D Double E has lived and breathed Grime from day one. From the original Deja 92.3 tapers, down to the internet generation, and everyone who came before and during, D Double remains as highly revered to all as most of the scene's newer household names. Critical parts of his outstanding longevity lie deep within his gargantuan variety of trademark lyrics and that old-school flow, stemmed from years of Jungle and Drum 'n Bass, pre-grime, and his frightening ability to shut down any rave. Even more crucial you could say, is his willingness to switch it up on the productions he embraces, with his recent collaborations with Swindle and Riddim Commision sharp examples of how to be the torchbearer and not just one of the "old guard".




Dem Tings reaches out to the clubbers, with Swerve and Marco Del Horno's basslines hitting all the right notes, whereas Swindle's funk-infused rhythms create a mellow, Summery-haze. Not that either of these beats wouldn't survive alone, but it's D Double's contributions on tracks that are often the gateway to massive crowd reactions - that added vocal presence can be the difference between scurrying on to the next track or succumbing to hoards of reload demands.

Long live the king.