Posted at 02:20h
in
Music,
Reviews
It’s probably no mere coincidence that
ill Manors, the third studio album by rapper, singer, songwriter and film director
Plan B, has emerged at the height the Olympic euphoria evoked by the London 2012 games. Where the event’s opening and closing ceremonies aimed to congratulate the multiculturalism, talent, creativity and all round success of the city and in fact the state, Plan B’s rugged, abject and sometimes sinister poetry seems to have provided an alternative commentary.
Rihanna became an aggressively focused triple threat this year. Leading lanes in both music and fashion, she also took a step in to the realm of film. And there’s no doubt that the mischievous Barbadian has definitely upped her celebrity stock with the help of a camera or two over the last 12 months. Aside from the Paris Hilton-esque ‘It Girl’ persona she’s been pushing, she’s also been flying the flag for the pop world like no other. Returning with her seventh album, much to the anticipation of her fans, there’s evidence this time around of growth and maturity within Rhi Rhi’s game.
Raf Riley is crazy. In a musical sense (and only in the best possible way) this hot new producer from North London, signed to Labrinth's Odd Child imprint, is substantially off-kilter. Given that his superstar artist/producer label boss inserted an operatic monk choir into his already groundbreaking most recent single (released on a record label famed for playing it safe) on the strength of a dare, a willingness to push the boundaries of sound is clearly an essential trait over at Odd Child. With that kind of remit for eclectic insanity, Riley's incredible cross-genre production sounds right at home in the house that Lab built. 
In every school, college or university, there’s always that guy who does it all. They play sports, run the student council, get the highest grades and have been tipped for great success at the end of term. That same motif applies within the the music business as one artist will always push past the competition due to their numerous talents.
In 2010, that crown of glory/pressure sits on the head of Timothy McKenzie, better known as 
It seems like the days of an artist to emerge bearing a diamond-in-the-rough aura have been put to bed. In the past Dizzee Rascal, the So Solid Crew and many others jumped into the mainstream still bearing the so called ‘stains’ of their underground success.
Today, emerging acts are glammed up and polished to appear more ‘camera friendly’ and to (begrudgingly) be labelled as a pop act. But James 
Its been proven time and time again that it takes just one song to skyrocket an artist’s profile to nosebleed heights. In 2010, that story can be truly applied to 