I realise that the last article included no UK artists so here's a couple of individuals who will surely be bringing a touch of class to the airwaves this year.
Devlin (Island Records/Universal)
Ended the year on a high, the recently released "Bud, Sweat and Beers" was probably the most original grime album to be released that year; naked emotion softened with catchy, easy going backing tracks made for a really interesting listen. With a style that can best be described as 'raw', Devlin has managed to burst into the mainstream without having to dilute his material - much to the pleasure of many grime fans.
As collaborations with Xample and Labrinth come to fruition, the kid from Dagenham will surely pick up where he left off in 2010.
Wretch 32 (Ministry Of Sound)
After numerous attempts from 1Xtra, Wretch 32 was finally forced upon the masses through his debut single "Traktor". Listeners could be forgiven for likening the track to one Mr Tempah, but make this comparison at your own peril; Wretch goes harder, thinks deeper and means more than Tinie ever will. I've heard Wretch being described as "your favourite rapper's favourite rapper" and, after a peak of the upcoming album, I'm of the belief that this young man fits the description well.
Ed Sheeran (Atlantic Records)
Probably the most unconventional 'rapper' I have heard in a long time. His recently released collaboration project with a number of grime heavyweights demonstrates an impressive versatility that makes every track sound like a hit. The best thing about Ed, in my opinion, is the incredible amount of soul he brings to his delivery; slick chorus' combined with unbelievable verses. This man and his acoustic guitar are going places in 2011.
P-Money (Avalanche Music)
Less likely to be part of the commercial scene in 2011 but, from a listeners perspective, this isn't neccessarily a bad thing. P-Money has been slowly climbing to the top of grime tree and whilst he may not have a number one any time soon, his raw style and impressive verses are a monument to the current state of the underground scene. For anyone interested in where mainstream UK Hip-Hop comes from, go and check out P.
Tuesday 25 January 2011
Friday 14 January 2011
Breaking Through: Big in 2011
A quick look at a few artists that could be making big moves in 2011.
Drake (Young Money Records)
Not exactly unheard of, especially since his appearance on Rhianna's new track What's My Name but 'Drizzy' will look to dominate in 2011. Hailed as Lil Wayne's protege, Drake offers a similar style of delivery with a fresh perspective. His debut album Thank Me Later was, in my opionion, one of the better albums of the year; full of crisp lyrics and produced by some of the most respected artists in the game - this was an album filled with depth and talent. Young Money Records will be big this year.
J. Cole (Roc-Nation)
Recently signed by Jay-Z, Cole's slightly unconventional flow is refreshing to hear. The best thing about J. Cole is that he produces his own beats; his debut track Who Dat was self-produced - shunning the likes of Jay and Kanye to go at it alone. Cole has shown an impressive ability to be self-sufficient, holding his own behind the boards as well as in the booth - a dual talent not seen since one Mr West emerged on the scene.
In In The Morning Ft. Drake, J raps "god bless the child that can hold his own" and he is definitely practicing what he preaches. I can not wait for his album to drop.
Jay Electronica (Roc-Nation)
Argued to be the strongest rapper on the label at the moment, this man is slightly unknown in the UK, but not for long. With producers such as Just Blaze fighting his corner, Jay Electronica is making rap critics across the globe sit up and take notice. With so little released at the moment it is hard to imagine Jay Electronica being a household name by the end of 2011 but with tracks such as Exhibit C and Rennaisance Man it's hard to see how any lovers of hip-hop will not be drawn to this man; slick beats and a style reminiscent of a young Nas - truly enjoyable tracks.
Mac Miller (Rostrum Records)
Not an artist I expect to be appearing on the radio stations any time soon but an excellent introduction nevertheless. Miller provides anthems for the stoner generation, offering a style that would best be describe as 'Skater Hip-Hop'; think early Lupe Fiasco or a better Asher Roth. An album release in the near future doesn't look imminent but his mixtape, K.I.D.S provides quality listening in the meantime.
Diggy Simmons (Atlantic Records)
For anyone who thinks that Willow Smith's feats were impressive for her age, try listening to this young man. Son of Rev Run, Diggy has obviously had alot of opportunities that many unsigned artists could only dream about. This however is what makes Diggy special in my eyes; he makes sure that everything that comes out of his mouth has purpose, constantly trying to prove his worth in the hip-hop community. The boy shows incredible lyricism and flow in a series of freestyle's and shows that for a little man, he is more than capable of making a big noise.
Drake (Young Money Records)
Not exactly unheard of, especially since his appearance on Rhianna's new track What's My Name but 'Drizzy' will look to dominate in 2011. Hailed as Lil Wayne's protege, Drake offers a similar style of delivery with a fresh perspective. His debut album Thank Me Later was, in my opionion, one of the better albums of the year; full of crisp lyrics and produced by some of the most respected artists in the game - this was an album filled with depth and talent. Young Money Records will be big this year.
J. Cole (Roc-Nation)
Recently signed by Jay-Z, Cole's slightly unconventional flow is refreshing to hear. The best thing about J. Cole is that he produces his own beats; his debut track Who Dat was self-produced - shunning the likes of Jay and Kanye to go at it alone. Cole has shown an impressive ability to be self-sufficient, holding his own behind the boards as well as in the booth - a dual talent not seen since one Mr West emerged on the scene.
In In The Morning Ft. Drake, J raps "god bless the child that can hold his own" and he is definitely practicing what he preaches. I can not wait for his album to drop.
Jay Electronica (Roc-Nation)
Argued to be the strongest rapper on the label at the moment, this man is slightly unknown in the UK, but not for long. With producers such as Just Blaze fighting his corner, Jay Electronica is making rap critics across the globe sit up and take notice. With so little released at the moment it is hard to imagine Jay Electronica being a household name by the end of 2011 but with tracks such as Exhibit C and Rennaisance Man it's hard to see how any lovers of hip-hop will not be drawn to this man; slick beats and a style reminiscent of a young Nas - truly enjoyable tracks.
Mac Miller (Rostrum Records)
Not an artist I expect to be appearing on the radio stations any time soon but an excellent introduction nevertheless. Miller provides anthems for the stoner generation, offering a style that would best be describe as 'Skater Hip-Hop'; think early Lupe Fiasco or a better Asher Roth. An album release in the near future doesn't look imminent but his mixtape, K.I.D.S provides quality listening in the meantime.
Diggy Simmons (Atlantic Records)
For anyone who thinks that Willow Smith's feats were impressive for her age, try listening to this young man. Son of Rev Run, Diggy has obviously had alot of opportunities that many unsigned artists could only dream about. This however is what makes Diggy special in my eyes; he makes sure that everything that comes out of his mouth has purpose, constantly trying to prove his worth in the hip-hop community. The boy shows incredible lyricism and flow in a series of freestyle's and shows that for a little man, he is more than capable of making a big noise.
Danny Byrd - Rave Digger (Hospitality Records)
Danny Byrd breaks onto our radio stations with his first real commercial album, Rave Digger and as the album title might suggest, Mr Byrd isn’t taking himself too seriously. The album is all about good fun and in my mind is homage to early rave culture; expect vocal beauty and energetic beats (if in doubt listen to Moonwalker).
As in most Hospitality albums, the production and flow of the album are just as important as the track itself. Byrd recognises this and sets out his intentions from the start with Ill Behaviour; creating the perfect invite into the world of Rave Digger. This is closely followed up by collaboration with Hospitality new boy Netsky in the intensely uplifting Tonight which could possibly be the stand-out track of the album. Other notable mentions include the addictively trance-y Sweet Harmony and We Can Have it All – which has Radio One written all over it.
Overall, Rave Digger is an album that will undoubtedly keep you moving throughout the festive period. Despite this, the content itself reminds me of a kid on Christmas morning; it’s lively, it’s fun and it’s full of excitement but eventually it will grind you down and lose it’s fresh-faced appeal.
Verdict: 3.5 / 5
As in most Hospitality albums, the production and flow of the album are just as important as the track itself. Byrd recognises this and sets out his intentions from the start with Ill Behaviour; creating the perfect invite into the world of Rave Digger. This is closely followed up by collaboration with Hospitality new boy Netsky in the intensely uplifting Tonight which could possibly be the stand-out track of the album. Other notable mentions include the addictively trance-y Sweet Harmony and We Can Have it All – which has Radio One written all over it.
Overall, Rave Digger is an album that will undoubtedly keep you moving throughout the festive period. Despite this, the content itself reminds me of a kid on Christmas morning; it’s lively, it’s fun and it’s full of excitement but eventually it will grind you down and lose it’s fresh-faced appeal.
Verdict: 3.5 / 5
Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Roc-A-Fella Records)
Mr Ego returns with his 5th album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and while 808’s and Heartbreaks was considered a flop by many hip-hop purists, there was a silver lining; the D.O.A (Death of Auto tune) was called for by self-styled ‘big brother’ Jay-Z. Kanye took heed and this album reveals a new side of Chicago’s favourite rapper, exhibiting raw lyrical talent and elements of aggression previously not seen.
For many ‘Yeezy’ fans awaiting the album, Mr West provided some solace by releasing collaborative material via his website, known as The G.O.O.D. Friday project. Kanye seemed to be better than ever, combining his undeniable production skills with verses full of passion and versatility; displaying the kind lyricism that most fell in love with. The G.O.O.D. Friday project had purpose.
With this in mind I was expecting the album to be raw hip-hop, full of energy, beat-driven and most importantly strength in depth – a characteristic every great hip-hop album shares and one which I expected My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy to possess. Disappointingly, I was wrong.
This is not to say the album isn’t good. There are elements of the album whereby Kanye moves beyond his best and (albeit briefly) puts himself amongst the hip-hop illuminati he is so desperate to be part of. For me, Devil in a New Dress is undoubtedly Kanye’s masterpiece of the album, think Jay-Z’s The Blueprint and your half way there. This is hip-hop at its finest, seamless flow and a track that compliments it beautifully – one of the best hip-hop tracks Kanye has ever graced us with. Gorgeous featuring Kid CuDi follows suit in terms of hip-hop – stripped down to a guitar riff and a vintage rapping style, leaving the listeners with a track they can’t help but bop their head to.
Power is almost self explanatory and provides both the fire and aggression many were craving. The same goes for Monster which features an impressive cameo from Nicki Minaj, making both Jay-Z and Kanye look amateur; this girl will be massive in 2011. Meanwhile, Blame Game and Runaway replicate a beautiful sadness – held together with melodic perfection, proving that 808’s and Heartbreak wasn’t a complete waste of time.
This, to me, is the problem – the contrasting themes mean that the listener can often get lost in the album and not in a good way. For me, the hip-hop quota is not met with this album; Kanye is able to illustrate his potential to make a timeless track, satisfying both the masses and the purists. In spite of this, West’s work, at times, seems almost lazy, allowing the likes of Devil in a New Dress to brush shoulders with the suspiciously familiar Hell of a Life. The album is able to somewhat display an artistic beauty and does have some brilliant elements of darkness to it however the passion associated with such darkness is, for the most part, a fantasy.
Verdict: 4 / 5
For many ‘Yeezy’ fans awaiting the album, Mr West provided some solace by releasing collaborative material via his website, known as The G.O.O.D. Friday project. Kanye seemed to be better than ever, combining his undeniable production skills with verses full of passion and versatility; displaying the kind lyricism that most fell in love with. The G.O.O.D. Friday project had purpose.
With this in mind I was expecting the album to be raw hip-hop, full of energy, beat-driven and most importantly strength in depth – a characteristic every great hip-hop album shares and one which I expected My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy to possess. Disappointingly, I was wrong.
This is not to say the album isn’t good. There are elements of the album whereby Kanye moves beyond his best and (albeit briefly) puts himself amongst the hip-hop illuminati he is so desperate to be part of. For me, Devil in a New Dress is undoubtedly Kanye’s masterpiece of the album, think Jay-Z’s The Blueprint and your half way there. This is hip-hop at its finest, seamless flow and a track that compliments it beautifully – one of the best hip-hop tracks Kanye has ever graced us with. Gorgeous featuring Kid CuDi follows suit in terms of hip-hop – stripped down to a guitar riff and a vintage rapping style, leaving the listeners with a track they can’t help but bop their head to.
Power is almost self explanatory and provides both the fire and aggression many were craving. The same goes for Monster which features an impressive cameo from Nicki Minaj, making both Jay-Z and Kanye look amateur; this girl will be massive in 2011. Meanwhile, Blame Game and Runaway replicate a beautiful sadness – held together with melodic perfection, proving that 808’s and Heartbreak wasn’t a complete waste of time.
This, to me, is the problem – the contrasting themes mean that the listener can often get lost in the album and not in a good way. For me, the hip-hop quota is not met with this album; Kanye is able to illustrate his potential to make a timeless track, satisfying both the masses and the purists. In spite of this, West’s work, at times, seems almost lazy, allowing the likes of Devil in a New Dress to brush shoulders with the suspiciously familiar Hell of a Life. The album is able to somewhat display an artistic beauty and does have some brilliant elements of darkness to it however the passion associated with such darkness is, for the most part, a fantasy.
Verdict: 4 / 5
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