Pirate radio is as relevant in the 21st century as ever before, an iconic piece of pirate radio history is the birth of grime.
Because of the nature of Pirate Radio and geographical restrictions, London’s pirate radio scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s created a rich culture, based around the genre Grime with Wiley, Dizzee, and Skepta being some of the most recognised names to come out of the scene. Pirate Radio stations dedicated to grime started because there was a desire from radio listeners to hear music that they wanted but the mainstream broadcasters were not fulfilling it – here we see counterculture at its finest, subverting from what is given to one easily, creating a whole new subculture.
MC’s feeling the right to expression through the parameters of Pirate Radio, as the broadcasts typically only reached certain neighbourhoods there was a sort of elusivity, “there was a different energy, it bred a much more energetic, aggressive and vociferous MC.” (2) – does the freedom of pirate radio allow people to be authentically themselves?
Rinse FM – Pirate to legal
Rinse FM played a key role in the emergence and development of grime in the UK. From 1994 (when the station was founded) until 2011 (when they obtained a broadcasting licence) Rinse FM operated as a pirate radio station broadcasting from London. In the founding days, Rinse FM was broadcasted from various DJ’s homes in makeshift setups keeping inconspicuous to the Department Of Trade and Industry who could potentially shut them down.
Due to their gain in success/ popularity, after 17 years of operating as a pirate radio station, Rinse FM Gained the right to broadcast.
“We don’t want to be legal to play stupid adverts and make loads of money from advertising. We want to be legal to say: look at our scene, look at what we’re doing. We’re a business, we’re not criminals. We’re supplying something that no one else is supplying, and we’re professional.” – Geeneus (1). It is clear here that something was missing from the national radio and so the needs of audiences must be met.
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