New Gen NEW GEN

Genre-blurring collective New Gen represent the breadth of London's urban music scene by including members who specialize in grime, hip-hop, dancehall, and R&B. New Gen was founded by Caroline Simionescu-Marin -- A&R at XL and editor at GRM Daily -- as a creative space for like-minded musicians to collaborate. The movement began to grow steadily, and featured a revolving cast of young, London-based talent until it established itself as a platform for promoting up-and-coming artists. By 2015 these artists were performing at various showcases across London, eventually securing a regular broadcast on Radar Radio to further their cause. Two years on, and New Gen put together their first various-artists compilation; all of the production was overseen by MC Renz, who in turn recruited Jevon, Nyge, and Soul to create something of a consistent vibe throughout. The record featured over 22 artists, MCs, and collaborators, including Avelino, AJ Tracey, 67, Ray BLK, Tiggs da Author, Bonkaz, Kojey Radical, and WSTRN. Their eponymous debut was framed like a snapshot of history, documenting the expanding U.K. urban scene in 2016-2017. ~ Liam Martin