goes mad.
Anyway, back to Eze – my friend Oscar introduced us. Since then I’ve seen him everywhere. He shelled it at my friends event for the issue #4 launch of Hazy Magazine then again at DJ Maximum & Friends in London where he went back to back with JME. Most recently caught him at Amber Rose’s Motion set at the @svararadio in Liverpool – and again, he did not disappoint. Mans consistent with it.
But it’s not just Eze – there’s loads of people coming up right now, really doing their thing. You’ve just gotta tap in. Wether it’s on TikTok, Insta, little websites like this one or even just scrolling through little pages, the talent is right there. But for real, the best way to catch is it live. Pull up to a local show and you’ll see what I mean – raw energy, bars and mad passion. It hits different when you’re actually in the room.
I think showing up matters. It’s not just about watching from a distance – its about supporting the artists , getting behind the movement and feeling those sounds firsthand. Like my boy lesley always says, “you gotta get off the couch”. He’s not wrong, Grime’s not just something you listen to – it’s something you feel. You’ve gotta be there to really get it.
