Songs of 2013 - Wretch 32 ft Shakka - Blackout

My all-time favourite musical act are Outkast. Though I only became aware of them after 1998's "Aquemini". However when I delve back into their career I realise that the move from the southern gangsta-funk of 1994's "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik"to the more laid-back and experimental nature of 1996's "Atliens" must have been a weird jump at the time. In a funny way when I heard "Blackout" for the first time I was reminded of the jump that Outkast made between the two albums.

It's so easy for an artist to make the jump-off single a "look at me" club/festival banger. But I love the laid-back contemplation of the fame and success that has happened to Wretch 32 after he moved from underground to a mainstream UK artist with his major label debut, 2011's "Black and White". And how many rappers have come out with a track dissing the haters and the ho's that are now here as they have a bit of fame? Or get a big rapper/singer for a big name collaboration as they seek to confirm their greater status. There is something different about this track, from the way it starts with Shakka's emotional singing, to the build-up to Wretch 32's verses morphing into a marching tribal type beat, rather than a simple banging beat. And Wretch 32's verses have that tone in them where you can feel him searching for a moment of peace. Indeed there is a repeated refrain at the breakdown where he says "Take away my light, take away my shine, take away my eyesight, gimme a beat and let me rhyme", which feels like he just wants simpler times. This sentiment has been echoed in music many times before, but as someone who grew up in Britain it is great that we are now at the stage where a British rappers life can get crazy with all the success that he is having!

The lighting in the video is really interesting. Most of the video is in the shadows, which is generally the main element of the song. But those shadows are broken up by glimpses of light which is really cool. Wretch 32's new album "Growing Over Life" is due out sometime during 2014. Hopefully it will be dropping soon.