Jay Prince is not your typical east London rapper. With a chilled outlook and loose flow, he’s bridging the Atlantic and bringing back some of the best bits of the late eighties sunshine rap heyday.
His sound combines dusty old samples and nostalgic casio keyboard melodies with lithe lyrics and the odd R&B hook thrown in for good measure.
His last EP, the generous nine-track mini-album BeFor Our Time, showcases a rapper at the top of his game, bursting with new ideas and musical avenues to meander down.
From the sample-heavy opener Yoko, with its decayed synths and gentle clicks, to the silky soul of 1993, featuring Richie Saps, it’s a rich and varied introduction to Jay’s many talents.
We were lucky enough to catch Jay live at the PRS for Music Foundation’s showcase down at The Great Escape the other day.
Watch him perform instant classic 1993:
His sound combines dusty old samples and nostalgic casio keyboard melodies with lithe lyrics and the odd R&B hook thrown in for good measure.
His last EP, the generous nine-track mini-album BeFor Our Time, showcases a rapper at the top of his game, bursting with new ideas and musical avenues to meander down.
From the sample-heavy opener Yoko, with its decayed synths and gentle clicks, to the silky soul of 1993, featuring Richie Saps, it’s a rich and varied introduction to Jay’s many talents.
We were lucky enough to catch Jay live at the PRS for Music Foundation’s showcase down at The Great Escape the other day.
Watch him perform instant classic 1993:
