Trim (rapper)

Trim, born Javan St. Prix (18 April 1984) and formerly known as Taliban Trim^[1] is an English grime MC from East London and a former member of Roll Deep.^[2] He is a cousin of Roll Deep member DJ Karnage, former Roll Deep member Roachee, footballer Leon Knight and grime MC Lee Brasco. Despite limited commercial success, Trim has won much praise and a cult following^[3] for his eclectic subject matter, beat selection and delivery.^[4][5]

2004-2006: Roll Deep

Trim joined Roll Deep in 2004 and immediately began recording music with the collective. Trim was featured on Roll Deep's Creeper Vol. 1 and Creeper Vol. 2 before being featured on the highly successful debut album In At The Deep End, contributing to hits such as When I'm Ere and Heat Up. Trim then began working on Roll Deep's second album Rules & Regulations in 2006 but left the group by the time it was released in 2007, after a disagreement with fellow MC Flowdan. In 2011 Trim spoke to Huw Stephens about how leaving Roll Deep helped him find his own musical direction and stand on his own as an artist.^[6]

2007-2012: Solo Work

Since leaving Roll Deep Trim has distanced himself from the group and has since started his own collective known as "The Circle". He has also independently released ten mixtapes, working at a prolific rate. When asked about his mixtape series by The Guardian's David Stelfox, he said:

"I treat them as training, I'm not trying to make the best record in the world. What I'm doing is pushing myself, being different and seeing where that takes me. Mixtapes are all about challenging myself and experimenting. There are lots of sides to me, musically and as a person. This is a way for me to get all of that out there and show people what I can do."^[7]

Trim had a prolific 2011 releasing four independent mixtapes as well as collaborating with Skream on a track named Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum which was released on Tempa recordings, recording I Am which was released as a single on Butterz recordings and an EP called Stereotype with Mark Pritchard which was released on Planet Mu.^[8] 2012 saw the release of The Nangest EP with long time collaborator Roachee and the long anticipated Confidence Boost produced by James Blake a track first heard as an accapella preview on Soulfood Vol. 2 in 2007, the final version had existed as a dubplate since 2010 and was finally released as a 12" single in September 2012 on R&S Records.^[9][10]

2012-present: debut album

In late 2012 Trim signed a contract with Rinse Recordings on on his first album, tentatively titled "Crisis", for Rinse Recordings. However in 2013 Trim had a acrimonious split from his label after growing frustrated with a lack of releases and limited creative control. In early 2014 he premiered new music on James Blake's BBC Radio 1 show and confirmed his intentions to release his album independently on an imprint called Secluded Area Of Music.

Feuds

Trim gained early notoriety his willingness to clash rivals on pirate radio stations and for his track The Lowdown, a 6 minute tirade aimed at many fellow MCs which was released as a B side on his first EP in 2004. Trim's numerous musical disagreements have included disagreements with many grime acts including Stormin, Big H, President T, Flow Dan and Wiley.^[11]

Discography

Albums

• TBA: Crisis

EPs

• 2004: Boogieman/The Lowdown
• 2007: The Bits
• 2010: Spectre EP
• 2011: Stereotype
• 2011: I Am
• 2012: Confidence Boost
• 2012: The Nangest EP (w/Roachee)

Mixtapes

• 2007: Soulfood, Vol. 1
• 2007: Soulfood, Vol. 2
• 2008: Soulfood, Vol. 3
• 2009: Soulfood, Vol. 4
• 2009: Monkey Features, Vol. 1
• 2010: Trim City
• 2011: Monkey Features, Vol. 2
• 2011: Wrap
• 2011: Chelsea Smile
• 2011: Ghostwriter Vs Autotune
• 2012: Bandoolou

Roll Deep

Albums

• 2003: Creeper Volume 1
• 2004: Creeper Volume 2
• 2005: In at the Deep End
• 2007: Rules and Regulations

Compilations

• 2009: Street Anthems

References

External links

• Trim on Last fm
• Trim's Twitter page
• Trim on Discogs