7 Mixtapes That Laid UK Rap’s Foundations
Written by SOURCE on January 16, 2019
2007-2014: UK rap’s golden years.
Before the arrival of J Hus, Dave, Fredo, and the entire drill scene, the likes of K Koke, Blade Brown and Youngs Teflon were flooding the UK streets with lyrical heat, setting the blueprint for what would essentially become British gangsta rap or—for those that know—simply ‘road rap’. Giggs, the shining light of the scene, has gone on to see major success since dominating soundsystems of tinted cars and clubs in ’07, and now we’re seeing an even darker take on the sound, UK drill, and its young stars—namely DigDat and Headie One—notching up high chart positions. Times sure have changed.
To fully appreciate any genre, flowers must be given to those that opened the doors for your current favourite musicians to flourish. With that being said, we take a look back at some of the most influential mixtapes to come from the golden era of UK rap—dive in below.
