Theatre of Dreams: Footsie and Strategy Talk Legacy and Culture

Footsie, the East London grime titan and founding member of Newham Generals, joins forces with Strategy, Manchester’s underground trailblazer, for their explosive collaborative album Theatre of Dreams. From Footsie’s roots in N.A.S.T.Y Crew and his iconic King Original series to Strategy’s genre-hopping legacy with Broke’n’£nglish and hits like Marka, this project fuses London’s gritty 140 BPM pulse with Manchester’s raw Northern energy. Bonded by a shared love for sound system culture and Manchester United, their album—launched with a high-octane party at Manchester’s Ramona—blends grime, dub, and hip-hop with production from heavyweights like Toddla T and Sir Spyro. In this interview, Footsie and Strategy break down their organic creative process, the power of regional pride, and what’s needed to keep the UK’s underground spirit alive in 2025.

Why was Strategy the ideal partner for Theatre of Dreams, considering it’s one of your only collaborative projects outside Newham Generals, Footsie?

It was just a natural link-up. I hadn’t even clocked it was my first vocal joint project outside Newham Generals till it was mentioned. It’s all organic, no forced vibes. Me and Strat been mates for years, and our sounds just clicked. 

How important is it for both of you to represent your cities—East London and Manchester—and their scenes in Theatre of Dreams?

It felt like a merging of two different worlds and a new kind of appreciation. Me and Footsie have known each other for a while, but this project still came as a surprise to people—they didn’t see it coming. But it worked out well, especially since you don’t often see North and South link-ups at our stage in our careers.

That contrast shows in the music too. Our styles are different—we come from the same musical roots and appreciate similar sounds, but we’ve developed our own approaches. The result gives people the best of both worlds. A track like Trafficking isn’t grime or rap—it sits somewhere in between, which is where we’ve found common ground.

And those influences are part of our backgrounds anyway, so it was important to include them in the release. But honestly, it happened naturally. I don’t think either of us had to consciously work to make sure it was in there—it just came through in every track. We’d listen back and think, “Yeah, this is it.”

For me—and for him too, since he’s always talking about soul—it’s also about representing our specific areas. We’ve never just been “Manchester” or “London” artists; it’s always been about our local surroundings. That’s made a real impact on listeners

The album features heavyweight producers like Toddla T and Spyro. How do you select who to work with, and what’s it like creating with them?

They are our peers and friends, and a word that keeps coming up is natural. Nothing about this project was overly planned—we didn’t go out thinking, “Let’s get this producer” or chase beats. Almost every track on the album came from what we were naturally sent or already had. I don’t think there’s a single instrumental on there that we specifically sourced—it all just came together.

We knew these producers personally, which made the sound feel so organic. And we actually made the album during lockdown—we weren’t in the studio together at all. It was all done through back-and-forth over email. There was no big, methodical plan, and that’s what made it enjoyable.

Musically, the production process was just as unforced. The beats that came in were the beats that got used. We didn’t go through a heavy selection process—it was more like, “This one’s here, let’s write to it.” It could’ve been anyone’s beat, really. Some producers I hadn’t even heard of before Stratts brought them in, but I loved the variety.

Despite that randomness, I think we made the album sound really cohesive. Especially considering the range of producers involved—some are grime-focused, others lean toward garage or 140. The consistent BPM is what tied it all together.

You’ve described the recording process as fun and exhilarating, with a competitive edge. Did any songs push you into unfamiliar sounds, and where can listeners hear that edge?

The whole project pushed me creatively. Working with Strats—who doesn’t have the same grime background as I do—meant he approached the tracks differently, which challenged me and shaped how many of the songs turned out. He doesn’t write like a typical grime artist, and that gave the music a unique edge. It also gave me new things to think about and brought a different kind of energy to the process.

Another thing is, we both have unmistakable voices. My accent and delivery stand out, and Footsie’s voice is one of the defining sounds of UK music. Every time I got a vocal back from him, it wasn’t competitive, but it pushed me. I felt like I had to bring something strong—something that stood next to someone who’s a legend. That challenge pushed me into new creative spaces.

It was more about representing our worlds as best we could. Stratz would come through with a wild blend of rap, jungle, and grime flows, and I’d respond with a pure grime verse. That contrast is the whole blend—we were both just being ourselves. And that’s what made the album so strong. I’m really proud of it.

100%, same here.

What was the energy like at the Manchester album launch, especially performing songs live after recording them separately?

Yeah, it was crazy—I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t sure how it would go, but Strats was confident, like, “Bro, it’s gonna go off.” And then once we got into it, it just exploded. 

Manchester was the perfect place for it—people there are really receptive, the energy was great, and the vibe was wild. Even though it was the first time we’d played the album live, it felt like the crowd already knew it. That response meant a lot.

The project has a real connection to Manchester, so launching it there just made sense. But we’ve got to remember—because we wrote the album separately during lockdown, we’d never actually performed it together before. We’d done some rehearsals, but that first show was basically the first time performing the songs live, even for us. You could really feel that raw energy.

Now that we’ve got that first one under our belt, the live show going forward is going to be next level.

You recently released the video for Standard. What was it like filming, and what did you want to capture?

Footsie: We wanted to show us together, bringing that raw energy. No overthought storyline—just sick locations in Manchester and London, letting the tune speak. Dan Hyde killed it with the visuals, capturing that grime essence.

Strategy: Big up Dan Hyde and Hyde Productions. We shot in both cities, keeping it natural. The video’s got that gritty, nocturnal vibe.

What’s your favorite song on the project right now?

Footsie: What Ya Telling Meh. Loved it from the jump, even before vocals. Seeing it pop off live at Aux Chord showed its full power—proper energy.

Strategy: Trafficking. That beat hit me instantly, and it’s my go-to. Big up Sim for the two bangers he dropped on the album—pure fire.

Strategy, you’ve got Aux Chord running in Manchester, a platform for underground talent. How did that come to be and how important is that to you?

Strategy The venue where we first held the event ended up closing—which was actually the reason we started it in the first place: to support small venues and keep club culture alive. While I support all types of music and platforms, the scene is increasingly dominated by massive warehouse raves and festivals. But small clubs and underground venues are where I got my start, where I’ve built and maintained my career, and where I’ve seen countless talented musicians come up.

My goal has always been to champion that underground scene. These days, too many artists are only aiming for the top, which is fine, but I’m proud to be an underground musician, working in niche spaces, not chasing mainstream fame, and helping preserve real culture and music. That’s something I see fading.

So, we started the event to support that side of music. For Aux Chord, entry was free—you only paid what you wanted to leave. It was about getting people through the door. Even though we packed the club every time, it still wasn’t enough to save it. That really reflects what’s happening in UK music right now and what needs rebuilding.

Projects like this, including the album launch at Ramona, help unite people. Music is cyclical, and I believe this side of the scene will return. There are well-run, smaller venues thriving right now, and I hope that continues.

What’s missing in the scene right now, and how do you see it evolving?

Footsie: The scene’s strong—global reach, new talent, all that. But it’s missing some of that raw, early 2000s rave energy—proper dangerous, sweaty venues like Palace Pavilion. Social media’s got kids chasing viral hits over craft. It’s evolving, but we need more local, grassroots raves to keep it real.

Strategy: It’s the pressure to blow up fast. Grime’s worldwide now, but some new MCs are scared to experiment ‘cause of social media. We need more platforms and spaces to test new sounds without fear. The scene’s growing with fresh flows, but authenticity’s gotta stay the core.

Both of you are pioneers in your own rights. What advice do you have for upcoming MCs?

Footsie: Just start, man. You don’t need millions of followers—just a thousand loyal fans can build a career. It feels big, but grind with a small core and keep it moving. Don’t stop.

Strategy: Same vibe—get going. Build a tight crew of supporters and stay consistent. Don’t let social media make you think you need to be top dog overnight. Focus on your sound and your people.