Category Archives: MK HIP HOP CULTURE PART 1 (1980 – 1990)

This section aims to document participants and projects related to the Hip Hop Culture that evolved in and around the Milton Keynes during the time period between 1980 – 1990.

The Criminal Minds (TCM) Part One

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The Criminal Minds (TCM) are one of a handful of pioneering Hip Hop crews from the UK that formed outside of London or any other major UK city. TCM‘s origins date back to a period during the early 1980s when UK citizens started to become participants in Hip Hop culture as it spread from the USA to the world. By the late 1980s TCM along with several other generational peers were pioneering a unique form of UK Hip Hop music that would later be defined as Britcore.

The Criminal Minds sketch – Claire Hawes, Mid 1990s.

By 1992 TCM evolved with the UK music scene and pioneered several Hardcore/Drum & Bass recordings releasing music on a selection of established record labels including Labello Blanco and White House. In the below series of articles we aim to document the history of the collective as well as pay homage to their achievements in both music and Hip Hop culture. Part one of the series will focus on the time period between 1985-1990 and conclude with the groups first official release “Guilty as charged“. Continue reading →

Rolek One

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Rolek One is a pioneering Hip Hop practitioner from Milton Keynes, England and during the 1980s formed part of the Asiatic Soul breakdance crew with Farhan Sheik, Mixmaster MSC, Kalpesh, Kamal, John Warden, and Raymond. To our knowledge Rolek One was also the first graffiti artist to piece the cities trainline and network of bridges and underpasses.

As part of the Asiatc Soul breakdance crew Rolek One battled both locally in Milton Keynes and at national events organised by the older members of the group. Popular local performance locations during the 1980s were City Square (Central Milton Keynes) and The Funky Breakdown events held in Peartree Bridge.  Asiatic Soul formed while attending Woughton school (now MK Acadamy). Continue reading →

Urbanist Interview (Part one)

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Breaktothebeat recently caught up with the Urbanist to discuss and document his Hip Hop roots in Graffiti art while living in Milton Keynes during the 1980s. We have also aimed to show and document how the Hip Hop culture influenced the Urbanist, how his artwork evolved from using spray paint, to the creation of carnival costumes, using an airbrush, and working as a make up artist for numerous celebrity’s at the MTV European Music Awards. The following interview aims to capture the Urbanist’s story and highlight the positive aspects of local Hip Hop and street culture. 

You were part of the Hip Hop scene in Milton Keynes during the early period and by the end of the 1980s you had become a participant in the culture. Firstly, could you tell us if you were born in MK or did you move here from another area?

I moved to Netherfield, Milton Keynes from Brixton South London, in 1977 when I was 6yrs old. Continue reading →