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UK rap crew 67 make music that is raw, gritty, and real, and those characteristics are on full display on their new mixtape Lets Lurk.
"We’re not fabricated, we didn’t come together as some little act," LD explains. "We’re real people from a real lifestyle and we’re living. This is real music. Our music tells a story, so follow the journey."
The six man rap crew, made up of LD, Dimzy, Monkey, SJ, ASAP, and Liquez, have known each other for years, and have each been making their own music, but when they work together something special happens. The subject matter is dark, the beats are menacing, and each MC comes with their own distinct style, bringing you into their South London world.
It's their hood, Brixton Hill, that gave the crew their name—67 is the telephone code for their area—and it's their hood that has given them the experiences that they rap about. "Our part of South [London] is what we call grubby, you get me? It’s project living. We’re products of our environment, basically, but we're trying to make the environment products of us."
As MCs like Skepta and Stormzy gain more and more recognition overseas, especially in America, 67 are well placed to capitalize on a renewed interest in rap from the UK. In fact, their sound has more in common with Chicago drill and contemporary Atlanta trap than grime. 67 are directly inspired by US rap, especially Chief Keef, and currently listen to artists like Future, Lil Uzi Vert, and 21 Savage.
"Basically, in 2012 and 2013, we was listening to Chief Keef, and it made us go back to spitting faster," LD says. "Before that we were spitting slow like a lot of US rappers, but we thought if Keef's going faster and they get it, they'll be able to understand what we’re saying too, it won't be too fast for them. So we started spitting faster on these slower beats, but beats with a mad bassline."
Production on Lets Lurk is handled by Mazza Monroe, Gotti, LA Beats, and Carns Hill, who provide ominous keys, haunted melodies, and, of course, heavy bass, for the 67 crew to do their thing. The rapping isn't flashy, but the hooks are memorable and the verses are full of vivid imagery and just a touch of dark humor.
67 have a lot to be happy about right now, with a UK tour on the way at the end September and their track "Let's Lurk" with Giggs racking up over six millions views on YouTube. It still feels new to the crew, but it's clear that focusing on music, they can do something special.
"It was only when the tour came about that man realized this music thing is serious," LD explains. "It’s like, we actually can’t go back, we’re music heads now! People always used to say you guys are rappers, but I’d say, 'Nah, I’m not rapper, I just make tracks.' Now we embrace it, we won at the Rated Awards [Best Mixtape, for last year's In Skengs We Trust], we’re not used to that type of stuff. We’re guys that are outside on the block, and now we’re going to award shows."
The success doesn't come without obstacles of course and 67 are the subject of close attention from the police. That can make it hard to book shows and harder to commit to this creative avenue which can help them better their situation and that of those around them. I ask LD if he feels directly targeted by the police, and he explains that it's not just 67 who have this problem.
"The police aren't proud, they don’t want to see people that have come from nothing doing good. They like people that get fed with the silver spoon, they don’t like people that make their own meals. Normal people are happy for us, but the police, I don't know what they think. Maybe that we’re trying to become so powerful we'll take over the world or something, that’s what they go on like. [Laughs] But we’re normal people fam."
With Lets Lurk out now and about to head on tour, the future is not looking bleak for 67 anymore. They're in this music game as a family, and they've got the desire and the talent to take their sound far beyond their Brixton Hill base. Asked what it is that makes 67 stand out, LD doesn't pinpoint a sound but instead a shared attitude.
"We’re all hungry" he says. "We all come from nothing and we’re hungry, so we’re all going eat."
