Published June 2000 

UKG

STEP 2 THIS

On Tuesday May 27th, 2000, a new music awards program was unveiled in London's West End. The UKG Awards which will take place in the city's exclusive Hammersmith Apollo venue on October 1st is to highlight the strength and vitality of one of music's freshest soundsthe sounds of the UKG. So what is an awards show for UKG and what is UKG?

UKG is a relatively new form of music (in North America) foundationally born out of the urban centers of the United Kingdom especially in its capital, London. The genre has been solidly around for more than four years. In that time, it has been referenced or named one and all of the following: UK House and Garage, Underground Garage, Speed Garage, 2Step, or Garridge.

As a warning, the Speed Garage term is dead. Theoretically, all labeling is bad, but it works for descriptive purposes. One thing that everyone agrees on with this music is that it is not Speed Garage. That was a term created by the mainstream music media (mainly U.K. and U.S. mainstream music media) not by those living it.

WHAT IS IT?

Dave Norton of 4 Liberty Records provides the best metaphor for describing UKG. "This music is like a hybrid rose, pollinated by all the music average children on the street have grown up listening to." Norton adds that "In the United Kingdom, you can't call it underground anymore." If you are looking for a genre-based description, then here it is: UKG incorporates elements of all the major black music genres over the last 30 years. These include soul, jungle, and dancehall vocals. Mix this up with current music-making technology, and you have a powerful recipe for a music that appeals to many people, across creeds, colors, ages and economic segments. Its perfect shake a leg business. However at the same time, from a qualitative production view, it is also moving urban music forward.

The beat structure of UKG is not the typical four on the floor beat structure synomous with house and trance - two popular forms of modern music. Though it started as an offshoot of American four on the floor, the last two years have seen the rise and popularity of the 2Step sound. 2Step is has a kick drum in the first and third beats, purposely skipping the second and fourth beats. Add in other layers of various forms of drum patters, some chords, keys, deep baselines, shakers and lay some vocals on top of it all and you have a UKG song. The songs typically range in speed from 128 beats per minute to 132 beats per minute. However, given the 2Step sound, one of the outcomes of this is that there is a wide variety of style in this music. The freedom of 2Step allows producers and music makers more room to create.

The music has evolved very quickly over its short life. Whereas two and three years ago the fad was for producers to heavily sample R&B accapellas (some would say outright steal) over UKG productions, now original productions are being created specifically for this genre. Andy Lewis the main man behind one of UKG's biggest musical labels, LOCKED ON Records, states that "the producers realize that you can only sell so many dodgy tunes. To take it to the next level, original lyrics with productions are what is needed."

The Awards is very timely since the genre is creating artist stars. Shanks and Bigfoot, creators and producers of 1999's "Sweet Like Chocolate," UKG top five pop hit, refused Britney Spears request to help write her next album. Rather they have been concentrating on their own full length project, to be released on Jive Records. Another big star is Craig David, the 18 year old singer who was the vocals behind the Top 5 hit "Re-rewind." The Artful Dodger featuring Craig David tune debuted in the English Top 5. Craig David has followed up with "Fill me In" which s expected to do serious damage on the Charts.

How powerful is this music? When Artful Dodger's Moving Too Fast" single was released (early March), sales were upwards of 700,000 units in one week! The rise of the UKG phenomenon has floored many a record company across the world. Today, a single released for the United Kingdom market needs to have a UKG mix, or there is no chance of it breaking into the all important top 30 charts. The majors now solicit super UKG producers like Artful Dodger, Dreem Teem, Grant Nelson and the like so they can add their special UKG touch. In the United Kingdom, major record label stars like Sisqo, Shola Ama, and K-Ci and JoJo have all received the UKG treatments.

With clubs and European vacation islands wanting to tie into the UKG phenomena, the UKG headz residing in the United Kingdom are definitely being taken care of. It's the North American headz that need some help. However, the Big Apple is definitely as keen as Toronto on the UKG scene. Chris Torella, managing editor of StreetSound.com states that "the 2 step scene is indeed blowing up here in New York City."

Toronto itself is also experiencing UKG through Canada's first UKG organization, FLIRT. The FLIRT SoundSystem, originating in 1996, with djs Marcus and Sassa'le spinning the music on radio and in clubs. In 2000, FLIRT has gone from monthly events to weekly residencies and have just completed their first two mixed CDs and are busy finishing up some original UKG music productions. Given the speed that this sound has spread in the 2G with club gigs and parties popping up in cities like San Francisco, New York, Texas, Miami; in countries such as Germany, Holland and other parts of Europe, the FLIRT SoundSystem has definitely been at the forefront of the non-UK world.

THE RADIO IMPACT:

In January of this year, the fabled DreemTeem, one of the genre's hottest dj/producer tandem moved from the Galaxy Radio network to BBC Radio1. This has ensured that the sound of the UKG is now national, and the National Radio Broadcaster has tapped into the nationwide popularity of this music. BBC's goal in giving the DreemTeem their weekly three hour Sunday morning slot was an effort of the station to reach more of the female population, as the UKG sound goes down very nicely with United Kingdom's females. Now, can you imagine the CBC trying to touch into the younger-thinking population? Or trying to be relevant to the Gen X, Gen Y, or the people of color populations?

In making this decision, BBC also probably wanted to try and stop the flow of listeners tuning out the BBC and tuning into the pirates because of the sheer volume of pirates popping up across the countryside. Andy Lewis estimates that upwards of one million people listen to the pirates all across England, and a majority of the pirates are all about the UKG.

THE LIFESTYLE

In today's day and age, it is very easy for a music to turn into a lifestyle. And so this relatively young genre of music does have its own culture, that spans how to look, to what to say, to where to go to what to eat and drink. The culture is geared towards looking smart, and flaunting what you have. In a sense, it is the smarter look and feel to the jiggyness that many of today's popular R&B and hip-hop is known for. The drink of choice is Champagne . Twice as Nice, a U.K. Promotions outfit even has its own branded bottle of champers! The look of a UKG head is always one of class. There is a high propensity to spend and as the UKG massive suggest, why not?

I would argue that UKG probably represents the new vigor, attitude and wealth that has come over the United Kingdom since New Labour began leading the country. The United Kingdom has seen increased vitality and vibrancy in its economy not seen since the Commonwealth days. Interestingly, it's the ex-patriots of the Commonwealth the Africans, Caribbean and South Asians that are leading the charge for the UKG.