WATCH: Dizzee Rascal & Giggs collaborate on ‘Nutcrackerz’

As arguably the most well known artists from their respective Grime and UK Rap genres, Bow’s Dizzee Rascal and Peckham’s Giggs have combined on brand new track ‘Nutcrackerz‘.

The beat, which is produced by the production team of the moment The Heavytrackerz, samples a well known segment of music from Russian composer Tchaikovsky’s 1892 classic, The Nutcracker, which the artists also pay homage to via the title of the track.

Bringing the nineteenth century piece of music into the present day, ‘Nutcrackerz’ showcases just how timeless music can be and when done well, just how brilliant the two ages of music combining can be. Who knows, maybe it will even open up the ears of some classical music lovers to the Grime and UK Rap worlds?

The visuals were directed by Dizzee himself and as far as we’re aware mark his first foray into the world of music video directing and we have to say he’s done a decent job. Filmed down by the River Thames and at various locations around Bow and Peckham, the video fits in well with the biographical nature of the track’s lyrics, which contain numerous references to the lives of both artists during their early years in the music scene.

Dizzee was quoted as saying,

“I had been talking and swapping beats with Giggs for just under a year. Then recently, D Double E (legendary MC signed to my label Dirtee Stank Recordings and half of the Newham Generals) took me to the Heavytrackerz studio, I grabbed the beat and linked Giggs, who was feeling it. We had been catching a vibe from talking about what we were both up to around 2002 – we knew some of the same people, the spots we used to hangout/perform at….that became the theme for writing. A lot has changed in London since then too, the gentrification has taken over a lot of the places we grew up in and it won’t ever be the same again, this track is important as it references a special time for me and the scene. I wanted the video to reflect how much it’s changed and also how much we have both grown as artists and men. This is dedicated to everyone who was around that time/era”

Check out the video for ‘Nutcrackerz’ above and let us know what you think via Twitter and Facebook.

Matt Tarr
@MattTarrJourno

Matt Tarr

Matt Tarr

Urban Music Editor
With grime and hip hop being major influences on him growing up in South East London, Matt's passion is urban music but over the years he has gathered a hugely diverse taste, ranging from Wiley to The Smiths by way of Machine Head, that has made him a very open minded individual.
Matt Tarr
Gigslutz Urban New Music
About Matt Tarr
With grime and hip hop being major influences on him growing up in South East London, Matt's passion is urban music but over the years he has gathered a hugely diverse taste, ranging from Wiley to The Smiths by way of Machine Head, that has made him a very open minded individual.