BBC Three’s The Rap Game UK is back for episode three and this new offering takes the competition to an exciting new level.
Krept, Konan and DJ Target are concerned about some of the issues plaguing the house and hindering the achievements of the contestants so they set two challenges with the aim of putting the seven hopefuls through their paces and building their skills.
For challenge one, J Lucia, Lady Ice, F.O.S, Chade Paine, Unknown Smooth, Kiico and Ransom FA are asked to prove their versatility by spitting over three different instrumentals which vary in BPM.
Guest judge AJ Tracey who is himself able to drop grime, trap, garage and dancehall-inspired hits offers constructive criticism to the contestants and helps Krept and Konan choose the winner of the challenge.
The performances in this challenge vary with some surprising the judges with their confidence and skillset and others letting them down.
For the second challenge, Krept explains the importance of music as therapy. Using “Letter to Cadet” as an example, Krept details the difficulty of pouring all of your emotions on to a track and then performing it. The seven artists are then asked to write 32 bars about someone that means something to them and subsequently perform it for the person or another relative.
The challenge is a hard one and the contestants offer up heartbreaking stories about family bereavements, illness, heartbreak and personal struggle. There are plenty of tears in sight when the tracks are performed and the experiences detailed are moving and exemplify the strength of these individuals.
One contestant skipped out on this challenge which left the judges extremely disappointed.
The week was also difficult for the contestants as most of them fell ill which impacted their energy levels and concentration. The judges express sympathy but explain that in show business, unfortunately sometimes despite illness, the show must go on.
When the artists receive their weekly ratings, tensions flare. The results are described as “controversial” by the judges and they didn’t miss a step with this description; disagreements are had among the contestants about their rankings and the reasoning behind it.
Unfortunately for one contestant, their performance this week did not meet the necessary standards and they are sent home.
Konan explains that it is always important to make the most of the opportunities that are handed to you as they can easily be taken away if taken for granted.
With next week promising a beat-making challenge from one of the biggest hit-making producers in the UK and guest judges in the form of some of Birmingham’s biggest artists, you do not want to miss the next episode of The Rap Game UK.
Catch BBC Three’s The Rap Game UK now on iPlayer here.