It’s always a cringeworthy moment whenever a tabloid newspaper misinterprets a crossover urban act as UK Hip Hop due to their attire of baggy clothes and bling. It’s cringeworthy because fans of the genre know that the “real” UKHH scene has boasted some of the best and purest acts in recent history including Skinnyman, Klashnekoff and one of the forefront groups of the scene, the Foreign Beggars. With an impressive 12 year lifespan, the group return with their fourth offering of beats, rhymes and life without any US twang or autotuned divas on the choruses.
United Colours of Beggattron continues to keep to the traditional legacy of UK Hip Hop with an impressive array of cuts filled with samples, scratches and head nodding beats. The essence of the Foreign Beggars’ sound is instantly recognisable in tracks “Higher” and “Break Free” which will become instant favourites for any nostalgic fan of Hip Hop whether it be the 90’s highlights or the UK heads who frequently attended the Deal Real open mic sessions.
Whilst they play their part in keeping tradition, Foreign Beggars also mix up their style with a mixture of hardened tracks like “Seven Figure Swagger” as well as bringing some spaced out beats on “Asylum Bound”, giving UCB fans a mix of their unique and captivating style.
A group which continue to win admirers around the world, the Foreign Beggars produce another album which solidifies them as true ambassadors of true school Hip Hop. Staying within the boundaries yet breaking out every so often, UCB deviates between the classic blueprint of Hip Hop and the future sounds of the genre, which they will undoubtedly have a part to play in. So the next time you read about a UK Hip Hop act being number one in the charts, compare their sound to that of the Foreign Beggars and you’ll be sure to hear a sizeable difference.
United Colours Of Beggattron is out now on Dented.
Reviewed by Henry Yanney
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