UK rap in itself is an underrated genre. Especially as there are only a few mainstream UK rap artists, when there should be a lot more. Compared to the majority of hip-hop coming from the US, UK projects are usually known to be more lyrical. These following albums demonstrate this perfectly. Here are 5 underrated UK rap albums you need to listen to.
5. Stormzy – Heavy is the Head
Release Day: 13th December 2019
Number of Tracks: 16
Most Popular song: Vossi Bop
Album Number: 3
Noted Features: Ed Sheeran, Aitch, Tiana Major9
Overall Rating: 7/10
Heavy is the Head. Probably the best Stormzy project. Flow, lyrics and Stormzy’s passion makes me think this way. The features are on point and the storytelling is as well. Throughout the album, Stormzy shouts out the people who made him who he is (mainly family). I wouldn’t say this is a Grime album (Stormzy is often labelled the ‘King of Grime’), but more of a rap project. My favourite tracks include Rainfall & Bronze. I’d say this album has proved Stormzy’s potential. Which we hope to see more of in the future.
Listen here:
4. MiSTah Kye – Recovery
Release Day: 9th December 2021
Number of Tracks: 17
Most Popular song: Meaning Of Love
Album Number: 1
Noted Features: No features
Overall Rating: 7/10
MiSTah Kye is quite an underrated artist in the UK scene. He mainly focuses on the sadder side of life, mainly touching on the topic of love and heartbreak. This is shown mainly through his hit songs She Comes & Goes, & The Talking Stage Game. Recovery is his first album and contains some pretty good songs, a solid album for sure. The majority of his music samples popular songs most people would know, for example Waves by Dean Lewis and If I Die Young by The Band Perry. His clear voice in all of the songs makes this project perfect to listen to if you want to hear pure emotion. The raw vocals make this album emotional. Definitely listen (if you’re having a bad day. Or you’re heartbroken). If you are, check out Again & The Meaning of Love. My top favourites.
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3. Dave – Psychodrama
Release Day: 8th March 2019
Number of Tracks: 11
Most Popular song: Location ft. Burna Boy
Album Number: 2
Noted Features: J Hus, Ruelle
Underrated Song: Lesley ft. Ruelle
Overall Rating: 9/10
Right now we get to some of the best lyricism and stories on a UK album for a while. This is the second album he has released but I feel it demonstrates what Dave is capable of more effectively than his first album. Game Over was amazing though. It contained stories of his past in a lyrical narrative. Psychodrama contains features from Burna Boy, Ruelle & J Hus. Which is great because it isn;t overloaded with unnecessary collaborations – like some albums. Psychodrama is amazing.
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2. Dizzee Rascal – E3 AF
Release Day: 30th October 2020
Number of Tracks: 10
Most Popular song: Don’t Be Dumb ft. Ocean Wisdom
Album Number: 7
Noted Features: P Money, kano, Ghetts, Chip
Overall Rating: 7/10
Because I enjoyed this album a lot, I was kind of annoyed that it didn’t get the recognition it deserved. Dizzee Rascal’s voice can be described as aggressive but clear. This works perfectly for the type of music he makes. In this project he has worked with previous collaborator Ocean Wisdom, who is on a whole different level compared to the majority of UK rappers. Listen for yourself with the song Don’t Be Dumb.
Listen here:
1. French The Kid – Never Been Ordinary
Release Day: 1st April 2022
Number of Tracks: 13
Most Popular song: Thrill
Album Number: 1
Noted Features: Slimz
Overall Rating: 7/10
French The Kid has made a name for himself in the UK. I don’t expect people around the world to know who he is. But they should. His unique voice and underrated ability to tell a story within his tracks make him extremely underrated. Thrill is the most popular track on this album and for good reason; the tone it creates is certainly addictive. The vibe he creates from start to end of this whole project is perfect. It gives a sort of late night chill tone – a perfect excuse to blast your headphones to full volume.