British MC Lethal Bizzle's explicit lyrics of violence and street tales of East London drew reaction and controversy but also gave him immense popularity among followers of garage and grime in the 2000s. Attracted to the intense energy of raves at a young age, Lethal B (born Maxwell Ansah) loved the speed of drum'n'bass. Artists like Roni Size and Shy FX first inspired him to do music, but early-'90s New York hip-hop also spoke to him — particularly the street lyricism of Nas and the Notorious B.I.G. and the hardcore dynamism of the Wu-Tang Clan. Success from roaming London's pirate radio scene prompted him to leave college and join the More Fire Crew with associates Ozzie B and Neeko. The threesome's first single, "Oi!," was a Top Ten hit in the U.K., but the label dropped them soon after in 2002, due to lacking album sales.