Krept and Konan and DJ Target’s new television show The Rap Game UK which will see them seek to find the UK’s next rap star to offer a recording contract is finally here.
In the BBC Three series which can be found online on BBC iPlayer, the contestants will live together in a luxury penthouse in Birmingham for six weeks and will develop their music skills, range, lyricism and natural ability. None of the acts will face elimination though and there will be no whittling down. Instead, the winner will be revealed at the end of the series and will receive the coveted Play Dirty record deal from Krept and Konan.
The premiere begins with a taster of what is to come in the next six weeks; look out for intense competition, drama, tears and guest appearances from the biggest artists in the UK music scene including Stefflon Don, Mist, NSG, AJ Tracey, Jaykae and Lady Leshurr.
In the series premiere, we meet the seven contestants; J Lucia, Lady Ice, F.O.S, Ransom FA, Unknown Smooth, Chade Paine and Kiico, and learn about their passion for music, their backstories and why they believe they should win the record deal. We hear emotional testimonies about homelessness, prison, family disputes and struggles on road from the artists as they tell us their personal stories.
Hailing from Saint Lucia, J Lucia aims to make his country proud and mix his dancehall-inspired sound with his Southend refined swag, Lady Ice brings strong confidence and “energy” to the competition and reps Manchester to the fullest whilst F.O.S aims to convey his individuality and prove to others from his hometown of Scunthorpe that there is the opportunity for everyone to go beyond a small town and chase their dreams
Ransom FA hails from Scotland and Krept and Konan want to push the artist to become one of the first Scottish mainstream rappers, Unknown Smooth has risen above personal struggle and wants to bring her “UK New Wave” sound to the masses, Chade Pain uses writing as an escape from his humble origins and 19-year-old Kiiko brings his “inner-city council estate” vibe to the competition with his raw retellings of his harsh at home realities.
The contestants all meet at O2 Academy Islington; a landmark in the career of Krept and Konan as before the festival stages, restaurants and record label, the two were artists selling out the venue for their first-ever headline show.
Here at Islington, the contestants are tasked with their first challenge; they have to perform an acapella freestyle for Krept, Konan and DJ Target.
After watching the freestyles, Konan says he “likes all of them for different reasons” and the variation in styles, confidence and skillset is clear here and this is the moment that the competition begins. By seeing what their competitors bring to the table, the contestants realise the pressure and what they are up against.
The second challenge sees the artists set with a brief from Krept and Konan; they must tell their individual story over the instrumental to “Don’t Waste My Time” and perfect their rendition in just 24 hours.
The contestants are warned at the end of the episode that anyone proven to not be taking the opportunity seriously will be asked to leave which was followed by Konan saying, “No pressure”.
Despite the clear humorous and light-hearted end comment from Konan, it is clear that the pressure is fully and firmly on.
With the preview for next week’s show promising a sound clash, team challenges and drama between contestants, you do not want to miss the next episode of The Rap Game UK as it is sure to be worth the watch.
Catch up with BBC Three’s The Rap Game UK now on iPlayer here.