A new film, Against All Odds, will chart grime’s rise from the underground to become a cornerstone of British culture. Directed by Femi Oyeniran (Kidulthood) and Nicky “Slimting” Walker (The Intent), it is billed as the first dedicated grime movie. Watch the trailer below.
A soundtrack EP, released via the new UK wing of Motown on November 13, will accompany the film, featuring music from D Double E, Sir Spyro, Jammer, and Flowdan. It will also include a remix of Maxwell D’s early grime anthem “Serious,” now featuring Capo Lee, Novelist, So Large, Bruza, and Tempa T.
In line with the film’s immortalization of grime institutions like Lord of The Mics, Déjà Vu, and Heat FM, the creators have joined forces with Link Up TV to relaunch Channel U, the grime TV station that helped incubate successive generations of the movement before shuttering in 2018. It will premiere the movie upon its return to satellite TV channel 385 on November 13.
Directors Oyeniran and Walker said in a press release: “AGAINST ALL ODDS is our visual homage to one of the most potent expressions of Black British music, Grime. To get the opportunity to create the musical accompaniment to the first ever Grime movie, with a team led by Rob Pascoe and Afryea Henry-Fontaine, has been a pleasure. They have supported us every step of the way. The music and the film are a celebration of Black British Heritage; there is no better home for that than the legendary Motown.”