Wonderland

DAMETALMESSIAH IS GRIME’S OG CURATOR

Novelist, SHERELLE, Kasst 8: fresh from curating adidas Superstar and JD’s celebratory cypher, grime archivist DaMetalMessiah tells Wonderland what he’s had On Repeat.

DaMetalMessiah is grime’s most quintessential archivist. You want to know anything about the genre that swept through the UK in the noughties and remains one of rap’s most important sub-sounds? DMM is your guy.

At the end of August, adidas Superstar and JD linked up with the man himself for a night of celebration and skill. Curating a line-up of the very best in underground rap – from Namesbliss to Paul Stephan, Saiming to Pozzy – DaMetalMessiah showed the intricacy of his knowledge, collaborating with adidas and JD in spotlighting the next generation of talent. Commemorating the launch of their new show, Ghetts also dropped by for a show-stopping performance.

Check out some imagery of the night…

To further spotlight the scene, DaMetalMessiah drops by Wonderland to tell us about what’s on his playlist of late in our latest On Repeat…

Scorcher – “Tec”

Scorcher’s been on a serious run lately, while also linking up with the new wave of grime artists. This one, produced by Duppy, has (in my opinion) the best grime instrumental of the year so far.

BXKS – “Init Gyal”

BXKS has been experimenting with some great influences lately, but this one landed straight on the USB with its high energy, Bouyon inspired production. My only complaint is that it’s too short.

Novelist – “WAH (Whistles and Horns)”

The intro to this track comes from my 2024 Halloween rave, when Novelist jumped out as a surprise guest during Neffa-T & Plastician’s set and flipped the place upside down. Beyond that though, he keeps proving why he’s one of the best and this tune is just another reminder of how great he still is with grime.

Arinola – “Same Way”

I always have a soft spot for funky house especially when it’s led by a great female vocal. More tunes on this vibe are definitely welcome.

JBIZ – “Shani”

Proper bouncy one, been stuck in my head for a minute.

Duppy – “Bread”

Duppy is one of the most exciting grime artists right now, only getting better with every release. I think there’s always something to be said about someone who is equally as great at producing as they are on the mic.

SHERELLE, Kibo – “KIBO’S BLEEP TEST”

A crazy link up and a great showcase of Kibo’s versatility. A sign of a strong MC is someone who can handle any kind of production.

Paul Stephan, BexBlu, Awaiting Kvng – “Look For Me”

I remember when this sound started as remixes of classic freestyles on TikTok, now it’s grown into full fledged, original projects.

Kasst 8 – “They’re called 110s”

If you haven’t seen Kasst 8’s freestyles on your timeline, you must be living under a rock. It’s been great watching him turn that raw talent into proper tracks, and I’m excited for what’s next.

P Wavey, Samtheman – “Para”