Browsing Tag

London Hip Hop

Kotaisyn waxes lyrical in his candidly bitter-sweet debut single, roses in the rain

Posted on 12 March 2022

For his debut single, kotaisyn proved how dynamic London-based rap artists have the potential to be when their influences span beyond the city’s postcodes. roses in the rain is a melodic, lo-fi trappy hit that sees kotaisyn lay down his smooth spoken-word bars, harmonic vocal timbre and candid lyrics that make no bones about waxing lyrical on romantic lament and self-worth.

The clever vocal arrangements run in synergy with the atmospheric, almost ethereal minor-key melodies, making the hammering blows of his honesty feel like a bitter-sweet sensation that you will want to experience time and time again. We can’t wait to hear what he has in the pipeline for his sophomore release.

roses in the rain is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

South London’s MoHush broadsides us with every bar in his latest single, War of the Mastermind

Posted on 3 March 2022

After his latest single, War of the Mastermind, MoHush became one of South London’s hottest up and coming hip hop artists. In the same way that Kae Tempest’s and George the Poet’s music is matchless, MoHush delivers the hammering lyrical blows in a completely autonomous fashion.

I usually manage to write my reviews without profanity, but fuck me, MoHush’s emotionally-charged approach to hip hop is enough to broadside you with every bar. From the melodic-minor-key piano intro to the fragility in his harmonised vocals to the smoothness in his spoken-word rap style, War of the Mastermind is a flawless feat of hip hop, which deserves to put MoHush on the map. We can’t wait to hear what follows.

War of the Mastermind is now available to stream on Spotify.

You can also check out MoHush on Instagram, YouTube and SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

East London’s Muzuri announced his arrival in the music scene with his debut single, 0127

Posted on 4 December 2021

East London rap artist, Muzuri has garnered plenty of hype with his debut release, 0127, which premiered on BBC Radio Essex on October 5th before officially releasing on October 15th.

The French rapper and songwriter takes influence from the likes of Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Static Major, but he left plenty of room for his own catchy sonic style in his debut which announces his arrival to the music scene and creates a vivid vignette of his life as an artist and hedonist.

With the arresting bounce of the snappy beats and the reverb around them, it is impossible not to get hooked into the atmosphere of 0127 which merges French and English hip hop culture. It’s a stellar track that succeeds in establishing Muzuri as one to watch.

0127 is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

South East London’s most promising hip hop enigma EmanFromDaA2 has released his latest high vibe hit, Stay Down, featuring Ricky Banks.

Posted on 22 October 2021
EmanFromDaA2

London-based rap artist, EmanFromDaA2, has brought a brand-new sound to the South-East hip-hop talent pool. His latest single, Stay Down, featuring Ricky Banks is the perfect introduction.

The funk-riding Afrobeat-inspired instrumentals give the up-tempo track a tropic touch while EmanFromDaA2 lays down his bars that he will quickly become renowned for under his new moniker. The first thing that grips you in the mix is the mindful and socially conscious wit in the lyrics. The lyric “It’s nothing new for us to stay down” hits you like a brick, but EmanFromDaA2 and Ricky Banks bring you right back up with their instantly magnetic presence.

Stay Down is due for official release on October 22nd. You can check it out for yourselves via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jay Joe brought the best of UK hip hop with his latest release, Shaky.

Posted on 16 August 2021

London-born, Essex-based Rap artist Jay Joe dropped an instant grime classic with his latest single, Shaky. His energy, ensnaring. His lyrics, cutting, His beats, atmospheric; in usual drill hip hop fashion.

Fans of Tempa T, Tinie Tempah and Dizzee Rascal will want to make Shaky a playlist staple for its garagey beats, the adrenalizing aggression in the rap bars and Jay Joe’s ability to leave you floored with his lyrical flex. He’s already a firm fixture on the GRM Daily YouTube channel, but we highly doubt that will be the highest of accolades applied to Jay Joe’s gritty, scathing signature sound.

Shaky was released on August 15th; you can check out the official music video on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

QuantumCaza explores mental health on a cellular level with his debut single, ‘Dopamine’.

Posted on 10 August 2021

Up and coming London-based rap artist QuantumCaza has released his debut single, Dopamine, which documents his battle with mental health on a cellular level and exposes how hard it can be to find affection when you can find little for yourself.

There’s almost a matter of fact feel to the delivery of the candid lyrics with QuantumCaza’s determination to convey the emotion for connection instead of self-obsession. To his audience, he conveys familiar thoughts, stripped of shame over contemporary trap beats with elements of pop weaved into the mix.

With the amount of hype amassing around his ground-breaking debut single, QuantumCaza is already proving to be a force to be reckoned with. Save a spot on your radar.

You can check out Dopamine for yourselves by heading over to Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

London’s luminary hip hop artist MAUS shows us true innovation with ‘Little Moth Lady’

Posted on 29 April 2021

After his 2020 debut, alt-hip hop artist MAUS has been making waves with his illusory sound and psychedelic narratives. His latest release, ‘L.M.L.’, featuring the original single ‘Little Moth Lady’, and FRAME’s remix is the perfect introduction to his chimeric sound.

The intrinsically evocative single is just one of the undeniable testaments to MAUS’ ability to orchestrate hazy hip hop that flows with purpose and convictive structure, never hindering the catharsis of the kaleidoscopic reverb. In the same way that an addictive novel compels you to keep turning the pages, the ethereal warm tones atop of the solid yet glitchy percussion keep you hooked.

What Slowdive is to Shoegaze, MAUS is to contemporary hip hop. Hearing just one of his releases leaves you with that tragically rare impulse to immerse yourself in every new release and get acquainted with one of London’s most luminary artists. The 22-year-old artist is a full-time musician and tattooist at Frank Carter’s iconic Rose of Mercy studio in London. Whichever facet of his talent he’s utilising, he discernibly never fails to make an impression with his imagery.

His debut album is due for release in Summer 2021. If you’re a fan of Yung Lean, Mac Miller and Blood Orange, you’ll want MAUS on your radar.

The original track is available to stream along with the FRAME remix via Spotify.

Connect with MAUS on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

London’s drill luminary Kidavelly internationally extends solidarity with his latest track, Donald Trump Jr

Posted on 16 April 2021

London-based rap artist Kidavelly extended his solidarity across the pond with his latest drill single, Donald Trump Jr, which gives his visceral perspective on the dark times endured during Trump’s presidency and shares the energy necessary to keep fighting for equality.

Five days ago, a government report declared that institutional racism doesn’t exist in the UK in a government report. Anyone with two brain cells to rub together will recognise the absurdity and get appropriately angry. Kidavelly tells a more realistic story in Donald Trump Jr that creates parallels between the injustices in the UK and the ones that we powerlessly watch on the news.

By touching on the discrimination in the UK, including how black communities have been blamed for the spread of COVID then hearing Kidavelly’s passionate bars requesting that kids in cages are freed, Donald Trump Jr is a powerful track, made even more bruising through Kidavelly’s nuanced dynamic style that incorporates drill, grime and old school hip hop styles. To give the track, produced by Mikabeats, a truly internationally empowering feel, Kidavelly collaborated with Evander Griiim & Tony Schwartz (Author of New York Times best-selling book Trump: Art of The Deal)

Check out the official video via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

RnB Trap Pop meets Grime in London-hailing artist Wavier’s latest sticky-sweet single ‘Goof Ball’

Posted on 2 January 2021

‘Goof Ball’ is the sticky-sweet Hip Hop drop from breaking London-based artist Wavier who definitely wasn’t afraid to wear his heart on his endearing sleeve in this playfully stylistic mix.

With harmonised Rap vocals, complexly intricate EDM beats and hints of grime bringing the perfect amount of grounding grit to the single, Wavier has undoubtedly succeeded when it came to stamping down their signature sound on the airwaves.

Any diehard romantics with an affinity for fresh curve creating Hip Hop will undoubtedly want the artist and label owner (3000 AUDIO) on their radars sooner rather than later.

You can check out Wavier’s latest drop by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sonorous spoken words unravel in Untold Poet’s acoustic ambient single ‘Have You Heard It’

Posted on 27 December 2020

Untold Poet has joined Scroobius Pip in the ranks of Essex-hailing mind-blowing spoken word Hip Hop artists with the release of their latest single ‘Have You Heard It’.

In the acoustic version of their popular track, the meditatively Jazzy instrumentals trickle away, emitting ambience as the Untold Poet’s canter finds perfect synergy with the tentative keys which aurally paint a picture of still-life. There’s always the assumption that successful people don’t know adversity. It is all so easy to believe that everything comes easy to those who take roadblocks in their stride. As the Untold Poet consolingly points out, the key is resilience.

Any fans of George the Poet, Argh Kid, Kae Tempest and The King Blues will undoubtedly want to get acquainted with Untold Poet sooner rather than later.

You can check out Have You Heard It for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast