Every morning the sunlight peering through the window shines clarity on the goals we wish to achieve by the time we find ourselves back in bed. This clarity, often tender and fleeting, however, is constantly jolted away by the hailstorm of notifications that await us by the bedside table. As a result, many of those goals are left unattained and we enter into a cycle of dullness and inactivity. Skepta’s 5th studio album ‘Ignorance is Bliss’ is a testament to what one can achieve when they do choose to block out all the artificial light and focus on themselves.

Ignorance is Bliss, the highly anticipated follow up to Skepta’s 2016 Mercury Prize winning Konnichiwa, is not about breaking down doors and introducing the world to Skepta and the sounds of London. He has already done that. Rather, Joseph Junior Adenuga wants the listener to see Ignorance is Bliss as a palette of all the things that have molded him into the individual he is today.

Throughout the album, Skepta, now 33, offers an introspective look at his ability to balance the virtues and vices of his everyday life. The 13 tracks eloquently juxtapose the inner peace that comes from fatherhood, hard work and solitude with the demons of burning out, industry rivalries and heartbreak. The masterful production on the album which is almost entirely done by Skepta himself allows him to shape the stories in a way that feels most natural. The beats highlight their own sophistication by not clouding over the forceful and introspective nature of the lyrics. This complementary essence is a testament to the time and attention dedicated by Skepta and his long-time friend and music engineer MsM to ensure the coherence of the sounds. Through this, Skepta is able to display a sense of composure that affirms his status as a mature, astute musical artist rather than a one-dimensional grime MC.

Ignorance is Bliss — (Album Cover)

Throughout the album, Skepta gives the listener a glimpse into the blurred lines of vulnerability and self-respect that often accompany success. Having in many regards reached the pinnacle of the UK music scene, Skepta seeks to reconcile this new found comfort which comes from self-stability with the underdog psychosis that has helped him climb all the steps. Tracks such as ‘No Sleep’ a hard-hitting beat with ear piercing sonics, much like those of the dreadful morning alarm clock, cement Skepta’s dedication to his craft by presenting the artist’s path as one with little time for rest. His journey has taken him to a destination in which the lines between reality and dreams slowly bleed into one another and the inability to distinguish between sleep and wakefulness becomes a part of ordinary life.

The track ‘Glow in the Dark,’ perhaps one of the most impactful on the album, establishes Skepta as a light that cannot be dimmed. In sharp contrast to his early start in the dark, underground UK grime scene, Skepta’s success in illuminating grime on an international level has seen him ‘break America’ and pave the way for the younger generation of British hip hop artists to go global. With this, Skepta is afforded the luxury of being able to go dark and distance himself from the music scene whenever he so wishes all the while glowing as a transcending presence in UK culture as a whole.

This combination, one that is reserved for a select few in the music industry, signifies both Skepta’s authenticity and his self awareness. For him the bravado of displaying one’s status through wealth, social media or popular culture is unimportant. Skepta’s often reserved nature, doing few public appearances and sporting predominantly black and non-flamboyant clothing, presents a picture of alignment between his music and his personal life. Through this Skepta is able to show us that one can be just as commanding through humility and solitude from social media as through boastfulness and constant attention.

Bullet from a Gun — Music Video (Youtube)

On Ignorance is Bliss, Skepta wants the listener to know that his artistry is not a thing that can be isolated into a single genre and neither are the things that govern our lives. Whether it be parenthood, love, fear, success, the distinctions and lines we create for ourselves are often much more blurred than we take them to be. Everything is bleeding into one another and our attitudes towards one are sure to affect our attitudes towards the other. As a result, it is on us to recognize that it takes effort to be fully in control of our emotions and our demons. In today’s society it might even require momentary solitude. However, it is only by doing so and turning inwards that we are able to come into contact with our honest and genuine selves and find alignment amongst our daily goals, responsibilities and beliefs. This is what fully enables us to live life on our terms and to find time for self-actualization.