Browsing Tag

grime

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

Startzy keeps the vibe flowing in his latest high calibre and fire hit, In My Cup

Posted on 25 November 2024

South London’s Startzy returns with In My Cup, a viscerally vibrant exhibition of what it means to live with a lust for life. Following the success of Wahala Don Enter, Startzy continues to showcase his versatility, blending euphoric Afrobeats with smooth melodies and the raw energy of his roots. Inspired by a recent trip to Nigeria, the track captures the spirit of his travels while maintaining the feel-good energy that made his previous releases fan favourites.

With an infectious charisma riding every euphoric wave, Startzy orchestrated the ultimate rap anthem for those moments when you want the vibe to flow as freely as the urban earworm that could send an Afrobeat crowd into frenzy.

Startzy’s ability to command the written word and deliver cheek-driven, irreverent charm elevates In My Cup to anthem status. With co-signs from Flowdan and P Money, over 250k streams under his belt, and performances alongside Tinie Tempah and Kano, Startzy’s star is undeniably rising. In My Cup doesn’t just set the grimey gold standard—it proves he’s only just warming up.

Stream the official music video for In My Cup on YouTube now.

Follow Startzy to stay up to date with all of his new drops and news via Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sink into the hypersonic synergy of Subbwell and Flowdan’s Grimey DnB track, Welcome to London

Posted on 16 October 2024

For his latest release, Subbwell, the indomitable Estonian drum and bass producer, teamed up with London’s own grime juggernaut, Flowdan, to drop their massive sonic attack, ‘Welcome to London’.

The hit is a deep dive into the city’s gritty vibe, delivered with a raw edge and polished with a high-quality production to juxtapose the dark, grimey bars that snarl over a backdrop of hypersonic drum and bass. The beats are savage—slamming, distorting, and warping under the weight of Flowdan’s delivery. He weaves through the track with a melodic flow that hits hard, perfectly synched with the wild, adrenalising energy of the builds and drops.

As for the video, think London’s streets through a Grand Theft Auto lens. It’s a cinematic piece that flips the script on how we see the city, as the camera tears through the streets, the good, the bad, and the ugly filter into the vignette that will resonate with the realities of many Londoners.

With ‘Welcome to London’, Subbwell and Flowdan throw us into the middle of London’s pulse through an unapologetic, in-your-face celebration of all things raw and real about London’s underground scene.

Stream the official music video for Welcome to London on YouTube now.

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

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

Nicole Leaskk unveiled RnB’s most authenticated modern love story with ‘Want You’ ft Strizzy Strauss

Posted on 5 June 2024

Nicole Leaskk’s latest Afrobeat-heated single, Want You, is a subversive symbol of defiance in the face of RnB tropes. If you’re tired of the lyrical fawning and mourning old flames as their light dims, tune into the 90s RnB-inspired summer pop anthem that captures the passion of tragically relatable conflict. Tempers run as hot as the tones in RnB’s most authenticated modern love story.

The reprising lyric “I don’t even want you, I just want to prove you’re mine” testifies to the inevitability of becoming an unwilling pawn in mind games if you dare to delve into the dating pool as Latin flavours ooze through the guitars and percussion and bring the rhythmically kinetic groove in the Afrobeat-tinted production.

Strizzy Strauss’ grime-y rap bars work in dynamic contrast to Nicole Leaskk’s firebranded vocals as he delivers the other side of a cat-and-mouse vignette of tormenting prey before casting aside and moving onto the next chase.

The flawless execution of Want You will undoubtedly leave the UK singer-songwriter open to more critical acclaim. If you’re still sleeping on her, you may as well be in a coma.

Want You was officially released on May 31; stream the single on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

YTN Tee lit up the UK rap scene with his vibe-heavy hit,  Lightsaber

Posted on 1 June 2024

YTN Tee used ‘the force’ to be a force to be reckoned with in the UK rap scene with his latest track, Lightsaber. With bars that flow with seamless rhythm and cheeky vibe-intense energy, YTN Tee carved a fresh edge into the industry through his roguishly razor-sharp wit. The only thing bigger than the expansively styled beats which paint across the hip-hop spectrum, produced by AyP, is YTN Tee’s presence in the mix as he waxes lyrical and never wanes.

Instead of joining the hip-hop flock and delivering hard and heavy lyrics, Lightsaber hits hard with the mischievously infectious buzz that reverberates throughout the single that will undoubtedly become the sunny-side-up hip-hop anthem of the summer. The track and music video flawlessly capture the spontaneous creativity that allowed the serotonin-soaked hit to pull together in a few days; it’s an explosion of uninhibited energy that sticks in the memory and strips away negativity. With an underpinned message life is what you make it, you’ll want to join YTN Tee at the vanguard of unabashed positivity as soon as you surrender to the groove.

Lightsaber is a culmination of YTN Tee’s experience in the industry. He started to cut his teeth at age 15 as a freestyler; since honing his talents, he’s racked up over 500k streams on his seminal release, Wazzup, and featured on BBC Introducing Northampton and 1Xtra. As only the start of what’s to come in 2024, YTN Tee isn’t an artist you will want to sleep on.

Lightsaber was officially released on May 29; stream the single on all major platforms via this link or watch the official music video, shot by SA, on YouTube.

Follow YTN Tee on Instagram.

 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Touch down in ‘BUDAPEST’ with Zulu Abantu’s Seminal Alt-Hip-Hop Track

Posted on 4 April 2024

Zulu Abantu may have cut his teeth in the grime scene, but he is coming into his own through vibrant genre fusions, especially after the drop of his latest single, ‘BUDAPEST‘. This track is a cultural mosaic, melding the raw edge of grime with the soulful depths of R&B and the universal appeal of pop.

‘BUDAPEST’ resonates with an exotic flair, breaking the monocultural mould with its eastern rhythms that weave through the production atop the trap beats, while Zulu Abantu’s vocal versatility is on full display, proving that his voice can effortlessly bridge grime, R&B, and reggaeton.

For those who crave rap tracks that abstract from material reality and transport you to domains you’d die to explore in physical form, ‘BUDAPEST’ hits the mark. The hooks in this track are not just irresistible; they are a siren call to those seeking musical exploration beyond the conventional.

Zulu Abantu’s journey from grime to an eclectic mix of genres is a testament to his artistic evolution. With a decade of dedication to his craft, he’s got what it takes to perpetually change the atmosphere of the alt-hip-hop scene.

BUDAPEST hit the airwaves on March 20; stream the single on Spotify and YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

HBEEE Trailblazed through London’s Grime Scene and Razed it To the Ground with ‘Chosen Freestyle’

Posted on 28 March 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFcEhEc9prw

After getting caught up in the hype of London’s hottest up-and-coming hip-hop trailblazer, HBEEE through his viral hit, Game Over, we couldn’t wait to dig into his latest hit, Chosen Freestyle.

Once the introspective instrumentals swathe the production in an atmosphere that sets the perfect tone for reflection, the bars and the beats roll in thick and fast, exhibiting HBEEE’s ability to freestyle with the fervour of Juice WRLD, Cassidy, and MC Juice, while staying true to his own gritty grime artistic identity.

The raw and spontaneous bars result in unexpected lyrical flows, which continuously culminate in a series of mic drops. HBEEE’s wordplay doesn’t solely exhibit his ability to maintain rhymes and stay on the beat; it also lends itself to a personal connection between his candour and the listener’s ability to relate to the lyricism.

Cheeky and convictive in parts, cuttingly haunting in others, HBEEE knew exactly how to make his mark on the London grime scene. Try as other artists might, few flows bring the same fire as what blazes through Chosen Freestyle; he’s razing the whole grime scene to the ground.

The official music video for Chosen Freestyle will premiere on YouTube on March 28th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

JMP tore through the façade of fallacy with their latest rap track, Don’t Lie, featuring Zinc and Sofia Kafas

Posted on 23 March 2024
https://spotify.link/QgiVqnqW0Hb

JMP’s latest feat of genre-fluid alchemy, “Don’t Lie,” featuring Zinc and Sofia Kafas, seamlessly fuses trap beats into a melodiously mellow atmosphere. As the lush reverb ebbs and flows, it envelops the listener in a rhythmic embrace, guided by the unique chemistry each vocalist brings to the track.

Sofia Kafas’s soulful voice adds a layer of depth and emotion, contrasting with the grit of the grime-y bars. Their harmonies paint a vivid picture of the narrative at the heart of the song – the detriments of deception. What truly sets “Don’t Lie” apart is its cultural richness; the bilingual verses shatter the monocultural mould, adding an exotic twist to the RnB lyrical rhythms.

Don’t Lie was unveiled as one of JMP’s most dynamic releases to date. The trio of contributors, each with their distinct style, unite under the theme of sincerity and truth. The result is a compelling track that resonates on multiple levels and is a reminder of rap’s capacity for storytelling and emotional depth, making it a standout release in JMP’s repertoire.

Don’t Lie was officially released on February 26th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast