It was Friday, August 22, 2025. More significantly, it was the Friday before the Notting Hill Carnival, and I was driving to Longleat Safari Park with my 5-year-old daughter when my phone rang. The caller ID showed ‘Shy Fx’, so I answered right away.
“Yo, it’s Shy! Want to do a set on my stage at Carnival on Monday with Dizzee?”
I took a moment to absorb the question. “OF COURSE!” I replied, already buzzing at the thought. I hadn’t done a Grime set with Dizzee in nearly two decades, and performing it at Notting Hill Carnival was the cherry on top. I could feel the excitement building.
About a week before that call, I had discussed with my longtime friend Toddla T the idea of a Back-to-back set on the Disco Hustlers soundsystem and bringing in some Grime MCs. Naturally, I reached out to Wiley and Roll Deep, and they were all on board.
The stage was set. Could Dizzee and Wiley BOTH make a return to Carnival on the same day? They had only crossed paths a handful of times in the past 20 years, making the likelihood slim, but I had a sense that this day was going to be something special.
My first trip to Carnival was with my Mum when I was just a month old, and I suppose that was when my love for it began. I’ve experienced so many incredible moments at Notting Hill, but nothing could compare to what happened this year.
Let’s remember that Notting Hill Carnival celebrates Caribbean Culture, with the vibrant sights and sounds of the trucks, the Mas bands, the Soca, the Dancehall, the Sound-systems, and the food all taking center stage. However, I’ve always felt that the UK music genres influenced by Caribbean Culture and sound-systems—be it Jungle, Garage, Dubstep, UK Funky, or Grime—should also form part of the celebration. It’s safe to say that all were represented LOUDLY!
Dizzee and I were scheduled to perform on the Digital Soundboy stage at 2:30 p.m., so I arrived early. I’ve been fortunate to perform on this stage for Shy Fx over the years, and it always has one of the best vibes at the Carnival, but this year surpassed all others. Dizzee had Facetime’d me on Sunday night and was still in Manchester, so I hoped he would arrive in time.
I remember looking at the time at 2:10 p.m. when I checked my phone, and just as I was about to message Dizzee, I looked up and saw him. Game on!! The street was packed, and the anticipation for what was about to unfold was electric.
As I played RBX ‘Rhythm and Gash’—arguably one of the greatest Grime instrumentals ever—Dizzee grabbed the mic. “STOP DAT START DAT GET THAT, WHAT!” The whole street erupted, and the energy was unmatched. An instant reload, and that was just the beginning. Classic bar after classic bar, Dizzee took us back to Sidewinder at Sanctuary Milton Keynes, and the Carnival crowd was going wild. The set exceeded all my expectations. We were making history, and it felt empowering.
Naturally, I wanted to see Dizzee and Wiley perform together, and I tried to orchestrate what could have been one of the greatest moments in UK music history, but unfortunately, the timings didn’t align. Wiley was on his way, though, and I knew his return to the stage at Carnival would have a huge impact.
After the Dizzee set, I rushed to Rampage Sound to meet the rest of Roll Deep, who were joining Mak10 for his set there. Anyone familiar with Carnival knows how busy Rampage gets, as it is one of the largest and most popular sounds at Carnival, with some of the biggest acts in the world having performed there over the years.
I’ve witnessed many legendary moments there, but this year, when Wiley stepped up, it was unforgettable. This is a man who hadn’t been able to touch these stages in 3-4 years, and the crowd was eager to welcome him back! I may be biased, but the Roll Deep set at Rampage could have been the highlight of the iconic stage, and we weren’t finished yet.
Next, we headed a couple of streets down to Powis Square to join Toddla T for the back-to-back set we had planned, now with a pumped-up Wiley and the rest of Roll Deep ready to set it off. As T and I began the set, the street was packed. I dropped “Pow” and RBX and blended it into PulseX, and I heard Wiley step up. “It’s Wiley and I’m getting 'em Hyperrrr’…… WHEEEEEL UP! More reloads
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It was Friday, August 22, 2025. More significantly, it was the Friday prior to the Notting Hill Carnival, and I was driving to Longleat Safari Park with my 5-year-old.