Browsing Tag

uk rap

XII 44 and Griminal Hit Hard with the Dark Side of the Grind in ‘Drippy’

Posted on 10 December 2024

Two urban cultures collided when South London’s rap legend XII 44 and East London’s grime icon Griminal hooked up to drop ‘Drippy’, a high vibe hit that subversively flips the script on the typical high-life rap narrative. Far from a hollow ode to wealth and status, the track reveals the jagged edges of success, exposing the personal cost behind the luxury branded surface.

XII 44 used his high-fire bars to set the bar higher than the Shard by tapping into the energy of the beat to mirror the song’s gradual tonal shift. What starts as a light, accessible hook soon morphs into a moody vignette of the toll behind the grind.

Griminal’s signature grime flow punctuates the track with his kinetic cadence as the duo exposes the bitter truths of ambition to deliver a raw and relatable reality check to audiences instead of attempting to make others feel inferior by flexing an unobtainable lifestyle. The superficiality of surface-level success is laid bare, as is the duo’s undeniable respective and collaborative talent.

With a debut mixtape in the pipeline, XII 44 is continuing to gain momentum with each new release after making a name for himself by hitting stages alongside Snoop Dogg and Little Simz. If anyone has what it takes to verse their way to UK rap royalty in 2025, it’s him.

For the full experience, stream the official music video, which has already racked up over 42k streams, on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

J.B.Z lay the blueprint for Birmingham’s trap takeover with their seminal hit, The Trap

Posted on 4 December 2024

With their debut EP, The Prelude, Birmingham’s J.B.Z make it clear they’re here to dominate the UK trap scene. It isn’t just the title of the EP which promises even bigger things to come; it is evident in how each member carries their distinct flow like a weapon, delivering darkly humorous and edgy street narratives that resonate with authentic grit.

Serving as the opening salvo, The Trap showcases the collective’s raw energy and fierce drill beats that perfectly complement their razor-sharp bars. Thriving on mood and meaning, beneath the intense, bass-heavy beats and shadowy atmosphere lies a track charged with social consciousness, proving that J.B.Z isn’t afraid to confront reality while spitting with a cadence that leaves nothing in the tank.

The Prelude is an unflinching statement that there’s as much trap mettle in Birmingham as across the Atlantic. So, if you’re searching for trap that balances darkness with clever wit and bone-shaking beats, The Trap is a stark reminder of who’s ready to put Birmingham on the global rap map.

The Trap hit all major streaming platforms, including SoundCloud on November 24th; stream the track now and follow J.B.Z on TikTok and X.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Skinny Blacks fired up a new wave of hip-hop with his hypersonically hot track, Getaway Bae

Posted on 20 September 2024

With roots stretching from South London to St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, Skinny Blacks delivered a pulsating summer anthem with Getaway Bae. If you’re searching for a track that hits harder than a heatwave in July, this high-octane single offers everything you’d expect from an artist fusing his Jamaican heritage with trap-heavy beats.

In an era where so much hip-hop sounds formulaic, Skinny Blacks smashes through the monotony with energy levels that could power a city. The track comes with the unrelenting force of a tropical storm, combining rhythmic precision with an edge that demands a replay.

By blending melodic rap with bold trap production, Skinny Blacks crafted an adrenalised hit for the wanderlust generation. Lyrically, it’s an unapologetic testament to being in control of your destiny, and musically, it’s a blueprint for the new direction UK rap is taking. It’s clear Skinny Blacks isn’t just riding the wave – he’s creating his own tsunami in the scene.

Getaway Bae was officially released on September 1st; stream the single on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

UK rapper, Tom Penny extracted spoken word poetry from idiosyncrasy in his standout single, Spiral of Fumes

Posted on 26 August 2024

 If Tom Penny’s third LP, Both Sides of the Coin doesn’t feature on every rap publication’s album of the year list, we riot. The album pulls back the façade to narrate the UK rapper’s struggles and subsequent growth, drawing from his early freestyling days and his evolving passion for hip-hop influenced by lyrical legends such as Kendrick Lamar, Loyle Carner, and J Cole.

One of the standout tracks, Spiral of Fumes, kicks off with an extended, wavy prelude imbued with etherealism, setting a reflective mood before the beat drops, establishing a magnetic rhythm beneath Penny’s melodiously smooth spoken-word cadence.

You won’t just hang off every word in his bars, you’ll be engrossed in every syllable as Penny establishes himself as one of the most eloquent wordsmiths in the UK hip-hop scene, with emotionally bruising bars reminiscent of Kae Tempest and George the Poet.

By the outro, Spiral of Fumes fully reveals the kind of artist Tom Penny is—one who extracts relatable poetry from idiosyncrasy, stripping bare while simultaneously reflecting the listener’s mental state.

With his surging streaming stats testifying to his growing renown, it’s only a matter of time before he rises through the ranks and holds dominion over the UK scene.

Spiral of Fumes is now available to stream with the LP Both Sides of the Coin on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

David Rey Will Reign Over the Manchester Music Scene with His Grime Hit, Call Me King, ft Abnormal Sleepz

Posted on 9 August 2024

David Rey gave Manchester a place on the grime map with his latest single, Call Me King, featuring Abnormal Sleepz. Think of the Manchester music scene; The Smiths, Oasis and Stone Roses will immediately spring to mind, but if any artist can steal the psyche away from those luminaries, it’s Rey with this raw, cultivated track which pairs his hypnotically smooth flows with dark alt-electronic trip-hop-tinted beats which syncopate to the rhythm of the artist’s creative volition.

David Rey, originally hailing from Bermondsey and now a product of Manchester’s vibrant culture, has crafted his identity around the influences of UK grime legends like Ghetts and the resonant beats of American artists like Nipsey Hussle. His globe-spanning inspirations are evident in his music, which combines poignant introspection with visceral vitality.

Having graced the stages of over 35 venues domestically and abroad, Rey’s commanding presence is well-documented and celebrated, from performances that resonate with authenticity to airplay on platforms like BBC Radio 6 and Capital Xtra. His debut EP, Before I Begin, garnered notable praise for its lyrical depth and rhythmic sophistication, traits that continue to thrive in Call Me King.

The single itself is a study in contrasts: dark yet soulful, it delivers a mind-bending lush backdrop for Rey’s sharp, melodic flows. The track dives deep into the core of human connection and desire, rejecting the commonplace narratives of fleeting pleasures to focus on what truly resonates with the listener. George the Poet couldn’t have versed it better.

Call Me King will hit all major streaming platforms, including SoundCloud, on August 9th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rourky initiated the cybernetic revolution of UK hip-hop with Cyborg ft Riley

Posted on 7 August 2024

Nathan O’ Rourke, known by his stage name Rourky, has been a sonic staple in the UK for over a decade. Hailing from Birmingham, the 31-year-old rapper has been honing his craft since his teenage years, releasing music globally since 2013. Aligning with TigerBloodMuzik Entertainment, Rourky has become bigger than his gargantuan beats.

His latest single, ‘Cyborg,’ featuring Riley Zm, a drill rapper from Zambia, is a high-octane hip-hop anthem, effortlessly commanding attention with its fiery rap bars blazing across cinematically elevated beats. The track utilises synthesised electronic orchestral motifs, adding an air of grandiosity that is efficaciously juxtaposed by the grit in Rourky’s grimey bars.

The interplay between Rourky and Riley ensures that ‘Cyborg’ unfolds as a dynamic track, embedding itself in the listener’s psyche long after the electrifying hit has faded to a close. Rourky’s charisma bleeds through every progression, as he positions himself at the vanguard of hip-hop’s cybernetic future with his playfully convictive hit.

Cyborg stormed the airwaves on August 2 via TigerBloodMuzik Entertainment; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

2nd Class Citizenz bruised the boundaries in UK hip-hop with the orchestrally elevated volition in their seminal single, Change

Posted on 25 July 2024

‘Change‘ by 2nd Class Citizenz strikes with the ferocious fearlessness that exemplifies UK hip-hop while setting the collective leagues apart with its ornate orchestral arrangement that thematically juxtaposes the bruising bars, allowing the listener to reflect on how both halves live.

Each line bounces with flawless metric precision in the composition that will instantly greet you with a ‘fuck, this is fresh’ affirmation. Each rapper in the trio injects their own brand of flair, fire and fervour to make a significant sonic impact without resorting to brute force. Instead, ‘Change’ opens minds to the collective’s ethos of using the motifs to pierce lyrical gold into the psyche of their listeners.

The intellectually profound, endlessly accessible bars make every verse a revelation while allowing 2nd Class Citizenz to live up to their reputation as the grittiest, most authentic rappers in the UK.

Change is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

East Meets West in Koza’s Impassioned Inferno of a Drill Track, SHADOWS

Posted on 2 July 2024

Koza’s second single, SHADOWS is a fierily impassioned inferno of frenetic rap cadences that reach the pinnacle of rhythmic fervour; by embracing his cultural roots in the exotically produced hit, punctuated by hard-hitting drill beats, Koza couldn’t have been more authentic to himself in the soul-baring release, which delivers an unforgettable introduction to one of the hottest drill rappers on the UK scene right now. It’s only a matter of time before he teams up with GRM and goes viral.

There are few artists who can match his heat and do so with maximum conviction that spills straight through the soul instead of the ego; all the lyrics serve to viscerally make a statement of intent as they cut through the atmosphere laid out by the diaphanously ethereal Hollywood-esque backing vocals and delicate instrumental layers which contrast sharply with the bass-swathed beats.

SHADOWS is a significant shift from Koza’s debut track, KOHLI; by underpinning the release in his personal philosophy, modernising the East-meets-West production with ahead-of-the-curve beats and anchoring it in vulnerability by narrating themes of self-discovery, the breakthrough artist broke plenty of ground with this stormer.

SHADOWS dropped on June 28; jump on the track on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

West-London’s Drill king, Light served fierce flows and savage lyricism with ‘Ko-Lee Noodles’

Posted on 16 April 2024

Light’s latest single, Ko-Lee Noodles, is an indomitable testament to the West-London-hailing rap artist’s fierce fortitude. His ever-growing loyal fanbase, which is pushing him ever closer to the 1 million stream mark, will note that his signature of mellifluous grooves, punchy flows savage lyricism has followed him into this drill hit, but this time, there’s a relentlessly fierce intensity to the release that is as real as it comes.

The last time something hit so hard, dinosaurs went extinct, but Light’s legacy in the UK rap scene will never die; he’ll be riding high for as long as he continues to wax lyrical with unparalleled ferocity.

With the melodic emotionally charged instrumentals tempering the energy while drenching the polished production in a haunting atmosphere, Light’s candour becomes all the more affecting in the confessionally confronting release.

Light was officially released on April 16; stream the single on Spotify or watch the official music video on the GRM Daily YouTube channel.

To stay up to date with all of the latest releases from Light, follow the luminary on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Chin0 confronted the realities of our society through the lens of melodic drill in his quintessential release, Rich Not Famous

Posted on 4 April 2024

Chin0, hailing from East London, has firmly grasped the reins of the drill dominion with his standout single, ‘Rich Not Famous‘, which brings cinematic cultivation to the melodic drill scene.

The multi-layered production is massive, setting ethereal backing vocals against Chin0’s infectiously charismatic bars, while bass-elevated beats reverberate with elements of boom-bap. In ‘Rich Not Famous’, ingenuity flows through every progression. Yet, it’s Chin0’s razor-sharp wit that commands the spotlight. His bars are a window into the rapper’s humanity and his painful awareness of society’s flaws, delivered through a polished and concise lyrical flow.

The single hits hard, no matter how many times it’s played. Chin0 doesn’t just rap about the superficiality of fame; he delves into the deeper implications of having enough money in the bank to fulfil his desire to pay reparations he doesn’t personally owe.

As fans eagerly await Chin0’s next single, set to drop on the 18th of April, ‘Rich Not Famous’ stands as a powerful reminder of his talent and the impact he’s poised to make on the UK music scene.

Stream Rich Not Famous on Spotify and YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast