HOW SKEPTA IS HELPING US THROUGH OUR ISSUES AND CHANGING THE WORLD!

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It may seem odd to some that a UK Grime collective could be so helpful to a Queer, Autistic who doesn’t drink or take drugs.

It turns out however, to be the perfect medicine. It sure is more effective and cheaper than what the NHS would prescribe with the average price of a pack of 60 caps of Fluoxetine being around £25 and the price of Skepta’s latest album “Konnichiwa”, costing only £7.99 on iTunes with unlimited plays.

Furthermore, Skepta’s album won’t cause permanent liver damage or make you want to kill yourself.

The lyrics of the UK Grime star and his comrades are amongst the most current, relatable and to the point lyrics I have ever heard. This seems to me the point of Grime; there is no waffle, there is no garnish, there is just wholegrain and grit. All of the good shit you need with nothing to get in the way.

Songs such as “That’s Not Me”, promote the importance of individuality, drive, intelligence, brotherhood hard work and a healthy lifestyle, to quote JME, “Cigarette smoker, That’s Not Me!!!”.

The lyrics are delivered in a punchy and direct manner which is free of confusing subtext and mismatched interpretations, making it super absorbable for those with Aspergers or other autistic tendencies.

Skepta’s refreshing vulnerability about his feelings, his past and his current goals provides a realistic and honest example of a human to look up to.

I have personally found the music of Skepta, JME and BBK to lift my mood, give me a stern slapping into shape and provided me with hope and inspiration in my darkest spots. When the systems feel to big, the injustices too oppresive and my head just too loud, Skepta cuts through with a visceral shake and says “fix up look sharp”, this is how it is, and here’s what we can do.

The Skit at the end of “Corn On The Curb ft. Wiley”, has a particularly powerful and poignant message considering the current state of the world and the overwhelming levels of corruption, privilege, ignorance and general fuckedupness in existence in a supposedly “modern” “civilisation”. The words “you got the call to go and make everyone look at everything else that is happening over here fam, ya get me that’s a deeper calling bro” is an exhilaratingly fresh call out which demands the attention of listeners, “like just being you alone fam, niggaz getting to watch you’re doing what your supposed to do bro”. This here is the power of individuality, the power of being enough just by being yourself, as this in it’s very being is pioneering and honest. This is what leads the masses ultimately and this with visibility is what provides the examples to follow.

These words are pure punk, a thorough response, slicing through the homogeny and sedation that we are fed and tricked into by our government, authority figures, consumerism and capitalistic western culture.

If we can see through this slit provided by UK Grime then that is one more opportunity to fight for rights and to push much needed agendas from oppressed minorities, groups and classes. Those fighting with love and intelligence for true equality and liberation.

How then does this music which stems from lower class black culture help me? In appearance and in some ways a privileged, white, male with a middle class upbringing. Well unfortunately being gay, being effeminate, being Autistic and being someone who seeks knowledge, truth and wider perspectives, I too have received long term abuse and discrimination from individuals, systems and social norms. I have learnt and experienced injustices to a level in which people were trying to kill me off, to sedate me into silence and keep me disabled.

Further to this, the supposed “acceptance” of homosexuality is in fact forcing many Gay’s into silence via false equality. The overwhelming masculinity of current British culture is causing an epidemic of “straight acting” and active shaming and oppression of effeminate gays and gays of non-white origin, sending may gays into a frenzy of drug abuse in hiding and avoidance of these issues. On top of this, just because LGBTQ+, and in particular Trans, visibility is on the rise in mainstream media, does not mean that all the issues have been solved. There is STILL WORK TO DO! Lots of it.

In Britain, our heavy drinking culture seems to allow almost everyone, and most upsettingly those in power, to void responsibility for their actions and to develop beer coated perspectives on the world. The words of JME in particular provide fresh hope for sober individuals, left raw with their emotions. JME actively speaks of handing in the drink over 3 years ago in order to get to work and do something better in life, and Skepta shares this sentiment when he speaks of “putting the foil down” in order to focus on Grime and his goals. Now how many politicians and ad campaigns are promoting this kind of behaviour without an added scheme or price tag involved?!

With the help of voices such as Skepta and JME, I and others like me have the power  and encouragement to fight this. To NOT be permanently rendered disabled and to vocalise their thoughts and experiences to others in a positive and clear manner. We understand these injustices, we see their right place and their respective power and we learn how to build our strength to fight against them so that hopefully, those like us in the future do not need to suffer these same fights and the world can TRULY progress. Progress in a way that is more beneficial for ALL types of human, animal and nature.

We fight wars with words and verbal splendour instead of Drone attacks on innocent civilians in countries that we fucked up ourselves in the first place through our oppressive, selfish, money grabbing, straight, white privileged agendas.

SO… (got a bit passionate there),

If you’re feeling down, feeling weak and in need of a Lucozade, (but without the poison of processed sugar), listen to Skepta! Get your fill. And get talking and working. Be YOU! Learn what that is and learn how to protect yourself in these convictions! With Skepta, yes we can!

You can buy Skepta’s music on iTunes!

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Written and Recommended by Ted Rogers “Artpornblog”

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