If there is one underrated DJ/MC from grime's early days that has benefitted hugely from its recent resurgence, then it's undoubtedly Meridian Crew's fantastic Skepta. Collaborations with Kanye West, a hit single in the anthemic That's Not Me, and a Best Video award for the same song at the 2014 MOBO awards have all cemented his place at the forefront of contemporary grime. However, his much earlier 2007 compilation Greatest Hits, which doubled up as his debut album, is one of grime's finest collections of tracks and has since gone down as a classic. Skepta himself produced most of the tracks, and he does an incredible job. Guest producers have clearly been carefully selected too, so as to avoid the traps of disrupting the record's flow, with Wiley in particular adding expert licks to Single. The gang vocal of Duppy (Doin' It Again), which features the impressive roster of Bearman, Bossman, Footsie, JME, Jammer, MC Creed, Trim and Wiley, shows just how popular and respected Skepta has always been within grime. His recent associations with a world-renowned figure like Kanye West have only served to cement just how important he is to the scene, and it wouldn't be surprising if he is heavily featured on West's forthcoming album SWISH!
