Bleep

Skepta releases new LP Ignorance Is Bliss into a world created in his own image. 2016’s Konnichiwa led a resurgent grime scene’s charge to global fame, turning its creator into a superstar and winning the Mercury Prize to boot. There’s probably never been as much anticipation for the release of a British rap record as there is for Ignorance Is Bliss.

On his fifth studio album Skepta both moves with the times and reminds people of the skills, graft and creative flair that got him to where he is now. Grime, of course, is the style that anchors Ignorance Is Bliss, but Skepta’s clearly been keeping his ear to the streets these past few years - road rap, UK drill and Afrobeats all make their presence felt here, and there are guest spots for young guns like J Hus and Nafe Smallz. Furthermore, the strong trap influence that came through on 2017’s Vicious EP crops up again on tracks like ‘Pure Water’ and ‘Greaze Mode’, a sign that Skepta is in tune with the desires of his new global fanbase.

When it comes to lyrics, Ignorance Is Bliss finds Skepta surveying things from a lofty perch yet still haunted by the same old demons. Though he can now boast about big sales and flex alongside a Boy Better Know crew who have headlined Glastonbury’s Other Stage, we also find enemies to face down and scores to settle here. There’s also a note of dystopian paranoia that informs a cut such as ‘Bullet From A Gun’, something reflected in Ignorance Is Bliss’ cyberpunk artwork. And of course, Skepta’s flow remains that same acrobatic snarl that’s got him this far.

Ignorance Is Bliss is a record from an artist who’s settled into fame yet remains hungry, fired up and eager to get back in the booth.