Barney Artist 1,021

Barney Artist the 26-year-old east Londoner from Forest Gate who fuses 90s era boom bap hip-hop with jazz for a refreshing sound harkening back to legends such as A Tribe Called Quest and The Roots, and taking influence from prolific UK artists including Kano and Ghostpoet. His sprawling content, consisting of love, loss and religion, is incredibly see-through and relatable, as he guides the listener through his multifaceted life. Set to release his debut album later this year, the follow up to 2014 mixtape Bespoke and 2016’s Painting Sounds, he is laying down yet more bricks of his life, mapping out an overall journey of self-discovery and growth. “I’m really proud of this album,” Barney says, “because I know that’s what I stand for and how I want people to feel about what I say, and now I have a platform to say it. The ability to be able to do that is important.”

He released his first songs in 2013 and hasn’t looked back. Working closely with fellow artists and friends Alfa Mist, Jordan Rakei and Tom Misch, Barney is part of a vibrant London scene placing musicality at the forefront and this is aligned with his aims to be an eternal presence in UK hip-hop.

• source: spotify.com