Skepta In Concert
Clad in a black hoodie, matching jeans, and powder-white kicks, Skepta took the stage by himself for a packed house performance of "Shutdown" at the 2017 BRIT Awards. Reminiscent of Kanye West, the North London grime rapper coursed through every inch of the red-lit stage, all the while illuminated by a spotlight tracking his dance moves as he lost himself in the moment. On the heels of his breakthrough fourth album, Konnichiwa, Skepta was shut out at the BRITs despite being nominated for Best Male Solo Artist, British Breakthrough Act, and the MasterCard British Album of the Year. But it didn't matter, because months before, Konnichiwa was awarded the prestigious Mercury Music Prize, crowning the Best British Album of the year, and his onstage delivery now is a reflection of the man who sits firmly on the grime music throne. While his legend has grown over time in the U.K. and Europe, Skepta had to cancel his 2016 No Fear debut American tour due to visa issues. Suffice it to say, when he took the Coachella stage to kick off his subsequent Banned From America tour, the bar was raised and it has been ever since. He's been consistently selling out venues worldwide with fierce, bass-heavy performances, which aren't a far cry from the emotional display he laid down at the BRITs.
Skepta Background
Born in Tottenham, North London, to Nigerian immigrants, Joseph Junior Adenuga, better known as Skepta, is decidedly the future of grime and British hip-hop. He and his brother JME founded the Boy Better Know label in 2006, and it has become one of the premier collectives for grime. His second album, Microphone Champion, charted at No. 109 in the U.K., and his 2011 third album Doin' It Again checked in at No. 19. But Skepta's international coming-out party definitely came in the form of 2016's Konnichiwa. The highest-charting grime album of all time reached No. 2 in the U.K. charts, became certified gold, and famously took home the 2016 Mercury Music Prize. Skepta has clocked in collaborations with across-the-ocean counterparts like A$AP Ferg and Lil B, plus U.K. drum 'n' bass legend Goldie, and he's even been featured on Drake's More Life playlist. His fifth album, SkLevel, is set to arrive in 2019.
