Not3s is undoubtedly one of the hottest artists in the UK and since his emergence onto the scene in 2017, he has perked the ears of listeners with his authentic sound. Over the past four years, the 23-year-old artist has become a force to be reckoned with- conquering the urban music stomping ground and becoming a staple of the scene.
As he celebrates the release of his long-awaited debut LP, 3 Th3 Album, we’re taking a look back at some of Not3s most career defining moments to date!
Let us take a trip back to where it all began for the North London performer, April 2017, with summer just around the corner, Not3s was about to get his first flavour of commercial triumph. “Addison Lee”, the infectious breakthrough single from the artist instantly went viral, becoming an iconic hit we all grew to love.
The track was greatly received around the UK, with the Addison Lee taxi firm inviting Not3s to give a live performance at a staff function. Soon after, A-list stars were beginning to take notice, opening a door of career-sculpting opportunities to the young artist.
Also new to the scene at the time, Swedish-English songstress Mabel formed an alliance with Not3s to unveil their light-hearted drop “My Lover”. Not3s’ distinctive charm was unleashed once more and it became seemingly obviously that this was a man who was intent on chart domination. From then on, we were grateful to receive a string of insanely catchy anthems which became the soundtrack to our summer.
With a growing discography now under his belt, 2017 was about to see the birth of Not3s first body of work, Take Not3s. We were now able to delve further into his world world, with a generous 9-part track list, a definitive showcase of everything the London creative has to offer.
Having surfaced in the industry fresh out his day job at Footasylum, Not3s was now at the forefront of the Black British music scene. It was seemingly obvious that he was born to make music, each release reeled us in further.
It appeared everybody was in agreement that the “Sit Back Down” performer was one to watch as he went on to win Best Breakthrough at the 2017 Rated Awards – a standout moment in his career – and Not3s was humbled by the prospect of winning such an award.
The sheer passion and tenacity that Not3s possesses has risen to the surface over the years, his hunger and drive to succeed in the music business has enabled him rapidly establish himself as a household name.
The love for Not3s doesn’t stop at the public eye, with artists jumping at the chance of a collaboration. It goes without saying that he has been involved in some of the hottest link-ups to date.
“Butterflies” – the addictive sunshine anthem which saw us through a sun-fuelled season of festivals and foreign holidays – watched him join forces with Ladbroke Grove’s very own AJ Tracey. After the astounding success of the hit, the pair have since become serial collaboration allies, having unveiled further tracks such as “Floss” featuring Mostack. AJ also features on Not3s’ brand-new album alongside the likes of Young T & Bugsey, Avelino plus more.
It comes as no surprise that Not3s will be maintaining his impressive line of features throughout the new tape, having already spent 2017/2018 working with the industry’s finest with the result being a stand out inventory of heavy-hitting collaborations. From a cold drop like “YRF” to the playful sounds of “ISSA Mood”, names such as Fredo, Headie One, Geko and Chip became affiliated with Not3s and his swelling discography. GRM Daily also became an avid partner of the performer’s dynamic drops, bringing listeners “Will Smith” and “CRB Check” visuals just to name a few.
After his impressive feature run and a breakthrough year or so, Not3s took a brief hiatus from his solo endeavours but he returned in 2019 with the Scribz Riley-produced “Wanting”. The track was filled with a polished and refreshing sound, giving us a taste of the sonics Not3s had been perfecting in his absence.
Since the release of “Wanting”, solo Not3s drops have been few and far between – with the artist giving us a few drops such as “Princ3” and “Highest” – but last month he officially marked the beginning of the 3 Th3 Album campaign with his Young T & Bugsey-assisted hit “Boom Bam”.
The forthcoming project follows on from the 2018 tape Take Not3s II and promises to be a head-turning production. Not3s took to his social media accounts to offer us an insight into his newest tape. He spoke on the journey he has taken to get to this position, along with the ups and downs – each one he has faced head on.
“The 3 Years it took making this debut of mine has been a hell of a journey to say the least and every time I’ve thought in the worst ways or had hurt days I always remember that there’s actually people in the world that genuinely love and respect what I do”. Not3s spoke very openly on the situations he has faced, so the release of his first ever full-length album is a pinnacle moment in his career.
He went on further to say “If you wanna understand anything about 3 or what’s been happening in the last 3 years since I dropped a project… 3 Th3 Album Tells the Tale”. We are intrigued to immerse ourselves into the tape, in the hope of lifting the lid on a more exposed side to Not3s.
The vibrant, loveable character that is Not3s has made waves throughout the scene, with his latest project offering up a unique and versatile comprehension into the life of one of Britain’s stars.
Be sure to take in 3 The3 Album now!