Best known as D Double E, East London rapper Darren Dixon approaches a mic the same way a boxer approaches a punchbag: ready to attack. His close association with jungle helped him develop a fast style, so that when grime took its first steps he actually had to slow down his delivery. While making his name in the early-2000s collectives N.A.S.T.Y. Crew and Newham Generals, Dixon’s nimble rage and trademark catchphrases helped set the tone for Dizzee Rascal and Skepta—both of whom he has since joined on the mic. As a solo artist, he has dazzled new waves of grime fans with his formidable flow and scenery-chewing personality. Observe 2010’s “Street Fighter Riddim,” on which he likens himself to various characters from the classic video game amid playful samples from it. Dixon is especially gifted at rapid-fire disses, whether he’s comparing his victories to his target’s defeats on 2018’s “Back Then” or mocking a dilapidated abode on 2019’s “Fresh N Clean (Silence the Critics).” He has continued to work with fellow grime royalty, including Kano on 2020’s pointed “Tell Me a Ting,” while proving himself an enduring kingpin of the genre.