Flohio, Ms Banks, Novelist, Big Zuu and more: Behind the scenes of the first ever grime and rap songwriting camp

13 December 2018 - Press release

Some of the biggest talent in UK grime and rap came together this week, for a first-of-its-kind songwriting camp. 

Marking the end of 2018, a year that saw Godfather of Grime, Wiley, receive an MBE for services to music, PRS for Music and ASCAP, two of the world's leading performing rights societies, hosted the first ever two-day grime/rap songwriting camp.

Bringing together 25 music creators, the camp was a rare and unique opportunity for both masters of the genre and acclaimed up-and-coming talent, including highly respected songwriters, topliners, producers and performers, to collaborate at the renowned Tileyard Studios, London. 

Carefully selected based on outstanding ability, attendees included: Aitch, Ali Tennant, Ayah Marar, Big Zuu, Dolapo, Elshay, Flohio, Isaiah Dreads, Joe Killington, LD, Lily McKenzie, Lisa Mercedez, Miraa May, Ms Banks, Novelist, Yizzy and producers; Daktyl, Flyo, Mazza, MK The Plug, Sevaqk, Shadow On The Beat, Show N Prove, Treble Clef, and whYJay.  

As well as huge successes in the production world, working with the likes of Kanye West and Major Lazer, as performers they have secured 46 weeks in the Official UK Charts and have 2 million monthly Spotify listeners between them. *  

PRS for Music, the organisation that represents the rights of more than 135,000 songwriters, composers, producers and music publishers, also nurtures the creation of music through its partnerships, songwriting camps and educational programmes.

Songwriting camps serve not only as a platform for new hits to be written but provide an intimate space for networking – encouraging new creative relationships to continue and develop into the future. Attendees took part in three studio sessions each, culminating in a playback session at the end of the two days.

Martin Maguire, PRS for Music Membership Development Manager, said: "This was a ground-breaking event for all involved. It's impressive to see the true power of collaboration; the calibre of music that came out of this songwriting camp was phenomenal."

PRS for Music hosted this event with its American counterpart, ASCAP, with support from Notting Hill Music Publishing, Tileyard Music Publishing and Ultra Music Publishing Europe.