Grime

Week 42: Headie One- Edna

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What a turnaround in fortunes in the life of Headie One. From serving time to having a number-one album. Earlier in the year, he released the “Gang” extended play. It needed to be more trendy among his fanbase as it was too experimental, and they preferred his conventional material. However, Headie decided not to listen to their pleas and pressed on in the same vein with his debut album, and no one can say that it didn’t work as it hit the summit.

Although for me, this was an album of two halves (Once again, the tracks are spoiled by Autotune.), there are some weighty subjects he addresses about his past, struggles in relationships, and his late mother. The album has many guest features, Skepta and Mahalia among them.

On the track “Breathing”, Headie talks about the tension between music and the still alive and well road. This bar alone sums up the song, “In this life that we’re living, you can make the wrong decision, then have to spend longer than you’ve lived stuck in prison”.

I also enjoyed “Parlez-Vous Anglais”, which features Aitch. This song is about making it out of the ends and living the life that your struggle on road is all worth it; as the two of them brag about the life they now have, you can picture them sipping champagne in a penthouse suite of a luxurious hotel in Paris.

I also enjoyed “Everything Nice”, which has stunning vocals by Hailie and sees Headie switch up his delivery and mood with a track about being happy in life and love. This track feels more like Headie sweet-talking a girl to try and win over her affection.

Although I didn’t enjoy the first half of this record, it is worthy of the memory of his late mother, whom the album is named after, and you can see through his lyrics that Edna still inspires him to this day.

Song recommendations: “Everything Nice”, “Parelez-Vous Anglais”, “Breathing”.

8/10

Week Thirty-Six: Nines- Crabs in a Bucket

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I have to admit that I don’t know much about him apart from an incident in Harlesden last year when someone mentioned it in conversation and asked if I knew of him or his music. Anyway, I highly recommend listening to his album because there are some fascinating and gritty stories about his life with some tremendous wordplay chucked in. The album suggests that he is a rapper rather than an MC, of which I wonder if he has ever been the latter in the sense of grime, drill, or garage.

Nines captures your attention from the first track with his best introduction to date out of his previous two albums plus mixtapes. The track features a piano accompanying a horrific story about his father’s cancer diagnosis, seeing his friends getting sent down for life, not having material ready to give to major labels, and declining to appear at several festivals. He also yearns for freedom from that period, and how he feels trapped despite his current success. This isn’t just any old intro; this is an intro where the artist reveals, in this case, Courtney Freckleton rather than just Nines. “Intro” just blew my mind, and I have to say that I think it is up there as one of the most revealing tracks I’ve heard from an artist.

I also discovered that Nines is no small-time player in the game within the confines of the UK hip-hop scene, and that shows with the various features on the record who are the major players. Again, the contributing artists used impressive wordplay and told stories to make your ears prick up.

Much of the album uses samples from various hip-hop classics, mainly from America. He even chucks in a few 2Pac bars from his 1995 “Me Against the World” track. I believe the track in question is called “Lights” and uses the sample of Kool & the Gang’s “Summer Madness”.

As you know, I can’t stand interludes because they are often just throwaways, but there’s something about “Stalker Interlude”. Yes, it starts with Nines receiving a phone call from some next crazy woman asking why he hasn’t answered her fifteen calls. Still, he starts talking about the trials and tribulations of being caught up with women who act this way and even says to the lady in question that she’s a gold digger, but she isn’t the only one this song is aimed at. He talks about those who only want him as a boyfriend for his status and money and how he had problems with younger women and even posh women. An interlude I will listen to again and again. 

“All Stars 2” impressed me not just for Nines but for the story Clavish delivered, where he boasts about being on a Nines album when all others had doubted he was even worthy to appear on his mixtapes, let alone one of his albums. It’s a friendly little reminder for his haters to hear for eternity.

The album ends with no surprises: “Outro”, and just like “Intro”, it is every bit as compelling with the storytelling. Here, Nines addresses that he was once one of many crabs in a bucket and is now in high-profile business meetings. It is pretty refreshing to hear that even though he is now a made man, he still keeps it 100 by still living in Harlesden, rather than leaving at the first chance like one of his friends did.

Of course, there are drawbacks to the record; I especially hate using the dreaded autotune, so I didn’t listen to seven of the tracks. Despite that, “Crabs in a Bucket” offers more than his previous two albums, as Nines remains on the same topic throughout—his life. The listener discovers more than just his alter-ego, and it is always great to hear a rapper talk about their life outside of the business and what they have experienced and are like, from their strengths to their weaknesses to their vices.

Song recommendations: “Intro”, “Lights”, “Stalker Interlude”

8/10

Week Five: J Hus- Big Conspiracy

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4000

It has been a very testing time for the vocalist from Stratford since the release of his debut album “Common Sense”, which charted at No.6 in the main chart and secured the top spot in the R&B chart. However, on this record, he doesn’t really talk about any of his personal problems during the past two years or so. If anything, this record is much wiser for a kid that is only twenty-three years old. Whatever it is that he was dealing with has seen him come out on the other side with a more mature point of view of the world. The debut was more spontaneous and had a sense of “I’ve made it, so I am going to have fun and live fast” attitude to it, whereas his follow-up shows more of his talents, and that he feels a lot more comfortable with the direction, he is heading in with his music.

You notice this from the title track alone and understand the hyperbole surrounding J Hus. Another thing I particularly like about the record is how the producer TSB has made it feel more like a live performance than a recorded record in a studio. I will need to check if the tracks were performed as a live show (albeit not to the public.) rather than the usual method of recording these days. Although this may be his record, the performance of icee tgm catches my ear on the opening two tracks. Especially on “Helicopter”. I recommend looking out for this talented female vocalist in the coming year.

She is not the only artist to be collaborating on the record. J Hus has opted to showcase himself more and use only three collaborations with icee tgm, Burna Boy and Koffee. Although some tracks have pop elements to them, their references to guns and sex, like “Play Play” and the very comedic “Cucumber”, might not be deemed radio-friendly enough for the mainstream singles chart.

As the album goes on, it gets darker and darker. I liked “Deeper Than Rap”, as you get a real insight into J’s life through the piano instrumental accompanying his autobiographical story. What is especially good about this record and why it deserved the top spot is that it blends all the sounds associated with the UK through the decades. It is ranging from Jungle, Drum & Bass, Garage, Grime and so forth. With Stormzy and now J Hus already scoring No.1 albums this year, it raises the stakes for other Grime artists to emulate.

9/10

Week Two: Stormzy- Heavy is the Head

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Stormzy-Art-big

I have already done a review on the Croydon rapper’s debut album, “Gang Signs & Prayer”, back in 2017, so I will keep my introduction of Michael Omari short and sweet as I have no reason to do a biography of him for that reason alone. I had a plethora of vinyls and downloaded CDs of Grime, so I do have some knowledge of the scene despite drifting of late. I also don’t know how I first got listening to Stormzy; as for me, he seems to appear without fanfare, but now he has really started to accelerate in his career and is fast becoming a household name across Europe. So, I have been eagerly awaiting for the second album. One thing that struck me upon the release of “Heavy is the Head” is that Stormzy showed his unconditional support of out-going Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and his disdain for current Prime Minister Alexander Johnson, who won by a landslide in the general election last month (In all honesty, I knew the Conservative party would win as politics is a rigged deck, anyway. I don’t believe there is such a thing as democracy in the Western world. It’s all bollocks. I also trust none of the parties nor their politicians.). Where am I going with this? Stormzy has a bar in the lead single “Vossi Bop”, where he attacks the government and the Prime Minister. Kind of like the London 2Pac. I fucking love that attitude. Fuck the establishment and let them know about it.

Like on his debut record, we have the hardened streetwise soldier and the caring lover as he goes from dark beats to slow jam-esque vibes. Although I like “Crown”, I don’t feel that Stormzy has the soulful vocals to do the chorus justice, but fair play to him for even attempting to sing in that manner, anyway. Though, he should leave that to the likes of Romeo, Kano, Devlin, Ed Sheeran and Mighty Moe. The verses though on “Crown” is where he excels and listen carefully to what he has to say in this autobiographical masterpiece.

I will now focus on “Superheroes” as this track is a huge big up to all the leading female figures often overlooked by their male counterparts. He references the Williams sisters, relatively new rapper Little Simz (I say reasonably new because she has been around for a while), and finally, the children’s author Malorie Blackman. It’s refreshing to see a male paying homage to leading female figures in their field, as we are usually guilty of referencing leading figures of our own gender. Also, if you were a fan of the children’s BBC show, the Story of Tracey Beaker, you would love this as the theme song lyrics are sung in the chorus.

Of course, as is the case with most albums, some tracks somehow make it onto the final listing, which really shouldn’t be there. This time however, I am not talking about those fucking skits or short instrumental jams, but just pure cheesy tracks like “Don’t Forget to Breathe”, which features Adele’s co-writer Paul Epworth on the writing credits and the track “Own It” featuring Ed Sheeran, which has a very corny verse by Ed that sounds like a man failing miserably at impressing a female. I loved the raw emotion in “Lessons”, and although “Do Better” is a very good song, Big Mike tries his hand at singing again and, yes, fair play to him for that, but he excels at barring and should stick to that.

When this record was released, I admittedly was catching up on a shit load of reviews I should have done a long time ago, so I initially missed out on the opportunity to review it. Anyway, I noticed a track called “Wiley Flow”. Now, at the time, all was well and good on this front, so I would have just seen it as a hang-tight to one of Grime’s pioneers (He was in Pay As U Go Cartel who started playing it on Rinse FM and significant events like Sidewinder when Grime wasn’t even labelled yet. It was just purely Underground.). Still, recently the two have been exchanging words over what are known as war dubs. Stormzy’s two dubs so far have been “Still Disappointed” and “Still Disappointed II”, where rather than praise Wiley, he has proceeded to take him apart piece by piece (I recommend giving them a listen.), but that’s for another review for someone else to take care of, I am focusing on Stormzy’s latest record, not the war dubs. So, yeah, he speaks highly of Wiley on the track. Have you noticed that I haven’t done these tracks in order of listening? And to fuck your head up even more, I will close the review with my standout track that features earlier on the album “Rachael’s Little Brother”. I love the bars on this one, as he shows his humbleness and sense of humour. Now, he mentions all the things he could have been besides a musician, and they are more than likely true. Big Mike is no fucking thicko. He got outstanding grades for his GCSEs, including SIX A*’s and THREE A’s. It shows that not all rappers fail academically. It’s weird because most are incredibly bright, like Big Mike, but tend to avoid school. By His admission, he used to misbehave for his entertainment but seemed to excel when it came to exams. He only achieved moderate grades on his A Levels before doing an apprenticeship in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, and then working for two years at an oil refinery as quality assurance in Southampton, Hampshire (Both quite far away from his South East London home.) Check out these bars mentioned in the track; they are humble, witty, full of humour and brilliant. That’s another thing with Grime. A lot of wordplay is used to terrific effect.

I coulda been a doctor, coulda been a lawyer

coulda been a boxer like I’m Oscar de la Hoya

If I stayed at work I’d probably piss off my employer

8/10

Week Ten: Ed Sheeran- ÷

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Divide

Eraser:

One thing that struck me when hearing this track is that it has a certain sense of “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You” feel. He foretells how his life has been since he reached superstar status and its effect on him, from those days of just singing in a church, performing in a room to internet viewers and playing out to thousands in well-known stadiums and arenas.

Castle on the Hill:

This song is about being raised in the Suffolk village of Framlingham. It also shows a specific humbleness to the guy who has gone on to be far more in the grand scheme of things. He still remembers where he is from and speaks fondly about the memories he made there.

Dive:

Here, Ed expresses fears about falling too fast into a new relationship. A heartfelt song, which also features some might say a guitar Legend in Eric Clapton. Not for me, but Ed sees Eric as this, and the very first thing Ed performed live in a talent show on guitar at 14 was Eric Clapton’s “Layla”, albeit the rhythm section of the song (He didn’t win the contest, by the way).

Shape of You:

Another song about romance, and this time, it is about praising his lover and enjoying every moment with her. It’s also your typical pop song, which will get stuck in the listener’s head, and Ed puts his hallmark all over it to make it stand out from the rest of the artists in the singles chart.

Perfect:

Another tender moment, which Ed has been known for on his previous albums, makes its way onto “÷”, and why not? This is where Ed shines through and shows his maturity beyond his years. It is also an ode to his girlfriend, Cherry Seaborn. You can’t help but be gripped by the lyrics, “Well, I found a woman, stronger than anyone I know. She shares my dreams, I hope that someday I’ll share her home”. This encapsulates the whole meaning of the song, where you hope your dreams and future are mirrored by the one you have chosen to be your eternal lover.

Galway Girl:

What I love about this is the whole sense of Ireland, from the music, instruments and Ed’s knowledge of the isle. It features an Irish band called Beoga. To think his record company were far from keen to have this rather unconventional song feature on the album because it doesn’t represent a “marketable” product. How wrong they are. Some listeners may not agree with me and find blending pop into Irish music rather insulting. Still, for me, it really works, and I really like this song and can see it featured on many a St Patrick’s Day across the pubs, bars and clubs. And why not? It has an excellent upbeat feel and will help set that jubilant mood on any occasion.

Happier:

This song is relatable to every listener, not just Ed, because it is about finding out your ex has found someone and completing the six degrees of separation. The sixth is when you’re feeling regret and what could have been and that it has hurt you to see someone else in the place that was once yours—a heartbreaking song that will undoubtedly affect you.

New Man:

A comedic side to Ed comes out in this as he indirectly digs at the “bad boys” who seem to get all the women even though they are pretentious arseholes. He also attacks the “meatball heads” you find in the gym pumping iron and blends in funny lyrics about the food they eat.

Heart Don’t Break Around Here:

A gorgeous love song that shows every element of being in love with someone. It also indicates what type of boyfriend Ed is and that he’s that “nice guy”, but I don’t feel who would finish last—some truly witty lyrics hidden within metaphors.

What Do I Know?:

A political message in this where Ed talks about how his status can make a significant difference to the world. He wants to spread unity but also says he must be qualified to discuss politics.

How Would You Feel (Pean):

“Pean” is the middle name of His current girlfriend, Cherry Seaborn. John Mayer features on the track by playing the guitar solo. What more could you want from this romantic song?

Supermarket Flowers:

This is probably one of the most emotionally charged songs on the album. This song is about the feelings you experience after someone close to you has died(in this case, Ed’s grandma and how his mum reacted to the passing the moment she passed). Although this song may be about death, the lyrics are tragically sublime. For example, the song mentions feeling inconsolable but, at the same time, reflects on all the beautiful moments you shared with that person. I can’t say I cried after hearing this, but if you don’t feel anything or stop to listen to the lyrics, then you have a heart of stone.

Barcelona:

Although the song mentions Barcelona, it is really about doing those spur-of-the-moment things during a new relationship. It is a recurring theme in this record, and you can tell that Ed is in a perfect place with his love life. The song even has a Latin feel, and you do feel like you’re in Barcelona when listening to it. Not only is this a great tribute to doing mad things in a relationship, but to Barcelona, as he mentions dancing in the moonlight of the Catalan capital.

Bibia Be Ye Ye:

Ed goes all African here (Ghana, to be exact). “Bibia Be Ye Ye” is Ghanaian for “All will be well”. This track was co-written with Fuse ODG (coincidentally half Ghanaian) and focused on changing a stormy night into a better day. This a mantra we should all live by because, as Sofia Serrano, portrayed by Penelope Cruz, says in the film Abre Los Ojos/Vanilla Sky, “Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around”. Or to quote 2Pac on “Me Against the World”, “I Know it seems hard sometimes but remember one thing. Through every dark night, there’s a bright day after that. So no matter how hard it gets, stick your chest out, keep ya head up…and handle it”.

Nancy Mulligan:

Back to Ed’s Irish roots. This time he narrates the love story of his grandparents and how his grandfather fell for his grandmother in County Wexford. The track is very knowledgeable about the county and what his grandparents did on their way to romantic destiny—another great song with Irish country music featuring heavily with the Ed Sheeran touch that does it justice.

Save Myself:

Well, the final song on the record jolts you back to reality and pulls away at your heartstrings. Ed once again bares his soul to such remarkable effect. The song discusses all those dangerous friendships where people use you for their own ends and how it makes you feel throughout the duration and when you realise their genuine motives and cut them off and the lessons you have learnt from it from now on. Not exactly going out in a blaze of glory to finish the album, but a great song nonetheless.

Overall:

I thoroughly enjoyed this record, and it is a return to form, and I rate this above his stunning debut album “+”. I didn’t find fault with any of the songs and could play this through without skipping tracks until I am ready to meet my maker. A beautiful album, and the narration from start to finish is more like reading a book than listening to the album. Fucking brilliant, Ed! I have never given ANY record a perfect score until now.

10/10

 

Week Nine: Stormzy- Gang Signs & Prayer

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Gang Signs n Prayer

On the Brit Awards 2015, Stormzy (Michael Omari) was on stage with Skepta, JME and Jammer of Boy Better Know and a whole host of other grime MCs as Kanye West performed “All Day”, a track that was initially recorded with Paul McCartney as formally dressed guests (mainly from the music industry) looked on.

This was a significant moment for the grime industry as it was known in the mainstream for its gang-related and violent content, which was too graphic for the biggest awards show in Britain. It wouldn’t have been allowed if it wasn’t for Kanye West, who brought them on stage as he performed in 2015.

Grime has come a long way over the years, and Stormzy’s “Shut up” (which has well over 50 million views on Youtube) and “Wicked Skengman 4” broke into the mainstream singles charts. You can find many videos of MCs battling each other on Youtube (for example, Lord of the Mics). These MC battles and pirate radio sessions are where Stormzy was championed. With his sense of humour, witty lyrics, and larger-than-life personality, it’s easy to see why Stormzy has got far and even been invited onto mainstream chat shows.

The album starts and ends in the battle frame of mind, his forte. “First Things First” that kicks off the record is a jab to your face to wake you up and let you know you’re in for an eye-opening listen, and then you’re given a strong warning not to even think about clashing with Stormzy even if you feel you are ready, but lack the experience with “Cold” and “Big for Your Boots”. This record shows that Stormzy is prepared to seek new pastures, having already established himself as a battle MC. The record goes back and forth, warning lesser MCs, but “Stiff Chocolate” shows a much quieter side to his grime persona.

He then shows another side of his musical horizons with “Blinded by Your Grace, Pt.1”, which has gospel influences, and then again on “Velvet”, which shows a romantic side. The record might surprise the listener, who dismisses the grime industry as full-on violence. It is tough, sensitive and even spiritual. All emotions are shown in “Gang Signs & Prayer”, which shows the tall looming figure is not all about his

cold-eyed stare. The record might open with “First Things First”, which is quite menacing, but he even talks about his battle with depression and a failed relationship on “Cigarettes & Cush”.

He switches emotions constantly on the record and doesn’t feel ashamed to show it sometimes, even though he finds life challenging. He talks about being raised by his Ghanaian mother on “100 Bags” and how much she has inspired him and his unconditional love. 2Pac opened the doors for all rappers not to be afraid to express something as sensitive as that subject. “Lay Me Bare” is precisely what it says. This is Stormzy revealing all his heart and soul. You hear about his brief hibernation from the limelight in 2016, which left him feeling alone and highly depressed as the emotion in his voice aches, reminiscing about that point in his life. You hear his rage as he talks about the time he met his father, who wasn’t interested in being forgiven for his absence by his son, but a request for some financial support.

Of course, every Stormzy hit to date is your typical grime blueprint (ruthless and remorseless), but on this record, he wants to show all sides to his personality as Michael and not just his alter ego. Unfortunately, as he tries to show a softer side, he struggles to turn his rap vocals into singing vocals. This album may still keep in line with his tough man persona, but it has certainly been well structured with the themes and the production for a debut.

The biggest surprise in the rise of Stormzy is that he has done this without the backing of a major record label who, let’s face it, would not touch this kind of artist with a barge pole knowing what the grime scene is all about. Indeed, He has shown that he and other artists in the grime industry don’t need a major record label as like him; you can play shows, release singles via Spotify and feature on videos that get uploaded to sites like Youtube for exposure. At the 2017 Brit Awards (just two years after that performance with Kanye West), He walked into the venue via the red carpet with Bradley Walsh, smiling at the cameras and donning a suave Burberry suit. He went on stage to collaborate with Ed Sheeran on “Shape of You”, and the reception he got upon his introduction proved that Stormzy wasn’t just on stage as an afterthought.

8/10