Issue 90 / July 2018

GRIME OF
From Toxteth Yutez to Grime Of The Earth, RUGZ DELETE talks to Iona
Fazer about keeping alive the Scouse spirit of poetic wordsmithery.
“That’s when I enjoy
music, because you’re not
trying to please everyone.
If you’re just doing it to
please yourself, it means
you’re having fun”
Once the home of poets and painters, Toxteth L8 is
now the habitat of Scouse rap collective GRIME OF
THE EARTH (GOTE), attempting to carry a proletarian
sense of Liverpool’s working-class pride through a
continuation of the oral tradition. Street ballads now take the
form of grime tracks, a new style of poetry which, arguably, can
provide a creative perspective on real life in one of Liverpool’s
most notorious communities. Straight from the inner city to
represent is CEO of Grime Of The Earth network, RUGZ DELETE.
We sit down with Rugz to recount the waves made over 10 years
ago by the original collective he played a part in, Toxteth Yutez.
Rugz started music from a young age, alongside artists like
Whispa B, Ragz and Reckless, who were then between the
ages of 11 and 15. “Toxteth Yutez was made up of two original
collectives called YGF and Grime Fam,” says Rugz, as he recalls
fond memories of his origins. “We were all just kids, meeting up
in our local youth club. It was here we were introduced to our first
studio recording,” at the Liverpool South Methodist Circuit centre
just off Princes Road, in the heart of Granby’s community.
“Coming from London originally myself, I grew up with grime,
it was everywhere,” Rugz continues, reflecting on a time when
he knew little of Liverpool’s growing grime scene. “When I came
to Liverpool I remember thinking I was going to be the only one
who’d heard of it. How wrong I was.” Along with the impact of
popular London collectives (Boy Better Know, Roll Deep and
Nasty Crew) Rugz recalls how, as young developing artists, they
had to look no further than their own communities for influence.
“The music we connected to was being made by collectives like
MOB and YOC. They had the real impact because they were who
everyone wanted to be, but also who we could relate to because
they were from round here.”
Life in Liverpool and involvement in the whole community
has given Rugz insight into the parallels between London and
Liverpool’s grime scenes. “There’s always been a scene. In 2003,
grime was at its height – I was in London when it started but it
had crews popping here, too. Thing is, back then it was all about
CDs and tapes, but now music has exploded through the internet
and there’s potential for coverage and documentary. That’s why
I do music, because they might look back in 100 years at your
lyrics. Imagine, it might be your lyrics that they read in schools.”
The release of their most memorable track Boy Better Know
Bout Toxteth Yutez generated a wild response in the school
playgrounds across Liverpool. Thinking back, Rugz describes
the innocence of creativity in the creation of their local success.
We didn’t think nothing of it, to us it was just a quick tune.
No thought processes. Chaos – who’s now the Boxer Marcel
Braithwaite – came with the hook. Next minute, everyone in
school had Bluetoothed it on to their phones.”
Before they knew it, this school yard fandom was turning
into bigger activity for Toxteth Yutez. Soon, they were merking
live sets in the city (“It started with Grime Fam and YGF, they’d
perform one or two tracks then just put beats on”); Rugz speaks
openly and with passion as he paints the picture of some of his
best memories. “That’s when I enjoy music, because you’re not
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