After news broke back in 2013 that Richard Cowie, known to the world as Wiley, would be retiring, hearts of a generation dipped and fell off the 140bpm radar.
Luckily for us though, that was all just a public display of doubt and we've continued to receive the blessings of new music up to this day. The grime icon recently hopped on Twitter to share how a "friend" of his told him that he didn't have it in him anymore—especially with the rising careers of Stormzy and Skepta—and that he should put down the mic. Well, a message to you, undisclosed "friend": rest up your negative versions of reality and allow this man to continue evolving in his own unique way.
Whether you're a post-"Shutdown" fan or whether you were tuning into Déjà Vu FM every day after school, Wiley is—and will always be—a highly respected UK musician. And because he is just that, I have pieced together some of the reasons why I—someone who's documented his career for over a decade—and so many others appreciate the godfather of grime. Dive in below.
He isn't afraid to give anything a go.
A Wiley show is always hype, eventful, and a highlight of the year.
He's bloody hilarious!
His passion for music continues to give everyone an opportunity.
His catalogue of music captures every phase of grime.
He has a way with words like no other in grime.
Whether he's piecing in a roast dinner or comparing himself to a large vagina, these often random thoughts—along with his fusion of British/Jamaican slang-rhyming—is something that continues to be one of Wiley's unique selling points. The man could talk about literally anything and make it sound good. Case in point: "Laptop", a song about the greatness of Mac computers (and, indeed, a Godfather highlight).