Wiley on Azealia Banks Trashing U.K. Hip-Hop, Language Barrier in Music

Wiley opened up to VladTV about the language barrier in U.K. hip-hop that makes it harder for rappers to cross over into the U.S. market. He explained that he is no longer chasing that dream because he wants to make music for the people who can understand his music right away and don't have to look up meanings to his slang.
During the conversation, Wiley also spoke about how Skepta has gained notoriety with the help of Drake, but he pointed out that his millions of views on KZbin hasn't translated to a large U.S. fanbase.
To hear more of what Wiley had to say, including his new album The Godfather, hit the above clip.

[@madmantingting4988]

Wiley don't need USA approval

[@CKBREEZY7]

He didn’t break the U.K. scene let alone going to break America.

[@lukemorgan3693]

@@CKBREEZY7 he created the scene

[@jedeyemastar5648]

Uk rap garbage bro just accept it

[@Jay-lr3me]

JedEye MaStar thats your opinion don’t know why you feel the need to share it here. lots of us are very proud of grime and uk hip hop

[@BBCBOY919]

JedEye MaStar Hahahaha, virgin

[@endzreport]

Most of the US ppl tarnishing UK rap jus cant relate to the culture, ppl hate on what they don't understand

[@hiroooooooo4656]

The ENDZ report facts

[@clapthonyclaptano3922]

love grime from the West coast... not all of US is like this

[@ToneB]

Nigga, please... Stop spreading rumors.. It’s only like a handful of dope UK Grime emcees. Just like in the USA with these niggas wearing skinny yoga pants while trying to promote dressing like a broad as gangster.

[@duronbryant9463]

ENDZ REPORT MEDIA thats not true, its just Americans blacks think UK don't have a struggle

[@ToneB]

duron bryant We never said that and just FYI, your struggle is our struggle. Oh we’re going to get a pass because we’re black American? Your words make no sense.

[@47LG]

Mexican American here. I love Wiley. Man's a legend

[@cashs8713]

Wiley is a legend

[@bombaclut7458]

yepp yepp

[@biglew1394]

Cash S yep yep yep

[@0BlueZephyr0]

Yep yep yep yep

[@Shadowboxe]

Yep

[@icyboy9776]

yep yep yep

[@rich925]

I love the English accent I'm American. I actually gave their music a chance and I love it. It's it's own genre and I respect it

[@MsBabylove11]

♥ shout out from London mate ♥

[@christinacall2910]

I feel the same way.

[@LCFor]

You can tell when dizzy said talk to Wiley at the end, Wiley straight up respected dizzy for that.

[@DannyWonder]

that shit would have made his day

[@Clithero]

Donz will be donz

[@JackFranco95]

Does Dizzee still not like Wiley?

[@bhew7409]

You can see why, some fucked up shit went down between them

[@spoolyanddanalixdnb]

That's all hes ever wanted really.

[@tomriddle4011]

If you haven't seen Wiley freestyle you're not qualified to have an opinion on UK hip hop.

[@kstar4456]

he would murder any rapper on the mic US or UK

[@ramonobey9216]

TomRiddle88 get tf out cant touch nas logic kendrick em or los in a freestyle

[@benzo9575]

thenewsneakerhead 0 fam listen to dizzee and wiley 2003 sidewinder set, or any of them Rinse FM sets.

[@mrq.1236]

I live in London and I have an appreciation for UK Grime and US Hip-Hop, but I hate the fact Grime fans and Hip Hop fans can't agree on the same thing. For example - Grime fans ONLY listen to Grime, and they believe Grime rappers like Wiley or Skepta could beat any US rapper in a feud but US Hip-Hop fans believe American rappers like Kendrick or Nas could beat UK rappers in a feud. I listen to both Grime and Hip-Hop. I think Wiley could beat American rappers but not all, and I do think rappers like US rappers like Nas and Kendrick could beat Wiley or other Grime rapper in a beef. People just need to listen to both Grime and Hip-Hop.

[@triplej6]

stop with these retarded comments making everyone from the uk look like an absolute snob.

[@mannydosu2657]

I'm glad we've grown to realise we don't need acceptance from people who have Donald trump as their president

[@NickTion]

😂

[@User-ge7ni]

Manny Dosu irrelevant

[@sinisterkrex6465]

Cough Boris Johnson cough

[@uchihashisui7440]

Acting like you guys don’t have Donald trump late cousin in office too😂😂😂

[@Hikmah1995]

This comment aged poorly 😂🤣

[@kalenoconnor]

yep , yep , YEP, YEP, Yep , ............yep

[@kadirmohamed4859]

Kalen o connor yep yeep

[@bentaylor10]

no

[@liamspivey5106]

Kalen o connor yep yep yep yep and guess what ??????...............yep

[@l.s9457]

120 ypm's, yeps per minute

[@icyboy9776]

yep

[@demandcollect]

Loved the end bit. Thank you Dizzee, Wiley and Mega for the music

[@newankh9thesoulseer625]

I'm glad he & Dizzy are still alive and got their time to shine & live their truth through their music...they've put that work in been through alot and now they're legendary at their craft #Bless

[@martinskursiss4110]

Wiley is a legend and record holder for saying 'yep'.Overall great and interesting interview .Watched all clips till now!!!

[@lukeedwards-sparsholtt1587]

Martins Kursiss yep yep

[@Rdon_Ranger]

3 years later UK sound is very dominant in the USA. I love the cross over ting, hope we see more of it

[@StylistecS]

Define dominant... if you’re talking about pop smoke using grime beats (rip) then no, it’s not.

[@SWLEO123JED]

@@StylistecS 🤦🏽‍♂️pop smoke didn't rap on grime beats, he rapper over UK drill beats. And considering that's the hottest music in the biggest city in America rn, you could literally say that London producers run New York because they do.

[@zacharyfinesse4640]

What would Slim Jesus think of Azealia Banks Trashing U.K. Hip-Hop?

[@r.o.d9069]

i wonder too

[@LCFor]

What?

[@AO-LetsGo-]

Dame Dash - get with the times dame!!

[@Tave510]

Dame Dash LMAOOOOO

[@acezinoo]

This nigga still gettin cloned for that old ass joke loooooool

[@liamspivey5106]

Wiley hit the nail on the head there . Are music isn't shit , it's just the language barrier. Also we shouldn't look for acceptance from American hip hop . Just do are own thing and if people from different countries like the grime then that's good . If some don't that's ok . Every one has different tastes in music .

[@mhotchin1136]

The Stirfry Kid our

[@QUAN81880]

The Yep God

[@rdgguy11190]

QuanThaGod lmao

[@jammy008]

yeep yep yeeeeeeeeeep

[@petrokemikal]

Wiley is on a Level... Always has been always will be.. Every time I hear an eski Beat it still makes me think Jeeeez !!

[@JackT13]

Never understood this divide. To me UK and US hip-hop can be good and can be bad. If the beats good and the MC is on point, the music is good. Regardless of the accent

[@duronbryant9463]

Gabe Thornes I agree

[@fish5215]

WHO CARES I think it applies to all countries and regions.

[@LCFor]

Vlad straight up held Wiley hostage for these interviews .

[@vickysianpowell]

ahahahaha

[@TheKh65]

LC. For lol...got Wiley in some dark room with no windows

[@LCFor]

+Godfrey Winston yeah there's a nigga in the corner with a Draco

[@murkzyt6649]

😂😂😂

[@farratheproducer-beatsinst6367]

Wiley is correct, you have to target the people that's listening and feed them. Extras is a bonus. It's an interesting interview.

[@shiroyakshonem]

I'm from the UK and I don't like Grime but I respect Wiley he's an inspiring guy

[@TheOfficialStealz]

if this nigga say yep yep one more time 😂😂😂

[@rdgguy11190]

TheOfficialStealz yep

[@Teamipodsmashers]

TheOfficialStealz nothing would happen

[@bp-kf4nf]

that was the best one, finally Vlad not on some bs and just having a conversation

[@awsanteina5152]

well said wiley; especially the part where he emphasises the use of certain references relevant to the UK

[@StudhouseK]

And Godfather turned out to be one of the best albums in grime history. Fucking energy, legend

[@jman3277]

hip hop is an art form everybody can do it anywhere if doesn't matter

[@accidentalcoleslaw]

Sick interview, start to finish. What a don.

[@FuckdasketsHOPassass]

Didn't Azealia Banks work with shystie and her only big song was big in the UK rather than her own country. bite the hands that feeds her

[@jay2k536]

Chew until it bleeds

[@georgefaux2154]

Yea 212 was only big in the uk i remember it and i thought it was awful at first

[@AbbeyRuins]

her single liquorice was produced by lone, a guy from nottingham, england

[@JJ-pl5cj]

Her whole sound is heavily uk influenced. Don’t know he’s she’s taking about

[@VOLRAK1]

This guy made his own scene for the UK that says it all REAL LEGEND

[@AfroVibez]

What i love about GRime, all the artists love to collaborate

[@MyNameBaboo]

Wiley - Speakerbox. 'Nuff said.

[@rdgguy11190]

Rotten 5 wiley - doorway

[@bt7033]

Wiley - Wot U Call It?

[@daithimcnally8212]

Wiley- FireHydrant

[@adamwillms14987]

UK scene is 10x better than US scene right now, all USA artist's are boring auto tune boring ass rappers, even ask drake trying to get in with dave and giggs hahahaha!

[@freshsoulbeats6084]

but giggs sucks... most overrated UK artist ever.

[@jamessinclair3001]

Relax you guys are only popular due to social media and America will always dominate hip hop

[@freshsoulbeats6084]

@*oh no* Whole world does... Except USA I guess

[@smill8124]

Adam Wilmot FACTS.....Ever heard Ocean Wisdom? Dabbla? The four owls? Dizze?

[@user-tn6fg2du6v]

I really rate Wiley . Even watching these interviews from all the U.K. Artist interviews, he comes across the best

[@bennyblanco8515]

Hip Hop is hip hop. I love most of the UK artists that I have reacted to recently. I can understand most of them better than most of the mumble rap that is being force fed to the country.

[@KM-ix3ms]

So glad Dizzee said what he said at the end

[@kade290488]

Wiley looked very happy when vlad said dizzie told him to interview him 🎵

[@AXELIndustries]

Nelly Furtado from Canada, 10 years ago!

[@charliersm4184]

azeliea banks needs a slap

[@lukeedwards-sparsholtt1587]

Harry Flashman she got roasted by Big Narsti a while back

[@TripleRp]

She's an extreme personality. This is what people with extreme personalities do.

[@jay2k536]

Aparrently Russell Crowe give her a slap

[@futmad3028]

I agree when im from england. If i hear a german artist i immediatly think nahhhh. But i dont care where your from a HIT IS A HIT.

[@IMHUSTLNGAMIN]

im american i luv grime and manutd i heard tempa in 2009 and i was hooked

[@sweetpidi]

Growing up I loved slick rick monie love...I didn't even know they were from another country when I was a kid.

[@fiftygiles5690]

So true

[@al3xtheghost612]

Need a new interview in 2021

[@schmodizzle4465]

Love and respect to Wiley , a true pioneer , he will always be the don

[@gerardolarios54]

need to do research on this guy thanks to the comments seems like a bad ass freestyler..

[@willhurley1589]

Accents are absolutely mind boggling like I'm from Philly and we have a crazy one but I don't hear it until someone on TV has it and it sounds weird as shit it's like hearing your own voice but I've always wondered where they came from its wild

[@jman3277]

damn I wonder Americans rap in English I wonder where English Comes from

[@exclusiveimage]

Germany

[@ZeusDaEvilOne]

Who knows this guy from that song bow e3 from need for speed pro street?

[@S1LVAW0LF]

Being from the US, i like grime and drill because the lyricism and pace and flow in the uk seems to be better atm. Grime sounds very electronic compared to us rap but drill is very much like trap so i dont see what the issue is beside preconceived notions of uk being fancy. Thats just historical, because were the US and we broke away. Canadian rappers dont sound different at all and drake is king so yeah. I would love to see more people get into uk rap, being in the NYC area ive noticed the huge influence jamaicans have had on both the NY scene, London scene and hip hops creation in general. Anyway, keeping doing your thing guys! I got family in illford and i love football culture so that helped me get into it OD.

[@CathFerook]

I ❤ his eyes!

[@gabrielmorgan-munro8590]

Wish I had a quid for every time he said yep

[@mdmorgan101]

#yep

[@palodhupar4293]

Wiley is on god mode levels . I'm hearing from Kenya big ups !!

[@MrYungTwista]

I’m American and I love uk rap I mess with Wiley and all of them Kano there all fire

[@BronzeArms]

You Should reupload this due to the beef with Stormzy

[@al3xxx211]

The godfather of yep

[@truble2708]

i swear the comments are killing me i didn't realise how much Wiley said yep yep yep 😂😂😂😂😂

[@joshuaowolabi6668]

We don’t have Hip Hop here in the uk. It’s either grime, uk rap or drill it’s sad we don’t have Hip Hop here in the up cos there’s a lot of people that have been influenced by Hip Hop but the uk hasn’t provided a platform for Hip Hop here in the Uk.

[@jackhackett80]

is Eski finally making it over here? I lived in England for a while, got turned onto him...he's quite good...ROLL DEEP

[@mrlg8573]

wiley seemed bare happy when he told him what dizzee said

[@timkusan4370]

I think why so many people in America look at British rap as a joke is not just because of people’s misconceptions about a British accent being too proper, or tea and biscuits, but really the content of their songs. One big example I hear all the time is “I can’t take it seriously because they’re talking about shooting people and guns but guns are illegal in the U.K.! It would be like some dude acting all hard and talking the talk but brings a knife to a gunfight! It’s ridiculous!” Among many other opinions. I personally don’t mind it. They got some sick beats!

[@kayceemxx]

Timku San people still get guns out here, even though they are illegal.. alot of these guys do shootings

[@MsBabylove11]

But there are illegal guns in the UK! 🤦‍♀

[@kayceemxx]

A S hey don’t be throwing out wild statements and saying “you guys” as though you know me in any way! Whether or not that is the case , it’s now the reality and uk gang crime is very real at this point whether or not it originated as a means to imitate America.. but besides all of that drop me out of the category your trying to refer to cos I could care less whether the US respect the UK or not, it’s completely irrelevant to me. You can make your point but you need to be generalising it way more cos it’s highly disrespectful and also if your not black it will come across slightly racist. As that is not the truth for every single black UK citizen

[@kayceemxx]

A S hey don’t be throwing out wild statements and saying “you guys” as though you know me in any way! Whether or not that is the case , it’s now the reality and uk gang crime is very real at this point whether or not it originated as a means to imitate America.. but besides all of that drop me out of the category your trying to refer to cos I could care less whether the US respect the UK or not, it’s completely irrelevant to me. You can make your point but you need to be generalising it way more cos it’s highly disrespectful and also if your not black it will come across slightly racist. As that is not the truth for every single black UK citizen.

[@boombaporiginal3359]

The real UK hip hop scene gave up trying to get recognised years ago and still does.

[@adubb805]

I'm more hip to wileys music than i am azealias music... and im from Cali...was a big roll deep fan.. dizzy,kano,lady sovereign etc..i fucked with a lot of UK artist.happy to see skepta getting some shine in the U.S.

[@edaj2822]

man cant lie what vlad sed at the end about dizzee talking bout wiley made me happy. real ones know

[@chefboyrgee4142]

"January the second" good timing vlad

[@felixmarshall7468]

Wiley speaks the truth

[@Olando89]

People like what they like. I’m starting to like UK hiphop. I don’t notice the accent that much anymore.

[@jbee5209]

different rappers from both have there own style as an individual

[@cammy944]

Imagine if Us hip hop started now we'd all think its shit and it wouldn't get ratings over here lets be honest.

[@tfs1598]

Cameron l 10 l Uhhm. No.

[@randykon8871]

Mans gotta drop the "Yep riddim"

[@jackbrush1662]

I think Wiley was so please that vlad said that about dizzee at the end. I would love for them do do somthing. But vlad would claim he brought Wiley and dizzee back together lol

[@trishasmith3286]

🤔 need to chat to Rodney P from the London Possie for some early hip hop in London oh yeah!! and the Demond Boys too

[@MRJAMMYDODGER101]

It's good to hear the respect between Dizzee and Wiley, too much of this "they hate each other its beef" bullshit, real dons of the UK music scene, regardless of what path they took.

[@kingrapid]

This is a weird comparison but check this.... When people rap they usually rap in their dialects (unless ur fakes like Iggy etc.) But when ppl SING...they almost 99% of the time sing in an AMERICAN ACCENT...(save for a few UK aritists, Lily Allen, Ed Sheeran etc.)... Interesting...

[@TheWillszy]

that isn't accurate at all? Who in the UK sings in an American accent?

[@kingrapid]

Spice Girls, Take That, The Beatles, Phil Collins, Rod Stewart, Sting, Westlife (EIRE), Boyzone (EIRE), Eternal, All Saints, Amy Winehouse (RIP)... Listen to ANY song of all these lot...and tell me they don't sing in an "American" accent...

[@redz123able]

kingrapid nope I can't hear no American accent your bugging espesh with amy Winehouse Def no accent there

[@kingrapid]

Come on.... "They tryna make me go to rehab but I said no"... "Valerie, Why don't you come over Valerie.....Definitely she is not singing in a LONDON accent...If you're a Londoner you SHOULD be able to see the difference...(and even if u aint lol!)

[@someoneelse293]

yeah. .... nah. .... thats not technically an analogy .....

[@liljetskii6098]

I grew up watching English premier league soccer so I grew accustomed to the English accent so I get the British rap a lil bit more than a normal American would

[@bombaclut7458]

whens wiley droppin the yep freestyle

[@RobOrtiz]

I fuck with the UK scene heavy. Even before Drake featuring Giggs. They just need to keep doing there own thing until it catches on out here in the states.

[@nellsun2521]

Stop calling Grime 'UK Hip Hop'!

[@rdgguy11190]

wiley is just the guy

[@busterschmidt1123]

Watch Stormzy live from Roskilde, he is huge in Scandinavia

[@AGfrom83]

There needs to be gateway songs for people. They need to hear certain songs first to adjust their ears to be able to enjoy the raw shit. Like how eminem tuned alot people into rap. Like how dizzee tuned people into grime.

[@saganddat]

The realist!

[@sameelatif]

its more than language barrier its culture barrier, singers dont tie themself to a culture but rap almost has to do so

[@ArsenalsJack1992]

Surprised he didn't mention Tre mission when they were on about canada

[@ZeusDaEvilOne]

Who knows this guy from that song bow e3 from need for speed pro street?

[@kurtissimms5523]

Props to Wiley - pretty deep bro!

[@bhew7409]

"yep"

[@justinschubert5068]

Wiley been a beast, and US did fuck with him to an extent. Dipset tried to push artists, but US wants to see US rappers and now industry watered down its gunna be really hard for artist to bridge. but they doing numbers reguardless

[@yvonneshelton2505]

Wiley is great 👍🏽 really he is

[@TrueProphit]

I love U.K hip hop, it sounds like what hip hop would of sound like if the gangster bs never came. I also never lost a battle and bout to drop 4th album, I know this hip hop thing.

[@SWLEO123JED]

I mean one of the most classic UK hip hop tunes talks about shooting and selling drugs. That gangster bs is very much deep in UK rap

[@Jeromemayle]

YEP.

[@gangtsa100]

I didnt really like him but listen to him i got lots of respect for him enff love for wiley

[@KayoBeatz04]

@Vladtv u need to interview S.O.S crew they were with Dipset and Rocafella

[@MurrayHerts]

Wiley "yep"

[@jacksonrothko2348]

as an american, i understand grime and hip hop are 2 diff genres. BUT american hip hop artists today have NOTHING on grime artists. Grime rappers put their heart and soul into their work and technique. Don't fuck with grime, especially if your bars cant back you up.

[@mitchpilkington1766]

Big up Wiley, p money on the godfather one of new Zealand's finest much aroha

[@shackatacck3209]

Kids my daughters age 13 years old even some 16!17 year olds don’t realise how long hip hop has been Around in the uk and Ireland

[@cdfboy6133]

this interview has been going on for fucking weeks

[@graffitikingdom4081]

He's right.

[@ppppooooooooon]

I don't think its about a language barrier. its about the beats, the production in the UK on some grime has changed it seems. I think grime didn't have that mass appeal, simple as that.

[@sholaebofin6090]

we need to clear this up we never really did hip hop our genre is grime be proud of that! hip hop was invented in new york it spread out to American urban culture, no one does hiphop greater than the yanks, no one does dancehall greater than jamaicans accept that fact, stop suffering from an identity crisis, technically listening to our beats its grime format using the terminology hip hop is wrong, embrace and be proud of your own modern day genre

[@StylistecS]

shola ebofin respect and agree with that. That doesn’t mean you can’t have good artists from other countries. But hip hop is American by way of the Bronx through and through. Just like Afrobeats is Nigerian (could be wrong here) .