To certain eyes the UK hip-hop scene can at times look to be in dire straights. The odd signee sitting in major label limbo and later forced to churn out music for toddlers. Or the embarrassingly desperate attempts to appeal to America’s trap scene, at times there’s little wonder why we struggle to support our own scene. But all is not lost. There are a handful of rappers out there making genuinely exciting music, that isn’t just good for UK, but could go toe to toe with ANY of your favourite artists. D Part and Porcz hail from the north west of London, and with their mixtape “The Shutdown” they’re set to remind everyone that the UK may be tiny compared to it’s American cousin, but that says nothing of the talent.
The tape is hosted by grime’s SFX master Flirta D. He plays the role of hype man, and gives his trademark “Ahhh YEAAAHHH!!!” where necessary. After a little intro the tape leaps straight into things with the title track, featuring Flirts himself. The track is typically high energy, introducing the characters perfectly. D Part raps with an open wrist, the first line referencing his late mother, before launching into lyrical acrobats displaying technical ability as well as a heartfelt style that allows his verses to connect immediately. Porcz is the polar opposite. Part laid back, part threatening. Porcz’s low tone takes nothing away from the intensity of his verses, it perfectly complements D Part’s heart on sleeve delivery.
The chemistry the two have is perfectly captured on “Livin’ In London” They divide the chorus between themselves and really raise the levels of what a collaborative project means. The mixtape manages to balance introspective hip-hop with catchy radio songs without sacrificing any of the tapes integrity. “Take Me Away” see both rappers open up about their struggles. It never feels typical, it only ever feels like a real moment. Whereas “Put It On Repeat” features the popular sample from The Spinner‘s “It’s A Shame” The song feels ready for radio, but without any of the politics. It’s a prefect example of how the two rappers can churn out hits under the guise of catchy hip-hop. The tape itself rushes over a myriad of subjects and styles, serving more as a preview of things to come. And if it’s anything near what’s on display here, then they and the UK scene itself have a bright future ahead of it.
Get the mixtape right here, and let @DpartArtist and @PorczNw know what you think
