Tuesday 25th August 2015 by James Moore | Photos by WENN

9 rising grime artists to watch out for in 2015

Grime is exploding - These young artists are leading the charge

Take a look at 9 grime artists who are rapidly rising in the game.

JME: Co-founder of the group and label Boy Better Know, JME is a solid staple of the grime scene and has been plugging away in the scene since 2006. He visited 1Xtra in New York and his latest album Integrity garnered critical acclaim, only increasing his loyal fanbase.

Skepta: Let's get the biggest players out of the way, shall we? With the phenomenal overseas success of 'Shutdown' and co-signs from the likes of Drake and Kanye, Skepta is destined for stardom. He's already collaborated with the innovative New Yorkers Ratking, and has been cooking up in the studio with Earl Sweatshirt and the aforementioned co-signers.

Novelist: Recently featuring on Channel 4's late night, Four To The Floor series, this 19-year-old from Lewisham was nominated for Best Grime Act at the 2014 MOBO Awards. Check out his collaboration with Mumdance, 'Take Time' for a scorching sample of his stark and direct rhyming approach.

Ghetts: A regular collaborator with grime veteran and mainstream crossover Devlin, Ghetts has been pushing the boundaries of grime and hip hop for a number of years. In terms of his chances of crossing over, he recently appeared at Jay Electronica's London XOYO show, spitting a piercing a cappella that sent the crowd into a frenzy.

Stormzy: Winner of the Best Grime Act at the 2014 MOBO awards, Stormzy was also the first unsigned rapper to appear on Later WIth Jools Holland, performing his storming grime track 'Not That Deep'. He's gaining more followers each day, and - once you add in his charisma - he could appeal to the masses.

Krept and Konan: Originating from the grime scene with a flurry of collaborative freestyles, these two are blowing up quickly and collaborating with the likes of Wiz Khalifa and Rick Ross. Arguably no longer 'rising' grime artists who have dramatically changed their sound, but they certainly put enough work in.

Mez: Hailing from Nottingham, this young MC spits with an unusual vocal style and reels off lines with a harsh, energetic intensity. Check out Mez and AJ Tracey performing 'Mic Check' live at Maida Vale for a glimpse of the up and coming artist.

Cadet: Check out Cadet's 'Aint On Nuttin Remix' to discover the MC's intricate and relentless style. He has a clear talent for crafting coherent songs, which will arguably be important in pushing grime towards the masses.

Izzie Gibbs: "I been doing this since I was knee high" spits Izzie on 'Reload'. Practice makes perfect and this young Northampton MC raps with ferocity and hunger across several mixtapes and a number of appearances on the YouTube battle channel, Don't Flop.

Tags: Skepta Photo: WENN/STILL/WENN

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The inevitable is occurring. Grime is entering the mainstream after years of sharp wit and lyricism have been swept underneath the carpet for only the hardcore devotees to latch onto.

We've all been there at some point, scouring through endless videos of ‘Fire In The Booth’ or various SBTV features with streams of young UK artists eager to display their spitting abilities.

With a never-ending flood of champagne-popping, club-hopping and weed-smoking littering the radio and video waves, it appears that UK and American listeners are finally eager to sample some more authentic, raw and often electronically-driven rhyming tales.

Co-signs from the likes of Drake, Kanye and the ASAP mob have undoubtedly aided the course, but with the influence of more European musical genres reaching across the pond, (particularly in dance and electro, for better or worse) it was only a matter of time before grime had its time to shine.

With a number of huge American hip hop singles embracing grime's typical beat speed of 140 b.p.m, the UK genre's influence was undeniable, and it's encouraging to see the movement continue to grow and reach new audiences. Grime was never dead, though. It's just been given a welcome shock to the system.

We’ve compiled our list of 9 of the best grime artists, some whom are already making waves in the US, others steadily building a name for themselves in a bid to stand out from the crowd.