JME — when Grime can push political change and self-made success.
Less than 20 yours to our special volunteer project with AFROPUNK. Who are you the most excited about to see? We are looking forward to JME!

There are notable characters within music that represent the eccentricity of humanity but few have captivated fans quite like grime’s JME. Born in Hackney yet known for his growing up in Tottenham, JME began his career as part of Meridian Crew alongside older brother Skepta and Big H. Soon after, their names would be heard throughout London via pirate radio stations such as Heat FM, Rinse FM and Déjà Vu FM.
Later on, Boy Better Know would be the name to ring out of North London and would famously be seen on t-shirts, hats and even MySpace. By 2006–7, JME had become a household name in grime for his comedic style and his self-produced beats. It was clear that Boy Better Know would become a force to be reckoned with and it was. After Meridian Crew dissolved, JME and Skepta created the label Boy Better Know.
It’s difficult to describe JME in one sentence, his journey has been a unique one within grime. Before embarking on his career, he attended the University of Greenwich studying 3D Digital Design. He also once started a Pay As You Go mobile phone network called Boy Better Known before it ended in 2013. More recently he’s best known for his support of Jeremy Corbyn in the UK 2017 election where he urged and encouraged young people to not only vote for the first time but to vote for Labour’s candidate.
Since the beginning of his career, JME has done things his own way. Never relenting or bowing to industry pressures, his third studio album Integrity reached number 12 on the UK album charts. For an independent artist, this is no easy feat but it’s a credit to JME’s perseverance and the integrity of his art and approach to music.
After a day of community building as part of the RockCorps and AFROPUNK project, our volunteers will feel that much more inspired and moved by the energy and spirit of the artists, such as London’s very own JME on the festival lineup.
#rockcorps #afropunk #givegetgiven #afropunkfest #volunteering #community #wethepeople
