Hashtag 0161

Did Bugzy Malone put Manny on the map?

Authors

  • Kamila Rymajdo Kingston University Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/pomh.32559

Keywords:

American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis, Bugzy Malone, Chip, grime, hip-hop, Manchester, neoliberalism

Abstract

Bugzy Malone is Manchester’s first grime artist to hit the mainstream with a UK album chart top ten entry for his 2015 debut EP Walk With Me. A career kick-started by a highly-publicized beef with London artist Chip, he has remained a controversial figure by frequently repeating the refrain ‘0161, Manny on the map’ while shunning collaboration with other local musicians. This article aims to decipher Bugzy’s rise to fame, underscoring his musical persona’s similarity to Bret Easton Ellis’s Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, to argue that the artist’s unique trajectory cemented a new individualistic era in grime culture, away from its London roots of solidarity within crews.

Author Biography

  • Kamila Rymajdo, Kingston University

    Kamila Rymajdo is a Creative Writing PhD student at Kingston University, London. She previously studied English Language and Literature at the University of Manchester, where she also completed an MA in Creative Writing. She publishes on music and popular culture in magazines such as VICE, Mixmag, Crack and The Skinny.

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Published

2017-01-04

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Rymajdo, K. (2017). Hashtag 0161: Did Bugzy Malone put Manny on the map?. Popular Music History, 10(1), 82-98. https://doi.org/10.1558/pomh.32559