Essentials: Skepta, Chip and Young Adz team up for assertive new album, ‘Insomnia’
Expanding their sound in service of their ever-growing ambition
Skepta, Chip and Young Adz have made careers from spinning intricate tales about their lives and giving the world a glimpse of the streets in London. We all know Skepta and Chip have been in the game for the past decade, spearheading and setting the pace for then UK’s now mainstream grime scene, and they have now brought their OG vibe with the younger artist, Young Adz who rose to greater prominence over the last three years. Having all contributed to grime’s recent global appeal, the trio’s collaborative album, ‘Insomnia’ is very important especially now when we all need new music.
‘Insomnia’ is Skepta’s first full-length project since he released ‘Ignorance is Bliss’ last year, while Chip is returning from his 2018 album, ‘Ten 10’ and Young Adz is following up his former group, D-Block’s 2019 album, ‘Street Trauma’. At this point in each artists’ career, they’re above chasing the hits. Skepta and Chip’s artistic evolution has reached an arguable peak, where their previous projects have made a notable mark on the grime scene, and made fans out of international megastars like Drake, A$AP Rocky and many others.
Skepta opens up the album with his verse on “Mains”, which introduces the assertive tone of the project. Over the mix of 808 drums, synth harmonies and flute samples, Skepta, Chip and Young Adz take turns bragging about their success, whilst reminiscing about the tough times before they blew up. Young ADZ’s melodic vocals make the song’s catchy hook, while Skepta takes the reigns on the next track, “Golden Brown”, an undoubted standout from the album which shows off each artist’ range.
‘Insomnia’ was welded by a group of producers from UK and America who bent elements of trap, grime, and pop into sparse soundtracks for the club undergrounds. “Golden Brown” finds them dipping their toes into a more sultry r&b vibe which you typically wouldn’t expect from Grime artists these days.
The project’s lead single, “Waze” was produced by Cardo, an American producer who was instrumental to the production on albums like Baby Keem’s ‘DIE FOR MY BITCH’, Travis’ ‘Astroworld’ and Kendrick’s ‘Black Panther’. On “Waze”, he mixed the eerie harmonies of trap music with bass drums which serve as the perfect sound bed for Skepta, Chip and Young Adz’s aggressively boastful raps, where they lay particular emphasis on their statuses as OGs in the game.
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Elsewhere, London-based producer, Scott Styles produced the catchy trap beat for “Demons”, where the whistling riff he incorporates into the beat stands out for D-Block’s reunion. Dirtbike LB joins the trio for a reflective song about their motivation to change the lives of the people they hold dear.
Most of the tracks on ‘Insomnia’ benefit from the intricate production work. On “St Tropez”, Skepta’s shows off his skill and impeccable ear by sampling M.I.A’s 2009 hit, “Paper Planes”. DaBeatfreakz also gets to flex his muscles with the quick-paced drill beat for the emotive “Star In The Hood”, where the rappers reflect upon their steady incline and how far they have come.
Given this, songs like “Traumatised” continue this narrative and set the tone for the rest of the project, where they get deep and address the effects of their hostile come up on their mental health today, even now that they have made it. “I’m close to the edge so please don’t push me” Skepta explains before he speaks about the people he’s lost, the things people did around him that have left him traumatised and on edge, while Chip reveals the little ways he seeks joy in these times; “I pray a lot like heavenly father can you help me? All this weed and all this liquor, so unhealthy.”
For the rest of the album, the vibe is slowed down with hard hitting bars about the harsh reality of the streets they came from, and the effects violence has on society. By the end of the album, each artist gives us more insight to them as people, making the album seem like a love letter to grime. Each artists’ steady incline has been a result of the music changing their lives, which serves as a warm and welcome reminder of what’s important.
Though they have different strengths—Young Adz’s innovative flow, Skepta’s technical precision and Chip’s lyrical dexterity – they all come together quite nicely, and complement each other perfectly. It’s going to be a quiet next few weeks around here, so what better time to meditate to reflective music like this?
Stream ‘Insomnia’ below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/skeptagram
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Asake Links With Tiakola On Gritty “BADMAN GANSTA”
Another step towards ‘Money,’ his fourth
Street-pop star, Asake, has released a surprise new single titled “BADMAN GANSTA.” Produced by super producer, P.Priime, the single, Asake’s second of the year, arrives with a crisp black and white feature and a stellar guest verse from French rapper and singer Tiakola.
The singer posted the full music video–a monochromatic montage of dazzling shots and scenes of his opulent lifestyle–across his different social media handles on Thursday evening, July 24, with a caption that read, ‘The World Of Money.’
Earlier in June, the ex-YBNL star announced a new album titled ‘Money.’ A few months before that, he released a loosie titled “Military” and then “WHY LOVE,” his first official single under his new imprint Giran Republic. “Military” served as a bookend to the first arc of his impressive career as much as an announcement of a new era, while “WHY LOVE” officially kicked off season two.
Following the release of “WHY LOVE,” Asake has also featured on songs like Olamide’s “99,” J Hus’ “Gold”, and Young Jonn’s “Che Che,” delivering standout verses that favour a melodious, laid-back approach as opposed to the spirited, fast-paced style that earned him success early on. “BADMAN GANSTA” also excels with this approach, as Asake’s melodious musings about his current lifestyle dovetail nicely with Tiakola’s equally sturdy verse over a plush beat that samples Amerie’s 2005 classic “1 Thing.”
With Asake releasing three albums in as many years, it’s not unreasonable to assume ‘Money’ might arrive before the end of the year. There’s also the possibility that he might be willing to take his time a little more now, seeing as he his under his imprint now.
Whatever the case may be, ‘Money’ is likely to arrive sooner rather than later, and it will be fascinating to see what other aces Asake has up his sleeves.
Listen to “BADMAN GANSTA” here.
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Ayra Starr Releases Her Sizzling Anthem, “Hot Body”
An 11th-hour summer anthem for the
Ayra Starr has released her highly anticipated single “Hot Body.”
The Mavin popstar has been teasing the new single for a few weeks now, posting multiple promotional videos across social media that built up significant excitement for her third official release of the year. The release of “Hot Body” comes on the heels of recent reports that confirmed the Grammy-nominated singer had officially joined Roc Nation’s roster, the American music label, entertainment, and sports services company founded by rapper and business mogul JAY-Z.
Earlier in February, Ayra Starr shared “All The Love,” a sumptuous Afropop ballad produced by labelmate Johnny Drille and Teemode, before releasing the sleek and sensual Wizkid-assisted “Gimmie Dat” about months later. In that time period, the singer picked up two awards at the 2025 MOBO Awards for Best African Music Act and Best International Act before also clinching her first BET award for Best International Act in June.
It was recently announced that the pop singer would be joining Coldplay on the UK leg of their Music Of The Spheres World Tour between August to September, and her impressive year continues with the release of “Hot Body.” Once again, teaming up with close collaborator Ragee and UK production duo The Elements, Ayra Starr manages to deliver a sweetly erotic summer jam that’s sure to elicit plenty lip-biting, hip gyrating, and flirty winks. “Look what a hot body can do,” she sings repeatedly, almost like an enchantress performing a magic trick.
With her current deal with Mavin and Universal Music still running and the recent confirmation of her management deal with Roc Nation, it’s safe to assume that “Hot Body” might garner significant momentum both at home and abroad. Outside of her music, the singer recently wrapped up the shooting of the film adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone which is reportedly set for release in early 2027.
Listen to “Hot Body” here.
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Zulo Details His Evolution On New ‘Z’ EP
Packed with his reflections on faith, love, and cultural pride, ‘Z’ distills ZULO’s thoughts into a...
ZULO is no stranger to reinvention. Formerly known as Lil Trix, the rapper rose through the ranks with a series of gritty mixtapes that chronicled his upbringing, thrills, and connection to the community. Since his rebrand, he’s steadily grown into a renowned voice in South African Hip-Hop, regarded for his storytelling, cultural homage, and genre fusion.
Three years after the release of ‘Talk To Me Naace,’ his reintroduction to the scene, ZULO has returned with ‘Z,’ a three-track EP that shows a glimpse of his evolution as an artist and human. Packed with his reflections on faith, love, and cultural pride, ‘Z’ distills ZULO’s thoughts into a refined sound that’s bold, emotional, and distinctly South African.
The three-tracker opens with “God’s Armour,” a gospel-inflected protest anthem layered with brass and trap drums. It is followed by “Sweeter Success,” an infectious Afropop-inspired groove built around a nostalgic sample of UPZ’s iconic “Pure Surprise”. Beneath its shine lies a darker message: the emotional cost of ambition, the toll of always pushing for more. ZULO produced the track himself, with additional production from Miglow and SpiceDrums.
‘Z’ closes with “Spaan”, a gritty street anthem that samples Kamazu and confronts addiction, poverty, and the lingering scars of apartheid through the lens of coloured identity. “These songs are battle cries and war journals,” ZULO says. “‘Z’ is everything I’ve fought through to stand where I am. The EP follows a strong run of 2024 singles, including “Adawise,” “JOL,” “Garden,” and “Smaak To Love (Lamza).”
Listen to ‘Z’ here.
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