15 of the biggest and best 1Xtra moments
15 years of 1Xtra
A.Dot, Lethal Bizzle, Wretch 32, Yasmin Evans and more reminisce on 15 years.
It's been 15 years since 1Xtra burst into life on British radio airwaves (time flies, right?), so we thought we'd mark the occasion by rounding up 15 of the biggest and best moments since the station's inception.
From Lethal Bizzle backed by the Metropole Orchestra to Mary J. Blige headlining 1Xtra Live, we've been bringing you nothing but greatness since 2002.
1. #SixtyMinutesLive - Dizzee Rascal, BBK, Lethal Bizzle, Tempa T, Fekky, Footsie & General Levy
(Warning: Third party video may contain adverts)
Dizzee Rascal, Skepta, JME, Footsie, Jammer, Fekky, Lethal Bizzle, Tempa T and General Levy joined forces for the first ever Grime Takeover on MistaJam's Sixty Minutes Live. Describe it in three words, you say? Hype. For. Days.
2. Beyoncé at the Maida Vale studios with MistaJam
Beyonce on family, influences, acting and musical preferences
An extract from an interveiw with the singer by MistaJam.
The year was 2008. Beyoncé had just released her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce, and it was nothing but back-to-back bangers. (Can you even remember what the world was like before Single Ladies? Us either.)
Fresh off the promo trail, Queen B paid MistaJam and the Maida Vale studios a visit to chat all things alter egos, acting and Adele.
3. BBC Radio 1Xtra's World Record Breaking DJ Relay
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Full disclosure: the Guinness World Record for The World's Longest Club Session DJ Relay - previously held by yours truly in 2K10 with 82 DJs (and by 'yours truly' we mean the DJs of 1Xtra, complete with special guests) - has since been claimed by an Aussie collective who we're too burned to name right now. (Stop judging.)
Still. Pretty impressive, huh?
4. 1Xtra's Grime Symphony
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You take Wretch 32, Stormzy, Little Simz, Fekky, Dizzee Rascal, Krept & Konan, Chipmunk, Shola Ama and Lethal Bizzle and you add the Metropole Orchestra. Throw in the Royal Albert Hall and what have you got? 1Xtra's Grime Symphony, that's what. BIG tunes made even bigger thanks to the Grammy-winning orchestra.
In the words of Wretch 32: "The proms for me is definitely one of the best moments in my life and I say that because, as a musician, I've always heard my songs, sonically, bigger than they are. It almost brought me to tears, man."
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1Xtra's Grime Symphony at BBC Proms reviewed
Radio 1Xtra's Grime Symphony featured some of the genre's biggest names, including Wretch 32 and Stormzy, backed by the Metropole Orchestra.
5. Nicki Minaj meets Trevor Nelson
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The 1Xtra DJs have been getting the lowdown from musical juggernauts and up-and-comers since day one: JAY-Z, DJ Khaled, Kanye West, Ariana Grande, Alicia Keys, Will Smith, ASAP Rocky, Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar, Chance the Rapper, Eminem and the Chicken Connoisseur to name a few. Here's what happened when Trevor Nelson first met Nicki Minaj...
6. Fire In The Booth – Bugzy Malone
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Charlie Sloth has been bringing heat to the airwaves with Fire In The Booth since day dot and, with 13,000,000 views (and counting), Bugzy Malone's FITB is one of the most viewed of all time. Cue the sirens and the extinguishers...
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15 Years of 1Xtra: The Playlist
140 tracks. 1 playlist.
7. Fire in the Booth – MC Quakez & Roadman Shaq
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The world was a different place before Big Shaq set foot in Charlie Sloth's infamous booth and answered that age-old question: how does the ting go?
"The ting goes skrrrahh, pap, pap, ka-ka-ka, Skibiki-pap-pap, and a pu-pu-pudrrrr-boom, Skya, du-du-ku-ku-dun-dun, Poom, poom."
Life, as we knew it, was never the same. Big up, Big Shaq.
8. Soul II Soul - Back To Life in the 1Xtra Live Lounge for Trevor’s 20th Anniversary
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To mark 20 years of Trevor Nelson at the BBC, Soul II Soul paid the Live Lounge a special visit and performed Back To Life. Nostalgia overload commencing in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Which brings us to...
9. The Nelson Skank
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You might not be familiar with the Nelson skank but that's all about to change...
Featuring Sean Paul, Levi Roots, JLS and a bunch of extras who should've known better, the Nelson skank was born of Trevor's disdain for the skanking trend that took over the nation during 2009: "There's the tribal skank, summer skank, migraine skank and now the Halle Berry skank. It's ridiculous."
Enter Gemma Cairney, making all our lo-res dreams come true with this throwback track (those graphics, tho). Next time you're up in the club, give 'em the bald head rub. NOW SKANK!
10. Radio 1Xtra Live
Make like Craig David and re-e-wind to 2008. Alicia Keys was dominating the charts with No One, Lil Wayne was waxing lyrical about his affinity for sugary treats via Lollipop (that's what the track was about, right?) and the world was first introduced to 1Xtra Live.
Mary J. Blige, J Hus, Stormzy, Kendrick Lamar, Rita Ora, J. Cole, Dizzee Rascal, The Weeknd, Plan B, Wiley and Miguel: you name them, they've graced the 1Xtra Live stage, complete with impressive pyrotechnics.
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From Stormzy to Mary J. Blige and beyond: epic acts who’ve taken to the 1Xtra Live stage
The first 1Xtra Live event happened NINE YEARS AGO. Madness, right?
11. The UK Female Allstars perform 'Rock The Mic' at BBC 1Xtra Live
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The 7 huge moments that defined 1Xtra Live 2017
It was an epic, sold out night full of big names, raw talent and pure swagger.
12. Harry Shotta, Skibadee & Mic Righteous - Fast & Furious Freestyle
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The amount of exclamation marks going off in the YouTube comments section is testament to how sick this freestyle is. Semtex had Harry Shotta, Mic Righteous and Skibadee join him in the studio and the result was, well, see for yourself...
13. Stormzy Live Lounge Special with Ghetts, JHus, MNEK and Wretch 32
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We couldn't create a 1Xtra highlights reel without throwing in some Live Lounge excellence. This special session brought together music heavyweights Stormzy, J Hus, Ghetts, MNEK and Wretch 32. Performing Blinded by Your Grace, 21 Gun Salute, Bad Boys and Godspeed, this special is stop-what-you're-doing-and-hit-play-right-now levels of good.
Over the years, we've played host to everyone from Mabel to Miguel, Jorja Smith to JP Cooper and Kano to Craig David. Get to know, stat.
14. Chaka Demus & Pliers - Murder She Wrote (Live at Tuff Gong Studios) for Jamaica 50
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Let's take it back to August 2012 when Robbo Ranx presented a special documentary on Tuff Gong Studios in celebration of Jamaica's 50th independence.
We enlisted the likes of Beenie Man, Capleton, Elephant Man, Agent Sasco, Christopher Martin, Mr. Vegas, Gyptian, Khago, TOK and, of course, Chaka Demus and Pliers to mark the occasion.
15. Lady Leshurr and Lady Lykez Freestyle for Charlie Sloth
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Lady Leshurr + Lady Lykez + DJ Melody Kane + old bars + new freestyles = 11 minutes of nothing but fire. Hit that play button and see what all the fuss is about...
Finished? Now check out Ms Banks' Fire in the Booth, followed by 1Xtra's Female Freestyle, featuring The Floacist, Ms Banks, Lady Lykez and C Cane. Don't say we don't give you anything.
