A Dynasty Like No Other
The 57th Dynasty reigned supreme for a solid 4 years (’99 to ‘03) before group members would eventually inharmoniously split whilst at the pinnacle of their success. Some vowing to create individual destiny’s as opposed to continuing the group ethos, others simply too tired of “music industry b.s.”. Spurred by financial bickering, a fundamental lack of industry support (they loved to hate on us), a switch in mainstream direction from Hiphop to the new emerging Garage/Grime scene (SoSolid, PayAsYouGo, and Roll Deep which would spawn the careers of both Wiley and Dizzee Rascal) would all conspire to spell the death of the Dynasty.
Thousands of live shows, Best Hiphop Act Awards, Mobo nominations, mini-byte series on MTVNE, most requested Hiphop video on Yo Raps! MTV Europe, full page feature in Source Magazine, VH1 adverts, sole support for many of America’s and Jamaica’s biggest selling acts such as Eminem, DMX, Outcast UK tour, Common (3x’s), The Roots tour, D12, Eve & The Lox, Slum Village (2x’s), Rah Digga, Mobb Deep, Wu Tang, Dilated People’s tour, Stero MCs and Sean Paul are just a few of The 57th Dynasty’s accomplishments to date. Throw in their Glastonbury and V2000 performances, or them bringing in the New Millennium live on The Thames’ Embankment pier in front of 60,000 Londoners and beamed into a million homes. Forget all their International sold out shows. Forget the Jay-Z beef and how Estelle was getting international love from featuring on Break Free long before Kanye wanted to be like a certain UK born American Boy. Their success serves as testament and demonstrates the high calibre of showmanship and creative talent associated with The 57th Dynasty and their endless activities around the world.
Within 3 months of returning to the UK in 1996, Paradise through mutual acquaintance, Stewy Love, was introduced to local beat maker, Charlie “4x4” Parker. This meet would culminate into a friendship and working relationship that would last for over a decade. It was to be a series of such fated meets that would bring another 30 or so mcs into the Dynasty fold.
Charlie launched his fledgling label, fasfwd entertainments into full swing releasing x4 singles with new lyrical import, Paradise at the helm. The success was unprecedented. The two destroyed venues and FM airwaves alike, becoming regular features on Choice FM DJ 279’s, Friday Night Flavas, Kiss FM’s Max & Dave Show and pirate stations across the country. Word soon spread across Europe and Paradise & Charlie were soon flown off on sold out shows in Italy, all the while quietly developing the stable of artistes that ventured through Charlie’s front door. 57, the number of Charlie’s house, served as the breeding ground for the newest, finest, and baddest breed of talent the UK had yet to see.
Whilst ‘Cool Britannia’ was being touted by popular New Labour Prime Minister, Tony Blair, back at number 57, a clandestine movement was formulating it’s self-identification, self-expressive, free speech over beats ideology that would eventually serve as the Dynasty Ethos of empowerment and self belief, as well as unknowingly becoming the blueprint for the UK’s Urban Revolution.
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•BORO 6 VOL. II:
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• SPOKEN WORD
