Twizzy: Crabs In A Bucket (Stream)

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A very welcome return to the blog from Twizzy, with the release of his latest album. It’s been a few years since we heard a full-length solo project from the Bristol MC; his hiatus fuelled by a mixture of personal struggles and disillusionment with the rap scene, both of which I’m happy to hear have been curtailed, giving him some new creative zeal in the process.
Crabs in a Bucket is testament to that, as we hear Twizzy sounding more enthused and focused than ever. The production on the album is handled in full by fellow Bristol artist, Chillman, and boasts features from Komposa, Genesis Elijah, G00SE, CAM, Jinxsta and Jolene, as well as cuts from DJ Rogue. You can check out the full album below, with downloads and physicals available on Bandcamp. And it’s Bandcamp Friday today, so what better excuse to support some independent artists.

Twizzy ft. Komposa: Truth

A fresh drop from Twizzy, as he gets us in the mood for his forthcoming album with this Chillman produced cut. Truth also features a tight appearance from fellow Bristol MC, Komposa, who has been enjoying a nice run recently. The video was made by Oscar Barriball.

Verb T & Illinformed ft. Chillman: City Limits

Today saw the release of the latest single from Verb T and Illinformed, as they continue the rollout for their forthcoming album. City Limits features fellow In The Balance artist, Chillman, as well as another slick video from Parallel Media. The Land of the Foggy Skies is due for release on 11 December via High Focus.

Joe Publik: Stubborn Vectis (Stream)

Fresh out today, comes the debut LP from Joe Publik. Following on the back of a couple of strong singles, Stubborn Vectis is a healthy blend of precision lyricism and often jazzy production from an artist who has been feverishly honing his talents over the last few years to great effect. While the main star of the album is Joe on production and mic duties, he is joined by a strong supporting cast, including Scorzayzee, Res One, Chillman, G00SE, Coosie, Awfer, Lazy Habits and Clippa Sound. The LP can be heard in full below, with various physical and digital options available via Played Out Records.

Chillman & G00SE: Booze

Chillman and G00SE return with a new video, for the next single to be taken from their upcoming album. Booze is an ode to the excesses of alcohol and all the pitfalls and positives that come with them. The track is produced by G00SE and features a classic Syl Johnson sample. The video was made by Dfacer. Booze is available to stream at all the usual spots.

Joe Publik: Head Nod Hip Hop / Military Minded

Double-header from Joe Publik, as I play catch up with the Isle of Wight MC’s recent releases. First up is Head Nod Hip Hop, which dropped a couple of weeks ago and sees Joe teaming up with two of the Verbal Highz gang, Chillman and G00SE, to great effect. The video comes courtesy of Sektion Red. And yesterday we were treated to Joe’s latest video, which has some more excellent features, in the form of Split Prophets OG, Res One and Out Da Ville legend, Scorzayzee. The video for Military Minded was made by Double or Nothing. Both tracks are self-produced and the cuts were supplied by Willz of Steel. They are taken from Joe’s debut solo LP, Stubborn Vectis.

Habitus ft. Chillman & Bella Soul: Chasing Careers

New video from easily one of the hardest working people on the UK scene, as Habitus continues to deliver the gems from his forthcoming album. On Chasing Careers, the bilingual, Bristol-based MC is joined by friend and regular collaborator, Chillman, as well as fellow Bristol artist, Bella Soul. The video was made by Sektion Red. More news on the album soon.

In the Balance Records: In The Balance Vol. 1

Nice selection of tracks from In The Balance, featuring the wealth of talent that makes up their current roster. Regular visitors to the blog will most likely be familiar with some of the tracks already, but having them all compiled together in one place is a great reminder of just how much quality music the label has been responsible for since its inception back in 2015.

Verb T: Interview

I remember first hearing Verb T rap when his track Showbitchness was included on a Low Life Records compilation, back in 2003. Since then he has been a constant in my relationship with UK hip hop, thanks to his association with High Focus, most notably as part of The Four Owls, as well as a string of projects with the likes of Pitch 92 and Illinformed. I spoke with him recently about a number of things including maintaining his longevity, setting up his own label and his ongoing struggles with Crohn’s Disease.

Chillman & G00SE: Cold Weather

Fresh heat on a rainy day from Chillman and G00SE, with the aptly titled Cold Weather. This is the first cut from the duo’s upcoming album and also features production from G00SE. The video was made by Parallel Media. The track is also available to stream and download on the usual platforms.