Fashion blows like the wind. With every changing season brings a new style that brings a feeling of awe or nausea. But that’s why we love fashion, because like music it is subjective and it looks good once we get inspired buy the right fit or the right person wearing it. Fashion designers work tirelessly bringing their ideas to life on the runways, with the chosen models and the right endorsements.
Not only that – the music industry works perfectly with fashion, with both industries tending to promote each other. Your favourite influencer may have been inspired by a rapper or singer who was inspired by a model when they attended a fashion runway event. This is the world of fashion, its fast, its brutal but ultimately we love it, endorse it and always try to showcase our own personality through it.
2023 has just started which means that Fashion week is fast approaching. London, Paris, Milan and New York are arguably the four biggest cities when it comes to the famous Fashion Week. With London Fashion Week starting on Friday 17 February and ending on 21 February 2023. This would be a massive showcase from the world’s most famous designers ranging from Prada, Gucci, Valentino, Tod’s, Moncler and many more fashion houses.
“I want to see more collaborations between music and fashion on a larger scale – whether that is with shows or single artworks.” AJ Tracey quoted when referring to the importance of fashion within the ever evolving music industry. UK rappers have taken a major interest within the fashion scene over the last few years. With big UK names such as Skepta, AJ Tracey, Unknown T regularly attending fashion shows ac ross the globe and even wearing exclusive pieces designed for them by fashion designers to be showcased across runways. Central Cee who is arguably the most popping UK rapper now who is making huge waves overseas too recently had a massive collaboration with French designer Jacquemus. While the iconic fashion brand Boss booked rapper Dave to perform at its opening party for London Fashion Week in October 2022. Stormzy was also pictured sitting next to Kanye West, front row for the Burberry SS23 collection.
The UK’s emergence into the fashion scene is something to closely watch this year. 2022 really saw the popularity of the UK’s streetwear brand take over. Leading brands such as Corteiz really had the urban UK scene in the palm of its hands. The Bolo Exchange event saw thousands of young people trading in their prolific North Face and high brand designer jackets for the signature Corteiz bomber jackets for free. Cortiez then decided that these North Face and designer jackets were to be given to those in need via local charity shops. A significant move that really showed the bigger house-hold name brands that there has been a significant shift in the demand of the youth when it comes to streetwear fashion.
We also saw Corteiz release brand new items for sale before the end of the year including their new Avirex jackets. This was brilliantly promoted by an eye catching campaign video via social media platforms. This lead to the Avirex jackets selling out within minutes once they became available to buy. Following on from this we have seen prolific international rappers such as Drake wearing and positing this on his Instagram. This generational rise of brands such as Corteiz really show that fashion is forever and it has the ability to influence and capture the hearts of everyone that lays their eyes on it.
A new year brings different opportunities and bring out the best in artists. A chance to really make a mark and staple their imprint within the music scene. 2021 saw the emergence of prominent artists killing features, singles and dropping classic bodies of work. The rise of popular artist Ardee was a staple example to see from an up and coming artist. The maturity and growth from household name Ghetts was seen when he dropped his classic album, which really saw the whole of the UK embrace him as a true UK favourite. Tion Wayne went on a prolific run of releasing hit after hit with “Body” featuring Russ being crowned as the most watched music video of the year. We are excited to see who will really make 2022 their year. I have predicted that this could be a good year for 3 artists that have had their music causing waves within the scene. Check them out below.
Central Cee
Central Cee’s rise in 2021 was monumental. It all began with consistent releases of popping singles and his mixtape titled “Wild West.” The long awaited mixtape dropped on 12th March 2021 and it propelled Central Cee into the midst of top names in the rap scene where it debuted at number 2 in the charts. The rapper matched the anticipation with a great roll-out, utilising his upcoming brand to collaborate with fashion designers during the promotion campaign. This included a significant collaboration with the well-known high street fashion brand Trapstar for a #letsseeifyoureallytrap limited collection fashion haul. This ranged from hoodies, full tracksuits and hats. The rapper was also seen riding a horse in West London with the album title imprinted on the horses garment. Central Cee then followed this up with a customised Rolls Royce which had a jet black exterior and orange interior which matched the colour theme of his mixtape and clothing collaborations.
The rapper took his status to new level as he was then spotted modelling for US superstar Drake’s clothing collaboration with Nike called NOCTA. This was seen on Central Cee’s Instagram, where he is seen in multiple shots modelling different sets of clothing from the NOCTA range. This included the iconic yellow gloves and black gilet. The significance of the involvement with the NOCTA range highlighted the levels the rapper had reached. Where a huge artist like Drake is recognising his emerging dominance within the UK scene.
Central Cee’s single titled “Obsessed With You” taken from a PinkPantheress sample really showed the UK the rappers domination in the charts. With the single peaking at number 4 in the charts and spending a whopping total of 14 weeks there. This chart domination can be rivalled with UK superstars such as Dave, Stormzy and rap group D Block Europe. The music video for this song featuring influencer Kenza has garnered 17 million views within a month and was labelled as one of the quickest videos to reach a million views by a UK artist.
He joins the UK rap elites as he has been nominated for a number of awards at the BRITS 2022 award ceremony. These include “Song of the Year” with “Obsessed with you,” “Best New Artist” and “Hip Hop, Grime and Rap artist”. Highlighting the significant year the rapper has had, showing that doing things as an independent artist can really work wonders for your brand and implement your name within the world of music.
Last year was just the beginning for Cench’s promising career. He doesn’t seem to be slowing down in 2022 as he confirmed that his new mixtape titled “23” will be released on February 25th. Snippets of songs have been released during the wait for this mixtape drop. With a short preview of a song featuring UK rap star Chip doing the rounds on social media.
Knucks
North West London rapper Knucks had a successful 2021 with his massive hit song “Los Pollos Hermanos” ringing off on your favourite rappers playlists. The smooth sounding flow and catchy bars were a hit among fans. There was a level of familiarity to fans with a reference to the popular show “Breaking Bad” on this track. The song has passed over 22 million streams on Spotify alone. This comes off of the back of Knucks break out song “Home.” A heartfelt song that pays tribute to the concerning knife crime in London and the everyday trials people face growing up in their areas in London. A rapper that touches on raw subjects that fans can relate to is a formula for success and this is what we expect from Knucks in 2022.
Knucks “London Class” released in September 2020 really showed the rappers lyrical ability and the style he adds to the growing UK music scene. A tape that showcases the rappers versatility as we saw him collaborate with artists across a variety of genres such as Sam Wise, KXYZ and Kadiata. The skits include in this EP contained phrases from important black figures such as Dave Chapelle and Akala talk about the state of the treatment of black people across the globe really hits home with listeners. The rapper’s stock has risen since this release as he went on to work with Puma Sport Style in the Suede Music Studio by late 2020.
The rapper has been recognised by BBC1XTRA as he was placed on the #Hotfor2022 list. A huge nod to the future as he is touted to do big things. With a history of two headline shows, the rapper is no stranger to all eyes being on him due to the quality of his music. #NoDaysOff is his slogan and that’s exactly what he sticks to. The level of consistency from Knucks is something that will take the rapper straight to the top. His involvement with BBC1XTRA has really shown his talent. This was seen on his Street Heat freestyle with popular DJ Tiffany Calver in September 2021.
Having had the baton passed to the rapper by the UK GOAT Wretch 32 himself as seen on the song “The Baton” featuring himself, Wretch 32 and Avelino, Knucks is taking it all in his stride. His interviews with magazines such as Wonderland and Notion give an insight into the man behind the bars and gives his fans an opportunity to see the talent and versatility the rapper possesses. A GQ feature on his birthday showed the levels that Knucks has come through since entering the scene. It will be a good 2022 for the rapper for sure – with a lot of exciting music to be released as the year progresses.
BenjiFlow
BenjiFlow is a sound man who can’t be defined into a box or genre of music. His sound is universal and it’s wavey. Vibes run whenever a BenjiFlow tune comes on. He has been steadily mastering his craft since his emergence into the scene in 2018. An artist that has professed that he is influenced by rhythmic sounds from across the world. An artist that truly loves the art behind music and is an individual that you can class as a real talent. A music icon that is in the scene purely for the love of the music.
His talent and love of raw musical sounds can be seen in all of singles. The emergence of his talent with his single “Deep End” was a refreshing sound that the UK needed within the scene. An artist that stays in his own lane and makes it work while capturing fans across different genres. His consistency is marvelled – an artist that believes in quality over quantity when it comes to the release of his music. There have been many hit singles along the way such as “Can’t Lose, Jolene” and his big hit in 2021 titled “My Bella” featuring Oxlade. The self-acclaimed “Selenki Sound Man” can do it all and this is seen in the articulation in his music videos. An artist that is well versed in embracing his roots and is not afraid to include well-choreographed moves to his music videos. This can be seen in his music video for “My Bella” directed by Charlie Di Placido where he showcases his ability to move silkily to his own sound.
BenjiFlow’s live sessions are where the artist really shows his unique ability to engage a crowd. His ability to sing his verses while playing along on the piano are a wholesome touch to his image. The inclusion of a choir to sing the vocals along with him and the crowd is special. The latest video of this can be seen with this latest single “My Bella.” A video that has gone viral on social media which has brought a new influx of fans to the artist. The vibes are infectious and it can also be seen on his first Boiler Room set for “Deep End” released in 2018.
This year promises to be a good one for the artist as he is in preparation for the release of his EP titled “The Thrill” in January. This promises to be an 8 track EP full of different sounds. This comes as no surprise for BenjiFlow as he is an artist that has shown his adaptability and ability to broaden his horizon across different genres of music. This can be seen by the musical talent he possesses, not only can he play the piano, he is fluent on drums, electric and bass guitar and he also played the guitar for his song “Can’t Lose.”
His prominence is rising and the artist is not afraid to explain his love for music and speak to publications about his musical direction. He has sat down to conduct interviews with Notion magazine and appeared on the Issue 2 ‘Growth’ for Gaucho World.
The boy from Brent to the culture icon of our generation. Raheem Sterling MBE he deserves a very special mention. His footballing ability puts him above the rest His public fight for equality put his foot on the medias necks. A baller for Man City and definitely a fan favourite. He was out of form when the Euros was due to start. With pundits and analysts saying he wouldn’t make his mark. But we all believed that he would rise to the occasion.
3 goals 1 assist he’s England’s man in form. 3 lions on his shirt but Jamaica he was born.
He’s leaving a stellar legacy for all of us to see. With Ian Wright singing his praises on big big ITV. At 26 he is already a role model, To his kids, school kids and many more hes a young mogul. Wembley tattood on his arm, he already knew his destiny. To see his dreams come true, it does nothing to bring out the best in him.
They are afraid of things they do not understand. In his early years the papers tried their best to bring him down. But greatness can’t be stifled out. A young black king used his talent and voice to make us all proud. Raheem Sterling MBE say his name, our role model. We are all proud
Women’s football is always a side of football that is painfully and constantly overlooked by the media and the public. In recent years there have been a lot more attention shown towards women’s football. However, the fight for equal pay, the lack of broadcasting and many more adversities is still prevalent within the women’s game. In more recent years, there has been more limelight and attention shone towards women’s football. The widely popular football game FIFA has started to incorporate playable women’s football teams within the game. This was seen as a major attempt to incorporate the normality of women’s football within the mainstream game.
We have started to see the slow incorporation of women within the mainstream aspect of football. This can be seen with the introduction of women’s linesmen within the Premier league. Along with female TV Broadcasters such as Alex Scott MBE on mainstream platforms such as BBC Football and Sky Sports.
3Lance Media are doing something ground-breaking for women’s football with their new documentary. Highlighting the issues that women face within the game. This documentary shows a real insight into how women within football are treated. The documentary contains in depth interviews with footballers, coaches and female journalists detailing the issues within the game.
Bella Andrew Artha – Footballer for Victoria Park Vixens – “Boys don’t stop playing football but for some reason there is this bracket for girls where if it’s not boys then football is not a thing.”
Episode 1 of the documentary titled ‘Sexism and Sexuality’ dropped on 29 March 2021 with 3Lance Media providing the opportunity for viewers to hear about the level of sexism within the world of women’s football. This is explained with experiences and stories from all aspects of the game. One worrying fact is that all those interviewed, including fans, players and coaches share the same story and same voice. Prompting the world of football to change the misogynistic attitude towards the women’s game.
Drew Diamond – board member “HerFootballHub” – ‘women are one of the most powerful things on this planet, we are here because of women.’
Episode 2 – “Broadcasting Issues” was released on 5 April 2021 and it includes shocking facts regarding the broadcasting issues that women’s football faced. With a clear spike in viewers at the previous Women’s World Cup of over 28 million viewers. There was then a sudden dip in viewers once the World Cup had come to an end. Signifying that there is a major issue with how women’s football is being broadcasted and advertised for viewers to remain interested and watching within club teams domestic seasons.
‘The World Cup was good for legitimating women’s football… what we need to do now is make sure there is a knock on effect for broadcasters and sponsors to invest’ – Maggie Murphy – Manager of Lews FC. As the documentary progresses we are shown how the previous women’s World Cup was widely watched across the globe. Womens football now need to get backed and given more limelight by major brands and broadcasters in order to raise the women’s games profile to the higher heights.
The documentary goes on to reveal that a lot of the footballers within the game have other careers such as lawyers, running care homes and many more. The fact they are willing to work and play football at a high level shows the passion that is very much apparent within the game. This in itself is something that needs to be highlighted and many of the players need to reap the rewards for their loyalty and passion towards the sport.
This docuseries which is released on a weekly basis by 3Lance Media is a refreshing and much needed documentation of the women’s side to the game we all love. Highlighting that society needs to change their views and catch up to the reality that women do like sport and are very good at it. It’s time that women are put on an equal playing field as men on the pitch and off it.
Its been a while since my last post. During this pandemic, it is essential to step back and focus on the important things such as health and our well-being.
ARSENAL WINNING THE FA CUP IS A HIGHLIGHT OF MY LOCKDOWN
4 months into lockdown and I had enough. I took the plunge and cut my hair off. After 4 years of growth, canerows, twists and plaits it was time for something new.
HERE WE GO
Coming out of lockdown feeling like a new man. A man with waves (SOON)!
The anticipation of barbers opening up in July really got to me. My hair felt like it was heavy, hard to maintain and I genuinely didn’t know what else to do with my hair as I had done every style I liked (except locs).
FROM CANEROWS & PLAITS TO SEMI WAVES
Seeing every guys before and after lockdown pics once they got out the barbershop was too appealing for me not to have a similar experience.
Barbers are the true magicians in this world. Make sure they are well looked after so they can look after our heads! The confidence felt after a trim is unmatched. You mentally go from a 4 before you sit in the chair to a 10 once you step out the barbershop.
We’re back with something a little different this week. In this weeks interview styled blog I spoke to Caleb (footballer, poet, trainer, musician, developing producer, and more) about his locs journey. If you’re thinking about growing or even cutting your locs keep reading! We had chat about his local journey, his hairstyle preferences and what convinced him to cut his locs altogether! Its worth the read trust me – so lets get into it!
1. What made you want to start growing locs? Since I’ve known myself, I haven’t had short hair for a long period of time. When I reached 18 onwards, my hair required more maintenance as it had grown very long (plus I was exercising daily). My mum has had locs for more than a decade I believe so I was swayed by her long, well-maintained locs, to some degree. When it comes down to it, however, I believe I actually got locs for practicality. Whilst at uni, I learnt how to maintain and style my own hair (twists, plaits, and semi-decent buns), but it just became too much to worry about. 06/01/2018 was the exact date I converted to locs. I was in my final year of uni and the busiest I’d ever been in my life, juggling education and many other things I had going on. I did not want my hair to add stress to my schedule. I think I had to throw myself into growing it as thinking too much has stifling the chance of going through the process.
2. How long did you grow your locs for?
I had my locs for 2 years, 7 weeks and 6 days. So, I cut my locs on 28/02/2020.
THATS A LONG TIME DARG
3. Did you prefer the locs styles that were available? I couldn’t do many locs styles when I started as I lost about half my hair length. So for most of my final year in uni, it was messy thick locs. I attempted my first style in June 2018 when I went on holiday. All I can say was that was the worst hair experience I have and most probably will ever have. My hair was so short but was stretched into a very nice cornrow style. I actually cried. Not sobbed. Cried. The shear pain makes water escape your eyes within seconds of pain. Nearer to the end of my locs’ life, they grew quite long, so I got loads of different styles every time I redid my hair. Going to see my loctician went from being filled with apprehension to joy.
The pain was reeaaal !!
4. How did locs make your head feel? were they heavy? Was it a trouble to sleep at night? How did they feel playing football? In the summer did it make your head hot? As you can imagine, this was all dependent on the length on my locs. When I started it felt light and I had a lot of pain sleeping because my scalp was so tender after a retwisting as I started with INTER-LOCKING! Sleeping was easy with a durag. I moved to Finland for football in July 2018 and my hair was just about too short for a ponytail, so training, matches and daily exercise were a task (understatement). In pictures from my team, my locs look like they were never in a hairband, but they started in one. Once my hair grew past my ears and eyes, it became a lot easier to maintain. I could finally see the realistic sizes and relation between each loc so could better prepare my hair for football. Sleeping was easy with loc-specific headwraps. Summer was PAINFUL! Everyone with short hair is throwing water over their heads during the games, and I maybe had a fresh style which I couldn’t do that with. Football itself would mess up my hair. Winter was easier as your head was always warm, but I had to make sure I thoroughly dried my thiccc locs as they would hold on to water so much.
5. How much were you paying for your locs to be redone? What a painful question. My mum actually started my locs and this caused a lot of discrepancies in the prices I paid. For the first year of locs, I was inter-locking and then went to palm-rolling. I started with a well known loctician in Walthamstow who charged £50 a session and an extra £10 when I wanted to style. I tried Morris Roots too, but the travel mixed with the extra £20 wasn’t for me. I do appreciate them for shaving my caterpillar like locs though. I finally moved away from this loctician and began to train my hair differently with the infamous Purely Natural in Stratford. They began to palm roll my locs and encouraged them to grow more. Here I paid anything from £60 to £90 every 6-8 weeks.
MAN SAID £98?! COMPARED TO A TRIM FOR £10 😂
6. How painful was the process? The first year was extremely painful. Inter-locking was tough because my mum had made my locs very thick and inter-locking the thickest locs was painful enough to make me want to rip off my scalp. The rest of process was fairly painless. A few tight palm rolled styles gave me an intermittent headache for a day or too but with some paracetamol, I was ok to work and play football etc. Overall, if you start well, it will continue well.
MISS ME WITH IT!
7. Why did you cut your locs? Many have asked me and if you read the above questions you would probably be asking why I didn’t cut them earlier. They did become part of me. Part of my identity. Part of my image. One of the main reasons was one extremely thick loc hit my eye one evening. I’m not sure why, but that made me so angry, I said yes, it’s time LOL. Otherwise, I started getting tired of the maintenance and money spending. I always felt like I was personally moving into a new chapter in life. In a few months I was going to be 24 and couldn’t remember myself with short-er hair. I also liked when I got flat cornrow styles with my locs that made me look like I had short hair. One day, I just woke up and said I’m going to do it today.
CLEAN ERREDAY MII WAKE UP
8. Do you miss having locs? NO. NO. NO. Listen I had my time, but the freedom I have now is amazing. I must admit though, I see pics of styles I had or others with locs and think back it. Then I get a bit of clarity and say nah. There was a point where I would have never cut my hair. This again, is why I say I think I’m moving into another chapter because I have NO REGRETS!
9. Would you ever grow your locs back in the future? Yes, God willing I live into my 40s, I would grow locs around that age (hair line or no hair line). I would start in a hairdresser this time.
What’s funny is that I’ve only had one actual trim. The lockdown has caused me to grow an afro. Locs pt2 anyone?
10. What advice would you give to a guy thinking about either growing locs or keeping his hair cut low? If you’re thinking about growing locs, think about why. Locs isn’t an overnight process. Locs mature over months, and dependent on the hair texture, even years. Secondly, the locs you want. This depends mainly on your lifestyle and style preference. Palm rolling is the most common style where the hair is encouraged to loc in coils. The advantage of this method is that sheen shiny look, neatness, ease in styling and you can actually comb this out without cutting them off Disadvantages mainly lay in the frequency of the visits to the hairdresser which means more money spending. This is because locticians must consistently train the hair to loc whilst palm rolling easily unravels (especially at the roots). Once locked, the main body of the hair will stay locked. Now, inter-locking, my frenemy. Advantages begin with it being an almost instant-locking process. This means that you have less visits with the hairdresser, less money spending and you have more of a licence to be free about your activity level knowing that your roots won’t unravel. Here come those disadvantages! So, if you’re really getting locs as a fashion statement and need all your partings to be precise you may not get that due to the process of inter-locking. When your hair is inter-locked, the hair does not have a coil pattern but rather has a harder slightly frayed rope look. This isn’t necessarily bad, just depends on your taste. You can still style your locs. Another problem I found was that your hair won’t appear to be growing as fast as palm rolling. This is purely based on the actual inter-locking process which involves making a knot at the root of the hair by using the main body of the loc (please YouTube this to see both styles). Finally, with inter-locking, it’s worth getting it done by someone who knows what they’re doing as inter-locking is a very intricate process and if not performed correctly can cause problems with your loc (like holes) once grown further. For my friends who have locs and want to cut them off, I know the only thing that is stopping you is the fear of the unknown! You will be fine; take the step and you will be positively surprised by the freedom and ease you will receive. DO IT!
Saying goodbye to locs with a smile on his face
There you have it folks! An interesting loc journey that lasted for 2 years with a possibility of returning in the future. I hope that enjoyed the read! If you have any questions about starting or cutting your locs please let me know in the comments BELOW!
SONG OF THE WEEK
AJ TRACEY FT MOSTACK – DINNER GUEST IS OUR SONG OF THE WEEK! ITS A BOP! AND THE SAMPLED BEAT IS A SONG WE ALL LOVE!
Ayy Akon really predicted the future when he released THAT banger 10 years ago because we are seriously Locked Up!
I know those shades hide the Quarantine pain in his eyes
This is just a short light hearted blog to give you guys something to read while you chill at home.
This lockdown has got us all moving nuts! I didnt think I would miss my barber so much! Durags are life savers at this time. While our hair grows, our boredom grows BUT so does our natural level of creativity to make the best out of a bad situation. Ask Tory Lanez. #QuarantineRadio
We have seen many artists perform at home through insta live, we have also seen artists have sound clashes and lets not forget the impact the #NS10v10 clashes are doing for the culture right now.
Its crazy how we have unlocked our hidden talents over the past 6 weeks of lockdown. Twitter has shown us that we can ALL cook! So ladies, you know the mandem have got you in the kitchen if you want a little home cooked meal. @WHYBLEACH set black Twitter into dissaray with his school cake prices. I even copied his pineapple glazed wings and they were WAVEYY!
Our favourite artists have dropped mixtapes, singles and features for our own entertainment. Skepta, Chip & Young Adz’s collab album dropped, Yxng Bane new mixtape dropped and Drake released a new tape! So despite the fact that we are physically bored – we have somewhat been mentally stimulated.
PS4 nights and parties have gone off! Dead gamers have been found out and I think everyone is now sick of Fifa 20!! (EA do better). Couples that live apart have turned to Soulja Boys banger “Kiss Me Thru The Phone” for comfort during these times
One thing we can look forward to is the new opportunities presented to us and the new appreciation for things in life when we are finally allowed out of quarantine. But for now, hang in there, keep cooking, keep doing the 5k challenge (summer body 2021 at this rate LOL) and we will all catch each other in a rave on the other side! Stay safe
Skepta has become synonymous with the UK’s music scene. Whether its grime, rap, Afro swing or pop he has cemented himself as a landmark within the genre.
His history speaks for itself but how does he fare on an album with such a diverse cast? Very Very well.
Young Adz and Chip are both artists at the height of their careers however both their strengths (displayed on this tape at least) are at polar opposites. Chip is a no holds barred lyricist and will be relentless when it comes to strapping bars for a beat, young adz however has been supplying the scene with melodic hooks for 2-3 summers and doesn’t not seem to be slowing down one bit.
This is where Skepta comes in, his versatility is what forms a bridge between the three artists. Certain tracks have him offering hard hittin verses like the opening lines of ‘Sin City ‘
‘I had big waps, hurt my wrist from the kick back Click-clack, roll up on ’em in the pitch black Switching sides, now a nigga wanna switch back Said I ain’t a p***y, I was talking big facts’
He can also switch it up like on the hook of the smooth and rightly titled ‘Golden Brown.’
On the track ‘Demons’ he shows how he is able to mirror other artist styles and make them his own effortlessly.
One of my favourite things about Skepta as an artist, is his ability to flex in ways that most can’t which he has been doing since his grime days. In the insomnia interlude he raps:
‘Yeah, huh, how can I fall asleep when I’m on this FaceTime with Nao— shh’
Such a simple line but such a big FLEX! If you know you know…or you could just check rap genius lol.
Wether its melodies, lyrical verses or just calm vibes the versatility that has kept him relevant through the different eras of the UK scene shines through as he never feels out of place anywhere on the album.
Second up on this trilogy project is Young Adz. One half of DBE Young Adz is known for bringing the Wave music into the UK scene with the likes of M Huncho, Yxng Bane and Nafe Smallz. Young Adz has been known as a barrer in his earlier days but focuses more on melodies now.
The big question that most fans had when they heard about this joint project, was whether he would be able to hold his own with the lyrical abilities of Skepta and Chip. Young Adz was able to deliver.
While he may not have been as lyrically inclined in the project as Chip and Skepta, he was able to hold his own with the content delivered and the flows used and of course with his ability to turn any melody into a hit. This is highlighted in the lead single ‘Waze’. Whilst when the song first dropped many weren’t sure about whether it was a hit or not, after a week all doubts were diminished. Young Adz’s hook is one of the reasons for this. His ability to make anything catchy is unparalleled.
It is well known that Young Adz has a Greezy past. This is ever more prevalent in this tape. The content he talks about is more of an insight into his past and is a fresh brake from the content he is known for on his songs.
We hear more of Young Adz’s pain and trauma from his life on the roads. His verse on the song ‘High Roads’ shows this. His first line ‘I watched my favourite fiend Donna die’ holds extreme weight as you come to the realisation that not only did it impact him, he was the cause of her death. His delivery and flow on this verse really helps the words sink in and is definitely a stand out on the project.
In ‘Insomnia interlude’ we get more of the old Young Adz with the content we have become accustomed to, and it is too wavey. The Flow and Melodies Young Adz hits in that song are extremely catchy and have you bopping your head like the Jay Z meme without realising it.
As said before when this tape was announced, we had our doubts as to whether he would be able to keep up with Skepta and Chip as they have both been deep in the game for so many years. Young Adz did not let himself down and held his own on the project. His spot was well deserved, and he added an element to the project that Chip and Skepta could not have brought.
3 of arguably the biggest UK rappers released the tape of 2020 so far titled “Insomnia”. This 12 track tape brings a variety of bars, hooks and smoke. We haven’t had any sleep since its dropped and now we are going to review the tape. But instead of going track by track we are going to delve into this rapper by rapper. Who gets all the smoke?! Keep reading and you’ll find out!!
CHIP
On a recent Instagram live interview with Michael Dapaah and Chip, Michael Dapaah asked Chip what he wanted his legacy to be when he was finally done with music. Chip coyly stated that when people look back on his career he wants people to say that this guy had bars. That is one undeniable fact about Chips illustrious rap career – he just Cant Run Out Of Bars.
Chip is definitely the star of this Insomnia album. He delivers on every track on the album and switches his flow to match the beat whenever it is necessary. He has proven to be one of the most lyrically gifted rappers in the country on this album as he goes back to back with Skepta and Young Adz who are arguably at the top of their game right now.
Chip shows his ruthlessness in verse on the track “Waze” and drops many quotable phrases such as “these days mcs only say they’re the best when they are the only ones in the room.” Bars like this have brought about a big buzz publicly, on social media and even by Americans in recent reaction videos. Check out a reaction video for the song “Waze” below.
The trio dropped the music video for the track “Mains” recently, this song is a personal favourite of mine. Chip’s flow and wordplay over this beat solidifies his talent – he even borrows Young Adz style and switches back to his own effortlessly.
“Three piece suit, I look like someone’s husband, don’t be fooled, I don’t cufflinks” – this bar is found on the 2nd song of the album titled Golden Brown, where we hear Chip give a reflection on life and gives a quirky outlook on how he sets his own path rather than follow one.
“Chips just cool, he’s not a goon (that’s facts) but I’ll lick you with the violent rhymes” Chip spits this on his verse on Demons (feat Dirtbike LB) and that’s a fact – if you look back to all his war dubs a few years ago. This tune has 10000x replay value!
ST Tropez is a VIBEEE!! Skeppy, Young Adz and Chip all delivered on this one. The beat really draws out the natural talent of these rappers to flow and rhyme going back to back in such an effortless manner.
This is basically chip’s album because he is spinning niggas 🔥🔥
Chip delivers a smoother, more melodic flow over Mic Check which fits well with this beat. It shows a softer more versatile to Chips pen game.
Traumatised looks at a darker side of life for the 3 rappers and what they deal with outside of the music industry. Chip makes reference to PTSD and allows us to have an insight into how deep things can get. Sin City follows a similar subject path with Chip rhyming on the past and how he found his path to music. “I said dad I wanna rap cus I want all the things that the shottas have.” The lyrics for this one are deep which is why the trio released a lyric video for this track. Highlighting the importance of the message they are preaching on this one.
High road – “I miss the days where if you couldn’t rap you DIDN’T.” Chip deservedly gives himself his own accolades on this one. Solidifying the fact that he was there from the beginning and is an example of how hard work can improve your life for the better.
Star In The Hood – “call me a legend when they see me, my nigga I aint even gotta die” – If you go through Chips discovery and the impact he has left on the scene over the past 13 years – you would HAVE to call it legendary.
Intro – put at the end of the album, and what a way to end it! A quck back to back from the trio with Chips line ending on “don’t need a pot, just whipping an m in the booth.”
Words On The Mic 