Reynolds asserts that ‘dancehall reggae fans originally lured into jungle by its
ragga samples back in 1994’ moved towards the developing UK garage scene (1998:
420). During this crossover, the MC became an integral part of UK garage events
and many of the production techniques associated with jungle merged into the
evolving UK garage sound. By 1997, wide music press coverage led to the term
‘speed’ garage being used to identify the genre; this was later replaced by
‘underground’ and then ‘UK’ garage. The Sunday scene also introduced R ‘n’ B to
the second or backroom at events, which in turn influenced the emergence of ‘2
step’ garage. This addition drew heavily on R ‘n’ B influences, especially in terms of
its vocal arrangements. All of these Sunday-scene developments helped to further
distinguish UK garage from its American counterpart, which continued to remain
predominately DJ focused.
Rewind and come againDrawing on Paul Gilroy’s (1993) work, Rietveld suggests that in various examples
of UK garage music one can hear crossovers of musical techniques that have
developed in both local and imported genres, which can be said to be part of a Black
Atlantic musical logic (2000:208). Like so much of UK garage, the continuous
dialogue between the MC and audience is a tradition originating in the early
Jamaican sound systems. Dick Hebdige reveals that during the 1950s Jamaican
sound-system DJs such as Duke Reid and Prince Buster would ‘add spice to the
instrumental records they were playing by shouting out their favourite catchphrases
over the microphone. These talk-overs or toasts soon became a popular feature of
the blues dances’ (Hebdige 1997:83). Tracing the development of reggae in Bass
Culture, Lloyd Bradley indicates that once the DJs of these early systems ‘began to
chat on the mic about more than their sound systems, their records, their women or
their selves, it was the ghetto’s newspaper’ (2000:5). The process of ‘chatting on the
mic’ performs a community role, which is observable within the contemporary UK
garage scene.
The MCs customary function of hosting an event whilst maintaining a rapport
between participants and DJ has begun to expand. Currently many MCs
incorporate discussions on a wide range of issues directly or indirectly related to the
UK garage scene. Some MCs make reference to political and social issues affecting
young people growing up in urban environments—such as unemployment, rising
crime, gun culture, drug use and social exclusion. This particular dimension,
combined with other communication methods adopted by UK garage MCs,
provides us with parallels to the role of the Baptist preacher. For example,
discussions concerning sensitive issues that directly effect local parish communities
are an integral part of Baptist church services. This aspect was reinforced during my
ethnographic fieldwork at a New York Baptist church in 2001, as both the resident
and visiting preacher spoke openly about issues concerning alcohol and drug use
which were of relevance to their local parish communities. Both preachers integrated
these sensitive and often contentious subject areas into their sermons in the same
SOUNDS OF THE LONDON UNDERGROUND 189