Skepta | ||
| Allmusic Biography : A veteran of the U.K. grime scene, MC, producer, and record-label owner Skepta was influential in the genres shift from the underground to the pop charts, as well as its creative and commercial resurgence during the mid-2010s. Born Joseph Junior Adenuga to Nigerian parents, Skepta moved to Tottenham with his family at the age of three. Inspired by both U.S. and U.K. hip-hop, he started his music career appearing on the pirate radio circuit and performing at various MC battles. In 2005, he formed the grime label Boy Better Know with brother J.M.E. and Wiley, and a year later joined East London collective Roll Deep, although he left the following year to concentrate on Boy Better Know and his solo career. He released his first two albums, Greatest Hits and Microphone Champion, through his label before signing with All Around the World Records in 2010. In the same year, he reached the Top 40 with "Bad Boy" (number 26) and "Rescue Me" (number 14), supported Chipmunk on his U.K. tour, and was personally selected by P. Diddy to record a grime remix of "Hello Good Morning" after being recommended by his Twitter followers. His third album, Doin It Again, featuring the Top 40-charting single "Cross My Heart," was released at the beginning of 2011, subsequently peaking at number 19 on the U.K. album chart. In 2012, Skepta released two singles ("Hold On" and the C+C Music Factory-sampling "Make Peace Not War") that took his sound in a more commercially minded direction. Both songs hit the Top 30 of the U.K. singles chart, and were intended to be the leadoff singles to an album titled The Honeymoon, but the disappointing reaction from fans led to the album being scrapped, and a mixtape titled Blacklisted was released at the end of the year in its place. After keeping a low profile in 2013, Skepta came back in a big way the following year. He contributed a verse to a remix of "German Whip" by Meridian Dan, which became a Top 20 hit in May 2014. The following month, Skeptas single "Thats Not Me" (which featured a guest verse by J.M.E.) was released, hitting number 21 on the charts. Both tracks were praised as helping to revitalize grime, and the latter was eventually named track of the year by FACT Magazine. Skeptas early 2015 single "Shutdown" was another U.K. Top 40 hit, and the MC received attention from Drake and Kanye West, joining the latter on-stage during the BRIT Awards. Skepta made his acting debut with a role in the 2015 crime drama Anti-Social, and worked on his long-delayed album Konnichiwa. The album was finally released by Boy Better Know in May of 2016, featuring guest appearances from Wiley, Pharrell Williams, and Novelist, in addition to his previous two hit singles. It debuted at number two on the British charts and earned vast critical acclaim, including the prestigious Mercury Prize. It was followed in 2017 with the Vicious EP, a short burst of six songs that featured appearances by Lil B, Section Boyz, and A$AP Rocky and A$AP Nast. The next year, Skepta teamed up with Goldie for the collaborative single "Upstart" b/w "Poisonous Darts." He followed with "Sheevita Juice" and "Pure Water." Adenuga was gearing up for a new album in 2018, SkLevel; he delayed its release until 2019 before stylistically shifting the record and changing the name to Ignorance Is Bliss. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 13 Title: Thuggish EP Released: 2004 Tracks: 3 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Serious Thugz (?) 2 Panorama (?) 3 Gunshot Riddim Special (?) |
 | Album: 2 of 13 Title: Stageshow EP Released: 2007 Tracks: 3 Duration: 11:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Stageshow Rhythm (05:20) 2 Rockstar (Poomplex edit) (02:34) 3 Reggae (03:41) |
 | Album: 3 of 13 Title: Greatest Hits Released: 2007-09-24 Tracks: 14 Duration: 47:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 The Journey (02:17) 2 I’m There (03:09) 3 Doin’ It Again (03:43) 4 Listen Up (03:18) 5 I Spy (02:44) 6 Single (02:50) 7 Ayia Napa 2006 Skit (02:44) 8 Greatest Hits (02:54) 9 In a Corner (03:23) 10 Not Your Average Joe (03:33) 11 Sweet Mother (03:13) 12 Shape Shifting (02:59) 13 Blood, Sweat and Tears (03:43) 14 Cold Turkey / Single (remix) (06:43) |
 | Album: 4 of 13 Title: Microphone Champion Released: 2009-06-01 Tracks: 18 Duration: 52:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Reflecting (03:16) 2 Are You Ready? (02:21) 3 Oh My Gosh (02:32) 4 Looking Out (04:17) 5 Sticks and Stones (03:19) 6 Too Many Man (03:33) 7 Lush (02:46) 8 My Emotions (02:42) 9 Skepta (02:26) 10 Amsterdam (skit) (00:59) 11 Disguise (03:20) 12 Gingerbread Man (03:03) 13 Ed Hardy Party (02:51) 14 Madness (03:54) 15 Over the Top (02:49) 16 Dark (03:23) 17 Sunglasses at Night (02:20) 18 Rolex Sweep (02:34) |
 | Album: 5 of 13 Title: Been There Done That Released: 2010-02-01 Tracks: 16 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Two Plus Two (?) 2 Over the Top 2 (feat. Bloodline) (?) 3 Knock Yourself Out (?) 4 Blow My Own Trumpet (?) 5 All Over the House (feat. Majestic & Shorty) (?) 6 Spit Big Bars (feat. Blacks & P Money) (?) 7 English Breakfast (?) 8 B O Double S (feat. Fem Fel & Jewels) (?) 9 Freeze (skit) (?) 10 Solos Back (feat. Frisco & Solo 45) (?) 11 Nokia Charger Wire (?) 12 No Love for the Other Side (feat. JME, KJ & B Live) (?) 13 Stupid (feat. Wiley) (?) 14 Private Caller 2 (?) 15 UFO (?) 16 Red Bull Academy (?) |
 | Album: 6 of 13 Title: Doin’ It Again Released: 2011-01-31 Tracks: 14 Duration: 46:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Nobody Made Me (03:03) 2 Rescue Me (03:14) 3 Amnesia (03:55) 4 Bad Boy (02:50) 5 Skit (00:28) 6 Do It Like Me (04:39) 7 Thrown in the Bin (02:52) 8 Cross My Heart (02:53) 9 Big (05:18) 10 Taking Too Long (03:26) 11 All Over the House (04:16) 12 So Alive (03:38) 13 Hello Good Morning (grime remix) (02:39) 14 Doin’ It Again (03:36) |
| Doin’ It Again : Allmusic album Review : While Professor Green, Tinchy Stryder, and Tinie Tempah have effortlessly made the smooth transition from the underground grime scene they came from to the upper reaches of the charts, one of the genres pioneers, Joseph Adenuga, aka Skepta, appears to have been left trailing behind. The Boy Better Know founder and former Roll Deep MCs first two albums, Greatest Hits and Microphone Champion, went by pretty much unnoticed, despite star turns from Jay Sean and Wiley, while his uncompromising gritty sound has so far failed to make it onto mainstream radio playlists. However, following an invitation by Diddy to produce a grime remix of his club smash "Hello Good Morning," Skeptas third album, Doin It Again, is receiving much more high-profile attention. Unlike his chart-friendly counterparts, Skeptas newfound fame hasnt commercialized his sound, with the harsh beats, breakneck-speed lyrical delivery, and sub-bass-heavy production of its 15 tracks unlikely to attract accusations of betraying his pirate radio beginnings. "Mike Lowery" is an aggressive expletive-laden riposte to his Internet haters that samples Guy Ritchies British gangster flick Snatch, the sinister synth-led "Thrown in the Bin" is a minimalist slice of U.K. hip-hop featuring his own Boy Better Know collective, and the frenetic electronic bleeps of "Amnesia" echo the sonic paranoia of Dizzee Rascals Mercury Music Prize-winning debut, Boy in da Corner. An array of guest appearances from the likes of Chipmunk (on a surprisingly melancholic take on the merits of fame, "Big"), N-Dubz (on the dark atmospherics of "So Alive"), and former EastEnders actress Preeya Kalidas (on the punchy string-led "Cross My Heart") up the star-studded quotient, but apart from Greg Timberlakes heavily Auto-Tuned and corny 80s power ballad vocals on "Rescue Me," they very rarely detract from Skeptas unsettling and authentic street sound. Doin It Again is unlikely to cross over in the same way as its several collaborators have done, but hardcore grime fans should be satisfied that at least one of their originators hasnt surrendered to the ubiquitous electro-pop sound just yet. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 13 Title: Hold On Released: 2012-01-06 Tracks: 9 Duration: 37:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Hold On (UK radio edit) (02:23) 2 Hold On (original mix) (03:47) 3 Hold On (Hi Def radio edit) (03:12) 4 Hold On (Hi Def mix) (06:00) 5 Hold On (Vato Gonzalez radio mix) (03:20) 6 Hold On (Vato Gonzalez mix) (05:45) 7 Hold On (Jacob Plant remix edit) (03:18) 8 Hold On (Jacob Plant mix) (04:48) 9 Hold On (Fred V & Grafix mix) (04:36) |
 | Album: 8 of 13 Title: Get Busy Released: 2012-07-29 Tracks: 5 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Get Busy (Radio Version) (?) 2 Get Busy (Kat Krazy Remix) (?) 3 Get Busy (Matrix & Futurebound Remix) (?) 4 Get Busy (Jamie Grind Remix) (?) 5 Get Busy (Funky Stepz Remix) (?) |
 | Album: 9 of 13 Title: Blacklisted Released: 2012-12-02 Tracks: 12 Duration: 39:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Same S**t Different Day (02:34) 2 Castles (03:26) 3 Badman in Tivoli (03:34) 4 We Begin Things (03:47) 5 Ace Hood Flow (03:13) 6 Tour Bus Massacre (03:06) 7 Mastermind (02:32) 8 Simple Life (02:55) 9 Somebodys Everything (03:45) 10 Lay Her Down (01:46) 11 You Know Me (02:51) 12 2 + 2 x 2 (06:20) |
 | Album: 10 of 13 Title: Konnichiwa Released: 2016-05-06 Tracks: 12 Duration: 44:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Konnichiwa (03:17) 2 Lyrics (02:35) 3 Corn on the Curb (05:00) 4 Crime Riddim (04:35) 5 It Ain’t Safe (03:41) 6 Ladies Hit Squad (04:38) 7 Numbers (03:18) 8 Man (Gang) (03:34) 9 Shutdown (03:08) 10 That’s Not Me (03:04) 11 Detox (02:48) 12 Text Me Back (04:25) |
| Konnichiwa : Allmusic album Review : Out of Skeptas first few proper albums, Konnichiwa was easily the most successful. It reached number two in the grime MCs native U.K. Thanks in part to support from Drake, it even cracked the Billboard 200 in the U.S, an obvious target through the soft, slow, and melodic "Ladies Hit Squad" and a sparse and percussive Pharrell collaboration, "Numbers." When the album was released, three of its singles had already secured Top 40 U.K. placement. Each one of them -- "Man," "Shutdown," "Thats Not Me" -- is a lyrically swaggering, rhythmically jagged affirmation of Skeptas grime roots. Theyre all de-emphasized somewhat by their consecutive second-half appearances. The first half is not without its share of highlights, including the lean, blaring "Crime Riddim," nervy "Corn on the Curb" (featuring Wiley), and taut "Lyrics" (featuring Novelist). Lines aimed at authority, competition, and bottom feeders all shoot clean through. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 13 Title: Live from London Released: 2016-12-04 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:10:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 No Security (02:09) 2 Konnichiwa (03:24) 3 Thats Not Me (03:10) 4 Ace Hood Flow (03:02) 5 Liberation (03:29) 6 Corn on the Curb (03:14) 7 Crime Riddim (03:05) 8 Numbers (03:24) 9 It Aint Safe (05:04) 10 Whippin Excursion (03:18) 11 Man Dont Care (03:37) 12 3 Wheel-Ups (04:44) 13 Nasty (02:57) 14 Lyrics (03:05) 15 Ladies Hit Squad (03:24) 16 Whats Going On (01:45) 17 Detox (02:58) 18 Pow (01:33) 19 #Worst (05:40) 20 Shutdown (03:57) 21 Man (03:46) |
 | Album: 12 of 13 Title: Vicious Released: 2017-10-31 Tracks: 6 Duration: 21:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Still (03:37) 2 Sit Down (03:22) 3 No Security (03:39) 4 Worst (04:06) 5 Hypocrisy (03:12) 6 Ghost Ride (03:27) |
 | Album: 13 of 13 Title: Ignorance is Bliss Released: 2019-05-31 Tracks: 13 Duration: 41:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Bullet from a Gun (02:51) 2 Greaze Mode (02:48) 3 Redrum (03:56) 4 No Sleep (03:12) 5 What Do You Mean? (03:31) 6 Going Through It (03:15) 7 Same Old Story (03:21) 8 Love Me Not (03:24) 9 Animal Instinct (03:09) 10 Glow In The Dark (02:55) 11 You Wish (02:47) 12 Gangsta (03:19) 13 Pure Water (03:11) |