UK hip hop
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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.

Rewd Adams might not be a household name yet, but the south London rapper, previously known as Skandal has quietly been one to watch out for; most notably since the release of his 2011 album, Rewd Awakening. His latest project, How Not To Make A Living, links him with producer The Last Skeptik, merging Skeptik's eclectic interests [having worked and DJ'd with the likes of Sway and JehstDamon Albarn and the mighty Wu-Tang Clan] with Rewd's mix of light-hearted banter and honest social commentary.

For any Grime MC in the making has plans of owning the year 2012, they might want to consider taking a backseat due to the lyrical volcano which could erupt any time soon. Ghetts, in his mid twenties, has already seen it all and accomplished a lot of what many aim for, but still possesses the fire to overrule the next 365 days.

Believe it or not, UK Hip Hop isn't merely about being wavey, flee or swagged out as the recent crop of rhymers have shown. There are a good handful who rather choose to inspire as well as move the crowd. Shadez The Misfit is another that can be added to the acclaimed bunch of poets, ever crafting his niche and becoming one of the sought after names in the underground field. Misfit Maximus is the project which aims to assert his position and maintain the reverence he himself has created.

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 Devlin has refused to follow suit. A product of the Grime scene, Devlin’s appearance isn’t as a potential poster boy for the new urban pop scene - but rather as a musician who has taken the dark, edgy tools which have elevated him and fine-tuned it to appeal to all markets. Packing fierce, uncompromising lyricism, Devlin’s debut release Bud, Sweat & Beers intends to reaffirm the notion that the music scene is a level playing field and that the underdog can have its day.

Releases from the UK Hip Hop movement this year have (for the most part) been heralded for remaining firm in the past aesthetics of what the genre has stood for, delivering rough, provocative rhymes and beats that can rock any Hip Hop night in the West End. Next up to rep for Team UK Hip Hop is Mystro, the rhymeslayer whose ten plus years in the game have won him the respect of artists and listeners, young and old.

As much as the no-nonsense, super lyrical rappers are applauded, what most Hip Hoppers love is someone who isn’t afraid to tickle one’s funny bones; someone who can also give us a good laugh amidst the breathless flows and Thesaurus referenced wordplay. It’s these attributes which have indefinitely made Mystro one of the most admired UK spitters of today. With a career spanning over ten years, the microphone assassin has enough lyrical capabilities to wow all – yet it is his charismatic approach and effortless flow which distances him from the chasing pack. As the release of his Digmund Freud EP approaches, Mystro sat down with SoulCulture to discuss the growth of UK Hip Hop and its general shift towards a more commercial sound, his views on the listeners' individual roles in influencing which music becomes popular and flexing his presenting skills away from music on Spine TV. SoulCulture: Can you identify one difference between UK Hip Hop now and when you first came out some years ago? Mystro: When I first came out, I’d say there wasn’t very much of it [Hip Hop] as there is now. I really remember London Posse, Cookie Crew, Silver Bullet - all those kind of artists at the time were

Whilst 2010 has so far been a successful for artists breaking into the charts, the UK Hip Hop scene has also provided some standout moments. From acclaimed albums to live events, Hip Hop hasn’t been left in the shade by those artists who choose to produce a more accessible format. So it makes for great news to hear that Loudmouth Melvin, the lauded wordsmith, plans to drop four EPs with the first of the series hitting the web this week: EP #1. "The Outspoken": [audio:http://soulculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/01-The-Outspoken.mp3|titles=01 The Outspoken] E.P 1 consists of more dope lyrical displays from another East London associate. The opener “The Outspoken” is packed with samples of his trademark tongue-in-cheek

East London has been the stomping ground for many of today’s seasoned Grime stars. Dizzee Rascal, Kano, Tinchy Stryder and Wiley all emerged from the home of EastEnders and cockney slang - and the next potential superstar to arise from these sides is Maxsta. Proclaiming in his lead single that “East London Is Back,” the 18 year old spitter hopes to emulate his peers and steamroll through the scene at an early age. Unveiled this week, The MaxstEP [click to download] contains five quality cuts which are all patented with Maxsta’s assured flow and impressionable bars. With production handled by Bless Beats and Roll Deep/1Xtra DJ Target, Maxsta skips through these murky and infectious riddims with much confidence and delivers on all fronts. Those who purchased his impressive Maxsta mixtape will find no surprises on here, as his gradual rise into one of the scene’s new leading voices doesn’t halt here. With an EP worth freeloading if 140 beats and rhymes are a preference, Maxsta’s billing as 2010’s breakout star is well justified in this short collation of Grime goodness.

The new guns of Hip Hop may believe that producing a solo mixtape will immediately lead to instant success. Maybe so - but believe it or not, there was a time when a rapper had to earn their stripes by battling on the underground circuit - just like Professor Green. Creating a buzz thanks to his humorous and character-stripping assassinations on the mic, Pro’s success elevated him into the category of the ‘next big thing’ but  a near fatal incident put any domination plans on hold for a year. Losing none of his wit and wordplay the Professor finally drops his anticipated album which hopes to make up for lost time. Kicking off with a funky opener in “Kids That Love To Dance” [featuring soulful UK rising talent Emeli Sande], Pro Green still displays a precision in his quick lyrical outputs, even briefly mentioning the horrendous attack he encountered; “I’m back in effect/ Got shanked in my neck now I’m back from the dead”.