slowthai

U.K. rapper slowthai delivers raw, emotionally direct lyrics that address the struggles and concerns of British youth. His brash flow and hyperactive stage persona are equally influenced by grime and punk rock, and while his tough, fearless lyrics exude compassion and vitriol, he neither shies away from expressing vulnerability nor is he devoid of humor or playfulness. He began receiving significant press coverage around the time that releases such as the singles “T N Biscuits” and “Doorman” (with Mura Masa) appeared in 2018, leading up to his acclaimed debut full-length, Nothing Great About Britain, in 2019. After collaborating with the likes of Gorillaz, Denzel Curry, Flume, and Disclosure, he issued his second album, Tyron, in 2021, and it topped the U.K. charts. His third album, the more rock-influenced Ugly, appeared in 2023.
Tyron Frampton was born in Northampton, and he earned his nickname due to his slow, slurred speech. He grew up listening to several styles of music, such as indie, garage, and jungle, and began freestyle rapping in his early teens. He first made an impact with “Jiggle,” a single that appeared in early 2016. While slowthai later stated that he made the song as a joke, it kick-started his career. The 2017 single “Murder” directly preceded his debut EP, I Wish I Knew. That year, he also made an appearance on JD. Reid’s Calibrate EP with the track “Interior,” which also featured 808ink and Oscar #Worldpeace. 2018 brought several singles accompanied by provocative, horror-influenced music videos, including “Polaroid” and “North Nights,” as well as the RUNT EP on Method Records. In 2019, slowthai made a guest appearance on Flume’s mixtape Hi This Is Flume, rapping on the song “High Beams,” which reached the Top Ten of the New Zealand singles chart.
Slowthai then released his ambitious debut studio album, Nothing Great About Britain, which included guest appearances from Skepta, Mura Masa, and Slaves. The record garnered rave reviews, charted in the Top Ten of the U.K. charts, and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. The rapper was named Hero of the Year at the 2020 NME Awards. His output during the year included solo singles like “BB (Bodybag)” and “Magic” along with the Gorillaz collaboration “Momentary Bliss,” which also featured Slaves. He returned later in the year with the Mount Kimbie and James Blake collaboration “Feel Away.” “MAZZA,” with A$AP Rocky, preceded the release of his second full-length, Tyron, which arrived in February 2021. It became the first slowthai album to reach number one in the U.K. In 2022, he released the single “i know nothing.” Ugly, his third album, was released in 2023, and sported a much more guitar-based sound than the artist’s first two full-lengths. ~ Paul Simpson