What Do You Call It?

Friday 28 July 2019: 11 years after Jay Z became the first hip-hop artist to headline the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, Stormzy finally became the first English rapper to follow suit. The South-London-born rapper, wearing a customised stab-proof vest designed by Banksy, put in an explosive performance and finished his set by thanking many of the 'legends for paving the way,' name-checking the likes of Wiley, Dizzee Rascal, and Giggs. Yet British rap has a nuanced, rich, and often misunderstood history factoring in socioeconomics, gender, identity, music industry disruption, and innovation. What Do You Call It? charts the journey of UK rap music over two decades, exploring the origin stories of classic albums and the artists that made them, and changed the course of British music and culture despite the systemic racism and infrastructural challenges faced.

"A long overdue exploration of rap music in the UK and its longstanding - albeit overlooked - legacy and influence. In an era when UK rappers dominate the charts, star in major movies and TV shows and front huge advertising campaigns for multi-national corporations, Kane traces back the arduous journey from maligned sub-culture to celebrated mascot of neoliberal capitalism." -Jehst
"David writes with a deft touch and possesses a disarming and deeply insightful interview style. Sparking life, humour, and sorrow across every page of more than three decades of UK rap history." -Charlie Dark MBE

David Kane has written about music and popular culture for nearly 15 years. Bylines include Esquire, Dazed, CRACK, The Financial Times, and Wax Poetics magazine. He is the editor and publisher for the respected streetwear brand Patta's bi-annual magazine. In 2009, David co-founded Bonafide Magazine, a London-based music magazine. As Editor-in-Chief, David oversaw exclusive interviews with Kendrick Lamar, Tyler, the Creator, New Order, Shepard Fairey, Madvillain, and more. David has also held senior content roles at adidas, Disney, and Microsoft.

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