South London has given us some great grime emcees over the years, but there's a new kid in a Lewisham high-rise who has the potential to out-run the best of them. 17-year-old Novelist's commitment to keeping the vocal element relevant has caused revered legends to step up their lyrical games—sonic experimentalists Jamie xx and Mumdance are also huge fans of his work. On Aug. 25, Novelist and crew The Square will release their debut project, The Formula, and today, Complex premieres one of its standout cuts. Filled with a hunger reminiscent of grime's back-in-the-day promises, "10 Out Of 10" sees Nov take control of his self-produced bed of echoing claps, creeping bass and slow-building strings, and confidently lets us know why he's 10/10 both on and off the mic. Hear him go exclusively below.
