As UK rap evolves, we are witnessing a new wave of young stars rising into the upper echelons of the scene. One such name is North London’s JBEE, the MOBO nominee who is taking a unique and forward thinking approach to a winning formula. With emphasis on emotional resonance and personal storytelling, JBEE has shaped himself a sound that borrows from drill tendencies but is more vibrant and commercially viable.
The rapper broke announced himself to the industry back in 2021 with viral hit “4am”, and has not looked back since, accumulating huge numbers on DSPs and socials, leading the vanguard of the next generation of UK rap.
JBEE has just released his latest mixtape, “HBK” or “Heart Break Kid”, flaunting his openness of character across the project. Laying his thoughts and feelings down for listeners to immerse themselves within, the project is refined and showcases the maturing musicality and artistic output of JBEE, with big hitting offerings in abidance, such as his famed “Next Up” freestyle, and lead single and accompanying visual, “Just 4 Me”.
We caught up with the star in waiting, discussing his discovery of his love for music, the importance of social media in the modern industry, and the creative process of his new mixtape.
Watch the visuals for “Just 4 Me”…
Listen to “HBK”…
Read the interview…
Who and what inspires you to create?
Before I would mention other artists, however recently I’ve been in my own world listening to a lot of my own music and I’ve realised I inspire myself as most of my tracks are based of my own experiences.
How did you first discover your love for music?
Literally, I started freestyling in the playground in secondary and my friends would encourage me to actually take it serious so then I started doing freestyles on insta which would get recognised by like imjustbait and other blogs & then I eventually moved over to TikTok which gave my freestyles more of a reach.
How did you begin to shape the sound that you now create?
I’ll say being in the studio more often helped me do that just by developing the way I work each and every time I was in there.
Your rise has been driven by your acute social media awareness, how did you navigate that world to your advantage?
That wasn’t a lot of rappers being emotionally vulnerable about heartbreak so I made that my niche.
What advice would you give to any newcomers attempting to build an online following?
I would say just be yourself online don’t force a false persona because people see straight through that and adapt to the sound that is relevant within that moment, but because a lot people are doing the same thing think of innovative ways to do it better whether it’s how you market your music online or the context you chose to sing or rap about.
Do you think that social media has a positive impact on the music industry? Why
Yes and no, social media can break or make careers so it’s all about what impact you want it to have on yours.
“DTB” is a class tune, where did the ideas for the track stem?
“DTB” was just another love story gone wrong and almost like a sequel to “4AM”, talking about how life’s been after I dropped it and how life could’ve been if I didn’t.
Can we expect more of the same from your mixtape, “HBK”?
100% plenty more tracks on there for the people.
What was the creative process of the project
The process behind it really wasn’t too complex I just understood the image I put out there for myself which is someone who is emotionally available in their music so I put together a collection of songs of me doing exactly that.
Where do you want to take your artistry?
After the tape the plan is to take it to heights I haven’t even imagined being at yet, literally by exploring different sounds, being way more consistent with drops & being more vulnerable in a good way by giving the fans more of an insight of who I am.
What made you choose to, and end on, your “Next Up – Pt. 1”
It gives the tape some type of nostalgia, bringing it back to a time when I was hungry to get to where I am today and a reminder that I’m still that same JBEE.
What’s to come from you
More music, projects & collabs!