Rinse FM

"London's biggest 'pirate' radio station to bring dubstep, UK funky and other new urban sounds into the mainstream"

Rinse FM was formally London's biggest pirate radio station which has recently gone legit. It was first formed by 16 year old DJ Geeneus 'G' when he broadcasted his first pirate radio how from a tower block in Tower Hamlets, East London.

With decks and mixer balancing precariously on top of a homemade transmitter jammed between the sink and the cooker of his friend's 18th floor flat, Geeneus leant out of the window, pointed his aerial towards Hackney – and turned the music up loud.

Sixteen years, countless rooftop broadcasts and dozens of brushes with the law later, Rinse FM, often called the most influential pirate station on air and credited with bringing artists such as Dizzee Rascal and grime star Wileyto the public consciousness, is finally going legit, to the slightly bemused delight of its 32-year-old founder. "Getting the licence gave me the strangest feelings. Nothing don't faze me ... but that did," he said.

As well as running successful club nights in London, the station also has a label that has just seen artist Katy B make it into the top five of the UK charts. Her track On A Mission has been viewed more than 2.7m times on YouTube.