“The Conversation (We Ain’t Done Yet)” [out now on Tru Thoughts] is the debut release from The KingDem – Rodney P, Ty and Blak Twang, a brand new supergroup formed of UK hip-hop heavyweights and a trio who need little introducing. London Posse affiliate and all-round Godfather of British hip-hop: Rodney P links up one of UK Black music’s true innovators and popularisers: Ty, and the original South-London colloquial hip-hop geezer: Blak Twang, to deliver a fresh future bass anthem that is rooted in their artists legacy to the UK hip-hop canon.
Taken from their upcoming EP “The KingDem”, sees the trio join forces combining their extraordinary talents across four killer tracks. On “The Conversation (We Ain’t Done Yet)” the group forge raw punctuated flows in their iconic London accents, over Diplo-styled dolphin vocal loops and crisp supersaw chords, reminiscent of future bass producer Flume’s unique production style. Rodney P’s reggae-influenced flow is manipulated and scattered, panning from left to right mimicking the synth-bass; Ty’s forges one-track spoken word spats, while Black Twang goes in hard, delivering a more tradition rap delivery. The track is bedded with delicately placed classic G-funk/West Coast hip-hop sound, reminiscent of the giants of Compton.
A pioneer who inspired a generation of hip-hop/grime MCs with his homegrown reggae-influenced flow, Rodney P set the scene ablaze back in the late ‘80s with London Posse. Continuing to release a strong collection of music over three decades, Rodney P has collaborated with artists as diverse as MJ Cole, Roni Size, Björk and Nitin Sawhney, signing to Tru Thoughts in 2011. His releases on the label include the Sleepin’ Giantzproject with label-mate Zed Bias and Fallacy; collaborations with rising stars Harleighbluand Ghost Writerz and, naturally, the deluxe reissue of London Posse’s seminal ‘Gangster Chronicle’ LP which gained praise and in-depth features in crossover press from The Wireto MOJO and beyond. Relevant as he ever was, revered and regularly featured by the likes of SBTV, Rodney P has also co-hosted the Original Fever radio show on BBC 1Xtra with Daddy Skitz and presented television documentaries such as The Hip-Hop World News, The Last Pirates: Britain’s Rebel DJs and Beats, Bass and Bars, and Under The Influence.
Blak Twang burst onto the scene with his debut album ‘Dettwork Southeast’ in 1996 and became an instant icon for ghetto youth across the country. Producing UK hits such as “So Rotton”, “Red Letters”, “Trixsta feat. Estelle” and “GCSE (Ghetto Children Sex Education)”, Twang is revered as one of the UK’s most transparent and real MCs. One of the UK’s most prolific and beloved rappers, Ty signed to Tru Thoughts in 2013. With five studio albums under his belt – ‘Awkward’, ‘Upwards’, ‘Closer’, ‘Special Kind of Fool’ and ‘A Work of Heart’ — Ty set the bar for up and comers to bring musicality, soul and heart to the musical landscape.
The KingDem – Rodney P, Ty, and Blak Twang are touring the UK as a collaborative, bringing together all that is great about UK Rap. Each King of the scene bringing their own brand of sharp lyricism, astute story-telling and bare-faced braggadocio to produce a once in a lifetime experience for hip-hop fans across the kingdom.
THE KINGDEM – RODNEY P, TY AND BLAK TWANG
2019 UK TOUR
28/02 Headrow House, Leeds
02/03 O2 Academy, Sheffield
07/03 The Fleece, Bristol
08/03 O2 Academy, Birmingham
15/03 Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
16/03 O2 Academy, Newcastle
22/03 Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
11/04 The Jazz Café, London
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