Biography
The Blackout Crew, a teenage phenomenon branded "Middle England's worst nightmare," introduced the U.K. to donk, the headache-inducing blend of thumping techno, happy hardcore, and fast-paced hip-hop. MCs Kurtis Chadwick (Viper), Robert Davis (Rapid), Kevin Allison (Dowie), Jordan Cover (Cover), and Zak Kabbani (the imaginatively titled Zak) came together in 2005 at a lottery-funded youth project in Bolton. Shaped by the Hi-NRG happy hardcore of the North West club scene, they produced original tracks and circulated demos across social networking sites, securing a deal with influential dance label All Around the World in 2007. An extensive under-18s U.K. tour paved the way for their debut single, "Put a Donk on It," which surpassed a million YouTube views without mainstream media exposure. In 2009 the group issued their first album, Time 2 Shine, a cartoonish fusion of mobile ringtones, Willy Wonka samples, and old-skool acid rave that reached number 41 on the charts, while also joining 2004 Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller for a collaborative exhibition at the Manchester International Festival.
Singles
