Dizzee began MCing on pirate radio and at raves at fifteen, but since his mainstream success he has distanced himself from the fledgling scene. Rascal grew up in the East End of London in south Bow in a council estate, raised by his single mother, a Ghanaian immigrant. Little is known about his father, though it is thought that he died when Mills was two. He attributes his musical development to a school teacher who allowed him to skip regular classes and spend time working on music on the school computers.
His music is an eclectic mixture of garage and hip-hop beats with an extremely broad palette of influences, ranging from metal guitars to found sounds, drill and bass synth lines, eclectic samples and even Japanese court music. His vocal performance is also distinctive, he uses a fast version of rapping (known as 'spitting') which blends elements from garage MCing, conventional rap, grime and ragga.
Dizzee Rascal has numerous rivals within the Grime scene, mainly from the Bow, East London area. A notable rival of Dizzee Rascal is Crazy Titch who produced and recorded a diss called "Just An Arsehole" which used the backing track of Dizzee's record of "Jus A Rascal".
Dizzee Rascal has had international endorsements deals with urban brand Ecko and designed his own shoe with Nike. He has also worked with cross genre artist, Beck, on a remix of the song Hell Yes.
He released his debut album in 2003, which was called Boy In Da Corner, winning him the 2003 Mercury Prize. His second album Showtime was released in 2004. His third effort, Maths and English was released in 2007. All three albums received critical acclaim. He experienced commercial success in 2008 when Dance Wiv Me reached the number one spot in the UK charts. His fourth album, Tongue n' Cheek was released in 2009, going platinum for sales exceeding 300,000 units in the UK. Dizzee Rascal's album The Fifth was released in 2013, the same year he received an honorary Doctorate of the Arts from the University of East London.
In 2017, Rascal released Raskit, which as well as building on his sound heralded a return on some songs to the grime sound of his earlier albums.
Discography:
Studio albums:
2003: Boy in da Corner
2004: Showtime
2007: Maths + English
2009: Tongue n' Cheek
2013: The Fifth
2017: Raskit
2020: E3 AF
2024: Don't Take It Personal
Scream
Dizzee Rascal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Today they're gonna know I'm a star
They better know I ain't having a bar
I'm gonna take it to the next level foot on the pedal
I'm goin' for the gold medal got my hand on my heart
And I swear down I'm gonna go hard
Until I'm dearly departed, I'm so excited
I think it's bout time I had a little celebration and you're all invited
My swags on point and my flows the tightest
I'll never sell my soul god helped me write this
Plus I know what a fight is
I been through the struggle
In and out of trouble
Couple of close calls
But you can't hear the pain anymore in my vocals
It ain't even because of the pro tools
In total I feel so complete with life its sweet
You gotta scream
Scream it from your heart
Feel it from your soul
Scream it from your heart, if you mean it
Feel it from your heart
Scream it from your soul
Feel it from your heart, if you need it
I feel like rocky on the steps
I coulda drowned in the blood and the sweat
But instead I show the world I don't pet
A world wide athletic champion on deck
Nobody can't mess with my rep
Nah I'm a seasoned vet
And I'm the best I'm as good as it gets
I'm the champion now
So I don't care who they call next
I've earned my respect
Now they're loving the way I flex
Run up in the offices they're writing a major check
So it doesn't matter about the butterflies in my solar plex
Never the nervous wreck, cool and calm
Keep sharp and focused and stay out of harm
Plus I can't be rocked
You know I'm far too hot to be given the drop
Stay better then I'm never gonna give up the top spot
I'm keeping the spot locked
I'm throwing the keys now everybody sing with me, scream
Scream it from your heart
Feel it from your soul
Scream it from your heart
If you mean it (scream)
Feel it from your heart
Scream it from your soul
Feel it from your heart
If you need it, ha ha ah, ha ha ah
Boy it's lonely at the top
But it's overcrowded at the bottom
And where I come from's overly rotten
I'm from the east side I ain't forgotten
But it's bigger than that
World wide peoples livin' is wack
It's bigger than grime and bigger than rap
People living in crap
No fresh water out of the tap
Plus they're being attacked what kinda living is that
Look anywhere in the map
Too many young boys stuck in the trap
Too many young boys running round strapped, ready to clap
Too many young girls fall in the gap
They're fallin' for chat from dumb cats that need to fall back
Think about life cause there ain't no re run
No DVD no second season
When you're the future flame maybe you could be one
Till then let chorus be sung, scream
In "Scream," Dizzee Rascal is celebrating his success and his rise to fame. He is confident that he has made it to the top and he is not going to let anyone bring him down. He acknowledges the struggles he has been through, but he is proud of how far he has come. Dizzee Rascal feels like Rocky on the steps and he is not going to let anything stop him. He encourages his listeners to scream from their hearts and souls, because they mean it and need it.
The song is not only about celebrating success, but it also touches upon important social issues. Dizzee Rascal talks about his hometown, the east side, which is filled with struggles and suffering. He also addresses the bigger picture of worldwide issues like inequality, poverty, and violence. Dizzee Rascal urges his listeners to think about life and make a change for the better.
Line by Line Meaning
Today's the greatest day of my life
This is a very important day for me
Today they're gonna know I'm a star
I am going to prove myself as a star today
They better know I ain't having a bar
I won't tolerate any disrespect
I'm gonna take it to the next level foot on the pedal
I am going to push hard and go to the next level
I'm goin' for the gold medal got my hand on my heart
I am determined to win and I am very passionate about it
And I swear down I'm gonna go hard
I will put in a lot of effort
Until I'm dearly departed, I'm so excited
I am excited and will keep working hard until the end
I think it's bout time I had a little celebration and you're all invited
It's time to celebrate and I invite everyone to join me
I couldn't give a damn not even the slightest
I do not care at all
My swags on point and my flows the tightest
My style is perfect and my rapping is very skillful
I'll never sell my soul god helped me write this
I will never compromise my values
Plus I know what a fight is
I know how to struggle and overcome obstacles
I been through the struggle
I have experienced a lot of difficulties
In and out of trouble
I have faced various obstacles and challenges
Couple of close calls
I have been in some dangerous situations
But you can't hear the pain anymore in my vocals
I have overcome my struggles and my music reflects this
It ain't even because of the pro tools
My success isn't just due to technology or equipment
In total I feel so complete with life its sweet
Overall, life is good and I am content
You gotta scream
You have to express yourself loudly and passionately
Scream it from your heart
Express yourself genuinely and passionately
Feel it from your soul
Let your emotions come from within
Scream it from your heart, if you mean it
If you truly feel it, express it
Scream it from your soul
Let your true self come out
Feel it from your heart
Let your emotions guide you
Scream it from your soul
Express yourself genuinely and passionately
Feel it from your heart, if you need it
If you need to express yourself, do it with passion
I feel like rocky on the steps
I feel like a champion
I coulda drowned in the blood and the sweat
I could have given up when things were tough
But instead I show the world I don't pet
Instead, I persevered and proved myself
A world wide athletic champion on deck
I am a global champion ready to perform
Nobody can't mess with my rep
No one can tarnish my reputation
Nah I'm a seasoned vet
I have a lot of experience
And I'm the best I'm as good as it gets
I am the best at what I do
I'm the champion now
I am the reigning champion
So I don't care who they call next
I am ready to take on any challenger
I've earned my respect
I have earned the respect of others
Now they're loving the way I flex
People appreciate my style
Run up in the offices they're writing a major check
I am making a lot of money and have a lot of opportunities
So it doesn't matter about the butterflies in my solar plex
I am not worried about nerves or anxiety
Never the nervous wreck, cool and calm
I am cool-headed and composed
Keep sharp and focused and stay out of harm
I am focused and avoiding danger
Plus I can't be rocked
I am very stable and grounded
You know I'm far too hot to be given the drop
I am too successful to fail or falter
Stay better then I'm never gonna give up the top spot
I will keep improving and stay on top
I'm keeping the spot locked
I am securing my position at the top
I'm throwing the keys now everybody sing with me, scream
I am leading the way and encouraging everyone to express themselves
Boy it's lonely at the top
Being successful can be isolating
But it's overcrowded at the bottom
There are many people struggling to get ahead
And where I come from's overly rotten
The neighborhood I grew up in is very negative
I'm from the east side I ain't forgotten
I am proud of where I come from
But it's bigger than that
The world is bigger than my neighborhood
World wide peoples livin' is wack
People around the world are living in bad conditions
It's bigger than grime and bigger than rap
My music and success is meaningful beyond the music industry
People living in crap
People are living in terrible conditions
No fresh water out of the tap
Some people do not have access to basic necessities
Plus they're being attacked what kinda living is that
Some people are being oppressed and living in dangerous conditions
Look anywhere in the map
This is a global issue
Too many young boys stuck in the trap
Many young people are stuck in difficult situations
Too many young boys running round strapped, ready to clap
Some young people turn to violence
Too many young girls fall in the gap
Women and girls are also impacted by this issue
They're fallin' for chat from dumb cats that need to fall back
Some women are being taken advantage of by manipulative men
Think about life cause there ain't no re run
Life is short and there are no do-overs
No DVD no second season
You cannot rewind or repeat life
When you're the future flame maybe you could be one
If you are destined for success, you could be successful too
Till then let chorus be sung, scream
Until then, express yourself passionately
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RICK SMITH, PHILIPPE-MARC ANQUETIL, HITEN BHARADIA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Brennen
This song needs to be on Spotify
EchoAlphaRomeo
@Dazzbfc1 Probably because it’s not on Spotify, I’d say that’s reason enough
Dazzbfc1
@Here's Negan what reason
MrStephenavic
Love that feeling you get when you hear a new song that you know will be put on replay again and again for the next couple weeks
TheDragonAndTheWolf
One of the most underrated songs I’ve ever heard
Al's Tool Chest
Brilliant up-beat song to lift your spirits in 2020! Dizzee why isn’t this song on Spotify ffs? 🤔😎👍
Just For SI Bailey
Dizzee, man, one artist i have always had the pleasure of listening to since the days of stand up tall, iv grown up with this artist in my music collection and every song takes me back to a day or place every time i listen to it good or bad, so thanks dizzee, cant wait for the next album
Karson Merrick
This songs never gonna get old
matt wilcock
2021 and this song is still so underrated,absolute banger
Does the woman appear on any of songs? love her voice
tattooedwifenmomof3
I have been obsessed with him since I went to the UK in 2005!! Honestly I am not a fan of rap from the US which is where I'm from, but I love Dizzee