Why Do We Ignore British Rap?

Part Two: What To Be Excited About Now

It’s easy to complain about the past, but if British rap is going to have any chance of breaking into mainstream recognition, it needs to be consistent. Luckily, over the past few months, it has been. Some of the biggest names in a new generation of British hip hop are on their second album cycle. Success at this stage is crucial, not just for the artists, but for the country’s respect in general.

British rap could easily become a fad of the late 2010’s, or something that lives on as a legitimate subgenre in what is rapidly becoming the most popular music in the world. Every album I talk about here is a sophomore effort. It’s critical that these big name, high charting artists continue to hold those titles. We saw how long it took for Skepta to break over the Atlantic Ocean, and it seems like that break might have happened too late in his career. Konnichiwa was Skepta’s fourth studio album and came out when he was 34.

In this piece, I’m focusing on rappers who are coming from successful debut albums and working in an element of national fame. We’ve all heard the “fame album” in one version or another, but the struggles these young artists are facing come in a new environment during the rise of British hip hop. Between Boris’ Brexit and enduringly race-fueled press coverage, the ecosystem these artists are working in as both unique and disturbingly familiar.

J HUS — Big Conspiracy

You might recognize the name from his feature on Dave’s PSYCHODRAMA, but J Hus is a huge act in his own right. He has the Drake co-sign I mentioned with Dave last week. Drake brought the rapper out during his London show, only hours after Hus’ release from prison.

Even though it’s only his second album, Big Conspiracy feels like a comeback. Much of this feeling is fueled from J Hus’ 2018 prison sentence for knife possession. This was not the first legal battle for Hus. The artist was jailed several times in the first half of the 2010.

The paranoia of multiple sentences and his own stabbing in 2016 are a crucial theme in the new project.

“If it walk like an opp / Talk like an opp / Smell like an opp / Then it must be”

That is the main hook on the lead single of the album. The lack of trust for anyone in or around his circle continues through 13 songs (40 min).

Sonically, J Hus separates himself from other UK rappers by leaning into an “Afroswing” sound. His music blends the UK hip hop elements (drill/grime) with dancehall and afropop. His debut album, Common Sense was released in 2017 to a top five charting performance and birthed two hit singles (Did You See and Bouff Daddy) that exhibited his musical taste uncompromisingly to the domestic mainstream.

2020’s Big Conspiracy was released suddenly after much of the track list was leaked online. It’s a sharpening of many of the sounds that Hus brought to Sense, but with that added dose of paranoia.

J Hus’ genre-blending continues the new project. It’s like he heard every sound that has made even a guest appearance in contemporary UK rap, and blends them into a seamless new work. It’s not liked a Lemonade or Isolation (both great projects), where the artist shows their range by trying a new genre each song, every genre is in every song.

It’s a “can’t sit still” album that keeps you moving for all 40 minutes. He spends much of the album turning thoughts from a distrustful parolee into grooving bangers. Hus’ presence and own story have heightened relevance after the UK’s recent drill music ban. How can an artist like J Hus focus on the job of making music with the negative and dangerous climate he’s surrounded by and often caught up in?

Helicopter is the song version of the final scenes of Goodfellas. While cocaine seems to be less involved, suspicion does seem to be impacting every move that J Hus makes after his sentence. The beat will still make you move, but the different samples creeping around the instrumental are particularly nerve-inducing. It’s like you’re dancing in a dimly lit, packed out room, and you can’t stop or else the “opps” will nab you.

This album has been the biggest success of Hus’ career. Despite leaks, a reactionary release with little promotion, and a climate that seems to be built against his success, the album debuted number one on UK charts. It will be interesting to see how Hus’ continually rising fame clashes with his own criminal history and a legal system that’s ready to pounce on his next misstep.

Stormzy — Heavy Is The Head

Stormzy was a huge name in the UK rap rebirth of 2016–17. His debut album, Gang Signs & Prayer was a huge success, debuting at number one and receiving international acclaim. Releasing in the wake of Konnichiwa, Stormzy was conveniently categorized as a grime artist. What holds Prayer together as a full project, however, were R&B and gospel influences that were a benchmark in the musical diversity we see in the British rap game today.

Prayer’s success (UK #1) led to a headlining appearance at Glastonbury, a platform to promote his left-leaning political views, and the funds to start a publishing imprint Merky Books. Unfortunately, Stormzy quickly started to live a story far too common for popular British black figures. His rise in popularity led to controversy, some more legitimate than others. Old tweets from his account raised questions of homophobia, which he quickly apologized for. He also received criticism for only having writers of color under his Merky Books label.

Stormzy addresses the quick fame and blow back he came upon in his new album Heavy is the Head. The cover depicts Stormzy’s bowed head looking at the Banksy-designed bulletproof vest that he wore at his Glastonbury set. Crown is the centerpiece of the album. Like some of the highlights of his debut, Crown displays the rapper’s singing voice on the hook. The track is the most direct response to local critics.

“I done a scholarship for the kids, they said it’s racist / That’s not anti-white, it’s pro-black.”

Stormzy overcomes skepticism about fame-focused sophomore albums. Unlike less successful attempts, Heavy is the Head shows how his fame is unique as a black man in a racially tense country. Bronze mentions the gatekeepers in the music industry and how their age limits them from truly understanding today’s music. The album is also full of hard-hitting rap songs, my personal favorite being Vossi Bop.

Released the day after a conservative victory in a UK election, the album shows the losing side. While he may have success to combat the racism he faces, two million black British people don’t.

Krept & Konan — Revenge Is Sweet

Krept and Konan are a duo from South London. They’re starting to become one of the bigger names in London hip hop, and especially in local drill music. You may know drill from Chief Keef-era Chicago music or its recent resurgence in NYC thanks to rappers like Pop Smoke. British drill popularized after the Chicago movement and blended between traditional drill (deadpan delivery, violent lyrics) and UK Grime (uptempo beats and local slang).

A big part of the duo’s success has been the R&B stylings they bring into their music. Unlike the sing-rapping that has taken over rap charts in the states, Krept and Konan are making more traditional R&B songs with rap verses dropped in here and there. Sometimes the duo will bring in R&B singers to hold a hook (Freak of the Week with Jeremih) sometimes they’ll do it themselves. In 2017, they released two mixtapes, 7 Days and 7 Nights. The former tape was more of a trap/drill album, while Nights was more of a R&B project. They debuted at six and eight on UK charts, respectively.

Like Stormzy, Krept & Konan are at the forefront of UK rap controversy. Because they fall in the drill and road rap category, they have become part of a narrative made by local authorities. The genre has been accused of inciting violence in local communities, simply through the violent lyrics. Konan responded to this criticism with an essay in The Guardian entitled “Music saved my life.” The piece describes drill music as a way out of the violence they grew up with.

The whole situation brings back memories of U.S. debates that now seem dated. Controversies surrounded N.W.A. as they toured their debut album, which included Fuck the Police. Kendrick Lamar included a skit from a Fox News anchor who described rap as doing “more damage to young African Americans than racism in recent years.”

Kendrick’s Pulitzer win felt like a victory against the old guard of music and culture. British rap, and specifically drill, haven’t had that moment yet. Krept & Konan are fighting for that recognition in almost every song. While their interest in R&B hints to a longevity and flexibility that many drill/trap artists lack, the real intrigue stems from their gritty lyricism and menacing beats. 7 Days is the better project of the two tapes and shows the pair at their best.

The rappers idolize soccer stars (I counted four name drops in my first Revenge is Sweet listen) while describing kidnappings and machine gun attacks. Much of their work explains in painful detail the trauma them and their childhood friends are still living with. It reminds me of the latest 2 Chainz album, Rap or Go to the League.

Krept & Konan represent a new generation of UK rappers. Skepta pushed the UK scene overseas, and at times it seems like his relevance is driven more by US collaborations. Krept & Konan are reporting live from the streets of South London. They still deal with the dangers of staying local, Krept was stabbed after a show in 2019. Unlike artists that have found mainstream and overseas success, the brothers don’t yet have an escape from the violence Konan describes in his Guardian piece.