When a new music genre comes to the fore whether it be blues, reggae, rock n roll, post punk, hip hop or grime - it is said that at its inception is when it is at its most powerful, when the sound was an expression of something local that could be related to before the burgeoning mainstream music industry get their dirty claws into it, turning what was once unique into conveyor belt pop.

Grime is a prime example of using music as a vehicle to express local emotions and situations. Emerging from the late 90s rave-scene it is a fusion of ragga, hip-hop, jungle and UK garage that moulds the grime sound. Cut up brass samples and electronic stabs of noise create the minimilistic beats over which the 'MC' will spit his rhymes Born out of East London's council estates in pockets of the country that have long been forgotten by Blair's premiership the music is a direct reflection of the harsh urban, crime filled environments that many of grimes exponents reside. So who are the major players of the scene? There are many interpretations of who exactly started what, but it appears there are two schools of grime. Firstly the Roll Deep Crew who consisted of the now well known Dizzee Rascal and Kano. Their sound is generally rooted in the hip hop tradition fronted by MC's, yet with a curious, almost naïve sense of pop melody. The second being Rephlex Grime which tends to be more instrumental and darker. Roll Deeps central figure, Wiley, coined the phrase Grime although he now prefers to call it 'Eskibeat' playing on the word Eskimo and referring to the cold and stark reality of the music.

The idea of grime is seen as both exciting and intimidating in equal measures. It is a sense the most organic and genuine music since Punk and there are many parallels between the two. For those unfortunate enough to relate to the bleak existence that the MC,s speak of it must be quite empowering and exciting as their voice gets heard. Apart from the now known and commercially successful artists like Dizzee, Kano and More Fire Crew most of grimes music videos (which can be seen on ChannelU.tv web site) are self financed, shot in housing estates, railways sidings or under bridges. Large groups appear in the videos from the same estate, unified to create something that while not actually offers a way out of the deprived area they are in, still shows that even within such an environment art can still be created.

Just as with punk, grime can intimidate those who don't understand it and excite those that do. Created almost exclusively by young black men living in inner city ghettos and with videos exhibiting groups of hooded youths spitting rhymes about what happens in their often crime filled neighborhoods, grime will divide opinions. But then isn't that what music should be all about, creating talking points and varied opinions to ultimately make people sit up and listen. With more and more grime artists enjoying mainstream success it remains to be seen whether it will stay true to its roots or be taken over by a need for style over substance.

Five tracks to discover Grime:

1. Wiley - Eskimo

2. Lethal - Forward Riddum

3. Dizzee Rascal - Fix Up, Look Sharp

4. Kano And Jammer - Vice Versa aka Boys Luv Girls

5. More Fire Crew - Oi