Suburban Spotlight: Glasgow

Following on from our Derby edition, Suburban Spotlight is back! This time, we’ve taken a trip – virtually, of course – to the Scottish city of Glasgow. Bursting with charisma, energy, and flare, Scottish emcee’s over the past few years have been taking there time to shine. With the help of The Rap Game UK, emcee’s such as Ransom FA and Shogun have all represented a part of their country. We have selected 5 new and up-coming rappers that deserve a spot on your ‘One To Watch’ radar!

Triple 01’s

The Triple 01’s, made up of both Trigga, 21 and YSK, whose 20 years of age, have swiftly built a name for themselves following the release of their debut single, “Oi Freeze Up” earlier this year in March. Taking influence from the UK Rap scene, the pair commented, “No one from Scotland has really ever done our sort of style, we have the likes of Lewis Capaldi and Paolo Nutini etc, but we want to establish ourselves in rap and be the first to do so coming out of Scotland”. Having already accumulated over 1 million streams across all streaming platforms, the duo are best known for their street poetics, unapologetic approach, hard bars and skippy flows. Following on from the release of their debut single, the boys dropped there most prominent track to date, “Robbing Hood” (below). Housing a skittering production courtesy of FIIDE BEATS, Trigga and YSK go back-to-back on this wheel-up worthy joint. Continuing to prove why they are artists to watch, stay tuned later this week for the release of there latest single!

TS TR4P

If you are familiar with the scene in Glasgow then you will be more than acquainted with newcomer, TS TR4P. At just 18 years old, TS TR4P stumbled across his love for music from a youthful age; infatuated with a variety of different artists, little did he know they would soon help to shape his music today, “I started rapping when I was like 8 or 9 with my little brother. But, I didn’t write music properly until I was around 14”, he commented. Taking influence from UK heavy-weights including Stormzy and Skepta, the promising talent has weaved their respective elements in with his own, creating the ultimate wheel-up worthy sound. Stepping onto the scene earlier this year with “VIP” alongside Adz, Noro, and Dice, he followed through with “Box ‘n Bricks” (below) in February. Welcomed with a memorable hook, this eerie joint boasts his jumpy flows and raw street poetics. Posing as one of many paving a way for Scottish drill, TS TR4P is a name to look out for!

Bemz

Influenced by Ghetts, Fela Kuti, and Dave is the Scottish newcomer, Bemz, who first fell in love with music at the age of 16, “I started making music at 16 for jokes and vibes, but I started taking it a bit more seriously around 2-3 years ago”. Now 27 years old, with a catalogue going back as far as 2018, Bemz has made quite the impression. Following what was a chaotic year for many musicians when the pandemic hit, this didn’t stop the rising emcee from continuing to prove why he is one to watch. Following the release of four tracks last year including his most prominent drop, “Goldie”, alongside Panashe and Napalmz, Bemz entered 2021 with a bang! Kicking off the year with his “Coldest Winter Freestyle”, he swiftly came through with his celebratory single, “26” before stepping up to the ‘Take One’ mic courtesy of UP2STNDRD (below). Attacking an energy-driven and haunting beat with ease, he glosses the production with a slew of hard-hitting and self-assured bars. Showcasing his reputable versatility for all to hear, the Scottish emcee recently performed at his first sold out headline show in Glasgow – if that isn’t enough to make you want to listen, then I don’t know what is!

Snooks

At just 17 years of age, Snooks has already made quite the impression. Influenced by a variety of artists and sounds, the budding emcee has managed to create an exciting and fresh wave that’s captured the eyes of many. Encouraged by his friends to take music seriously, Snooks stated, “I only started music when I was 16. I wasn’t really interested in it but my friend told me I should try it out and express my self in other ways. So, one day I went to a home studio and just started vibing with beats and made a song”. Following the release of his debut single named, “Diego Costa”, Snooks shared his most popular track to date, “Melanin Barbie”. Accumulating over 90,000 views on YouTube alone, his reputable grit, hard-hitting bars, and energy-driven approach took centre stage as he began to solidify himself as an artist to watch. Following a brief hiatus, the Scottish native recently delivered the visuals to his brand new single entitled, “Henny” (below). Housing an eerie production, Snooks welcomes the track with a jumpy flow and street poetics throughout. Although Snooks is as the very beginning of his career, he’s already proving as a force to be reckoned with!

Oakzy B

If you watched the recent season of The Rap Game UK, then you will be aware of Oakzy B. Reputable for his vigorous flow, refined pen game and self-assured presence, he caught the attention of many across the nation. Introduced to music from a young age, it was inevitable that Oakzy B would one day go down a similar path, “My Mum was a big rap fan. She had all the classic albums, from Tupac, to Biggie and Snoop Dogg. I’ve been writing since I was 6 years old – I was trying to be 50 Cent in my mirror lol!”, he explained. Influenced by a range of artists from Skepta and Dizzee Rascal, to Biggie Smalls and various other Hip-Hop rappers, the 25 year-old has managed to create a lane of his own. Following his debut in around 2018, Oakzy B has since garnered a fan base that have followed him through various projects including his latest mixtape entitled, ‘NEDS’ that dropped earlier this year. Spread across 8 tracks with features from Tiny and Amense MC, the budding talent recently treated supporters to the release of “Never Be”, taken from the second episode of The Rap Game UK. Welcomed with a glossy and slick hook, he fills the verses with a hard-hitting approach that differs to his usual style. Proving his versatility once again, Oakzy B is one to watch!

Check out our latest Derby edition alongside previous cities here.