After nine years, Red Bull Culture Clash has returned to London, reigniting the art of “warring” that is foundational to UK music. Soundsystem culture was born in the vibrant streets of 1950s Jamaica, becoming its heartbeat before travelling to the UK via the Windrush generation. This laid the foundation for genres like ska, reggae, and later grime – the latter inspired by this legacy of crafted dubplates (well-known hits personalised to either diss others or back their affiliates) to fuel infamous clashes (rap battles) that echoed the competitive spirit of their predecessors. Between Nigeria’s dynamic scene in recent years and Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s infamous beef in 2024, this cultural phenomenon feels more relevant than ever.
So, Red Bull’s clash at Tottenham’s Drumsheds on March 8 serves as a testament to this voyage. Four crews – Homegrown, Spice Army, Native Soundsystem and Voice of the Streets – take to the stages with their unique sonic assassins. Spice Army – led by Spice, the reigning Queen of Dancehall – come out ready for war in gladiator costumes, signalling an uphill battle for the other crews from the very beginning.
There are rules to this – each group must survive four rounds, the first called Temperature’s Rising, where they must establish themselves and set the tone for the night. Spice kicks it off, playing 12 dubplates in a row, showcasing her enduring experience from toasting (rapping or MCing) on huge stages like the infamous Sting Festival. The other crews do try to send back: Kenny Allstar, the self-proclaimed Voice Of The Streets, tries adding humour with a Munya Chawawa skit but ultimately kills the mood. Jyoty’s Homegrown group is MCed by Flowdan and… is OK. Using Stush to do live dubs on the spot is unique, but the UKG or funky house refixes don’t move the crowd like the one Sting did for Spice rounds later.
Native Soundsystem, who are headed up by NSG and TeeZee, stick out like a sore thumb the majority of the clash because, despite the odd light jabs back at other leaders, they play it too safe, refusing to “shell down” the place with lethal dubs and heavy disses. Their only big moment is replying to Voice of the Streets, who play London’s unofficial anthem, Giggs’ ‘Talking Da Hardest’, with their own dub from Hollaman himself – a deliciously tasty bit of tea.
After Spice wins the first round, the other three rounds (The Selector, Sleeping with the Enemy and The Decider) become a dissing free-for-all. Native try to hit back with surprise guests in Unknown T and Not3s; whereas Voice Of The Streets get Ed Sheeran to flip his Number One stonker ‘Shape Of You’, and the hottest UK rapper right now Central Cee to do not one but two dubs, remixing ‘BAND4BAND’ and ‘Doja’. Homegrown – in the second-biggest tea-worthy moment of the night – bring out Mavado: a clashing legend who was one-half of the most infamous clash in history. Spice promptly chastises him for “sell[ing] out Jamaica” and aligning himself with the UK side.
Sound-wise, technical issues affect the overall experience: The echo from the viewing platform NME is stood on makes major moments on the mic sound muddy and takes away from the intensity. With soundsystem culture so deeply embedded in the night’s identity, crews care more about content rather than audio quality, so the art of it all wasn’t showcased to full effect.
But Spice is the clear victor from the start (winning on International Women’s Day, too, is a nice touch). She has over 25 dubs ready, gets Vybz Kartel to make a video appearance and brings out Sister Nancy, Shaggy, UK rap legends Skrapz, D Double E and Chip as well as dancehall’s next-in-charge Skillibeng and Skeng (the latter making his London debut). This clash isn’t just a battle: it’s a reminder that the small but resilient island of Jamaica boasts cultural power that echoes far beyond its shores. As Spice Army remind us, it’s always “Jamaica to di world” – never backwards.