Boy in da Corner [UK]

At only 18 years of age, British MC Dizzee Rascal made a strikingly audacious debut with BOY IN DA CORNER. Born of the UK garage/2-step scene, but inspired by the dark lyrical content of American hip-hop (Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep), Dizzee combines these influences to form his own distinctive style. The result is a collection of tracks that are almost physical in their assault on listeners' senses.
The production, provided by Dizzee himself, sounds like the score for a grimy, post-apocalyptic video game set in a shadowy, dangerous underworld ("Stop Dat," "2 Far," "Hold Ya Mouf"). On the mic, however, is where Dizzee makes his most penetrating mark. Attacking the world with the pure fury of a bitter teenager, Dizzee taps into his troubled East London past to reveal a tormented, damaged soul ("Sittin' Here," "I Luv U," "Brand New Day"). Yet, amidst all the murkiness, there is a glimmer of hope that fills BOY IN DA CORNER, making it an ultimately redemptive record.