U.K. Hip-Hop Songs You Probably Don't Know (But Should)

Album: Gangster Chronicle (2001 reissue)

Year released: 1993

Rightfully starting with a rowdy group of natives who were present towards the beginning of U.K. hip-hop’s story, this London Posse single, released three years after their debut album, Gangster Chronicle, is one of the greatest anthems of the U.K. genre. Hip-hop had settled on British soil amongst the energy of south London’s Jamaican community, and the old-school drum pattern and screechy siren-like melody gave Rodney P and Bionic an energetic platform to combine high-pitch with low-pitch vocals, almost like London’s own Public Enemy. Talking about life in the capital has become the most central theme of all types of British MCing (it features heavily in this list), and to be one of the first of its kind makes it a classic.

Album: In the Evening

Year released: 2012

This is probably the most interesting video released in U.K. hip-hop over the last few years, perfectly depicting the bewildering narrative rapped alongside it. Jehst describes colorful, huge landscapes and intimate close-ups of a clan of desert travelers, making his words so believable that it almost sounds as if he is referring to his own traveling experiences from another lifetime. Interestingly, Telemachus is the alias of much-respected producer, Chemo, used only for his more experimental projects. Sure enough, this song certainly justifies the rebranding with its Arabian riff and march-like drum pattern. Such a strange form of escapism is rare, and it is refreshing to be taken to a world so different from the gritty streets of London.

Mixtape: Durrty Whirl

Year released: 2004

Almost too rare for the internet and its 2013 omniscience, this track is a gem from an early Durrty Goodz mixtape. A champion of U.K.-genre versatility for over a decade, he has always been comfortable inhabiting both hip-hop and grime spaces. Additionally, he has also always demonstrated a rare ability to make the switch between a typical London accent to a Jamaican, Yardie flow—giving the Carribean community more representation as a feeder of the city’s musical roots. Here he combines all of these components and produces a short, summery celebration of life.

Album: The Tournament, Round One

Year released: 2000

It’s worth saving this one for the nighttime. At the turn of the millennium, the sound and personality of U.K. hip-hop was as underground as ever—quite niche alongside the more popular trends of U.K. garage and eventually grime. Evil Ed was one of the original crate-digging producers of the scene, and in 2000 grabbed 21-year-old Jehst, at the beginning of his now veteran-status career, to make this crisp number.

Jehst is the only artist in this list to feature twice, and for good reason: in a career that has lasted well over a decade, his music has proved to embody the truly poetic, conscious and well-read side of hip-hop culture better than pretty much anyone else from the U.K. On this track, in only two verses he marks an ownership of this style of rapping that remains unchanged today, sealing a neat collaboration.

Album: N/A

Year released: 2012

This is just darkness. It's easy to dismiss drug-themed hip-hop songs as being simple products of a culture raised by illegal economies and street bravado, but this is on a different wavelength. Delivering what could almost be described as horror rap, a masked Cas (former Grime MC Castro) croakily spits about an overpowering drug addiction and describes a mind polluted with hatred and self-resentment. Re-imagining the vocals from British group The Verve’s iconic "Drugs Don’t Work," producer MssingNo employs a twitchy modern sound to breathe new life into the '90s pop/rock riff. Every detail of both song and video is there to enhance Cas’ art, telling the listener about an evil lifestyle of indulgence and amorality. However, he frames it all as a complex psychological trap rather than a poor life choice, so at least we can understand his pain even if we are disturbed by it.

Album: Dettwork Southeast

Year released: 1996

Sorry, but Blak Twang beat Mr. Carter to this concept. Take "Dead Presidents" and scale-down the admittedly superior grasp of gangster-economics that Jay-Z demonstrated throughout Reasonable Doubt in 1996, Londonify what you have left, rewind it a year, and the result is this song, released as a single in 1995. Blak Twang’s debut album that followed became an underground classic, full of local slang, commentary about being Black and poor in Britain, and shout-outs to different tube-stops and districts in London. Here, he uses the artwork of pound notes as a reference point to simply explain the importance of making money.

Sharing a back-and-forth format with the debut verses of fellow OG Roots Manuva, who is definitely the more coherent MC here (showing exactly why his career went on to reach greater heights), their serious, deep voices fit nicely with the Havoc-esque production.

Album: Masquerades and Silhouettes

Year released: 1998

You might well recognise this beat because Joey Bada$$ used it, unchanged, for the track “Hardknock” last summer. But let this be a moment for deserved recognition: at only 21, Lewis Parker produced and rapped for the entirety of this coming-of-age album back in 1998—a whole year before Joey’s nostalgically named 1999 project even dared refer to. The song is misty, and retains the illusiveness depicted by the album artwork and title. Furthermore, it marks the late '90s allegiance to a lyrical style that U.K. hip-hop has since been defined by, relying upon the conjuring of strange, ethereal imagery to best explore streams of consciousness, a style perfected by Jehst (who Parker has since worked with) and the currently very active High Focus roster.

Album: Married to Marijuana

Year released: 2013

Gaining inspiration for his name from the 19th century London-based serial killer Jack the Ripper, as well as using the alias "Samson" based on the biblical figure whose strength relied on the length of his hair, Black the Ripper has maintained a reputation as a bold MC prepared to explore both grime and hip-hop. Since 2005 his music has gradually matured and become less aggressive, but it’s safe to say he has always been fueled by strong passions for anti-establishmentism, a loyalty to his hood and, in case it isn’t already obvious, smoking weed. We know this isn’t new; rappers always talk about marijuan, but only a few actually dedicate a love song to her. This one’s nice, so sit back and enjoy accordingly (the animated video is a true work of comedy).

Album: Countryman Vol. 1

Year released: 2001

It has been said that Task Force did for their home, Highbury estate, what Nas and Mobb Deep did for Queensbridge. Brothers Farma G and Chester P have retained their relatively underground status whilst racking up an extensive discography and establishing themselves as highly respected pioneers for the U.K. hip-hop movement. They painfully take us on a trip around their estate—which they refer to as "The Junkyard"—brutally describing the rotten pillars of London’s working class struggle such as drugs and deteriorating infrastructure. Every 16 bars, the strings of producer Skitz’ instrumental cry out and demonstrate the attention to detail of this classic album, which features a long list of big names and is worth a listen in its entirety.

Album: Citizen Smith Vol. 1

Year released: 2004

Some of the most honest lyrics in hip-hop’s history are those of teenagers in despair, and Doc Brown’s reflective offering is no different (it makes a lot of sense that he is the younger brother of best-selling author, Zadie Smith). By far the strongest track on the album, this collaboration with now accomplished MC-come-political-activist Lowkey results in two verses that together recount the dark, raw reality of being churned through the young, educational stages of London’s capitalist elements. What’s more, the eerie vocals and minimal, softened piano taken from Gary Jules and Michael Andrews’ "Mad World," give the vivid delivery an unusually powerful sample backdrop. It’s a strange, beautiful harmony.

Album: The 18th Day

Year released: 2005

"1980" has got a lively doo-wop vibe and is quite frankly a rare example of a successful British female rapping over a genuinely soulful hip-hop beat. In years to come Estelle, would go on to land an international top-10 hit with her single "American Boy" featuring none other than Kanye West, but this debut release chimes with an excited, happy sentiment that is almost unheard of elsewhere in U.K. hip-hop. Unlike most of the artists on this list, Estelle manages to present her working class London upbringing as something to be celebrated rather than resented (though the fact she was receiving mainstream label attention probably aided her positivity).

Album: The Sagas of Klashnekoff

Year released: 2004

Unlike its American equivalent, there aren’t many good sounding love songs in U.K. hip-hop. Still, Klashnekoff achieves just that over the top of a glittery beat that uses sexy vocals from Stephanie Mills’ '80s ballad “Something in the Way," with one verse about love (Klashnekoff definitely took inspiration from Tupac’s "Do For Love") and another mourning the loss of his father. Emotion and experience pour from his words, just as they do throughout the rest of this whopper of an album.

Album: The Thieves Banquet

Year released: 2013

Akala is an extremely well read, accomplished young man, holding a particular expertise regarding the vast spiritual history of African culture and its connection to hip-hop. Since his debut in 2006, he has been on a journey of education, gaining maturity and depth in his musical efforts as well as establishing the "Shakespeare Hip-Hop Company" who aim to use musical theatre production to teach young people about the arts and self-expression. Unsurprisingly, his recent album is therefore based on an academic approach to music, and this jazzy, soulful ode to the power of older musical genres is refreshing for anyone with a tendency to find modern music too overwhelming.

Of course, he asks you this himself: “Do you find yourself talking about the kids these days/Then have to remind yourself about your actual age?”

Album: Higher Elevation

Year released: 2005

Channel U was a television music channel created in 2003 in the midst of the social media and Youtube explosion, which meant it could attach itself to the early roots of modern society's content-sharing frenzy. It screened the most raw, the most ghetto, the best, and sometimes the worst of British underground music (in 2009 it became Channel AKA). As one of the original champions of this movement, Choong Family had some decent output, and the fuzzy, camera-phone feel of their videos worked as an integral part of their street charm. As their singles began to air, one week they would talk stereotypically about being a hard-body London crew and the next—as shown by this track—they’d grab some soft vocals for a hook and make truly deep, emotional statements about their young adult lives. If you like this, listen to "Dear Life" and "Monologue for the Thoughts," too.

Album: Nature's Greatest Mystery

Year released: 2011

Since 2010 the artists that reside at High Focus Records have been the main flag bearers for U.K. hip-hop. They all have solo stories from the past, and as a result each member of the contingent has his own individual style. However, their shared ability to rap in a huge variety of tones—energetic, rebellious, weed-loving and often philosophical—allows them to convincingly unite as one musical entity. For this song, the The Four Owls (Fliptrix, Leaf Dog, Verb T and BVA) and Jam Baxter dedicate their verses to discussing their respective understandings about ethics and karma over an intelligent, piano-based instrumental. There has been a lot more high quality material released from all of these guys since, and there will undoubtedly be more to come.

20 BRITISH RAPPERS YOU SHOULD KNOW