[Tech writer Eric Solomon is in London for a week; Anglophile articles may ensue, club schedule permitting]
[via BBC]
A BBC news promo (which never seemed to appear) promised to explore why some UK artists can't break into the United States. The focus seemed to be on Lemar, a UK soul artist who, judging by promotional posters found in the Tube, must be D'Angelo and Terence Trent D'arby's love child. He's dreamy, he won best UK male, but he's not getting play on my local urban / R&B station.
There's no scientific method to use here. The Arctic Monkeys (amusingly name checked by a politician on the same BBC telecast) have had success, but clearly rock audiences have no issue embracing British bands. Gnarls Barkley's odd sensibilities had their "Crazy" single #1 in the UK for months before they smothered the States' radio play.
British rappers in particular have to surmount the whole "respect" thing; it's hard to be street when you sound like you may have tea and crumpets after the track. You've only a handful of artists like the Streets, who stretches the boundary of the notion of "rapping", and Roots Manuva, who has an accent and diction of his own creation. Female rappers clearly don't have the same leaning on hardcore status for cred, and sure enough M.I.A. has real hip-hop fans and hipsters alike on her side, and Lady Sovereign is one David Letterman appearance from being played out before she even gets started.
I'll say hi to Dizee Rascal if I see him though!