Thursday 8 March 2018

Sneakbo – Brixton (Album Review)


Grime has grown into one of the biggest genres in recent years and has gone from only appearing on Channel U, to now appearing on most music channels imaginable throughout the UK. Who do we have to thank for the rise of Grime, is it the self-proclaimed Godfather Wiley? Maybe Kano for his debut album Home Sweet Home, which I still rate as one of the best albums ever. Maybe, Stormzy has helped, from going from a park to winning 2 BRIT awards. All these names are worthy mentions, however, listening to Sneakbo’s debut album “Brixton” Sneakbo feels he deserves to be mentioned.


Sneakbo opens the album with the Intro, speaking on his time growing up in Brixton and the struggle he had growing up from his Mum working 2 jobs, being targeted by the police and his time behind the bars. But, despite this struggle, Sneakbo has made it out, working and grinding and now basking in the success that he has delivered in his debut album.
Sneakbo delivers bars and knows the songs that you can listen to when with the lady, and when you are with the lads. This album has a mix of all these songs, from songs like “They Don’t Wanna See Me” and the lead single “Nah” Featuring the immensely talented Not3s, Sneakbo has a way of working with the beats and telling his story. As well as the songs you would hear when with the ladies, Sneakbo has songs that would be heard in car parks and from speakers in the summer, with the Giggs assisted “Active” which made its way onto the FIFA 2018 soundtrack, Giggs and Sneakbo go bar for bar over one of the best beats released last year by The Fanatix.

Sneakbo has the familiar producer of Lekaa Beats throughout the album, and the chemistry between these two is evident and shines throughout the album, this is evident on the single that will most likely be a summer banger, the Conor Maynard & Daelcolm single “Till the End”. This song has the power to be a summer anthem, and I honestly hope it does well for Sneakbo and propels him into the main stage. This is the singles that I would be driving with the windows down in the summer, with my girl in the passenger seat and music loud. Summer anthem certified.

Sneakbo doesn’t need features in order to release a banger though, on the single “Living” Sneakbo raps around how he dreamed for a BMW as a kid, but now he makes more money than his teacher. Sneakbo raps about the grind that he has come through, from being told he would be nothing but a dealer on the streets, Sneakbo is now driving a BMW and on holidays most months.

Throughout the debut album from Sneakbo, you can hear the hunger in his voice when rapping and know the desire in his raps to make a success of his career. On the “Outro” Sneakbo closes the album with the familiar sound of the lady saying “Brixton Baby” a familiar tune throughout the album, Sneakbo really puts Brixton on his back. Sneakbo has been through a lot, and you know he is the definition of a hustler, from rapping “Mama didn’t raise a fool” Sneakbo talks about his friends that he has lost to death and jail, how he has had his guards up and had no father figure in life, the album sounds like a love letter to Brixton. He has dealt with Brixton throughout his life, and Brixton has been the home of his grafting and has helped him be mentioned amongst grime legends. With the debut album “Brixton” Sneakbo definitely shows he is here to stay and presents a worthy album of art to show why he should be considered as a Grime pioneer.

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