Sticking with my birthplace, and 70 minutes of prime rap cuts from artists born and/or based in beautiful Bristol.
To use the vernacular, I don't know shit about rap but I keep discovering lots of music and artists that I like and so much of it can be found in the city. And hearing someone spitting out rhymes with a Bristolian burr is a singular pleasure.
Here's a 19-song selection, including some local legends - and obvious picks - with Massive Attack, Tricky, Kelz and Smith & Mighty. Others are long established but relatively new to me - Upfront, Res, Bil Next and Paro. And some has dropped brand new tracks in the last few weeks - Baileys Brown, Dizraeli and Viktus.
And in another one of those happy coincidences, I discovered halfway through writing up this selection that it's Viktus' birthday today. This post was meant to be.
Happy 27th, Viktus, hope it's a good one!
1) Bristol Bullshit (Remix By Samadee): Res (2017)
2) Financial Times: C-Froo (2008)
3) Artets: Baileys Brown (2025)
4) Karmacoma (Album Version): Massive Attack ft. Tricky (1994)
5) Mirrors: Viktus ft. Liv Sangster (2025)
6) 2 Wheelin' It (Single Version By Badhabitz): Joey Paro (2020)
7) Protein (Rob Smith Dub Mix): Ree-Vo (2022)
8) Natures Way (Remix By Samadee): Life MC ft. Fliptrix & Upfront (2017)
9) The Butcher's Ball: Sober & Dribbla (2009)
10) Bristol To London: Tricky ft. Blackman & Marlon Thaws (2010)
11) Hit The Brakes: Res One, Upfront, Badhabitz (2025)
12) Get In Get Out: Rob Smith ft. MC Kelz (2007)
13) Bristol Track: C-Froo (2008)
14) Marvellous (Part Two): Dizraeli & Joy Machine (2025)
15) It's A Bristol Ting: Jinxsta (2006)
16) Danger: Smith & Mighty ft. Kelz & Rudy Lee) (2002)
17) Weedmasons Anthem (Remix By Chris Lucas): Bil Next & Paro ft. Jman & Prime (2018)
18) Black Magic: Viktus (2024)
19) Bristol Is Like: Upfront MC (2012)
1994: Protection: 4
2002: Danger EP: 16
2006: Bristol Fringe 2006 (Venue magazine promo CD): 15
2007: In One Way Or Another: 12
2008: Venue The Album #1 (Venue magazine promo CD): 2, 13
2009: Venue The Album #12(Venue magazine promo CD): 9
2010: Mixed Race: 10
2012: Sound Of Evolution EP: 19
2017: Spilt Prophets Present The Samadee Remixes: 1, 8
2018: Mongrel Melodies (Part 3) SP: Remixes: 17
2020: 2 Wheelin' It EP: 6
2022: The Joyzine Advent Calendar 2022: 7
2024: Black Magic EP: 18
2025: Concorde: 11
2025: Don't Do It EP: 3
2025: Marvellous EP: 14
2025: Mirrors EP: 5
Is that the former Prime Minister Dizraeli? I would have had him down as more of a krautrock man myself, but there you go.
ReplyDeleteAnd happy birthday Viktus
Wrong Benjamin(s), Ernie.
DeleteI always thought Finley Quaye was a Bristolian (must have been the Tricky connection), but turns out he's from Edinburgh.
ReplyDelete(FQ supported RFTC at Bristol Beer Keller - the gig I was telling you about the other night.)
JM
Quite the gig, John! Sorry that you didn't also get to experience the legendary Oompah nights at the Bierkeller before they closed it down.
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