Bow
Bow appears in 1 Songsheets issue: UK Grime. 2 artists in the archive came from here, including Wiley and Dizzee Rascal.
Bow stands as grime's spiritual birthplace, where Wiley—the genre's godfather—developed the icy, minimal "Eskimo" sound that became grime's sonic blueprint between 2001-2003. The area produced Roll Deep Crew and served as home to many founding MCs who shaped the genre's aggressive, stripped-back aesthetic. Roman Road and the surrounding estates provided the backdrop for countless formative freestyles and clashes that defined early grime culture.
Scenes
Artists from Bow
- Wiley
Richard Cowie grew up in Bow, born in 1979, and spent his teenage years selling crack and heroin before threats from other dealers pushed him toward music instead.
- Dizzee Rascal
Dylan Mills was raised in Bow by his Ghanaian mother after his Nigerian father died, and got thrown out of four schools before a teacher named Tim Smith gave him the nickname that stuck: Rascal.
