D Double E for MALLET | An icon of grime wears the Fenchurch and the Alton
D Double E is one of the most important figures grime has ever produced. Born in Forest Gate, East London, Double has been at the heart of the scene since before the genre even had a name.
His journey started in the mid-1990s, coming up through jungle and UK garage as a DJ under the name DJ Dan, playing sets on pirate radio alongside Terror Danjah as part of Bass Inject and later Reckless Crew on Rinse FM. By the early 2000s, grime was taking shape on the streets and airways of East London, and Double was right in the middle of it, passing through N.A.S.T.Y Crew before founding Newham Generals alongside Footsie, a duo that remains one of the most respected names in the genre to this day.
As a solo artist, his output speaks for itself. Street Fighter Riddim is one of grime's most iconic records, a track that has soundtracked countless sets, clashes and club nights since its release and remains a benchmark for the art form. His debut EP, Bluku Bluku, released in 2011, was a statement of intent from an artist who had spent years proving himself on the road and on radio, and had more than enough to fill a body of recorded work. Bluku Bluku, Bad 2 tha Bone and Lovely Jubbly further cemented his reputation as one of the sharpest and most distinctive MCs the UK has ever produced. His collaborations have included work with Kano on Tell Me A Ting, a record that drew widespread critical acclaim on release, and a feature alongside A$AP Nast on Skepta's Ladies Hit Squad, a record that brought Double to a global audience and underlined his status as one of the most sought after voices in the game.
Despite two decades at the top of the game, it was not until 2018 that Double released his debut solo album, "Jackuum!". A 20-track body of work featuring Skepta, Wiley and AJ Tracey, it is a complete grime record from one of the genre's true architects. He followed it in 2020 with Double Or Nothing, continuing to build a solo catalogue that is as sharp and uncompromising as everything that came before it.
His influence on those who came after him is well documented. Skepta once named him the greatest of all time. Dizzee Rascal credited him as one of the artists who inspired him to start MCing. When the artists who shaped a generation point to one man as the benchmark, that says everything.
For MALLET, a brand built in London and shaped by its culture, the link up was an easy one. Double was shot wearing the Fenchurch and the Alton from the AW26 collection, two silhouettes that feel as considered and uncompromising as the man wearing them.
This is what it looks like when East London meets East London.