Stormzy | ||
| Allmusic Biography : A London-based grime MC of Ghanaian heritage, Stormzy made a swift rise in the early 2010s to become one of the U.K.s most critically-acclaimed artists. Climbing out of the underground grime scene, he made his breakthrough in 2017 with his platinum-certified, chart-topping debut, Gang Signs & Prayer. Within half a decade of the release of his debut EP, he was a Glastonbury festival headliner. Born Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr. in the south London town of Croyden, he launched his career clashing at youth clubs around his hometown. His performances evolved from grime-only music that showed a love of artists like Skepta to more rap-oriented material that reflected Stormzys growing appreciation for artists like Drake. Late in 2013 he began uploading his "Wicked Skengman" series of freestyles over classic grime beats; in 2014, he made his official debut with the EP Dreamers Disease. A year later he released the single "Know Me From" along with "WickedSkengMan 4," the first track in his "WickedSkengMan" freestyle series and a Top 20 hit in the U.K. That December, Stormzy performed the singles B-side, "Shut Up," at a match between heavyweight boxers Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. The song jumped into the Top 40 following the broadcast, and the rapper launched a campaign to have the song top the charts during Christmas. This boosted the track to the number eight position, and the number one position on the R&B; singles chart. Before returning to the studio to record his first LP, he released non-album single "Scary" in the spring of 2016. Stormzy returned in 2017 with his official full-length debut Gang Signs & Prayer (#Merky Records), which featured the platinum single "Big for Your Boots," "Cigarettes & Cush" with Kehlani, and "Blinded by Your Grace, Pt. 2" with MNEK. The critically-lauded set debuted atop the U.K. albums chart and was soon certified platinum. In 2018, the album took home the prize for British Album of the Year and Stormzy was crowned British Male Solo Artist of the Year at the annual Brit Awards. Riding the wave of acclaim, he was announced as one of the headliners at 2019s Glastonbury Festival. That year, he also scored his first number one single in the U.K. with "Vossi Bop." | ||
 | Album: 1 of 2 Title: Dreamers Disease Released: 2014-07-20 Tracks: 7 Duration: 26:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Intro (02:42) 2 Forever (03:43) 3 Not That Deep (03:46) 4 No Way (04:34) 5 Dreamers Disease (03:48) 6 Storm Trooper (03:37) 7 Jupa (03:52) |
 | Album: 2 of 2 Title: Gang Signs & Prayer Released: 2017-02-24 Tracks: 16 Duration: 58:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 First Things First (03:28) 2 Cold (02:37) 3 Bad Boys (04:07) 4 Blinded by Your Grace, Pt. 1 (02:41) 5 Big for Your Boots (03:58) 6 Velvet / Jenny Francis (interlude) (05:40) 7 Mr Skeng (03:17) 8 Cigarettes & Cush (05:50) 9 21 Gun Salute (interlude) (02:26) 10 Blinded by Your Grace, Pt. 2 (03:51) 11 Return of the Rucksack (03:04) 12 100 Bags (03:38) 13 Don’t Cry for Me (03:34) 14 Crazy Titch (interlude) (02:42) 15 Shut Up (03:00) 16 Lay Me Bare (05:05) |
| Gang Signs & Prayer : Allmusic album Review : For all the talk of new wave grime artists, Stormzy has long been standing head and shoulders -- literally and figuratively -- above his peers. Whether you agree or not with the term "new wave," its arguably irrelevant to Michael Omari, who, on his debut album, continues to ascend the sometimes restrictive nature of the genre. The opening tracks feature plenty of the characteristic chest puffing and hostility associated with grime, ticking boxes such as declaring the hard work put in on "First Things First," an Eskibeat homage titled "Cold," and features from heavy-hitters Ghetts and J HUS on "Bad Boys." But as Gang Signs & Prayer unfolds, a lot of the bravado falls away, revealing Omaris inner workings, his roots, and his desire to elevate grime to the next level. "Blinded by Your Grace, Pt. 1" is the first sign that this isnt your typical grime album, offering a touch of gospel and a respite to the proceedings. Whereas Omari has turned his hand to slower numbers in the past -- notably on his 2014 EP Dreamers Disease -- here his singing and the accompanying backing piano feel impassioned and organic. The album continues to shift, gradually at first, with harder tracks alternating with R&B; or gospel numbers; by the halfway point, "Cigarettes & Kush," mellow vibes dominate the record. The refusal to pack the track list with bangers is the differentiating factor between Stormzy the grime MC and Stormzy the artist, elegantly showcasing that grime doesnt have to play by the rules, and that artists can express themselves outside of boasting and smack talk, acting as ammo for the argument that diversity and creativity are still prevalent in the scene. The guest spots featured in the latter half of the album are perfectly chosen, with appearances from Kehlani, Wretch 32, MNEK, and Raleigh Ritchie, who all act as counterweights to Omaris deeper tones. Conversely, one of the most touching moments doesnt feature any names; instead, "100 Bags" finds Omari sharing an open letter to his mum, apologizing for past actions that wouldnt have made her proud, and promising to look after her as thanks for raising him alone. During the albums final interlude, Omaris phone rings in the booth, and on the other end is old-era MC Crazy Titch. Hes calling from prison -- as hes still serving a life sentence for murder -- just to drop his endorsement: it provides a perfect summation of Stormzy the artist, in the process calling out any MCs from his generation who impose boundaries on grime. Directly afterward, Gang Signs & Prayer hits you with Stormzys breaking track "Shut Up," reminding haters to hush; quite rightly as "Shut Up" is easily one of the biggest grime tracks in recent years. Its a bold move to go against the grain in a genre where adherence to style can equal respect, but Stormzys ambition exceeds potential judgment from purists. Hes more concerned with expressing himself and adapting to survive, so that he can express further for years to come. | ||