The Godfather of Grime: How Richard Cowie Jr. Built a Genre from the Streets

Music · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Born in Bow, London, Richard Cowie Jr.—better known as Wiley—pioneered the high-energy, bass-heavy sound of grime. From his early days as a teenage drug dealer to becoming a chart-topping artist, his journey is defined by relentless innovation, volatile creative shifts, and a complex legacy that remains deeply influential.

Wiley’s musical origins are rooted in the early 2000s, when he began producing instrumental tracks on white-label vinyl. These early works, such as the seminal "Eskimo," helped define the "eskibeat" sound that would eventually evolve into grime. His early career was marked by a rapid succession of collectives, including Pay As U Go and the influential Roll Deep, which featured artists like Dizzee Rascal. During this period, Wiley’s music spread through grassroots networks, particularly via Bluetooth file sharing on mobile phones, which allowed tracks to bypass traditional media channels.

The artist's career has been characterized by a tension between underground authenticity and mainstream success. While his debut album, "Treddin' on Thin Ice" (2004), cemented his status as a sonic innovator, later releases like "See Clear Now" (2008) saw him achieve mainstream chart hits like "Wearing My Rolex." Wiley has frequently expressed frustration with label management, leading to periods of intense creative independence where he released hundreds of tracks for free via zip files or his own labels. His eleventh album, "Godfather" (2017), marked a career peak, reaching number nine on the UK Albums Chart and earning him an "Outstanding Contribution to Music" award from NME.

Beyond the studio, Wiley’s life has been marked by significant turbulence. He has survived over twenty stabbings and numerous other life-threatening encounters, including being shot at with shotguns. His public image has also faced severe controversy; in July 2020, he made antisemitic posts on social media that were widely condemned. Consequently, in February 2024, the Honours Forfeiture Committee stripped him of the MBE he had been awarded in 2018. Despite these conflicts, his role as the "Godfather of Grime" remains central to British music history, with fans even petitioning for a monument in his home district of Bow.

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