The hit British reality TV show “Love Island” is back on Hulu for it’s fifth season. Last year, this show became my summer nightly ritual. I made all my friends watch it. I even paid for a VPN just so I could stream it in real time.
So what does this have to do with music? As an American, we had really only heard of a couple rap artists from the U.K. and that was mostly due to Drake’s album “More Life.” However, since watching this show I’ve really gotten into the U.K.’s hip-hop scene and discovered a world of music we been missing out on. It’s because of this that we decided to create a guide to British hip-hop for other Americans. we hope you enjoy it
A Brief History of British Rap and Grime
British rap and grime music originated in the late 1970s and early 1980s, heavily influenced by American hip-hop. However, it wasn’t until the 2000s that the genre gained mainstream popularity in the UK, with artists like Dizzee Rascal and Wiley leading the way. Today, British rap and grime continue to evolve and gain international recognition.
Where Can You Find New Music From The UK?
There are many ways to discover new music from the UK, but one great place to start is with this list of 10 up-and-coming British rappers to watch in. You can also check out music streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, as well as UK-based music blogs and magazines like NME and Complex UK.
Ms. Banks
This South London rapper went on tour with Cardi B back in 2017. Ms. Banks’ ‘Fire in the Booth’ freestyle is what originally caught my eye during the search. Her single “Snack” with Kida Kudz has the potential to be a huge summer hit.
Octavian
This French-British rapper from London was featured on the BBC Sound of Music 2019. When he was in his teens, he was homeless. Now, he’s making waves in the UK rap scene. He recently released his mix-tape “Endorphins.”
IAMDBB
IAMDBB is taking a neo-soul approach to the rap game, and she kills it. The singer from Manchester was ranked #3 on BBC’s Music Sound of 2018 list.
Stormzy
Stormzy is actually well known in America in his own right. He made waves at Coachella in 2017. He recently released his first solo single since 2010, Vossi Bop and he’s also currently working on a full length album.
Little Simz
The 25-year-old rapper has been releasing mixtapes since she was 15, has received praise from Kendrick Lamar, and was the opening act for Gorillaz in 2017. She’s also a rising photographer.
Dave
This 20-year-old artists album “Psychodrama” is the fastest streamed British debut album of all time. It topped the UK charts in its first week. Dave’s music is much more contemporary than most of the UK rap scene, and it’s doing nothing short of redefining what’s conventional.
Skepta
Skepta is also fairly well known in America. “Praise the Lord” with A$AP Rocky was a lot of people’s first introduction to the North London rapper. However, he’s been around long before Rocky introduced him, making waves since 2007. He recently released his fifth studio album “Ignorance is Bliss” in May.
Flohio
The British-Nigerian rapper is a member of the collective TruLuvCru. In 2018, she was selected by Naomi Campbell as one of the 10 women changing our future for Vogue.
Slowthai
Tyron Kaymone Frampton, better known by his stage name Slowthai, is a British rapper. Raised in Northampton, he rose to popularity in 2019 for his gritty and rough instrumentals and raw, politically charged lyrics, especially around Brexit and Theresa May’s tenure as British prime minister.
