The track that caused so much chaos on the dancefloor it got banned

Lethal Bizzle, a well-known grime artist, has shared the incredible story behind his debut single Pow! which caused a stir in UK nightclubs when it was released in the early 2000s. The song became infamous for its electrifying energy, leading to wild scenes on the dancefloor. Bizzle recalls, 'The reaction was so crazy. I’ve never seen a song reaction like that in the club. ' When Pow! played, clubbers would push and shove each other, creating a chaotic atmosphere filled with flying drinks and excitement. This kind of energy was more common at music festivals, but it was unusual for clubs where Bizzle usually performed. Club owners were taken aback by the intensity of the crowd, often exclaiming, 'Woah, woah, woah, what’s going on here! ' The song's popularity grew so much that it was eventually banned in many clubs across the country. Signs began appearing in DJ booths stating, 'All Lethal B tracks are banned from this venue (including instrumentals). ' This ban was a significant moment in music history, as it meant that the song was never performed live with all the MCs together until now, nearly twenty years after its release. Bizzle and his crew are set to perform Pow! at London's Roundhouse this December, marking a special reunion. Pow! features ten MCs rapping over a beat chosen by Bizzle, but not all of them were initially enthusiastic about the track. Bizzle created Pow! out of frustration with the music industry, as major labels were not investing in grime music despite the success of Dizzee Rascal's debut album, Boy In Da Corner. Bizzle explained, 'Dizzee was having an amazing time - he won the Mercury [Music Prize] and that gave us a bit of hope. It was like ‘yes, they’re signing artists again. ’ But nothing happened. It was only Dizzee. The rest of us were back on pirate radio. ' Bizzle honed his skills on pirate radio, where he clashed with other MCs and developed the idea for Pow! He wanted to capture the vibrant energy of those sessions in a song. He said, 'When we’d be in the studio it’d just be constant energy. Everyone is spitting their bars, everyone is just going crazy. I was like: ‘I don’t think that’s happened on a song before. ’ Bizzle began searching for beats and reached out to his favorite underground MCs to collaborate on the single. He managed to gather ten of them, including D Double E, Flowdan, and Jamakabi, to record the track. However, when he played the beat he had chosen, many of the MCs were not impressed. D Double E recalled, 'It weren’t like it was rubbish… I just remember not really feeling the vibe. ' After some encouragement from Bizzle, the MCs agreed to record their verses, and once they heard the final product, their opinions changed. D Double E admitted, 'When I heard the bar I just knew that I'd killed the beat. ' Pow! quickly gained traction on pirate radio and Channel U, a platform dedicated to UK underground music. By December, it entered the top 40 charts at number 11 and won the Mobo award for best single the following year. As the song gained popularity, clubs began to ban it, although the exact reasons for the bans remain unclear. Bizzle suspects that a fight broke out at one venue while Pow! was playing, leading to a series of bans across various clubs. DJs started sending him photos of signs warning them not to play the track, and some of his shows were even canceled due to police concerns about violence. Bizzle reflected, 'Then I was like this is actually really serious, actually getting out of hand. ' During this time, clubs in London had to fill out forms for events featuring DJs and MCs, which included questions about the ethnic groups attending. This practice faced accusations of racism, as it disproportionately targeted events by black and Asian artists. Although the ethnicity clause was removed in 2008, the forms continued to affect many events. Bizzle recalls how the music magazine NME compared Pow! to the Sex Pistols' God Save the Queen, stating, 'Once in a generation, a record comes along that causes people to sit bolt upright, a rallying cry to the masses, a barometer of social discontent that turns venues into mosh-crazed riots. ' This comparison helped elevate Bizzle's profile, leading to more festival bookings and packed shows at events like Reading & Leeds. There were even discussions about the possibility of Jay-Z featuring on an official remix of Pow! In 2010, the song experienced a resurgence as it became part of the soundtrack for student protests against rising tuition fees. Protesters set up a sound system near Big Ben and played Pow! , igniting excitement among the crowd. Bizzle expressed pride in seeing his song used in such a powerful context, saying, 'I made Pow! because I was almost fighting against what was happening with the police and the industry trying to shut us down. ' He felt a connection with the students and was glad to see his music resonate with their message. Now, as Bizzle prepares to celebrate 20 years of Pow! , he reflects on the inspiration for this special show. He was watching a documentary about Robbie Williams and his reunion with Take That when he realized it was time for him to reconnect with his fellow MCs. Bizzle said, 'I do miss the boys man. ' Although some of the Pow! MCs have moved on to different careers, they will all reunite on stage for this event, alongside special guests like Roll Deep. Bizzle concluded, 'When the show happens it’s gonna be emotional, man - 20 years on and seeing how people respond to the song like it just came out today. ' He aims to give fans what they want and what they have missed over the years.