In an era where various apocalypses have been steadily coming to the boil for a while and world powers have been successfully employing an ignore-them-and-hope-they-go-away strategy, some gully underdog virus has just sneaked up repping Wuhan Scran and put global governments and economies in a chokehold. We’re all just starting to realise a little too late that this might actually be serious and people far and wide are understandably shook. UKHH.com has no solutions for this fuckry, but someone with no medical knowledge whatsoever once said that music heals all. So here’s 10 selections to weather the shitstorm to…
Kyza – The Cure
While a potentially deadly virus that’s storming unwantedly into personal spaces worldwide like an ugly guy at an orgy and crashing the global economy in the process is fully grim… We’re trying to find positives. Example: Sat at home instead of going corona-networking in Brixton this evening, I wandered aimlessly though Spotify and found an entire Tron inspired LP by UK heavyweight Kyza that for some reason I never knew existed. Fittingly the final tune is titled ‘The Cure’. Cue more digging for unheard gems and rewatching the Tron films during the inevitable nationwide lockdown.
Fliptrix – Survival
“Panic Panic, Time to hit the shop and loot it!”….
This one is dedicated to the dude spotted in Bath wearing full camo hazmat gear carrying 27 rolls of super soft bog tissue. Also honourable shout outs to…
1. All the people who, I shit you not, actually panic bought all the crates of Corona in Dagenham Lidl yesterday.
2. Anyone who has stockpiled a gallon of hand sanitiser while intending to stay at home where they have running water and soap.
3. Anyone who goes for a cheeky riot/loot once we hit week 2 of martial law.
Also very underrated Fliptrix banger.
Genesis Elijah – Roni Rap aka The Coronavirus Rap
Finger on the pulse as ever, Genesis Elijah hits the nail firmly on the head and then sanitises the hammer. General Levy seems to have grabbed the accolade of first fully corona themed anthem with the rough version of ‘Corona Crisis Dub’ appearing in January (DnB fans check the Selecta JMan Refix which has surfaced a few days back). As far as we know though, our Gen gets the credit for first COVID-19 focused hip hop bars.
Any tune by Dr Syntax.
The guy’s a doctor. Duh. So logically it follows that if you listen to his full discography while quarantined or tripping out with a heavy fever, there’s probably something in there resembling useful medical advice. Plus, as the well-spoken gent of the UK hip hop scene, his bedside manner is impeccable.
Dr Zygote…
Also a doctor. Realise I’m stretching this at this point. For any who don’t know, Zy is the physician behind a long list of bangers with production credits for names from Cult of The Damned to Harleighblu and most famously as a long time King Kashmere collaborator and one half of Strange U. He has no cure for your lurgy.
Virus Syndicate ft Document One – Cold World
Feel like this one needs little to zero explanation. The whole world is currently succumbing to the red hulk of all colds. Pathogen experts Virus Syndicate saw this shit coming way back in 2013. Admittedly this tune gets pretty dubstep for a supposedly hip hop themed list, but the genre straddling crew always had hip hop as a core element to the style, which means we kind of think of them as one of our own.
MysDiggi – Mystrogen
The title track off the thoroughly ill 2012 album from MysDiggi. Since there is perplexingly no Wikipedia article on this miracle drug, team UKHH can offer no information of its exact chemical make-up. We do know that it cures blindness, depression, hair loss and heroin addiction, tames wild animals and gives Stellas their groove back. So fairly confident it makes corona virus it’s bitch. Not available at standard retailers but shout Mys for some of his stockpile.
Vinyl Dialect – Lock this down
Want to feel triumphant about preparations when the inevitable day comes when we’re all told to lock ourselves in our houses and ride out the bat-flu storm? Ignore your powerless reality, put on this old school diamond and bop around cataloguing your tinned food with the air of someone who’s doing it because you want to.
Verb T & Pitch 92 – Cold Case Feat. TrueMendous
This one seems appropriate on a few levels. Aside from the obvious fact that this list is mostly composed of tracks with names that can be loosely linked to the viral issue at hand… It also features a beat by Pitch 92 that sounds appropriately tense for the current culture of fear and a video with Verb T and TrueMendous demonstrating how to make people not want to stand next to you on the tube.
Herma Puma – Space to Breathe ft Rider Shafique
Stuck with daily public transport during the pandemic? Fuck a facemask. Get a boombox instead and loudly play the hook from Herma Puma’s ‘Space to Breathe’. For extra space-clearing whammy; convincingly fake a cough and sweat profusely.
DISCLAIMER: If you think you have contracted corona virus, please do not rely on rappers. Call 111 from the isolated safety of your home and they will give you better advice.