Watch The Skank: Tempa T and Zero’s Explosive New Track That's Already Tearing Up Dancefloors.
- Favourite Child
- Jun 6, 2024
- 4 min read
The collaboration, which has been highly anticipated since producer Zero posted a short clip of the two in the studio in December is here... FINALLY.
After teasing it for what seems like forever, the track finally dropped last month & it has already been causing damage with renowned dj Yung Singh saying he's 'already wheeled it on 3 different continents so far'. Released on the legendary dubstep institution’s FWD>> new label , this was celebrated with a free pop-up rave by the Pull-Up Recordings crew that saw Tempz and Zero perform the track for the second time ever.
Tempa T emerged from East London's grime scene in the mid-2000s, quickly gaining a reputation for his powerful delivery and commanding stage presence. His early work with the grime collective Slew Dem Crew showcased his talent for rapid-fire lyrics and a distinctive, powerful voice. Early tracks like “Battle Riddim”, now a classic, really earned him a reputation as one of the most formidable MCs in the grime scene.
These early years really laid the foundation for his breakthrough moment with the release of “Next Hype” in 2009, a track that catapulted him to the forefront of the grime scene and solidified his status as a major force in UK music.
Zero, with a string of successful releases and collaborations, has solidified his position as a leading figure in the new era of bassline. His production skills, dynamic sets and outgoing online presence, alongside his ability to create tracks that are both energetic and memorable. All have earned him a loyal following, & have really made him a staple on dance floors worldwide. With his recent delve into dubstep, I really do believe this will only propel him further into being a highly respected producer.
The iconic pairing really does just make sense. The bars, taken from the legendary 2008 ‘Let’s Go Gym’ video of Tempz in Ayia Napa, and the beat was made by Zero in one evening the night before their first studio session.
I had the pleasure of chatting to them both, so here’s what they had to say about the release:
So Tempz, how gassed are you to have Watch the Skank out finally?
Really excited to have Watch the skank out now, the fans and supporters can stream the song and enjoy what me and zero created. So yeah very happy it's finally out. The fans love it. - T
Zero, you’ve been teasing Watch the Skank for a while, How are you feeling now it’s out?.
Just pure relief that the world can finally experience the energy and joy this tune brings. I’ve also just been desperate to have it out there, to try to keep the bassline sound alive and well. I know it’s a sound that the people love, especially the UK, but there isn’t a lot of it about atm. For me Watch The Skank is the epitome of a bassline anthem. - Z
The tune definitely has the same energy as Next Hype, how come we have Tempz on baseline?
I feel the energy is me, so anything I am on I will always bring the fire. I mean the production was great from zero, got the track sounding very energetic, I just love the bassline sound. My manager Double O, made the link with zero, we got in the studio and that's where the magic happened. - T
Zero, how was it sitting in that first studio session with as big of a legend like Tempa T?
Obviously very surreal. But also weirdly natural. We get along really well and bounce off each other's energy and love for the music. We’ve been on the same page with most things since the day we made the tune which has been amazing. But yeah that was a wicked studio session. Ended getting properly pissed and making a timeless tune. What more could you want?.
Zero, what’s next for you then?.
I have about a billion other tunes that need to come out now. I just wanna keep pushing my sound and getting everyone on the bassline wave. I’ve also been making a load of dubstep lately and have already got a wicked release lined up for later this year so hopefully I'm gonna be delving into that side of bass music a bit more seriously this year.
Now about the rave, the Pull Up Recordings crew have really been creating some noise over the past few months with their viral limited-capacity free pop-up raves. Running on a ‘first come first serve’ basis, Pull Up sends punters a text message with a postcode to a secret location to collect wristbands. From there, they are walked to the actual rave location, usually with a VERY limited capacity & never in a ‘normal’ club setting.
This time, the party was held at Hop Kingdom, an indoor skatepark near London Bridge, with sets from Diagnostix, Shosh, Skantia, and Efan. We also saw an unreal set from one of my recent favourite b2b duos, Akira & Jaz, who never fail to do damage, with their high-energy bassline and dubstep sets.
All I can say about Zero & Tempa T's set was you just had to be there. Obviously with them both involved I expected energy, but honestly just watch the footage :
Images by us, Videography by the Pull Up Recordings crew.
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