The Best British Rap Verses Of The Month

We dissect the best bars of the past four weeks.

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Following the lead of our Complex Music fam overseas, we too will be giving props to the best rap verses of each month. From mixtape tracks and freestyles to carefully selected album sleepers, Complex UK will search far and wide to show you just how high the level of lyricism can be in the Queen's country, showcasing the versatile styles (and flows) within our forever-flourishing rap and grime scenes. This is The Best British Rap Verses Of The Month—​click through below to see our top picks from the month of November, 2014.

Words by Tobi Oke (@TefTobz)


 

5. Naughty Boy f/ Ghetts, Bashy & J Spades — "Do It Big"

Date: Nov. 27, 2014

"I'ma cook every rapper they put in front of me, that's that lyrical Benihana/ These bruddas keep acting up,  but they don't want any drama/ You have to appreciate your life, when you see what's happening in Gaza/ I had them council estate boundaries, but my mind estate was larger/ Black boy went back to the motherland, Nigeria and Ghana." —Bashy.

Only a radio rip of this one, but it was so nice that Mistajam had to pull it up thrice on BBC 1Xtra. Taken from Charlie Sloth's forthcoming Hood Heat compilation, "Do It Big" features J Spades on hook duties, and Ghetts on the first verse. But it's Bashy Star who steals the show here. Dropping an impassioned verse detailing his journey to maturation, there's even room to touch on the infamous old school rooftop battle with Ghetts. Bashy is back on top form. 

4. Dream Mclean — "Colourblind"

Date: Nov. 3rd, 2014

"All I need in this life of sin, is an 8-ball and a crate of Heineken/ Now I'm live again, feel alive again, blackout blinds, stop the sun shining in/ We wait all year til the summertime comes, then we lurk in the darkness of underground clubs and hide from it/ What a life we live, stuck in the middle of the dark and the light/ I guess we just, colourblind."

Delivering his long-awaited debut LP in Greyscale at the top of the month, standout track "Colourblind" has Dream McLean riding a spell-binding production from Tom Demac, throwing out debauched bars of excess and delinquency. 

3. Dizzee Rascal — "Pagans"

Date: Nov. 17th, 2014

"Cold world with a whole lot of schemers, it don't stop for the dreamers/ You can fuck around and get took to the cleaners, I know man that'll do a lot of dirt in, put a lot of work in, just to ride Benz and Beemers/ Devious creatures, tryna steer clear of the preachers, screaming out God can't reach us/Nothing they can teach us, leave us."

Every so often, Dizzee Rascal decides to send out a lyrical wake-up call to doubters of his ability. This most recent one-two punch comes in the form of the Footsie-produced "Pagans", which is the best we've heard from the emcee in a very long time. The accompanying video is also a strong contender for best of the year. 

2. Blade Brown — "Intro"

Date: Nov. 1, 2014

"I've got investments, I've got businesses, Five figures in a day I've got witnesses/ Yeah we buy and sell and we sell and buy, I cook it wet but I sell it dry/ The realest nigga, I'ma tell em why: I think your favourite rapper, he been telling lies/ Yeah these rappers lying I’ma tell em twice, the trap revolution will be televised/ Yeah I been through the highs and lows, that's why I copped the same colour in the hi's and lo's/ Got some trap money that I hide in gold, got a dope yard nigga just to hide them Oz/ And everybody knows that my tape is the truth, swear it sounds like a nigga weighing flake in the booth/ 700 every time I'm lacing my boots, when I reload nigga aint no space in the coupe."    

Blade Brown rounded off the Bags & Boxes trilogy in style earlier this month, especially with this track "Intro"—a triumphant victory lap from a rapper at the peak of his powers and popularity.

1. Swiss — "N**ger?"

Date: Nov. 19th, 2014

"Mispronounciatied Latin vernacular, never started as a negative term, in fact, because, all it did was describe the shade of the black in ya, until they manufactured masses of slaves to traffic ya/ On the international stage, they made irrational claims that you wasn't human beings, instead of calling you actual names/Like Europeans, to embarrass and shame/ You went from mammals to animals, now you remain a [Nigger]."

It's been the topic of the month (cheers, Piers!) but step forward Swiss to address the current N-word debate and completely knock it out of the park. 

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