Vibrant, witty, energetic powerful debut by the east London rapper and musician, presented like a pirate radio station the mixes hip hop and storytelling with echoes of The Streets’ Mike Skinner and Ian Dury, as well more conventional, and pointed indie about troubled Britain. Of the former, standouts include the entertainingly breathless Doolally, capturing a breathless, “Oi Oi geezer” hedonistic night out, and the dystopian number Telephones 4 Eyes. The album also includes a “big-up” shoutout appearance from Allan Mustafa as from the BBC3 comedy People Just Do Nothing as the parody MC Grindah from Kurupt FM, with various skits, including social commentary such as Watford's Burning (Connie Constance Skit), presented as a caller to the station about mobile phone dependency. The more serious political and social side to Baker grows more strongly evident as the album progress, from the gentle singalong nod to his roots in Windrush Baby about a drug dealer but also black identity, closing with a mother’s speech about values, and many other tracks about crime, debt, depression, such as Bricks In The Wall, Brotherhood, the melancholy Dying to Live and the closing title track. Filled with working-class voices, quips, jokes, and confessions, it’s a great, refreshing, debut that captures a sense of community filled with fun and tragedy. Out on Hak Attack Records/ AWAL.
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