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| Pay As U Go Cartel | |
|---|---|
| Name | Pay As U Go Cartel |
| Background | group_or_band |
| Origin | London, United Kingdom |
| Genres | Grime music, UK garage, Grime |
| Years active | 1998–2002 |
| Labels | Relentless Records, XL Recordings |
| Associated acts | Roll Deep, Boy Better Know, Wiley (musician), Dizzee Rascal |
Pay As U Go Cartel Pay As U Go Cartel was a London-based collective prominent in the late 1990s and early 2000s that helped bridge UK garage and grime music scenes, spawning members who formed landmark crews and solo careers influential across United Kingdom urban music. The collective operated within the networks of pirate radio stations and club nights associated with artists linked to Wiley (musician), Dizzee Rascal, D Double E, DJ Slimzee and others, contributing to the emergence of seminal groups and labels such as Roll Deep and Boy Better Know.
Pay As U Go Cartel originated in East and North London neighborhoods that intersected with scenes around Bow, London, Hackney, Leytonstone, Tottenham, and Brent. The collective formed from crews and crews' members who met via pirate radio stations like Rinse FM, Kiss FM pirate broadcasts, and club nights tied to venues such as Freeze (club night), Fabric (club), and Ministry of Sound. Its formation coincided with the transitional period between UK garage and early grime music scenes, overlapping timelines with releases by So Solid Crew, Pay As U Go (record label), Relentless Records, and contemporaneous activity by artists from Birmingham and Manchester urban scenes.
The Cartel's roster included MCs, DJs, and producers who later joined or founded acts and labels like Roll Deep, Boy Better Know, Chase & Status, and Directorate. Key figures associated with the collective comprised performers and producers who collaborated with or influenced artists such as Wiley (musician), D Double E, Flowdan, Maxwell D, Tinchy Stryder, DJ Target, Butterz, G FrSH, Riko, Major Ace and contemporaries across London. Many members later pursued solo careers, joined media platforms including BBC Radio 1Xtra, signed to imprints like XL Recordings and Relentless Records, and worked with labels such as Big Dada and Warp (record label).
The collective's sound fused elements of UK garage, dark, minimalist beats, and MC-driven rhythmic patterns that presaged grime music production aesthetics heard later in releases by Skepta, Wiley (musician), Dizzee Rascal, Kanye West-adjacent UK collaborators, and producers working with Scorcher (rapper). Influences traced to club cultures centered on venues like Fabric (club), radio personalities associated with Rinse FM, and earlier crews including So Solid Crew and Pay As U Go (record label). Production techniques echoed practices used by producers affiliated with D Double E, Sully (DJ), Nasty Crew, and contemporaneous electronic innovators from labels like Warp (record label) and Hotflush Recordings.
Pay As U Go Cartel's recorded output was limited but impactful, typified by singles that circulated on white-label vinyl, pirate radio airplay, and compilation releases alongside tracks from So Solid Crew, Wiley (musician), Dizzee Rascal, and Roll Deep. Notable releases and sessions placed members on compilations with imprints such as XL Recordings, Relentless Records, and independent distributors that worked with artists like The Streets, Artful Dodger, Ms. Dynamite, and The Bug (musician). Members contributed to later albums and mixtapes by Dizzee Rascal, Skepta, Wiley (musician), P Money, and Tempa (record label) artists, influencing projects released by Big Dada and Domino Recording Company.
The Cartel's presence was strongest on the London live circuit: pirate radio-run events, club nights at Ministry of Sound, Fabric (club), and raves connected to promoters who also booked acts like The Chemical Brothers, Massive Attack, and Coldcut. Members performed in venues across the United Kingdom, appeared on bills with contemporaries including Dizzee Rascal, Skepta, Roll Deep, So Solid Crew, and participated in festival stages related to lineups at events akin to Glastonbury Festival, Wireless Festival, and urban showcases that later featured Kano (musician) and Lethal Bizzle.
As with many pirate radio-associated collectives, members faced scrutiny from regulatory bodies overseeing broadcasting and event licensing connected to incidents reminiscent of enforcement actions seen around Rinse FM and unlicensed events linked to crews like So Solid Crew. Controversies included disputes over copyright, white-label vinyl distribution practices, and policing at high-attendance events, paralleling publicized cases involving So Solid Crew members and legal matters that affected careers across the United Kingdom urban music scene.
Pay As U Go Cartel is regarded as a formative bridge between UK garage and grime music, with alumni and associates contributing to the rise of Roll Deep, Boy Better Know, and solo artists such as Wiley (musician), Dizzee Rascal, Skepta, JME (musician), and Tinchy Stryder. Its impact is evident in the practices of pirate radio culture championed by Rinse FM, the DIY release strategies later adopted by labels like Tempa (record label) and Big Dada, and in the performance styles that shaped festival lineups including Wireless Festival and Glastonbury Festival. The collective's role is cited in analyses of early 2000s London scenes alongside case studies involving So Solid Crew, Artful Dodger, The Streets, and subsequent grime scholarship.
Category:British musical groups Category:Grime music groups