Wiley:
Treddin' On Thin Ice

Release Date: 26 April 2004

Reviewed By: Usman Sajjad

1. The Game

2. Pick U R Self Up - feat, Breeze, J2K, Riko

3. Wot Do U Call It?

4. Eskimo (interlude)

5. Goin' Mad

6. Doorway

7. Special Girl - feat, Kano

8. Avalanche (interlude)

9. Reasons

10. Got Somebody

11. Pies

12. Ice-Rink (interlude)

13. Next Level - feat, J2K, Tinchy Strider, Kano

14. Treddin' On Thin Ice

15. I Was Lost

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Is it Urban? Is it Garage? Or is it Two Step? What do you call it? That’s the series of questions circulating at the start of his debut single ‘Wot do you call it’. But not only are these questions on that track, but circulating around the media on birth of such a unique artist. He goes by the name on Wiley, 25 year old East London rapper. Now, coming straight from the underground onto XL Records, Wiley introduces his new flavour and genre of music- eski beat, showing music fans garage is not returning after a boom two years ago, with acts such as So Solid Crew, DJ Pied Piper and Artful Dodger. Guest appearances on the debut album include J2K, Kano, Breeze - all fellow talented underground rappers. However, no Dizzee or Taz or any British name r’n’b artists.

To knock away any comparison between him and Dizzee coming from an ignorant UK Hip hop critic, Wiley creates humorous unusual but unique tracks filled with his original eski beat, unorthodox rhymes and a strong distinctive cockney accent in conversations at the start of the tracks. He does exactly this on ‘Goin Mad’, a humorous track talking about how one can think there going mad sometime, and does the same on his second single ‘Pies’, in which he takes a regular ‘who ate all the pies joke’ and uses it in the hook.

Wiley, like Dizzee is sure to emphasize on relationships and girls on his albums. This comes under the umbrella of tracks such as ‘Got Somebody’, a track, in content, similar to Dizzee’s ‘I Luv U’, but over a lighter, crazy but unique beat. ‘Eski boy’ creates a smooth relationship type of track on ‘Special Girl’, a smooth, r’n’b melody with a high pitched hook to give a perfect hip hop/r’n’b record.

Wiley not only opens up the audience to his amazing collection of beats, but shows his determination, rhymes and positive influence on his debut album. His intention to come into the UK Hip Hop scene and revolutionize it is heard on the brilliant ‘The Game’. Wiley steps out of his light humoured attitude to give a positive, feel good tune, ‘Pick yourself Up’ and speaks of his years of dedication and mistakes along the way towards his dream on ‘I was Lost’. Wiley as well as Kano and J2K impress with their rhymes over the ‘futuristic’ sounds of keyboard synths on ‘Next Level. A mellower, laid back sound is felt on ‘Treddin on Thin Ice’.

Overall, a sound debut from Wiley a.k.a ‘eski boy’. After impressing the underground circuit, he has done well to transfer that success onto a more mainstream audience. His album is most importantly unique - with his original beats mixed through various genres of music. Every track on the album is filled with an amazing variety of genuine beats which just keep you listening. His voice is normal on the album (unlike Dizzee’s), and there is no need to get a migraine from it. Only criticism really is the lack of exposure or insight he gives us into his life in which he tells as being rough and hard growing up in London. In comparison to acts such as Taz and Dizzee, he doesn’t really comment of real life issues, an aspect which can touch a hip hop fan. There was disappointment to see there were hardly any tracks conveying much of his personal life hardships or real life issues which affect everyone such as deaths, drugs, domestic problems etc.

I feel anyone who is interested in buying an album which contains tracks which are not similar in their beats; tempo and feel will enjoy this debut. However, any hip hop fan into rappers who spit clever punch lines and rap about guns, drugs and sex constantly, I suggest you don’t invest in this artistic, creative album.

3.5 Out of 5

Top 3 Tracks
14. The Game
2. Pick yourself up feat J2K, Breeze and Riko
7. Special Girl

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