Fish N Spliffs: UK Roundup- Sept 13th-20th

Please enjoy your weekly helping of Fish N Spliffs!

M1llionz- Lagga

Yeah this came out last week, but I forget to cover it then, so I’m including it here. M1llionz got so many questions about the slang he uses, that he had to travel to Nairobi, Kenya to show everyone firsthand. It’s insane to see him literally right at home in a completely different environment. M1llionz has one of the most unique and flexible flows out there right now, and this just further cements that fact.

M1llionz- Nairobi (VLOG MUSIC VIDEO)

A double helping of M1llionz this week! In addition to dropping “Lagga” last week, he followed that up with an additional song and video documenting his time in Nairobi. You really see how passionate he is about his music and art. He didn’t head to Nairobi just to shoot a slick video, but clearly cares and did what he could for the locals while he was there. He says as much at the end of the track, with a spoke word section. “If I don’t ensure everyone’s in a better position, or better off, I failed my mission, innit? Only ten percent make it out.” M1llionz is special.

M Huncho and Nafe Smalls- 5AM

Here we have a collaboration between two UK crooners, M Huncho and Nafe Smallz. “5Am” acts as the first single off of their joint mixtape DNA that will be dropping next week. M Huncho continues to prove that he has to be considered the best auto-tune heavy rapper in the UK scene right now. He consistently gives you something wavy, all while mixing that with fast and ever-changing flows. As I mentioned in the Unknown T review, he does not have the most expressive voice in the world, but his content and knack for finding pockets in the beat is uncanny and really sets him apart.

In all honesty, I’ve enjoyed Nafe Smallz in the past, but mainly as someone who handles a chorus and shorter refrain (see his feature on Skepta’s “Greaze Mode“). So I am slightly skeptical about an entire 13 track project where he feature’s so prominently. I do enjoy his performance here, but M Huncho kind of spins him once he gets deeper into his second verse. He isn’t disappointing, per say, but when put together with someone I enjoy as much as M Huncho, it’s hard for me not to envision his contributions being slightly lackluster in comparison to M Huncho. His style and flows are just a little basic. I guess we’ll have to hear the whole of DNA to find out for sure!

Teeway- Dinner Time

Teeway has early SL syndrome. He is immensely talented, but every time you head to the comment section on any of his videos, the sentiment is clear: THIS MAN NEEDS TO DROP MORE MUSIC. He’s inconsistent quantity wise, but unbelievably consistent when it comes to the quality of his tracks. He always picks top drill instrumentals and always shows off his relentless flow and penchant for slick wordplay. This one bangs, and the discordant keys are right out of the drill playbook. I’ll never scoff at a “Zack and Cody” reference either.

Pa Salieu and BackRoad Gee- My Family

I HATE when fans go on and on about artists being “underrated,” BUT… I really do feel like a lot of what Pa Salieu offers goes under appreciated. He’s unorthodox in his flows and performances. He offers something completely different from a lot of artists out right now. His mix of UK slang and patois show off his Gambian roots, and the energy of his music comes off as authentic. That’s especially clear considering this man survived being shot in the head earlier this year.

Then you have BackRoad Gee, whom this is my first introduction to. He gives a strong ODB-esque performance, as he comes off as borderline unhinged, yelling things like, “HEY HEY, WHO? WHAT? WHAT? BIG FAT CORN GET CAUGHT IN YOUR MELON.” I feel like his bars have to be written in all caps. Pa Salieu is always much more composed, and the two different styles complement each other very well over a slightly off kilter, low-key danceable instrumental. The video work itself is absolutely insane as well. This is the complete package.

IDLES- Model Village

First non-rap track! First non-rap track! As I’ve stated before, and intend to delve into much more on this blog eventually, I listen to so much different shit. So, keeping in line with the UK centricness of the blog so far, I present you the new (well month old) track from post-punk band IDLES. 2018s Joy as an Act of Resistance is one of my favorite albums, regardless of genres, in the last few years, and the recent singles I’ve heard are giving me a similar feeling. It’s also cool that Kenny Beats has some production credits on their upcoming album, Ultra Mono, as well, so I am beyond excited to hear the entire thing.

This song, “Model Village,” continues IDLES love of scathing social critique. They’ve torn down sexists, racists, homophobes, toxic masculinity and just about every other societal norm and stereotype on previous songs. The line, “I put homophobes in coffins,” off of “Colossus” will always be a personal favorite. “Model Village,” describes the racism and false ideals of the typical suburban village or town. They are clearly talking about a British village, but every point is applicable to suburbia here in America. The perfect car, wife, house and overall make-up of the people there. (i.e. white as hell. Seems fitting that where I live, good-ole Sussex, Wisconsin, is technically a village. So I see every point made in this song as a perfect representation of where I live.)

“Just give them and anthem and they’ll sing it/ Still they don’t know the meanings in it/ Just saluting flags cause it’s British/ Idiot spirits thinking they’re kindred.”

Again, just substitute “American” for “British,” and you immediately get the vision of the right-wing psychopaths that run rampant in this country, getting erections over a terrible song that conveniently cuts out all of the later verses mentioning the slavery and racism this country was founded on.

The song itself is great, of course, with a fantastic kinetic energy that comes to a head during the chorus. Joe Talbot’s voice fits this style of music perfectly, as his ability to convey emotion, whether it be anger, pain, or a healthy dose of British sarcasm. I cannot wait for the full project to drop next week.

I hope you enjoyed these tracks! With a few albums being released next week, I should have plenty of music to cover in the near future. Don’t hesitate to drop a comment or suggestion! Also, it’s worth saying, with all of the fuckery being perpetuated constantly in the world right now, please take some time for yourself. Read a book. Play some video games. Watch a movie. Smoke a spliff. Have a beer. Get outside. Get lost in some music. Stay vigilant and active in regards to the host of social and political issues that we need to fix in this country, but do not be afraid to put yourself first every once in a while. It’s easy to be overwhelmed. Trust me, I would know. I love you and appreciate you, and we’re going to get through this hell scape of a reality together.