Basement Jaxx - Lucky Star (feat. Dizzee Rascal)

NOV 10 2003 · 12:00

Basement Jaxx - Lucky Star (feat. Dizzee Rascal) (2003) Director: Katie Dawson Era: Post-Millennial Electronic Crossover (2003) - Peak era of UK dance acts bridging underground electronic music and mainstream grime, anchored by the Kish Kash album cycle on XL Recordings. High curatorial value as a documented crossover moment between UK electronic and grime genres at the precise moment grime entered mainstream visibility. Directed by a UK female director with direct MTV pedigree, shot on a controlled studio stage with vibrant colour design, this video captures the aesthetic and cultural energy of 2003 UK dance culture. Its parent album's Grammy and Mercury Prize nominations further elevate the single's historical significance. Essential for any archive documenting the evolution of UK urban and electronic music video production. Context: Released in November 2003 as the lead single from Kish Kash, 'Lucky Star' represents a landmark crossover between the UK's burgeoning grime scene, embodied by Mercury Prize-winning Dizzee Rascal, and the established commercial electronic world of Basement Jaxx. The collaboration signalled the mainstream visibility of grime at its earliest stage, predating the genre's full commercial breakthrough. The track also incorporates British Bhangra vocalist Mona Singh, reflecting Basement Jaxx's signature genre-blending eclecticism and London's multicultural soundscape. Released on XL Recordings, the same label as Dizzee Rascal, it was an early institutional endorsement of grime's crossover potential. The parent album Kish Kash was later nominated for the Mercury Prize and won the first-ever Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Album in 2005. Director notes: The video was shot at Camden Studio, London. Basement Jaxx selected Dawson after seeing her prior directorial work for MTV. The production featured a guest appearance by Dizzee Rascal. Per Wikipedia, Dawson described it as a notably swift production. The video supports the single 'Lucky Star', the lead release from Basement Jaxx's third studio album Kish Kash (XL Recordings, October 2003), which went on to win the inaugural Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album in 2005.