Forij Are Ushering In A New Era For Glasgow’s Burgeoning Rap Scene

Forij are a creative collective from Glasgow ushering in a new era of diversity. The crew's name, Forij, is derived from the word 'forage', which means to search. Since their inception in 2015, they've been searching Scotland's underground art/music scene to find a space where their work can truly shine. Forij's main goal is to bring together "creatives from different fields and give them all the space to interact and share ideas." And what's so great about this group is that they're attempting to be an example to society and show that young people from not-so-privileged backgrounds can come together and rise up. This push back is much-needed, especially from the multi-cultural camp comprised of mostly young black men­­­—a group who are often marginalised.

And it's no different in Scotland, where the gatekeepers of the music industry are rarely people of colour. This has led to Forij's vision often being misunderstood by those in power. They quickly came to the realisation that no one understands their community better than they do and so, rather than looking to the powers that be for support, they've taken things into their own hands in pursuit of viable careers within the creative industry, building a framework that the next generation can follow with pride. Having recently taken part in Eventbrite's Generation DIY project, Forij were able to showcase their different faculties—including curating events for organisations like the Architecture Fringe, throwing gigs for local and UK-wide artists and, additionally, using their platform to assist with promoting the various artists they work with.

Just as the creators need the platform to help push their art, the artists are also integral for the cultivation of Forij's infrastructure. Get to know eight artists on the roster that you're set to hear more of in the coming months. 

"I began my music career four years ago, and I've always been keen to add more of a female presence to the rap, trap and grime scenes. Building on the dark, 808 shadows of Glasgow's underground nightlife helped me to land shows on LVLZ and Radar. I was also recently featured in Glasgow's instalment of Eventbrite's Generation DIY series. During the show, I explained the reasons behind PEACH—a female-led party I run that focuses on the rap spectrum. Right now, I'm working on my own music, and my latest track will be released through the label LuckyMe."

"The moment I knew I wanted to be a producer—not just a beat-maker—started with the release of the TNGHT EP in 2012. Growing up, I absorbed music and sound from many different sources: my mother's record collection, my brother's modern selections, and my own curiosity for hearing new albums and records. But when that tape dropped, it made me reconsider what a traditional track should sound like. Nihlistic. Ground-breaking. Playful. Heavy. These became my bedrock, along with Kanye West, The Flaming Lips and Flying Lotus. All of these artists still influence my sound to this day."

"My sound takes elements from a range of styles and producers, such as Hudson Mohawke, Yung Gud and Metro Boomin. I aim to incorporate parts of rap and trap with more obscure sounds, as well as intriguing textures. I also enjoy exploring experimental music that works well in a club, but maintains the appeal of mainstream rap along with the hard-hitting slap of trap. If I'm playing out, I want the club to be excited and surprised; I'll play everything from SOPHIE to Trippie Redd, but will still positively radiate the energy you would find at your favourite hip-hop concert."

"My style is as fluid as the waters that surround Scotland and, along with my crew MndGne, I aim to fly the creative flag high for Glasgow. Rapping under the moniker Stxner Kid Easii and producing with the alias of Stxner Babii, my beats give off a sound reminiscent to Zaytoven's productions. My songs can vary from filling every line with metaphors and punchlines, to just mellow mood music you can chill to. At the moment, I'm consistently working alongside MndGne; our mission is to push the Scottish hip-hop scene as far as we can."

"In layman's terms, I produce super-wavy alternative rap, filled with dreamy synths and booming trap 808s. Really and truly, though, my music is supposed to be received in a spiritual way. You'll never fully comprehend it if you listen using the physical. You need to detach yourself and go up to a higher frequency in order for my style to resonate with you. This is because there's more cryptology involved than your average raps. My flows change according to whatever the spirit wants to deliver, hence why I sound different on the various genres my voice blesses."

"Dark blue, with tonalities of light hues is visually how my sound could be depicted, along with a nod to sci-fi themed cult-classic films and their directors. And it's in this same manner that my style exists, and I ride the beat depending on how I'm feeling. My music is dark but sincere; reflective but not lamenting. Some would call me just another aspiring R&B singer, who is attempting to put together the scraps of the aforementioned sound with Frankenstein like binding, but I'd describe my music more as super-smooth and futuristic R&B, merged with icy-cold rap."

"My sound is a euphoric blend of hard-hitting 808s coupled with melodic singing. I began rapping during the start of the new wave trend in hip-hop and my influences span from Biggie Smalls to Kendrick Lamar. Having grown up influenced by the US, I take inspiration from there and merge it with the grit of grime. My tracks often feel anthemic, and I get a lot of this style from my country of origin. I am Congo raised, Glasgow made, but I'm repping both. I'm aware of my roots and utilise my music to break down my journey so far."

"My name is Banzel, I'm a recording artist from Glasgow, and multi-syllabic rhyme schemes are my specialty, blending rap, trap, and grime in my own unique way. I've studied the musical landscape, both current and past—my favourite albums are Aquemini by Outkast and Reasonable Doubt by Jay Z. I cite these projects as my biggest influences, in terms of creative outlook. My debut project, Capricious Nights, is a nocturnal journey through my eyes, packed with quick-fire flows and dark instrumentals; my artistic expression is truly spread out over the 13 tracks."