Project Review: Potter Payper And M Huncho Make It Look Effortless On ’36 Hours’

M Huncho and Potter Payper have already proven themselves to be a lethal combination when they have collaborated in the past. Both artists linked up on Groundworks’ ‘G Tape’, showcasing their ability to fuse their styles on the track ‘Faith’. Elsewhere, M Huncho dropped into Potter’s ‘Thanks For Waiting’ project with an appearance on ‘Catch Up’, while the roles were reversed on Huncho’s ‘Chasing Euphoria’ album with ‘Me And My Conscience’. 

With a joint mixtape rumoured to be on the horizon for some time, the duo have finally joined forces on ‘36 Hours’. The name of the project refers to the length of time the pair took to write and record the tape whilst on a trip to Tenerife, while also working as a double entendre for Potter’s 36 record label. Across ten tracks, both artists demonstrate their importance to the UK Rap game, offering up variation through their respective approaches whilst also forming an overall cohesive body of work.

What makes this marriage of sounds work across the project is the production. Huncho has pioneered the Trapwave sound in the UK and his signature style can be heard throughout, while Potter falls more into the more traditional Real Rap category. Working predominantly with long term collaborators and producers such as Quincy Tellem and Chucks, this continuity certainly helps to get the best out of the duo and plays to both artists strengths. There is a fine balance of soulful samples that cater to Potter’s raw, hard hitting rapping ability, as well as Trap laced beats that allows Huncho to float over different soundscapes.

The first track, ‘Two Wise Men’, gets things started with a soulful guitar riff and steady drum pattern, with the pair dovetailing each other’s verses effortlessly. With the opener more in Potter’s wheelhouse, we then get to hear Huncho step it up a level on the faster paced ‘3hree6ix Hours’. This merging of their respective sonics gives both artists the best opportunity to complement each other musically and create a tape that is without compromise.

Collaborative tapes also lend themselves to variety throughout the release, and 36 Hours is no different. Even with a relatively short tracklist, we can go from the contemplative and introspective ‘Everything’s Personal’, to an all out Huncho masterclass on ‘Who Decides War’. Hunch’s ability to find pockets with his signature melodic delivery, as well as his innate storytelling and lyrical talent, sets him apart from anyone else in his lane. 

As a duo, Potter and Huncho really come into their own towards the back end of the project. ‘System Child’ details the struggles that both had to face on their come up, giving frank accounts about the normalised chaos they had to battle in the face of the law. The final track, ‘Against The Rules’, feels like a euphoric send off to wrap up the tape whilst also maintaining the gritty subject matter that makes this pair so great. One of the stand out moments however comes on ‘Frankie’s Back’, where Potter Payper demonstrates just why he is one of the UK’s greats. The stripped back piano production coupled with the east Londoner’s signature brand of menacing tales of the road show the artist in his element, with very few in the UK and further afield able to convey pain and emotion quite like him.

Concise, creative, and with just the right amount of sonic diversity, this ticks all the boxes for a collaborative tape. Both artists occasionally steal the show from each other on certain tracks but as a whole their practices are often complementary and allow them to bring the best out of each other, in part due to the stellar production across the body of work. Both Potter Payper and M Huncho have been pioneers of UK Rap for some time now, and this release certainly demonstrates that they will be sitting at the top for a good while longer.

Star Rating: 4 / 5

Highlights: Two Wise Men, Frankie’s Back, Against The Rules