WILEY RETIRES

Monday ,22nd January 2007

You heard it hear first – the Godfather of grime has quit MCing. Ringing us direct at 11.58 this morning, Will told us that he has officially put down the mic as of today, January 22, meaning Playtime Is Over (out April) will officially be his last ever album. Sounding tired and pretty down, Wiley asked that we let the RWD readers know first. Citing the scene, his daughter, health, age and apathy as factors in his decision, here’s what he had to say. You can read the conversation in full in the next issue of RWD:

So, what’s up Wiley?
“I’m retiring. I’m serious. I’m tired, really tired. I just want to be normal. I’m 28 and I’m tired. I’ve felt like it for ages but today I woke up and realised I can’t carry on because I’ve got responsibilities that are way beyond the grime scene. I do the grime scene because I’m the godfather and all that bulls*it, but really, in this scene, when you’re at the top, people just want to drag you down and obviously I’d rather walk away than be dragged down. I’d rather walk away than be stabbed or killed. I’d rather be at home playing with my daughter, rather than be in a club wondering if that person is gonna rush me or that one wants to shoot me.

Are you getting threats at the moment?
I’m getting threats now, but it’s never stopped in 10 years. It’s never stopped, ever, ever, ever. I can play you one today ‘I’m coming to you rare-rare-rare.’ It’s never stopped. Cos I’m one of them I don’t care, but today I do care. I’m 28. I want a future. I stayed in grime to see if there's a future, but I can’t see one. Well, I can see one, but not with me. Someone else has to light the torch.What grime music does is make you break your neck. You work in grime and all you do is grime, grime, grime. You won’t even see your mum and dad. It’s a lot. So I retire. Today. 22nd of January I retire. My last album will come out and all the mix CD’s that I’ve done already, but that’s it. I don’t want to do it anymore. There’s other people batting anyway; Skepta, Trim, JME and everyone.

A lot of people still feel you’re the best though.
I know, I know but the truth is Hattie, I can’t continue. I feel sad.

So what about Playtime Is Over? That’s due out in April on Big Dada, right?
Yeah, that’s done. I will do shows, like a one-off Wiley show, that will be Treading On Thin Ice, Second Phaze, any good tune’s on the mix CDs and Playtime Is Over. So hopefully I can get tour money in the end.

So no more MCing for real?
Nah, I’m tired. Can you imagine all the travel, the radio, the shows, studio… it’s never stopped since I was 15. The grime scene doesn’t even deserve me. The way I love it so much, they don’t deserve it. Right now though, I need to go. I’ll still produce, if someone wants beats, but that’s it. In two years time, I need to have done something else. When I hit 30 I want to be happy or happier than I am now. I need to get out the game. I’m ready to go. I want to do other stuff. I need to do stuff where I’m not depended on. I don’t want no one to want nothing from me, so I can’t let no one down. So that’s it; Wiley announces his retirement.
Read this in full and find out what Wiley has to say about all the beefs, his daughter, the violence and the legacy he leaves behind in the next issue of RWD.

source: http://www.rwdmag.com/articles/fullstory.php?&sid=&id=3194