Twenty Twenty: A Pop Culture Podcast

Craig David: Born to do it?

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Episode notes

When Southampton teenager Craig David arrived into the mainstream with the help of production duo Artful Dodger in 1999, many considered him a poster boy for UK Garage. In his own work, he melded that 2-step sound with crooning R&B and even Spanish guitar to great effect. Born To Do It became the fastest-selling debut album ever by a British male solo act, a record the album holds to this day. So why was it that the following year he was snubbed at the BRIT Awards? Why, in 2002, was he already singing about fame’s inevitable ‘Rise & Fall’? And why was he the target of so many jokes? We consider the mythology and legacy of Craig David, and ask what happens when subculture goes mainstream.

Clips and References

0:36 - Fill Me In, Craig David

0:43 - 7 Days, Craig David

1:01 - “Soulful Craig David looks set to sweep Brit awards”, The Guardian

1:07 - No BRITS for CD, Craigs performance at the 2001 BRITS

3:34 - Re-wind, Artful Dodger

5:32 - “Mature Ravers Only: The Story of UK Garage Fashion”, Red Bull

6:19 - “How Ayia Napa transformed from a fishing village to the heart of garage music”, New European

9:11 - Pitchfork, Review of Born To Do It

11:56 - Rolling Stone Review

13:18 - What’s Your Flava?, Craig David

14:08 - Sexy Willy Wonka