Made in Britain: UKG

How is it that Britain, one little island in the middle of nowhere, has been such a game changer when it comes to creating original music genres that give birth to entire new underground cultures which then go on to have such a huge impact on the world?

London – the crowning example of the uniquely British inner city mash up of race, class and culture – has been the crucible for a series of original and unique music genres and pop culture lifestyles that have set the world alight. The recipe has been further enriched by contributions from other key urban centres – cities like Bristol and Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. Inspired by the bass heavy rhythms of Jamaican sound systems, fused with the culture, fashion, slang and attitude of the Caribbean, West Africa, Asia and America, fueled by a never-ending soundtrack of pirate radio, and led by successive generations of entrepreneurs, hustlers and maverick visionaries, the whole world has moved to the beats of underground music and club culture made right here, in Britain.

This is the story of Jungle, UKG and Grime – three massive underground music scene that were all ‘Made in Britain.’ These more recent genres exploded from the streets, pirate radio stations and council estates of London and the UK’s inner cities over a period of just a few years in the 1990s. All three gave birth to their own unique sounds, creating a generation of stars, fashions, club scenes and fortunes and all three never quite vanished. Their beats, flows and attitude can still be heard in tunes being made today.

Each episode gives the inside track one of the genres, as told by some of the leading figures who created these underground movements in the first place, in conversation with Ron Samuels, himself a leading light of the original 90s Jungle scene as DJ Ron, and now a documentary director.

This video contains flashing images.

[DJSandman]

🔥 We need a longer version of this program. A deep dive into what was a wicked time for UK and specifically London music! Big-up all the producers, vocalists, promoters and ravers from back in the day!

[TakeMeBackPirateRadio]

I know they're short videos but surely you have to make a 10 part series about UK Garage?

[imryangallus]

The UKG flag is still flown by many, new and old! Some of us will keep it flying high forever!

[TRRORx]

Born in 95 still listern to garage, jungle, 90s 2000s hip hop now always will do

[scottanderson]

“Battle” is not on the best UKG ever but one of the best for a very long time-imho ✌️

[cwquuatr]

can't help but shuffle whenever I hear a garage beat, it's just built into me

[DJCrisisUK]

Wookie made the darkest ukg beats to date, storm is on a next level. I went to colosseum last night and not gonna lie it was emotional 😂legendary club gone for some high rise expensive flats, what a joke.

[motiontracker]

Most of the tracks featured in this video are the ones that actually ruined what UKG was really about. The peak era of garage from a pure artistic / musical perspective came before 2000 and by the time So Solid etc got there whilst it may have been a commercial money spinner, artistically it was dying or dead.

[scphil]

anyone kno what version of gabriel that is at 4:49 ?

[tattsndreams]

imagine suming up UK garage with a track like choclate boy. Give it some credit for god sake !

[soulfoodrecordings]

Thank you for the love and support ALL THESE YEARS!!! UK Garage LIVES!!! Unknown Mc. Soulfoodrecordings