“Real rap people are shining now. That’s it, and it’s because of us.” In Talks With: RA

RA, or Real Artillery, has been a heavy hitter in the UK rap game for years now. Previously working with the likes of Giggs, Fredo, and long term collaborators Krept and Konan, the south London rapper has always delivered searing bars with high octane, aggressive delivery. We sat down to discuss his new project, ‘Parabellum’:

You’ve been a pioneer of UK Rap and have been a key player in the scene for many years. Do you feel like you get the respect you deserve?

I don’t feel I get the exact amount of respect that I should. Obviously everyone knows the ting, so I kind of think I get the respect from the people who know, and for those that don’t I need to work hard and push more for it.

What’s changed in the rap game since you first came on the scene? استراتيجية بينجو

You don’t even have to have lyrics no more. When I was coming up, you had to have lyrics, bars to even be in the game. But now, you don’t even have to have bars to stay in the game. It’s definitely less about lyricism and more focussed on image, do you get what I’m saying? It’s changed now.

Is that why people from your generation have longevity?

A lot of people from my generation haven’t translated because of genres like grime and garage. Those genres aren’t really around a lot anymore. But also, we have an advantage because we came up off our lyrics. There is a lot of people from my generation who deserve respect because they’re like me. Luckily for us we can move genres. I can do drill, rap, grime, basically the lot. That’s the reason why I was able to make that transition. 

You’ve new project has just come out called ‘Parabellum’ what’s the meaning behind the name?

The meaning of the word is ‘getting ready for war’. Musically we’re basically saying that we’re ready to go to war with the industry, and ‘parabellum’ is on the side of a nine shell as well. 

The tape sees you collaborate with Krept and Konan again after your legendary track together, ‘Khalas’. What’s it like to find artists who you have such good chemistry with?

They’re my people. They grew up on man’s music, innit? So obviously it’s easy to collaborate, they’ve come up off their lyrics as well and they were able to make that transition too. It’s good to work with them and I always look forward to it.

For those who haven’t heard it yet, what can people expect from your new project? لعبة بوكر اون لاين

This one’s nothing but fire, bars, we’ve got grimy stuff, we’ve got drill stuff, we’ve got deep stuff. But like, hard shit though. This is ‘Parabellum’ part one. This is just a warm up and you should just wait and see what we’ve got for this year.

Do you feel that the likes of yourself, Potter Payper and Giggs are starting to open doors for Road Rap to enter the mainstream?

Definitely, that’s what we’ve done. That’s why when there is real rapping innovation, people have to play it regardless. Real rap people are shining now. That’s it, and it’s because of us. It’s still happening now, 100%. The real rap scene is growing and people are eating but we are the ones who brought it to the table. 1xbet شرح موقع

Finally, what’s 2022 looking like for RA?

Right now, it’s looking tasty. We’ve got a lot in store. We’ve got projects, we’ve got features, I’m even thinking about making the move into acting and movies, that kind of thing. We’ve got a whole load of stuff and it’s due to be crazy. A whole load of surprises. 

RA has clearly delivered in his own style on ‘Parabellum’, combining genres and features to create a well rounded EP. It certainly sounds as if 2022 will be a busy year for the rapper, and judging by the quality of his musical output, there is no reason to doubt him.