You could make a case for British rap being more compelling than its American cousin of late; it’s in its rapid expansion phase, not caught in a holding pattern. Partly that’s because there are now so many talented UK artists with non-London accents that it could soon be a disadvantage to spit from England’s capital. Teenage Mancunian Nemzzz is one of our most exciting prospects.
Growing up in Gorton in a house with a kitted-out studio, he was destined for the stage. “My mum made beats – all genres, you can’t box her in! And Dad sang reggae and bashment. I thought, let me give this a try,” the 19-year-old, real name Nemiah Simms, recalls. Six years ago he was ripping beats off YouTube to practise over, obsessively improving his vocal technique and lyrical dexterity. By 2021 he was working with professional beatmakers and scoring a viral smash, Elevate, leading to co-signs from Drake, Central Cee and Lil Yachty. Nemzzz’s voice is unforgettable: pugilistic truculence mixed with sly humour that’s as Manchester as drizzle on a Friday night.
His spiky tone jabs powerfully out of tracks such as Nemzzz Type Beat and PTSD, relatable excerpts of his and his mates’ lives that don’t rely on tired true crime tales but bemoan phone etiquette and voracious social media – ’gram over grams. He has just dropped mixtape Do Not Disturb, full of introvert anthems – an excellent showcase for that inimitable flow.
Do Not Disturb is out now. Nemzzz tours Ireland and the UK from 30 April
