Slimzee: I'm The Frequency That Built Grime | Rinse FM, Pirate Radio & The Untold Story

DJ Slimzee tells the full story of pirate radio, Rinse FM, PAY AS YOU GO, Wiley, Dizzee Rascal, grime’s birth, ASBOs, raids, mental health and legacy — in the most in-depth interview ever recorded. From growing up in East London to building pirate radio rigs, evading police, starting Rinse FM from his bedroom, and helping break artists like Wiley and Dizzee Rascal, Slimzee walks us through grime history from the inside. This conversation covers jungle, garage turning dark, Sidewinder, industry exploitation, clashes, ASBOs, police raids, mental health, recovery, and the future of grime. This is oral history, not revisionism — told by one of the people who was there before grime even had a name. 👇 Topics covered include: • East London upbringing & early influences • First time hearing pirate radio • Learning to DJ & building rigs • Pressure FM, Chillin FM & early rivalries • Founding Rinse FM & spreading the signal • Jungle → garage → dark garage → grime • PAY AS YOU GO, Sidewinder & clashes • Wiley, Dizzee Rascal & early breakthroughs • Industry deals & being cut out • The first ASBO in music history • Police raids, bans & being silenced • 22-year mental health struggle & recovery • Why Slimzee left Rinse FM • Grime then vs now & music in 2026 • Legacy, regrets, flowers & final reflections ⏱️ Chapters included — skip to any moment in grime history. 🎧 Subscribe for real UK music history, not rewritten narratives. 📡 Follow & support Slimzee’s current work on E3 Radio. #Slimzee #GrimeHistory #RinseFM Chapters: 0:00 Intro 1:40 Streetlife out now Shizzio X Uk Apache X Devlin 2:01 welcome Slimzee / born & bred 4:40 being outside as a kid 5:42 school / football 6:42 East Ldn then & now 7:40 into pop music / electro music comes in 10:29 strict parents / new order / comp games 12:07 hearing pirate radio for 1st time / getting into music 13:22 I start buying vinyls & decks / seeing pirate station 17:16 I wanted to DJ / learning to mix 21:17 my dad paid for my equipment / school grades 22:45 Wiley joined my school / DJ Slimfast was my name 24:07 Output Crew / Godsgift & Major Ace 24:39 Wiley joins school / youth clubs 26:09 jungle comes in / joining 1st pirate radio 30:56 Pressure FM & meeting others 32:44 getting kicked off Pressure FM hurt me 36:19 joining Chillin FM 39:40 meeting Geeneus & starting RINSE FM 44:05 how to start a pirate radio station / rigs 47:24 getting radio frequency 49:10 getting word out about RINSE FM 49:41 DTI / police will track you / link box 52:27 DJ name / moving studios to avoid capture 54:10 getting bigger / station was in my house 56:43 building a scene / moving location 58:02 people stealing rig equipment 59:39 names on RINSE / Pressure FM rival 1:03:07 less Jungle / Garage music takeover 1:05:32 MC’s on Garage / forming PAY AS YOU GO 1:08:41 Wiley, Maxwell D & Target join PAYG 1:10:48 So Solid / Heartless Crew 1:11:35 building Pay As You Go / Sidewinder 1:13:37 garage gets ‘darker’ /. MC friendly tracks 1:15:25 what’s the first ‘Dark’ garage song? 1:16:31 Wiley / Dizzee Rascal emerges 1:17:28 Wiley made ‘Know Wee’ & ‘Terrible’ 1:19:51 PAYG record deal / I got nothing! 1:23:39 I did my own thing / PAYG split 1:26:06 AYIA NAPA / PAYG took my name! 1:32:29 Wiley & Dizzee Beef / Garage violence 1:34:30 PAYG Vs HLC clash! 1:39:50 when did PAYG officially end? 1:40:12 Grime music begins / who started it? 1:43:22 what was the first Grime song? 1:45:22 where did the name ‘GRIME’ come from? 1:47:00 Slimzee beats / I got 1st ever ASBO 1:48:59 I got raided! / arrest / charge & ban 1:59:03 my 22yr mental health struggle 2:04:28 I was on wrong meds for 20yrs! 2:08:13 stopping meds / breaking the cycle 2:10:32 therapy / back magic / recovery 2:11:45 2026 music / E3 radio is my new station 2:13:08 pirate radio vs today / I miss it 2:13:45 held back / Wiley / no help from grime OG’s 2:17:40 comeback / Jon E Cash 2:19:45 I’m scared of losing music / time warp 2:21:26 why did you leave RINSE FM? 2:23:10 lives too short / new music /Grime in 2026 2:24:14 working Dizzee Rascal 2:25:07 Wiley & Dizzee Rascal 2:28:27 live stream DJ’s DJ AG 2:30:42 I want you to win / antidepressants 2:31:46 Grime top 5 MC’s 2:33:00 RIP Major Ace 2:33:54 Top 5 records 2:35:42 I brought some iconic history 2:39:49 Dizzee plaque & stories 2:42:02 msg to Wiley & Dizzee 2:43:28 Ive been through a lot 2:44:21 AI Q’s / Grime does not exist without me 2:45:09 I broke Wiley & Dizzee 2:45:31 Mainstream Grime / Rinse FM 2:46:01 Pirate Radio Buzz 2:46:38 legends / used / DJ risk 2:47:55 PAYG / industry / Wiley Dizzee dubs 2:48:46 grime sound / Rinse / ASBO 2:50:02 mistakes / regrets / Dizzee 2:51:24 ASBO control / Grime then & now 2:52:58 quick fire Q’s 2:56:12 flowers / thank you Slimzee