Words: Asa Campbell
Lancey is one of the pioneers of this new genre of punk-inspired rap
Lancey opens his latest album with the track ‘MURDRR TALK’ in which he touches on some of the comparisons fans have been making between him and other artists whilst paying respects to some of the legends of the UK scene, rapping ‘Anything I do, they callin’ me Thug / Anything I do, they callin’ me Carti / Just call me Giggs, I’m talkin’ the hardest'.
This track sets the tone for a project which is a compilation of explosive, violent instrumentals. Lancey touches on a number of subjects throughout including his own experiences with drug abuse, rap-cappers and mental illness. Most notably in the track ‘BIPOLAR BAG’ in which he details how bipolar disorder has affected his relationship with his friends.
The sole feature on the project sees Skepta deliver an aggressive verse on the track ‘WHAT U WANT’ the two artists complement each other effortlessly, marking their 4th collaboration in style.
The project is not all high tempo however, on the outro ‘HONEST’ Lancey delivers introspective, vulnerable verses over a more sombre beat. This track is definitely one of the highlights of the project.
Lancey is one of the pioneers of this new genre of punk-inspired rap and I’m sure that ‘FIRST DEGREE’ will be considered a benchmark in the history of the genre in years to come.
As for a time and a place for listening to this high adrenaline project, Lancey puts it best himself, captioning his Instagram post ‘FOR BEST RESULTS LISTEN IN A CAR AT HIGH SPEED AT HIGH VOLUME !!!!!!’