Ones To Watch!: Grimey in the USA.

I was at work a few weeks ago when a mate of mine played me a track by an artist that I hadn't heard of before - Azealia Banks. At first I thought this was some kind of fresh-prince-of-bel-air reference - apparently not.



Turns out that rather than being a former child actress - Azealia Banks is actually a female american rap artist who is gearing up an assault on bally old blighty with her new CHOOOOONSS! :)
The tune itself is fuckin AWESOME. '212 feat. lazy jay' available on iTunes now it is siiiiiiiiickk (although quite naughty, even by my profanity meter) I think this girls gonna be huge in 2012 (as do others, considering she just made the 'sound of 2012' list).
In terms of female rappers there is a majorrrr gap in the market. Now - I'm as big a fan of Nicki Minaj as the next hardcore lesbian but I do have this eensy teensy feeling that the reason she has been so successful is because of supply and demand -  barring M.I.A's occasional advocations for ginger rights, nicki minaj is pretty much the only global female rap artist - there aren't a lot around, therefore she's in high demand. ergo - success.
Even in the UK with legends such as Ms Dyyy-naa--miii--teeeheee making revolving door appearances, meant we were hankering after a female spittterrr!

But - am I the only one who thinks that american music seems to be taking a lot of references from the UK lately? Those who recognise the dubstep break down in britney spears 'hold it against me' and Flo Rida's 'Good Feeling' will know what I'm talking about. '212' is essentially - in my opinion - a grime track.

For any americans out there - Grime is a UK version of Hip-Hop with lots of electronic influences (Grime 101) syncopation, discord, reverb and distortion (ooooo check me out with the flashy words!)- it seems that the US is taking another cue point from us tea-drinkers with a sense of innovating urban music. Personally I'm ALL FOR IT! :D but there may be those who disagree? just listen to the following tracks to hear for yourself - does Azealia Banks sound more like the american artists or the british ones?