NEW GEN

The collective New Gen blurs multiple genres while capturing the full scope of London's urban music landscape through participants devoted to grime, hip-hop, dancehall, and R&B. Caroline Simionescu-Marin, A&R at XL and editor at GRM Daily, established the project to furnish a collaborative environment for musicians who shared similar outlooks. Steady expansion followed, with the initiative showcasing a shifting roster of young London talent before solidifying into a dedicated outlet for emerging voices. Performances at multiple London showcases marked 2015, after which the group secured recurring airtime on Radar Radio to advance its aims. In 2017 New Gen assembled its inaugural various-artists compilation, with MC Renz supervising all production and enlisting Jevon, Nyge, and Soul to maintain a unified atmosphere across the project. More than 22 artists, MCs, and additional contributors appeared on the release, among them Avelino, AJ Tracey, 67, Ray BLK, Tiggs da Author, Bonkaz, Kojey Radical, and WSTRN. Presented as a historical snapshot, the self-titled debut captured the growth of the U.K. urban scene throughout 2016-2017.