i-D and JME’s 2017s are intrinsically linked like peas and carrots, salt and pepper, Harry Styles and floral tailoring. You may recall that earlier this year, we invited the BBK man to meet Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, the politician who, in those heady days of spring, stood between the UK and five more years of Tory government. Of course, that bit didn’t quite work out, Maybot managing — at the time of writing at least — to hold on to her rocky premiership despite one of the most incredible voting upsets in British history. But god, wasn’t it exciting? Young people up and down the country, turning out to cast their vote in greater numbers than at any other point in the last quarter of a century. JME, as well as MCs including Stormzy, Novelist and Akala, were at the very heart of it.
Aside from altering the course of British politics, the man born Jamie Adenuga busied himself with the small matter of shutting down the actual O2 Arena, Boy Better Know’s venue-wide takeover kicking off with a little help from Giggs, Lethal B, Wiley (!) and J-Hus. For everyone there it felt triumphant and significant, a celebration of where British music is at in 2017. And as the year draws to a close, we couldn’t think of a better person to kick of i-D’s new year messages. Remember, kids: be good, be kind, be 2018!