The city of Sheffield (in Northern England) is famed for a variety of culturally significant things, from their infamous steel industry, Jarvis Cocker (of Britpop sensations Pulp) and the 1997 megahit of a movie The Full Monty about male strippers trying to make a dollar after being made redundant.
Rappers on the other hand aren’t the first thing that comes to my mind when talking of Sheffield. Whilst musically a number of acts like Arctic Monkeys, Human League and the aforementioned Pulp have cracked national and worldwide success, Hip Hop remains relatively anonymous in providing talented and groundbreaking wordsmiths and producers.
Toddla T is a famed Radio 1 DJ and producer for some of the biggest names in British music. He originates from the steel city yet works with a plethora of artists mostly down south in London, however now he has a rapper to shout home about, the colorful and courageous Coco to join him in his quest to put Sheffield Hip Hop firmly on the map.
Toddla has in fact produced much of the rappers previous hits over the past year including the eerie and atmospheric “Target Practice” as well as “Big Bou Yah” which dropped late last year. The wonderfully brassy and vibrant “Big N Serious” (which Toddla also produced) tops both of those tracks with panache and vintage style, combining the rappers vicious flow with a bouncy beat that immediately sticks to the consciousness.
That Tribe Called Quest vibe with a large slice of passionate Grime flair makes for a track of dancefloor beauty that is sure to be a massive hit with the summer months just around the corner.
Recently named BBC Radio 1 Track of the Week, “Big N Serious” has put Coco and Sheffield Hip Hop into major consideration. Expect to see it continue.
