“Skepta will always be the blueprint for what a successful UK artist looks like,” says UK bass and grime archivist DaMetalMessiah. “We’ve come a long way from the days of UK rappers using American accents, and Skepta helped prove that it’s possible to take your music worldwide while staying unapologetically British.” 

Those words are to be trusted. Initially starting by digitising old grime DVDs in 2017, and since evolving into the go-to platform for grime news today, few are qualified to speak with as much authority on UK underground music as DaMetalMessiah. It’s this unparalleled knowledge that he has leveraged for a comprehensive playlist to accompany Skepta’s Dazed summer 2025 issue cover. 

“My aim is to tell the untold stories behind some of our most influential underground sounds and, in doing so, help reintroduce this important work to new audiences,” DaMetalMessiah explains of his mission to ensure that the wide-reaching legacy of grime is never forgotten. “In the UK, we’ve often fallen short when it comes to archiving and honouring our own musical history. Great music is timeless, and it’s never too late to give it the recognition it deserves.” 

DaMetalMessiah is part of an extensive history of grime archivists – the likes of legendary videographer RiskyRoadz, who filmed some of the culture’s most recognisable freestyles in the 00s, and fellow old media digitisers SilverDrizzle, Off the Radar, and BlueDollarBillz. But DaMetalMessiah’s work alone is significant for helping grime find new feet in the content-driven, social media age with swipe-ready deep dives like Skepta – Shutdown: 10 Years Ago Today, and The History of Gospel Grime.  

It’s a format that has won the hearts of grime OGs and new fans alike, and has given DaMetalMessiah a notoriety he never anticipated. This journey has even led him to work with the very same artists that inspired him from the very beginning. Being uniquely poised between the prolific genre and a new generation of social media doom-scrollers, it was DaMetalMessiah who was tapped to (unofficially) announce the return of grime progenitors Ruff Sqwad, not to mention curating a four-week-long residency at London’s iconic Jazz Cafe across the month of May. 

One artist who has been a longstanding influence for DaMetalMessiah is Skepta. From being a founding member of both the Meridian and Boy Better Know grime crews at the turn of the 21st century, to leading the second wave revival of the genre with “That’s Not Me” in 2014, to going international with collaborations with WizKid and A$AP Rocky, and, most recently, expanding into house music with his Mas Tiempo parties, Skepta has enjoyed a longevity that most other artists can only dream of. 

In DaMetalMessiah’s own words: “Across more than two decades, his choices have always felt authentic and it’s clear that many others are simply walking a path he helped to pave.”

In the playlist above, UK bass and grime archivist DaMetalMessiah curates a comprehensive guide to British grime powerhouse Skepta and, below, he breaks down five of Skepta’s most iconic tracks.

TEAM SHADATEK FT. SKEPTA – “REIGN”

DaMetalMessiah: An often overlooked grime track from Skepta’s catalogue and I believe it’s technically the earliest of his releases available on streaming, dropping just before his debut album. It was also his first U.S. collaboration, long before “Praise The Lord”, working with Team Shadetek, an experimental electronic collective out of New York City.

SKEPTA – “SWEET MOTHER”

DaMetalMessiah: Skepta has never shied away from honouring his Nigerian heritage and in 2018, he was awarded the chieftaincy title Amuludun of Odo Aje in his parents’ hometown of Ogun State, Nigeria, as recognition of his cultural contributions and commitment to his roots. Long before collaborating with Nigerian artists like Wizkid, Skepta paid tribute to his heritage on his debut album “Greatest Hits”. Amid a collection of gritty grime anthems, “Sweet Mother” stands out as a heartfelt dedication to his mother, Ify Adenuga. The track samples the highlife song “Sweet Mother” by Cameroonian-Nigerian artist Prince Nico Mbarga and his band Rocafil Jazz, a track sometimes referred to as “Africa’s Anthem”.

SKEPTA – “ACE HOOD FLOW”

DaMetalMessiah: Skepta’s 2012 mixtape Blacklisted to me feels like a midpoint in his career. Following a period where many of grime’s biggest names were chasing mainstream success, including Skepta himself, with his more chart-friendly album Doin’ It Again, Blacklisted felt like a deliberate reset. At a time when grime was being declared “dead,” Skepta stripped things back to the basics and doubled down on his creative vision. 

With sharp critiques of UK rap’s growing reliance on American flows and production, Ace Hood Flow feels like the project’s manifesto, channelling the frustration and spirit of a scene ready to reclaim its identity. In both voice and vision, Skepta was the perfect artist to lead the charge and Blacklisted helped reignite grime’s fire before it once again took hold of the UK.

“SKEPTA FT. JME – “THAT’S NOT ME”

DaMetalMessiah: This is the song that changed everything, not just for Skepta, but for the wider scene as well. It marked a major turning point, catapulting him to the forefront of grime while also sparking international interest in the UK music landscape. It’s a masterclass in going back to basics: built around the iconic “bagoo” synth that’s so closely associated with the genre, yet reimagined into a modern-day banger that felt both nostalgic and refreshingly new.

SKEPTA – “GAS ME UP (DILIGENT)” 

DaMetalMessiah: To me, this track feels like Skepta’s victory lap. He’s always had a talent for reflecting on his journey through music (“Reflecting,” “Same Shit Different Day,” and “Still”) but this one carries a deeper confidence that only comes with experience and longevity. It’s the sound of an artist fully aware of who he is and what he’s accomplished. Easily my favourite of his recent releases.

Read our summer 2025 cover story with Skepta here. For all these tracks in one place, follow our Spotify playlist above.