The album I bring to you today is one of the most highlight anticipated releases of the year. Before anyone jumps to conclusions, it is not Drake’s “Views”. The album I am talking about is of course Skepta’s ‘Konnichiwa’ released on May 6th.
Skepta is considered a legend in the UK Grime scene, despite Konnichiwa being the first introduction to western audiences. He has been active for over a decade, and has been instrumental in shaping the modern day Grime scene that is experiencing its own resurgence. With that in context, Skepta’s ‘Konnichiwa’ is by many aspects the perfect primer for the job.
Konnichiwa is home to a handful of certified hits that Skepta has put out over the last year. Tracks like “Thats not Me”, “It Ain’t Safe” & “Shutdown” have been instrumental in setting up the global audience to receive the Konnichiwa album. They are all tracks that embody the aggressiveness of grime. Tracks like “Lyrics” & “Corn on the Curb” hit closer to home in terms of style and delivery. Tracks such as the title track and “Ladies Hit Squad” definitely are more unorthodox, but have a wider appeal in mind. While the album’s overall quality is certainly recognisable, it’s also easy to see some purists disliking what they see as a bit of a ‘watered-down’ grime aesthetic.
Konnichiwa debut at #2 on the UK charts, and a month later the response from around the world has been overwhelmingly positive. Skepta, in my opinion, put out the perfect release to achieve what was needed. Konnichiwa introduces the un-initiated to grime music. I foresee some major moves coming from other artists in the UK grime scene, and am hopeful for the continued growth. It will be interesting to see where the multitalented MC heads to next.
