Grime station Channel U set to make a return to TV
Channel U #ChannelU
25 September 2020, 12:07 | Updated: 25 September 2020, 12:09
The legendary Grime station Channel U will be making a return to TV in November, with a premiere of the first ever Grime movie.
Channel U will be making a return to our TV screens very soon! It has been revealed that the iconic Grime station – known to give upcoming artists a platform to showcase their music – will be making a come back.
The Grime station, also known as Channel AKA, was a music service which began in 2003.
It was made to be a central “go to” channel for British grime scene, spawning artists such as Giggs, Wretch 32, Dizzee Rascal, Chip (then known as Chipmunk) and more.
After 15 years on air, the channel stopped broadcasting in 2018. However, it will be coming back in November.
The channel will play old school grime music videos and classic shows. It will also bring the first ever Grime movie and soundtrack ‘Against All Odds’, which will be about the rise of Grime in the UK.
The film features some of pioneers of the grime scene, including Jammer, Ghetts and D Double E, who will play themselves in the movie.
A soundtrack EP will also be released along with the movie on Motown’s new UK outpost on November 13.
The artists that will feature on the soundtrack include D Double E, Sir Spyro, Jammer and Flowdan.
The EP will also include a remix of Maxwell D’s ‘Serious’, which will now feature Capo Lee, Novelist, So Large, Bruza and Tempa T.
Grime artist D Double E spoke to Radio 1 Newsbeat about taking part in the film and soundtrack.
“The scene I was in felt as real as possible, we put on a beat and went back to back and it just felt natural.”The video we shot was probably one of the best video’s I’ve done, it’s going to be good for the people to see.”
He has appeared on Channel U a few times himself.”Channel U returning is big for the scene, we (grime artists) haven’t really got much TV support so it will be good for us.”
According to BBC News, The film is directed and produced by Nicky “Slimting” Walker and Femi Oyeniran, who is best known for his role “Moony” in Kidulthood.
“For us as kids, Channel U was the greatest TV channel on Earth, so for us to be able to bring it back is important,” Femi tells Radio 1 Newsbeat.
Femi continued “It was the first broadcast platform for every MC, and for us as kids, it was the first time we saw these stars on screen”.
The film aims to shine a light on pirate radio stations which helped support the grime scene, such as Deja Vu. It also gives credit to platforms such as Lord of the Mics and Risky Roadz.
“We wanted to create something that celebrated the very important musical genre that is considered to have been the foundation of all the different scenes that exist at the moment.”
Against all Odds is a visual celebration of the scene that the grime forefathers created.”
Channel U will return on 13th November with the premiere of Against All Odds.
Let us know your thoughts @CapitalXTRA