Collective Insight - YGM
MC Local @ District Basement
YGM Collective is a Cardiff-based grime and garage collective becoming increasingly active within the local scene. By curating grime cyphers and club nights, they provide a stage for emerging MCs and DJs with niche tastes to develop their style and gain visibility.
YGM Collective flies the flag for Grime in Cardiff. Other than yourselves, who are some up-and-coming MCs/DJs people should look out for?
"Big up appreciate that, our pleasure. Very tough to narrow it down to a few, but off the top of my head, in terms of DJs/Producers to look out for, I would say Coco Dubz, Sloth, JTSBZ, Kaya, Chapo, ILLWILL, Friedz and Zukki. MC-wise, I'd have to say, JM, Baddathanwho, RazKid, Ezra, Ewhyeasy & Smoke."
A YGM cypher never fails to disappoint! What goes into curating a great cypher?
"Serious 140 tracks being spun, around 5 to 8 gassed MC's with bare energy who share the mic, a very hyped crowd, and my boy Finn on the cam. The production Our3ye puts into capturing our cypher is huge, check out YGM's YouTube."
Co-founding Rinse FM in 1994, Slimzee has played a vital role in the development of Grime. Booking him 30 years later in District must have felt like a great achievement! Who are some of your greatest inspirations from the Grime scene?
"Yeah, the Good Dubstep Only collab was huge for us, big up those lot. I would say my greatest inspirations are Sir Spyro, Rude Kid, Skepta, Jammer, Grandmixxer and Neffa-T."
How would you describe the community that surrounds YGM?
"I would say the community surrounding YGM is definitely growing and we're being taken more seriously every event we do or participate in. There’s a huge rave scene and culture in Cardiff and we're seeing that they either already love or are opening up and appreciating 140, Grime & Dubstep."
What’s one track that captures the spirit of YGM right now?
"A track that captures YGM is 'D Double E - Like This'. Have a listen to it and you'll know wagwan."
What’s next for YGM? Any exciting projects or events on the horizon?
"Yeah we've got some wicked plans going forward. We just took over Calypso Sounds Studios with a Grime Cypher and Q&A with myself and Mozzi, content for that should be dropping in the next couple of weeks. Our 2nd birthday bash is on the horizon in Septmeber so keep your eyes peeled for an event in Diff celebrating that. Also got a big collab coming first quarter of next year, I can't say much on that right now though."
Are there any dream bookings or collabs you’d love to make happen?
"My personal dream booking would be Taiki Nulight or Sir Spyro. Mozzi's is the one and only D Double E, and Sullied has always said his dream booking would be Fearless Dread and T Man."
Best freestyle of all time?
"There's so many to choose from but straight off the bat Mist's first ever P110. It's not even Grime/140 but it's my personal fav."
