Vince Kidd releases his debut EP this November via Island Records.The EP features two songs, Sick Love (featuring Lady Leshurr) and Taboo, alongside three remixes, providing the perfect taster of what is yet to come in 2013.
The tracks showcase Vince’s smooth vocal ability and his honed song writing skills. Sick Love is a mid paced slick jam that features rising MC Lady Leshurr. The three remixes of Sick Love also feature some very special guests. The Red Skull remix features Scorcher, EXO, Shystie and Metis, whilst the E.L.E remix features Benny Banks. A third mix comes courtesy of Woz
Scorcher releases a new track, based on the new film he is in Offender, alongside English Frank and G FrSH. This track is also taken off Simply the Best 3, the much anticipated final part of the mixtape trilogy coming out soon.
I’m back to give you what’s hot in the world of UK rap for the week. I went down to the premiere of Ice-T’s docufilm Something to Nothing: The Art of Rap and also to K. Koke’s video shoot for his track, ‘The Only One’. There have been some hot releases out this week too…
Tracks that caught my eye this week went to USG’s boss man Squingy, who released the visuals to his track ‘Find A Way‘. The production of the mini movie showed that Squingy is an artist in more ways than one.
Lady Leshurr and Paigey Cakey released a net video ‘Dam City’. As always with Leshurr, her energy was on point – you can always see her passion for what she does in every video. PDC’s Jaja Soze was joined by Diamond to rework the classic Warren G and Nate Dogg track ‘Regulate’, for ‘What If’, stimulating and empowering minds.
The official theme song to the Offenders film was also released courtesy of English Frank and featured Anamate. The film will be released in the cinema on August 8and stars English Frank, G FrSH and Scorcher – it is definitely worth a watch.
Thursday saw the European premiere of Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap at the Hammersmith Apollo. I spotted many UK rappers there such as Sway, Wretch 32 and Jehst. The film itself took us back to the roots of how elements like battling started and talked business and the technicalities of rap. It was light-hearted throughout and very entertaining, with cheers erupting everytime a hip-hop legend graced the screen.
I went down to K. Koke’s warm up video shoot for ‘The Only One’ on Saturday in Hackney. Turning up at 3pm there were so many people there, showcasing the respect and love there is for Koke – artists such as Margs and J Spades were also present. The video itself included some very nice cars, motorbikes and of course lots of women!
I spoke to K. Koke briefly about the shoot and he said: “today is my video, it was in the hood, out of the hood, we brought the hood to another hood. This is going to come out before my first single.” Keep your eyes peeled for that one! Until next time…
English Frank releases the music video to the official Offender theme song, giving the track the same title as the movie.
I went to the screening of the film a few weeks back now, and it is definitely one to watch with English Frank, G FrSH, Scorcher in it and a cameo from Mic Righteous. It’s out in cinemas August 8th.
This is my first UK Rap Rundown column; here I will be bringing you the week’s highlights in the UK urban scene – I hope you enjoy it! I haven’t even been back from the BET Awards in L.A a week yet and have already attended a festival – Hyde Park’s Wireless. I was pleased to see underground rappers Political Peak, Sho Shallow and Ard Adz get a packed out tent and an amazing crowd reaction – it proved how well UK rap is doing…
Of course, Sneakbo smashed his set too. Sway did an old school hip-hop style set, with verses from Wu Tang, Tupac and Mobb Deep. Roc Nation signee USG member K Koke also performed on the Sunday supported by his fellow crew members.
In other news, Scorcher has replied to Dappy’s ‘Tarzan 2’ diss which hears him say: “I still roll for my hood and I wear my chain, f**k a Top Boy Scorcher he can’t do the same. Real recognise real, how many albums have you sold to date?”
Scorcher wasn’t too happy with Dappy and replied via an SB.TV video called ‘Rockstar’. The MC dropped punchline after punchline, saying that he is an “underground king, you could never be my equal” and “you could have a mill still look like a tramp.” He also mentions Tulisa and the now infamous tape that her ex-boyfriend leaked to the world.
Personally I liked Dappy’s ‘Tarzan 2’ video; unfortunately he had to re-shoot and re-release the video due to the heavy controversy it received. Props to Scorcher; he went in on the diss track and I feel he is the better man in this situation.
The video that caught my attention last week came from Donae’o. I was at the video shoot for the track ‘YDKAM’ and know there’s going to be a lot more to come from the ‘Party Hard’ singer on his album. He told me: “It’s going to have a lot more hip-hop and R&B, there’s a want for it, so I can put it out.”
The song ‘You Don’t Know About Me’ features some of UK rap’s hardest lyricists, such as Joe Black, Squeeks, Dru Blu, Ratlin and Lethal B.
Another interesting one was the Labrinth produced ‘Watchtower’ by Devlin featuring Ed Sheeran. It isthe first single from his forthcoming album ‘A Moving Picture’.
Leicester based R&B singer Luke Bingham was also recently joined by Play Dirty’s Krept & Konan for the track ‘Shut It Down’. I really like the beat to this track and Krept & Konan really give the song that hip-hop edge it needed. I predict big things for Mr Bingham; he has the voice, the style and looks to match.
Scorcher was not happy with the lines ‘I still roll for my hood and I wear my chain, f**k a top boy Scorcher he can’t do the same. Real recognise real, how many albums have you sold to date.’ Dappy said about him in Tarzan 2. Scorcher has come back with a very good diss track listen below…
Ikes has made a strong start to 2012 with the release of his new mixtape ‘The Intermission: Last Call,’’ and the single ‘Girl Talk,’ which features Scorcher and Jermaine Riley. A rapper who brings raw realism to his music mixed with playful lyrics and ingenious word play, gaining fans both in UK and US. Starting off as a garage MC at the age of 14 has seen Ikes naturally evolve to the credible hip-hop artist he is today over ten years on. This year should see the release of his album, with the masses coming to love his music.
You grew up in Hackney, how much of an influence were the people you grew up with and the area you were raised, in motivating and inspiring you to arrive at where you are now?
Where I grew up obviously it was rough but you don’t ever realise it’s rough until you move out. It’s let me see that world, and taught me how to apply myself. It’s taught me that I know where I don’t want to go, and how I don’t want to live.
You were a garage MC performing at events from the age of 14. How different is it to performing live now?
I kind of feel like your job back then was to make people feel good in that kind of environment. They weren’t really caught up in you telling your story as such, it was just about your flow and how you could go to a rave and ride the beat.
In terms of content has there been a great change between the lyrics you were spitting when you first started and your most recent music, or has it been a gradual evolution and development?
I think it was a gradual evolution, but it has been a definite evolution and I kind of want to believe that I’m always evolving. Every step is a forward step, and there is definetly more depth and storytelling. I’m 25 now and I’ve seen a lot, I’ve lived a lot, and I’ve been in so many different situations from the underworld to corporate level and education.
Other than being a lyricist, you have also achieved notable songwriting credits. Where do you draw your inspiration from when writing tracks?
It doesn’t necessarily have to be things I’ve seen personally, I know a lot of people and I’ve got a good network. I use my ears and people talk to me a lot (laughs) and I soak in everything. I like to be inspired by simple things like landscapes, travelling the world, and seeing the sunset. I get inspiration on my journey, even on the train on the underground.
Most of your songwriting has been on r&b and pop tracks. Do you find it hard to switch between genres? Is there a different mindset and mentality required?
Definitely a different mindset and mentality. I used to struggle when I was in the songwriting zone, and then going to writing a rap record. Nowadays I’ve learnt that it’s more or less the same thing.
Creating a buzz in the US as a UK artist is notoriously difficult, yet you have featured on two of DJ Infamous’ mixtapes alongside such names as Drake, Fabulous and The Dream. Do you think that the US is slowly warming to UK talent?
I don’t think that it was a situation or a case where they would have to warm to UK talent; I think the UK had to up their game in terms of the kind of music they were making. I think music is an international language; a hit record should be a hit record over here, in Australia, in Africa, in Asia, everywhere.
How did the mixtape situation with DJ Infamous come about?
DJ Infamous liked what he saw, and we had the same vision of putting out something that could work on a worldwide level. He owns a radio station over there and that’s done well. He’s trying to do the same thing that DJ Whoo Kid did coming over to the UK and spreading the love, and getting into out culture and seeing how he can take that back to the US.
How has featuring on the SBTV Google Chrome advert aided your career? Did it create positive exposure?
Ah man that was crazy. When it came out in the ad break for the first X Factor my phone just blew up. Straight away people were like, “I know that guy,” even though the clip was like a second long. I think it just made people take me seriously, because you get so many new artists, and everyone wants to be an artist.
What single aspect of your character, personality and talent do you credit the most with you achieving the success you have so far?
I think personality as an individual and my humour. In my everyday life, I’ve definitely got a way with words, and I’ve definitely got a way with connecting to individuals. I like to think I’m a good person who’s seen a lot and experienced a lot, in terms of storytelling that defiantly comes through. Without substance you’re not going to be remembered.
What’s next for IKES?
The next thing is definetly going to be the debut album, and I’m kind of been working on it for a couple of years now. I’m about 5-6 tracks deep already; I want to put out something official. It will be out definitely this year, the 3rd or the 4th quarter. I’m planning a couple of collaborative projects inbetween with other artists, something that will feed the underground and the fans.
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