Slowthai - Tyron Kaymone Frampton - burst in with Nothing Great About Britain, a record that took aim at the Union Jack, austerity and the idea that anyone should be proud of the status quo. "Doorman" with Mura Masa, "Inglorious" with Skepta, and the rest of the album made him the voice of a generation that felt left behind. The Mercury nomination and the chaos that sometimes followed only sharpened the focus.
TYRON and UGLY pushed the sound into punk and noise territory; the themes stayed raw. Mental health, identity, rage and vulnerability - Slowthai doesn't do comfort. His place in UK rap isn't as a hitmaker; it's as a provocateur who forces the conversation to go somewhere uncomfortable.
Nothing Great About Britain
Slowthai came from Northampton, and his music has always carried the anger and the humour of a town that felt forgotten. Nothing Great About Britain, released in 2019, was a state-of-the-nation record that didn't pull punches. The title track took aim at the Union Jack and the myths of British greatness; "Doorman" with Mura Masa was a burst of aggression and paranoia; "Inglorious" with Skepta was a generational anthem. The album was nominated for the Mercury Prize and established Slowthai as one of the most talked-about - and controversial - voices in UK music. His performances were chaotic, his interviews were unpredictable, and the music was impossible to ignore.
The Mercury ceremony itself became a moment. An incident on stage drew headlines and divided opinion; Slowthai apologised and the conversation about his behaviour has followed him since. But the music has continued to evolve. TYRON, a two-part album that contrasted his aggressive and reflective sides, showed range. UGLY, made with producer Dan Carey, pushed into punk and noise - and proved that Slowthai wasn't content to repeat himself. The themes have stayed constant: mental health, identity, class and the struggle to be understood. The sound has kept changing.
Provocateur and poet
Slowthai's place in UK rap is unique. He's not the biggest streamer or the smoothest operator; he's the one who says the thing that makes people uncomfortable. His lyrics can be tender - tracks about family, about depression, about the weight of expectation - and they can be confrontational. He's been criticised and celebrated in equal measure, and he's never seemed interested in smoothing the edges. That refusal to play the game has made him a figure that British music needed: someone who could channel the anger and the confusion of a generation without wrapping it in a bow.
The live show has always been part of the package. Slowthai's performances are high-energy, unpredictable and sometimes chaotic - and the fans wouldn't have it any other way. He's the kind of artist who inspires devotion and scepticism in the same room, and that tension has kept him relevant through multiple album cycles. Love him or not, British music is richer for having someone who refuses to play the game. The next chapter will be as divisive as the last - and that's the point.
The next chapter
Love him or not, British music is richer for having someone who refuses to play the game. The next chapter will be as divisive as the last - and that's the point. Slowthai isn't here to make everyone comfortable; he's here to make everyone think.