Benny Mails. Time and time again, the South London rapper shows the craft of his sound, the depth of his influence, and the microscopic attention to the finer details. His latest release “Fuck It”, with Lord Apex and Cesta, sees him land with a different style, not in the flow or delivery, but the freedom and vibe of the song itself – it’s carefree and fun. Bring those elements together and you get a quality and introspective projection that’s unparalleled.

Recently I spoke to an affiliate of Benny’s, we were both discussing his music, and on this occasion, we were going back and forth about his previous release “Solace”, mainly about the level of lyricism on the record – we hadn’t even talked about the cinematic music video at this point I’m about to tell you about. The person I was with turned and said to me, “Do you know how much music this boy is sitting on?”. As one of the highly creative personalities in the scene, it wouldn’t surprise me if Benny has about thirty albums to drop. However, what you do hear when Benny drops a record is truly him being himself. He brings you that bit closer than some artists, and that’s due to his innate skill to be vulnerable and honest whilst narrating stories.

Benny is currently being filmed by Finn James and Noah Elwin for a documentary that covers the making of his next project An Eye 4 an Eye, which started back in 2021, so fans will be able to see just how “Fuck It” came together, with Lord Apex and Cesta. Until that release, you can read all about it. Check out Benny and I chatting below, to unpick more about this release and what he has in store for the rest of the year.

Listen to “Fuck It”…

Read the exclusive interview…

Run us through your latest record “Fuck it” and the story behind it…
We recorded it on my birthday in August 2022. To be honest, I had no intentions to even be making music in the studio that day, we had two bottles of Courvoisier and we had finished one when we started writing to the beat that was playing. Really, I don’t think this would have even been a thing if AP hadn’t started humming the hook when he did.

It sounds like you, Lord Apex and Cesta had fun on the track – how did it feel when you all sat down and listened to it for the first come together?
We definitely weren’t sitting. With listening to music back in the studio, it’s always mixed emotions. I find it hard to gauge whether I’m going to still feel it in the morning. On reflection, we were having a lot of fun, balancing that fun and making sure I actually finish my verse is my real studio battle lol.

Was there a moment when the vibe just clicked in the studio?
The second AP said, “fuck it”, we were bubbling. I could see Cesta writing, and something felt special. It was the best birthday present I could have asked for.

Who were the producers on the song?
Kamil Ademola & Mulade!

What keeps you wanting to evolve your sound?
I personally don’t think I have a choice, as long as I’m developing as a person. My taste always evolves with me, and exploring my craft is compelling. That’s what keeps music exciting to me.

This song a long-time coming for you three then…
Not even, we don’t pre-empt anything. This one came naturally, we had all the ingredients, so we made something, right?

How do you want listeners to interpret the phrase “Fuck it”?
Music is always going be interpreted however the listener interprets it naturally. For me, it’s about letting go of your inhibitions!

Do you think this record embodies the DIY London attitude?
By default. I mixed the track, I wrote it, recorded it and tracked the boys. Better still, the artwork I made on Microsoft Word Art and the music video was directed myself. It felt wholesome.

The video for “Fuck it” was recorded in the BSTN store in Brixton – why did this location feel creatively right to you?
I was there for the launch of the store, and it felt like stepping into a world outside of where I was geographically. I love spaces that make you forget what area of London you’re in.

Creativity is evident throughout everything you release, how does your approach to music allow you to delve into other mediums?
Regardless of the medium, it all comes from the same place, and I love seeing things come together in every art form. To me, it’s all just a matter of following instinct, really trusting your gut blindly, not over-working yourself into fatigue and being openly critical along the journey of creation.

Is your process to making songs different in 2023?
I feel like I’m understanding how my voice works more and more. It’s making music feels a lot more natural to me currently and naturally, with time, it’s changing my approach. Being less precious everyday.

What can we expect from you for the rest of the year?
I’m putting out the project this song is on. It’s called An Eye 4 An Eye.

For new listeners, what five Benny Mails’ tracks should they listen to?
“Solace
”, “These Days” Ft. Kasien
, “Time” Feat. Specs
, “Mantra
”, “Fuck It” ft. Lord Apex & Cesta.