IT’S a funny thing – urban music. In the US it has been selling bucket- loads for years.

The top acts are well-established, highly-respected superstars.

But while it’s easy to list off the multi platinum selling, household names of the US scene – think Jay-Z, Eminem, Usher, Rihanna, Timbaland – UK artists that have achieved similar success are at best few and far between.

The tide could, however, be turning with the arrival of a series of new, more poppy urban acts.

Arguably the front runners are N-Dubz. Consisting of cousins Dappy and Tulisa along with childhood friend Fazer, they’ve achieved a chart topping single and two platinum albums – their recent appearance on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross confirming the fact that they have crossed over into mainstream culture.

So, well done to the City Hall team for getting such a successful and current band to grace our city with their “N-Dubz Christmas Party”.

The show sold out weeks in advance. It was packed with the very young people that N-Dubz write their songs about – their near hysterical enthusiasm for the band making for a frantic atmosphere.

Performing all the crowd pleasers of both albums, from the emotional tribute to Dappy’s dad Papa If You Can Hear Me to latest single Playing With Fire they ensured everyone went home happy. The roof nearly came off the building for the finale, I Need You!

Nobly, the trio found time to visit children and babies being treated at Salisbury District Hospital during their flying visit to Wiltshire – Dappy even sporting a hoody emblazoned with the logo of the hospital’s Stars Appeal while he was on stage.

To fit this in and then give such a great show is testament to the fact they’ve been working to get where they are for more than ten years, and I think they deserve the success they are now enjoying.

A Dappy Christmas all round I reckon! NaNaNiiiiii.

Christine Stock