Not really a music video this… Posting anyway because it’s served as a reminder of how hard this Datkid X Babylon Dead link up bangs. ‘Thorn In Your Side’ is lifted from this year’s dope Wakmo LP.
Bristol based Datkid joins forces with Exeter based producer Skinzmann on his fourth album (or fifth depending on what your counting) and their first collaborative body of work released on Split Prophet Records. They had previously teamed up on Skinzmann last release Incognito Grinders (2019) but this is the first whole project they have worked on together, Datkid also released Confessions of a.. that same year which was well-revered by the fandom. This new venture is an 18 track rap-trap-grime foray into the world of the Crud Lord, all entirely produced by Skinzman at Titanium Audio Studios (Pinhoe) and includes a cherry picked selection of features across a vast range of sounds that’ll give your subs a good run for their money, the bass design will definitely get you noticed in your car whilst driving down the high street, put it that way. Datkid has been known as someone who can write solid 16’s for days but on this new album it feels like a real shift from ‘spitting bars’ to ‘writing songs’, not to take anything away from his signature delivery of hard hitting lyrical-hilarity but rather an observation of how everything feels nicely structured, including harmonising (dare I say it, singing), female backing vocals, fleshed out skits and additional organ playing, yes by Datkid! It’s all very intriguing and definitley feels like a fresh perspective, with the duo willing to try out something new. The album’s namesake comes from the many sleepless nights in the North East Exeter studio, it could also be construed as a nod to the engineers of the past, like ‘No Sleep Nigel’ for instance, a tribute to those who work late into the night trying to complete these renditions, regardless of how many solar cyles roll past. The pair have solid foundations in the scene, with a boastful back catalogue of bangers, so the new release is clearly steeped in anticipation but how did it measure up to previous works, we bunked the train to Pinhoe to find out..
The album opens with ‘Corrupted’, Datkid’s gravelly tones blend into the heavy bass and sparse but well placed keys with a catchy hook that’ll have you singing out loud with a snarl on your face.
“I smoke the lah, pour the liquor down my chin, they’re trying to hold me down but they’re p*ssing in the wind, they say i can’t be trusted cos of my corrupted demeanor but f*ck it, I don’t trust them c*nts either”
The titular ‘Sleepless in Pinhoe’ has a series of backwards samples that interlace with layered bass and builds nicely around Datkid’s punchline pugilism, this track really gives off a Fu-Schnickens vibe, who remembers ‘Visions (20/20)’? Halfway through the song the beat is flipped on it’s head, almost like Tenet (I thought this was a good movie, how about you?) where the backwards beat and forwards beat meet in the middle, slows right down and dresses it up with some Datty decadent double time delivery, it’s a nice switch and includes a slick looking video by Parrallel Media. It’s also praised by Canadian Dad Reacts (a UK hip hop enthusiast and YouTuber based near Toronto), who describes the production as having a ‘Unique Strangeness’, he then goes on to anatomize the wordplay, definitely worth a watch.
EDITOR’S NOTE: While writing this review, some kind of hacking went on with the Split Profits YouTube channel and as a result it was removed, including the video for ‘Sleepless in Pinhoe’, the channel had over 30K subscribers and nearly a decades worth of work, memories and achievements. In order to get @youtube to take this seriously, can everyone please write a post demanding the channel is found and reinstated immediately, since it is a louder voice when many unite to speak.
For now we have added the Canadian Dad Reacts video, which we will hopefully be able to replace with the actual music video for ‘Sleepless in Pinhoe’ once the channel is reinstated.
‘Get That’ features previous collaborator Mr Traumatik and Harawai, a nice harpsichord sample stretches over deep rolling drums, punchy b-lines and lively delivery, there’s reference to ‘Bitcoin’, which makes you wonder whether the future of Hip Hop could be a shopping list of desirable crypto currency, an intreresting thought. ‘Incognito’ follows suit with a hook handled by Skinz (he provides more across the album), midi voice samples, brisk sounds and a notable performance by Joe Burn on this one. ‘Poison’ is a song about broken relationships, ‘we can’t be civil’ croons Datty, it features a show stealing Datkid who sings the hook, backed by Lucy Megan, this is a great entry and one of the stand out tracks. He effortlessly switches from singing into spitting bars and also plays additional organ on the track (he provides organ on ‘Watch My Company’ also), he has really come into his own on this one, impressive.
“no sleep, no rest, eyes puffy like deebo’s chest, can’t f*ck with me like i need no sex, sh*t’s dead like you don’t breathe no breath”
~ No More Fun and Games
Other noteworthy mentions include ‘Infamous’ which features an overzealous Manlikemally who literally chews the scenery on this one, a great addition to the roster. ‘On The Block’ features Wyatt Earp and R.B. alongside the pair, the track mentions ‘The Hillside’ which refers to the council estates Datkid and Skinz both lived on growing up, all being on hills in each town/city for example; South Mead Bristol, St Andrews Cullompton and windmill hill, Glastonbury. This entry has great pacing and energetic flows that compliment the overall vista of sounds, it’s also worth mentioning that the cuts on the album are all provided by DJ Roguezilla.
There are various skits throughout, all in the form of left messages on Titanium Audio’s voice mail that progressively get more ridiculous, featuring anything from getting arrested and needing pickup, to a bizarre shopping list request that includes rubber chickens and sledge hammers, this adds to the narrative tying the album together and providing some decent comic relief. It’s good to see artists use skits as a story telling medium again, really adds something when spliced into the recipe.
This is an exceptional release filled with great production, wordplay and hyperbole, it includes unexpected singing mixed with abundant punchline rap where Datkid consistently and effectively delivers on every level, the duo have definitley raised the bar on this one, you need this in your collection.
‘Sleepless in Pinhoe’ is out now on all digital channels, make sure you grab yourself a copy now.
As always these are just my opinons but what did you think of the album, Tweet me your thoughts and let me know what else I should be listening to.
Words by Theo Specone
New heat from Datkid with Skinzmann on beat-making duties. ‘Sleepless in Pinhoe’ is the first single lifted from an upcoming collaborative project between the MC/Producer duo. Keep em peeled.
Check out the video we shot for Mobin’ the second visual lifted from Joey Paro‘s ‘Victory Gin’ which is produced entirely by Illinformed. Mobin’ features Split Prophets crew mates Datkid and Res One and was filmed in Barcelona, London and Bristol.
New track from Wish Master and Datkid is raw! Lyrical murkage from both MCs and rugged production from Leaf Dog. ‘Bris Life’ is lifted from the Wishmaster E.P, available now. Cop that here!
For the latest outing on the hotly anticipated forthcoming album from Baileys Brown, the Bristol producer has only gone and grabbed two of the dopest emcees for the vocals in the form of Dabbla and Datkid.
Sampling his own vocals, Brown has switched things up in a mad way, as he gets on more of a grimey sound. Visuals directed by This & That Media provide some crazy effects to give this song an added level of dopeness. Don’t forget, until July 14, you still have the chance to be on the official remix of this track by submitting your 16 bar verse and adding the relevant hashtags. More info here!
BUY/STREAM the track via smarturl.it/d2kfs1.
Would you like to win yourself a feature on an official remix & record your verse at the Potent Funk records studio? Bristol producer Baileys Brown is opening up entries for emcees to prove why they deserve to be on the remix to ‘Gimme’, his next single off the forthcoming album ‘Still Fresh’. To enter, simply get the ‘Gimme’ beat from Baileys Brown’s Brapp TV account: http://bit.ly/GimmeBrapp.
Record your 16 bar verse via the Brapp App, upload your video to Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter. Include the following hashtags: #StillFresh#BrappTv & #PotentFunk.
Alternatively, if you have a friend you know who would shell it, simply pass the message on. The Competition closes Sunday 14th July. Winners announced Tuesday 16th July. More info from Dabbla –
New heat out of the Potent Funk camp as Bristol based producer Baileys Brown has just unleashed the second video from his forthcoming album ‘Still Fresh’.
Stream via your favourite digital platform here
@BBrownBeats@TheCrudlord @StinkinSlumrok @PotentFunk
Confessions of a Crud Lord is out now. To celebrate the self confessed crud addict drops a fresh visual courtesy of This and That Media for ‘Cook Book’
Get the album here
If there’s one man in Britain who can truly claim to not give a fuck, it’s Datkid. The Bristol emcee has made a career out of saying the unsayable and throwing two thoroughly pungent fingers to convention. Now back with his third album, Datkid is ready to cement his reputation as the king of crud.
Despite being regularly touted as ‘one to watch’, Datkid has been earning accolades as part of the Split Prophets crew since 2012. Since then he’s dropped two fire LPs (including the instant classic Teeth Ledger) and guested on some of the dirtiest tunes of the past five years.
The rapper’s persona is built on pushing boundaries, and he delights in spitting the most outrageous flows possible. Look beyond the shock value, however, and you’ll find a man at the top of his game. As you’d guess from the album title, Confessions of a Crud Lord is gritty, grimy and grubbier than a McDonald’s toilet at 3 am. Bars land like a rusty shank between the ribs. Tracks like ‘Eyes’ (with some reliably insane bars from NY heavyweight Conway The Machine) and ‘Heroin’ leave you reeling like a tightrope walker with vertigo.
Even considering the lyrical deftness of Confessions, the secret ingredient here is Leaf Dog’s reliably slick production. The album hangs on Datkid’s effortless delivery, but the soundscapes composed by the Four Owls’ producer make it. From the Mediterranean-infused instrumentals of ‘Hoes’ to the rapid-fire bars of ‘Myth’, Leaf Dog’s presence propels Confessions from another quality Datkid release to a thing of (admittedly cruddy) beauty.
So sure – it’s fair to say that Datkid doesn’t give a shit what you think, but it would be unwise to assume he doesn’t care about anything. His verbal dexterity and gloriously depraved lyrics single him out as a master of the craft, and he’s clearly striving to carve out his own corner. With Confessions of a Crud Lord, Datkid has proven if something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right. After all, as he says on ‘Blank Page’: “What’s the point in living if you’re just surviving?”
Confessions of A Crud Lord drops on the 17th of May on High Focus Records. Grab yourself a pre-order here.