Maxwell D

From Grime Wikipedia

Biography

Maxwell D is a veteran East London who has passed through Jungle, Drum & Bass, UK Garage, Grime and Funky House while occasionally touching on R&B and Hiphop. Maxwell was first introduced to music by his father, DJ Natty B from Choice FM. Maxwell used to perform at his fathers sound system gigs where he would MC and soon learned the skills that he would use later in his career.

It was the emergence of the Drum & Bass scene that captured the heart of Maxwell and his friends, "We used to sneak into clubs and watch the MCs; they inspired me to be something." He could chat to reggae dancehall, but realised a dream of being an MC could be reality through Drum & Bass.

His dream soon began to come true, Maxwell was in demand at every house party in his area and also many club events. He managed to get a slot on a pirate station, Rinse FM, with his friend, Nikki Slimting. Their regular hangout was the Orange Club at the Hippodrome and by 1997 Maxwell was a regular on the Drum & Base circuit.

In September 1999 Maxwell was introduced to Relentless Recordings who immediately noticed his talents and signed him to their label. Maxwell's debut single Serious was released and tore up the UK Garage dance floors. It also successfully made it into the national UK charts. Things happened fast for him at this stage of his career from coming out of prison, to being a big name on the garage scene, to starring in his first solo music video within a year and a half.

In 2001 he joined a group of friends Wiley, Target, Major Ace, and Plague and formed the Pay As You Go Cartel. Their underground status was massive and their debut single 'Champagne Dance' was signed to Sony Music. It was a huge success reaching number 13 in the UK national charts.

By this time Maxwell was in high demand, he collaborated on a remix with Ms Dynamite (Mercury Music Prize Winner) and top selling international artist Ludacris, with his number one smash Southern Hospitality which was released on his UK edition album Chicken and Beer.

Still in demand, Maxwell was signed to EMI publishing, who sent him to work in New York with US producer Punch. Meanwhile back in the UK negative publicity meant Garage became unpopular in clubs, so the scene began to lose popularity. Inward divisions caused the spilt of Pay As You Go Cartel.

After the crew went their separate ways Maxwell D went on to East Connection with other Pay As U Go members God's Gift and Major Ace, East Connection gradually died out after Major Ace split apart from the crew to create new grime crew Special D, God's Gift formed Mucky Wolpack. Maxwell's career began to fade considering he was one of the better mcs in the Pay As U Go Cartel era. Finnaly Maxwell started up his own crew and record label called the Muskateers who managed to get a thursday night headliner set at West Londons Freeze 92.7 FM the Muska camp featured such mcs as female grime veteran Lady Fury and Ashman the original 14 year old mc that should have made it but never did as the grime scene was still just beggining to take off and such giants as Logan Sama were not yet promoting it on Kiss 100 yet.

Maxwell D notoriety in 2004, when he sold a story to a leading newspaper about his steamy affair with Birmingham-born pop princess Jamelia. The backlash to this story becoming public resulted in him being shot at following a show he did in Birmingham.

Not only is Maxwell D a talented musician, he is also involved in a variety of organizations. He is a spokesman for Kidscount who raise awareness on gun and knife culture in society today.

He recently spoke at a seminar with David Cameron leader of the Conservative political party in the UK, about strengthening families.

He also regularly visits schools giving talks on issues of life and music trying to encourage kids to follow the right path.

Currently Maxwell D is working in the Funk House scene and he had a smash track called 'Blackberry Hype'. He is also a member of the re-formed Pay As U Go Cartel consisting of some of the original members except Geeneus, God's Gift, Major Ace, those who went to Roll Deep.