Reviews (page 3 of 7)
Had no idea what to expect then I saw all the rap collabs. This was better than I expected. I liked it. He reminded me of da Ali g character.
I have always loved that Skepta’s first album was called Greatest Hits. Just amazing! I’m team Dylan Mills, but Skepta’s grim is always worth the jam! The Streets
# Album Name: Konnichiwa # Artist: Skepta # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: To think the british once had some of the greatest music of all time and then we start producing this shit. God damn. # Top Tunes: # Would I listen to it again? No
Grime music of electronic rap music, delayed two years.
Well this was a really mixed album for me. Shutdown and That's Not Me were big songs of my childhood, so obviously they rated high and are iconic. Yet, others such as Numbers and Ladies Hit Squad really did not hit with me. Half of this album was not really worth listening to me, which I was suprised with, the collaborative tracks were what dragged it down for me. Konnichiwa 7 Lyrics 5 Corn on the Curb 5 Crime Riddim 4 IT Ain't Safe 3 Ladies Hit Squad 2 Numbers 2 Man 6 Shutdown 9 That's Not Me 10 Detox 7 Text Me Back 6
First of all, this guy looks like DMX. Similar style, but quite the different voice. The lyrics and vocals here are great; he does a great job of rapping to the beat and clearly. None of the lyrics grabbed me as life changing, but still all well done. Also, great outro to the album.
Hip hop. Not really something I usually like, but this was pretty good.
Just awful. Aggressively bad. I get it by now, I'm like 175 albums deep into this thing and I understand the Brits need to be represented on here. I get it, I really do. But this is just one that doesn't need to be on this list. There's probably a truly great canonical rap album made by an American that's NOT on this list and could easily replace this one.
Solid stuff. Entertaining. I liked it.
nah
Nice album. It’s got some tough imagery and the electro production fits Skepta’s cadence well. I enjoyed this one. 3.5/5.0
I find British rap kind of corny.
Quit talking numbers, calculator Quit talking numbers Its a .... 2 This is something I was intrigued to hear. Grime, British hip hop. There are a few elements of it i like, but generally its fairly meh I get the idea of wanting to do skits, I really do, but they are always always always bad. A lot of phone calls, a lot of unnecessary parts I dont think its bad or anything like that, but id never want to listen to it again, but seems massively important to a genre that became big
ok Not really my bag but it had a couple of nice tunes and if I managed to tune in better to what was being said I think it had an interesting story.
Mas o menos, un rap medio raro
Some nice production can't save an album from a rapper with a one-gear flow who has nothing to say. Actually, I will give him credit or altering the rap around the beat, but Skepta sounds monotonous as the album goes on and there's nothing of substance lyrically, just the same aimless bravado you can hear from a thousand other MCs. Edit: I am made to understand the style of rapping here is something called "grime" and this album is one of it's exemplars. Okay, then.
No es mi género en concreto
Music is not bad, but I don't like rap, and how he raps
So cheesy ngl. But probs mid-high 3s. Ed Sheeran of London rap 2016
#319/1001. i guess this is the first album here which talks about Instagram. And as often with rap (or I guess in this case Grime?) also other topics are also alien to me and my life, as a highly educated post 50-year white hetero male living in the happiest country in the world. Somehow it is even more relevant in this case since we are taking about a very British act, a very British social culture and atmosphere - the political situation of blacks in America as well as American rap, soul, funk and rnb is much more familiar to us who don't really follow the scene over here in Europe. So what can I talk about then? The music and the flow are good but also gets a bit repetitive. The visitors bring freshness in, but still they want nasty girls to twerk for them. That's about it for now.
Very simple music and typical lyrics
This album has like one good song, otherwise it's ass. Complete Britslop, ban rapping in the UK
I just can't with all this rap or rap-like music.
The rapping is pretty good. The production is very up and down on this record. When they go with just a hard beat and some synth/music elements, it's all good. When they start mixing in things I hear as "noise" for artistic effect, they lose me. It's not a bad record at all but it's not one I'd return to any time soon.
Didn't hate it as much as I thought I would.
The London English slang is toned down a bit (compared to, say, Dizzee Rascal), but a lot of the content is about slang. Can you jump on a jet if you’re from the ‘road’? Is the ‘road’ taking the train, walking home in the rain? Is it staying under the radar, switching off location tracking? Or being inaccessible to your girlfriend? The word ‘man’ means ‘me’ and ‘I’ as well as this man, the man and masculinity. The word ‘fam’ means friend, but also family, and man being called fam is disrespectful if it’s used in the wrong context (see the song ‘Man’). Anyhow, it’s the constant interrogation of language that makes this a 5/5 album. One of the top comments here ridicules the album for being incomprehensible (pap pap ka ka ka). Maybe it is if you don’t understand any of the words.
Lots of Brit reviewers complaining about Americans here. Here's the thing: rap is American. We don't claim classical music, Afrikana, or a dozen other genres, but a few simply started in the U.S., and rap is one of them. Sorry, not sorry. So what we have here is a mid British rapper. There are good British rappers on this list, and at least one good French one I've heard, but this guy is mid at best. Also, this is not grime-rap. It's British grime, but for actual grime-rap see DMX, Onyx, et cetera. Influence 2. Hits 2. Intangibles 3. Quality 3. So tired of 2's 2.
Not my fave, I think the style is there but it’s not really for me. Has some decent tracks but won’t revisit likely. 2 stars
goated album
Strong start, getting lost from the mid point through a bit of repetitiveness. First side has lots of good tracks.
There are some great beats in this album, and some nice vocal flows, but otherwise it's not my cuppa. I'm not a fan of the skits, the subject matter, and find the tracks a bit samey.
trap is shit. if i could give zero stars i would. 0/5
Skepta’s best and one of my essential grime albums. It Ain’t Safe slapssss. Old heads on here give this a disproportionate amount of hate.
I get it, but not for me
Not for me.
i like british rap as much as the next person... fuck does he know about konnichiwa??
Two British rappers in a row has me feeling less than charitable. I’ll give it two stars, not because I liked it, but because it wasn’t quite as awful as The Streets.
The British are rapping
Monotonous, machine gun-style rapping and boring, unimaginative beats full of ugly textures. Not as bad as the Travis Scott-ification of rap that would soon take over, but still emblematic of a genre lost in the wilderness.
So... the skits have now crossed the Atlantic, eh? Smashing! Seriously, that cringe needs to be chucked into the nearest rubbish bin, mate. On the plus side, there are a few catchy beats here, and I do find the videogame-sounding samples quite delightful. Is that enough to save this from failure? Maybe barely. I think grime just isn't my genre... though I did find this album more tolerable than M.I.A. and Dizzee Rascal (which were, admittedly, very low bars to clear).
A mixed bag. Listenable, but nothing I need to repeat.
Not really my thing. Heavy beat hip-hop which sounded cool enough but most of the actual rapping didn't really click for me.
MANS NOT MAN
Review - never delved into grime or UK hip hop at all so this was fun to give a go. Quite liked the album tbh, some of the songs were pretty good and the songs I was less into weren't too bad. Most of the songs were pretty short too which kept it varied. Rating - 7/10 Need to hear? YES
I'm not the target audience for this album
Too many man so many man dems
Well there’s genres I don’t like, and then there’s Brit rap which is below that. I’ll give it a genuine chance, that’s why I’m doing this list. Post listen: still not my thing, but I recognize that there is something there people would grasp on to. 2/5 ⭐️ 73/1089
Weird to get two heavy brit rap albums within a week. This is better one of the two but I still just don’t really enjoy it. It’s better than most modern American rap but they really just rap about the same couple topics making it stagnant and boring. 5/10
Every time British rappers talk about cops, I just picture the old timey ones with the tall hats. Anyway, not bad. I liked Numbers and Man. Pharell makes a lot of music just better.
Patchy in places but good to have some grime on here, worthy on inclusion.
It was good this One track really lets it down in the middle (Ladies Hit Squad) but I enjoyed the rest and there were some belters on there
Meh. I'm glad that's over. At first I thought, ok, I can get through this, it's not too horrible, but as it went on I started hating it more and more. ⭐⭐
The beats and backing are kind of interesting. The lyrics are not. I did not need to listen to this before I die, fam.
I feel the list is trolling with these English rap albums. There is nothing interesting or unique on this album. The only thing that stood out is how many times they could use "fam" in one skit.
4/10
Do I care about this album? Like really? No. No, I don't. But I'll listen to it! The beats are pretty cool and I'm very open-minded to the idea of listening to an album like this for this list. Especially since most of this site just seems to be awful about it, when it's pretty great! As I already said I like the beats a lot, and the flow's fun. The lyrics in general are pretty mediocre, but it's still an enjoyable experience. Some noteworthy songs: Lyrics has a very fun chorus, and I enjoy Skepta's contributions. The feature is pretty alright, it's like passable. Crime Riddim is great, I absolutely love the beat. The skit's a bit too long but what can ya do. I don't feel no way about any of it. I really loved Man, a really good beat, infectious chorus, and that bar about the wife… I had to do a double take. Everything about that song is actually so awesome. Shutdown immediately after is also incredible, one of the best beats here, and really good verses. Immediately after that, we have That’s Not Me, one of the best songs here. I mean… I could talk about it but you should just listen to it honestly. It’s really great. Detox is also great, and its focus on addiction and vices is approached really well, and the beat’s real dope too. Text me back is a really great way to end the album, even if it’s kinda basic to have the “introspective sentimental closer.” Some songs I didn't love: I really despise a lot of aspects of numbers. Weak ass beat, bad flow, annoying chorus. Not a fan. Some songs I thought were like in the middle: the opening track is a bit disappointing as far as opening tracks go but it's not too bad. I don't love the feature on Corn on the Curb either. I also really hate songs that are like "HAHAHAHA WE HARDCORE GANGSTAAAAAAAAS" when you're friends with Aubrey Graham and that's kind of exactly what It Ain't Safe does. It's like well rapped and I like the beat though so it gets the passing score. Ladies Hit Squad is absolutely hilarious, but the chorus is actually awesome and Skepta's verse is legitimately awesome and I don't care what anyone says. Overall this album really picked up on the second half, and I really enjoyed it as a whole! This site’s buggin so hard with that score. 7.7/10
Not a fan. I feel bad for British rappers.
Rating: 4.7/5 Short Review: A defining grime record that feels raw, confident, and completely in control of its identity. The beats are minimal but heavy, letting Skepta’s voice and attitude carry the weight. Favorite Track: Shutdown. The beat is skeletal but powerful, and Skepta’s delivery makes it feel like a victory lap for the grime scene.
The grime beats were cool, that rap not so much.
Konnichiwa - 3 Lyrics - 3 Corn on the curb - 2 Crime riddim - 3 It ain't safe - 4 Ladies hit squad - 3 Numbers - 3 Man - 4 Shutdown - 3 That's not me - 3 Detox - 3 Text me back - 2
It's ok. Not my fave genre, but I wasn't annoyed by it either. Well, a little too much gangsta crap in it. And the skits are atrocious. Usually you get sick of hearing them after a few times, but these were bad right out, Shrill or yelling. Know what I mean, fam? Unlike a lot of folks here, I really do like the British accent rapping. Brings a new dimension to it for me. There's some decent music behind most of the tracks. Some thumping bass. That's always a plus. I'd give it a 3 if it was a bit more experimental. This doesn't bring anything new to the table. The gangsta stuff is old/sad. Going with a 2 today!
I had no idea based on the cover what I was in for and I’m not sure I would have guessed rap. I enjoyed the lyrics and the beats but it was a bit too slow paced for me and I didn’t love his actual voice or enunciation.
Now, let me pour my whole soul out on this one. This. This is not only the worst album I've heard on this list, this is quite possibly the worst fucking album I've ever heard in my entire life, and so far I heard around 1600-1700 albums in full. Or more. I cannot think of any other album I hated this much. I wanted it over the first song. It has no redeeming qualities. It is so fucking miserable. Can he just shut the fuck up? Can he just stop? Stop. It's. Fucking. Horrible. Horrendous. Disgusting. I cannot express how shocked I am that someone could make such a fucking worthless thing. I am sorry if I am being too harsh, I really am (to other users of this site, not to the artist himself), but I am just so done with this, it's unlistenable and this 40+ minutes were NOT fun, not even close. This should not be on this list. No matter how influential it was for gangsters of the big UK, I do not care, it's terrible.
Why is this hear? It was alright but wtf
I liked the track with Pharrell Not a bad project but I just didn’t connect with it
⭐⭐⭐⭐- Britiskt Grime album. Det är mycket attityd som är smittande. Det är en genre jag inte kan något om och kan inte därför jämföra med andra artister eller album. Men tycker det finns något här. Attityden som sagt, det är coolt, det svänger och är en konsekvent produktion. Det blir nästan lite filmiskt med de inklippta dialogerna mellan spåren. Bäst är It Ain't safe, Numbers, Shutdown, That's not me. Detta Album växte med antal lyssningar är något jag nog skulle kunna leta upp igen i framtiden när jag är sugen på något med attityd. Väljer mellan en stark 3a eller svag 4a.
Mad cringe fam
This is not my type of music at all, so I couldn’t get into it. But for what it is it’s not so bad and had some enjoyable beats! I see why it’s highly rated for this genre.
2 out of 5. Good flow.
Never heard of him/them. But a lot of other people have. No song has fewer than 12M listens, wow. There are tracks with 30M, 65M, 145M, 151M listens, that's impressive. Hit play... now I know why this was overlooked. British rap doesn't usually hit my radar, or anyone in the US really. What's going on with the government in England isn't typically a hot topic over here. I lost interest pretty quickly on this one. Not a huge rap fan, definitely not into thickly accented rap with average beats and staccato vocals. The songs had no hooks, no killer beats, no bottom end, just rapid spitting. The two big 'hits', "Shutdown" and "That's Not Me", didn't stand out from the other songs in anyway that I could tell. Again, we're seeing a heavily slanted Top 1001 list with albums popular on the island but didn't get airplay anywhere else. I didn't get anything from this other than a confirmation that Brit rap sucks.
Tu enlèves That’s not me, l’album est complètement anecdotique ? J’ai l’impression que c’est l’album de rap uk le plus basique possible désolé
I don't hate it, but normally the more I listen to an artist, the more I like them, but this has had the opposite effect. Loses points for skits.
Interesting opener. I kinda like Man, Shutdown, and It Aint Safe even if I’ll probably never listen to them again. Other than that, everything else is kind of abysmal. Awful even. I fail to see what’s so must listen about this album so I’m surprised this is included on this 1001 albums list.
I've liked Skepta for a while now, he kept popping up on albums that I liked, but this is my first time actually listening to an album of his. And honestly it's about what I expected, he's not exactly full of surprises, but it's still a good time. Favorites: Lyrics, Numbers, Shutdown
Another great rap record. Strong start and strong finish, with a little bit of a lull in the middle for me that feels a bit generic. But, overall, some great and timeley (2016) rhymes with some good beats. Highlights: “Konnochiwa”, “Lyrics” and “Man”
Aside from some repetitive moments such as on 'It Ain't Safe' and some corny ones like on the closing track, this was fun and I don't regret having my first contact with grime.
I do have a slight soft spot for grime artists. It was a unique take on British hip hop and still sounds kinda cool to me. I never necessarily heard any real greats from the genre, but Skepta is still pretty good.
The album is good, but not much else past that. If you like Grime, then you'll love this, because it gives you exactly what you want from the genre. For me, though, while the production is pretty good my main problem is with Skepta himself. A lot of Grime artists lyrics tend to be bragadocious, presenting jusy how cool/dangerous they are and that they aren't too be messed with. Which is pretty standard for the genre, and I don't have a problem with that persey, but they're never really convincing in their presentation. The bravado here seems put on, false to a point of distraction. There are a couple of times on the album where it feels less like an act and more like reality, but it's unfortunately rare. As well, the rhyming schemes and punchline, while good, never blew me away at all. I can only really remember a couple. Also, a lot of the feature on this album don't really work that well (especially A$AP NAST on Ladies Hit Squad, who is trying to sound like a low rent Drake (who already jacked that sound from Jamaican artists)). That's not to say the whole album is bad, Skepta does create a mood with his lyrics that fit with the beats, and the production is very good. It's very listenable, and I wouldn't call it a bad album in any regard. It's good, but nothing else. If you like Grime, then you've already listened to it, and if you want to get into the genre this is a pretty good starting place.
I can absolutely see why it’s held up as a landmark grime release… even if it’s not really my world. The production is the standout: lean, icy, and confidently minimalist, with beats that snap hard without ever feeling cluttered. There’s an energy and urgency there that’s genuinely impressive. But the lyrics? Still carry that slight sheen of misogyny that grime often can’t seem to shake, and it stops the album from fully connecting emotionally. I can appreciate the craft, the flow, the cultural weight of what Skepta’s doing—but it never quite becomes likeable in a personal way.
It was fine, a little annoying at times.
Derivative of earlier american hip hop artists.
love the beats but i cant do british rap the flow is always the same and just overshadows the beat too much...
Listened over the course of two days. Day 1 I thought it was great; day 2 I wondered what I was thinking on day 1.
I did so badly at keeping up with UK hip-hop at the time, before listening to this, I couldn’t have told you it was going to be Grime, and after listening to it, I still don’t know because I’m so ill-informed. Grime or not, I enjoyed it plenty. The beats were strong and felt well considered all the way through the album. I was also quickly won over by Skepta’s flow. I wasn’t annoyed by his delivery at all, nor his subject matter. Also after a full listen I was thinking, glad it wasn’t packed with featured guests; turns out there were actually plenty, but they managed to do it without gate crashing the boss’s party. I think I will come back to this and potentially upgrade once I get some more quality listening in but in the meantime it’s a strong ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love the genre, That's Not Me is an absolute banger but man were the skits annoying. Let's be real, grime is not album music I would absolutely put Ghetts - The Calm Before The Storm instead of this... or any other album. I mean, just listen to All Black Winter I sung what is this diddy blud doing on the calculator to Numbers' chorus. Fits perfectly Second half is great
it's quite alright
sounds interesting
I had never heard a rapper with a British accent and I was ok with that.
Sounds fire on mute 🔇🔇🔇 Go on fam ✌️😭
Clanging beats and sirens sound the alarm, ominous pulsating rhythms, high energy and off kilter. Unsettling and anxiety inducing, angry and insistent. The raps are similar: a staccato cadence, harsh and confrontational, direct, boastful. Some catchy choruses scattered throughout, but also annoying skits.
As someone that typically doesn't enjoy much grime music, I actually thought this album from Skepta was quite nice. It's no surprise that the songs that sounded least like typical grime were the ones that stood out to me, though: "Lyrics", "Ladies Hit Squad", "Numbers", and "Shutdown". In general, I think the over-abundance of the staccato style rapping in grime music tires me out, but I can see why Skepta is considered one of the greats in this style of music.
Well produced. Music style interesting. Lyrics did nothing interesting.
Way outside my comfort zone, which is a good thing.
3/5
Sorry, don't like rap.
Making it a new rule that I'll give an album 3 tracks before deciding if I continue - this one was just not my style, but I can recognize it sounds pretty good for what it is...hence the 3 score.
There are interesting moments in this album but they are hard to find. Abrasive and although there is some originality there isn't enough to stop the skip button being deployed.
- Heel agressieve productie - Standaard uk-rap - ‘Crime Riddim’ en ‘It Ain’t Safe’ zijn bangers. - Niet veel nummers klinken uniek. - Pharrell feat. was mid.
crap rap - not my thing
Day 186 A few gems amongst some excruciating skits. Highlights Crime Riddim Shutdown That’s not me
Grime gruel.
not around here partner
Full disclosure - I feel like I'm still fairly new when it comes to grime. I heard Dizzee Rascal's Boy in da Corner earlier in my album journey, and I've also heard "Thiago Silva" by Dave and AJ Tracy. That's largely it. With that in mind, I'm going into emcee/rapper/producer Skepta's fourth album, Konnichiwa, with the understanding that it helped spark a resurgence in a genre that I have limited knowledge of. How does it hold up? Honestly, I'd say this record is pretty solid. Skepta worked double duty for the majority of this record, crafting such hard-hitting, vibrant beats and synth lines while he took the mic to deliver some catchy-as-sin hooks and fiery bars. I certainly got an understanding of his work ethic on the likes of the opening title track, "Lyrics", "Numbers", "Man", and "Detox", riding the grind while maintaining integrity and self-worth. Along the way, his stories of street life on cuts like "Corn on the Curb", "Crime Riddim", and "It Ain't Safe" go into some gripping detail while highlighting his own insecurities, keeping himself calm amidst perceived adversities. Probably my favorite tracks on the record were the one-two punch of "Shutdown" and "That's Not Me" with JME, delivering on all the hype while showcasing his self-respect and giving shout-outs to Boy Better Know, the grime collective he belongs to. That said, for as much as Skepta delivered on the braggadocious firepower, I can't say the same for when he tries to dip into a more sensual side. "Ladies Hit Club" and the closer "Text Me Back" don't really work because he's going way too aggressively in his flow in describing how he's going to please this girl or explain why he doesn't always reach back to her because he's just that busy with the grind. It certainly doesn't help that both of those tracks offered the weakest production on the record, with "Ladies Hit Club" having compositional similarities to Drake's "Hotline Bling" and "Text Me Back" having this warbly, reversed synth and electronic flurries that also go too hard for this tone. At least "Text Me Back" is somewhat saved by a decent instrumental outro. Finally, even though Pharrell Williams did well on the production and hook for "Numbers", his verse definitely reads like a last-minute addition, between the lame-duck flexing and brand-name porn. All in all, I consider Konnichiwa to be a good record. It's an excellent showcase for Skepta as a producer and emcee, delivering some potent bars and beats.
Favorite song was Crime Riddim! I've heard of him before and I've loved his features with Drake. I liked this album a lot and it will be in rotation.
The music part of the album is fantastic. The flow, the beats, the vibe is awesome. I cannot stand the skits. I want to hear music, and I don’t care for the dramatic crap.
Repetitive and a waste of my time.
What I like about Skepta is the slight tongue in cheek approach he has lyrically - little throwaway references to British culture, like kid’s TV, cling film and a Ribena - whilst still demonstrably a serious grime artist. I didn’t like all of it, but the good bits (the singles particularly) are very good indeed
Better than Coldplay
9.5/10
Nah, thanks though.
Rapping in the UK should be punishable by death.
Nice to see more Grime on here, I found Dizzee Rascal to be a pleasant surprise. This amps it up to 11 but with even stronger beats and harding punching deliveries. It's the angriest parts of N.W.A. and Public Enemy rolled in a 40 minute barrage. Don't really like the skits but they aren't intrusive here. I feel the album does get a bit repetitive at times and not everything hits quite as hard here.
Well... okay. It was horrid. And it just gets worse and worse. Maybe because it's so so boring, but also because the songs... well, I guess if you like rap you will like them, but, for me, they are all the same. It's the same thing all the time but with different repetitive instrumental bases. And, yes, bases, because there is neither an interesting instrumental part on the album at all.
I thought I would like this more than I did
I'm not a huge fan of grime, but this was a nice listen with a fair amount of song variety to keep things fresh. I thought I hadn't ever heard Skepta before, but then I recognized "Shutdown" from the remastered Tony Hawk Pro Skaters 1+2. The beats are HARD, and he flow, combined with the British accent allows for unexpected and interesting rhymes. I can't say I'm super into it, but I definitely bobbed my head for the majority and enjoyed listening to it.
Konnichiwa by Skepta mentions Fireman Sam :)
Not a rap fan
An interesting listen. I don't usually hear much non american hip hop or rap
Really enjoyed some of the songs. Skillful rhymes and flow (I thought). 3.5
6.0/10 Pretty interesting.. liked the British accent
Was fine. Good beats to groove to, but did not notice much past that.
It had interesting moments, but nothing I’ll come back to.
nice hip hop, liked it
not my music taste but a british twist which was interesting
Enjoyed it more than I thought I would
I mean... I guess I'm happy I heard this before I died. There were some nice beats in here. A bit better than I was anticipating. 3/5
Of course, here in the US, I had never heard of this. I've only heard a little bit of what was considered "Grime" before, and I didn't care for it. Maybe I just heard bad grime? I really enjoyed this album. I don't think there was a single song I disliked. What's going to keep it from 5-star range for me is the annoying skits, and the fact that after a while, it felt like the same song over and over again.
It's all perfectly decent but kinda forgettable rap. The skits are bad and their attempts at writing pop hooks are all pretty weak. It's not bad, I just don't really understand what it's doing on this list.
I was really liking this for a while but man the skits drag it down and also Drake's on here? nah
Really liked the first couple songs but felt like it got weaker as the album went on. Will save a couple songs but didn’t love the album as a whole.
Rap album. A no from me.
didnt really like it all much, just so boring and british
No special comments. It's an OK UK rap album.
Not my kinda rap.
Rap and Hip Hop not in my wheel house. And simply can not listen to. Tried but a big no.
nope. didn't enjoy this, it's vulgar and non-melodic. don't hear how it's relevant for this list (but who am I), nothing new here.
This has a fairytale vibe. It's mystical, moody, and poetic. I visualize dark hues with bright strokes of color popping out. Big characters. Twists, turns, heroes, and villains.
I find most British hip-hop (or whatever hyphenated subgenre this is) wears out it's welcome after a few tracks. There is just no variation to the flow. It's relentless. This mixes it up a bit but still feel like the same song over and over and over.
20102 grime. Good but also kind of mid. Not my genre.
just not in my wheelhouse
This is some incredibly British rap music. It reminds me a lot of BGMedia back in the mid-2010s. That was some quality, Afghan Dan especially had talent. He put out an album about a year or two ago called Relic that's pretty good. He also made a diss track against one of the features on this album, Wiley. Crazy how everything comes full circle. Anyways, the album definitely has some issues. That "Bang brrrang dang dang" bar was funny, but definitely in the top 5 whitest bars I've heard come out of a black guy. The whole album is sprinkled with random bars that require a double-take to make sure they're actually that bad, and they usually are. That and the skits throughout make the vocals a drag going into the latter half. The beats are awesome, though. Really driving with some good Drill and Garage influence in them. The guy's voice at least matches the beats pretty well, even if the lyrics don't.
Not a big fan of rap music
1.5
2.0
Holy moly this is a BANGERRRR, the production having that eerie, villainy, dark vibe with skepta having such a strong and aggressive voice and lyrics, it all just fits together it's all so good.
I hate those days when you get excited to see an album you don't recognize but the cover looks like it might be interesting. Then it turns out to be something you know you're going to hate before grudgingly pressing play on the album. This was one of those days. So a few songs in and it's not as bad as it could be. I mean it's all the same beat, nothing changes at all except the lyrics. The lyrics have the typical self aggrandizing that for some reason is a defining characteristic of hip hop. But, so far, the misogyny and violence are (more than others) mostly absent. I could see why American fans of hip hop would hate this but that's also hilarious to me because it's basically exactly the same as any hip hop record for the past 25 years. Oh my god the skits need to stop. How that got to be a staple in hip hop records is beyond me, it's so dumb. It doesn't make you look awesome and dangerous. It makes you look like a child trying to be awesome and dangerous. Yeah it's still not for me but it's not as intolerable as some of the hip hop records out there. 2/5
Good rap album. Hate the skits. Congrats to Skepta for telling off that gamer on “Crime Riddim”. You really showed him!
British rap is kinda lame, not gonna lie, although this album has something going on for it on the production side. You can die without listening to it.
Fine. I don;t think this is landmark in the history of rap though it took grime commercial (even in UK context surely massive black rapper breaout would go to stormzy)? Smooth production, fine beats, flows are ok, content is not particularly hard hitting or memorable. meh. I just also care zero for grime
I enjoyed this album listen from Skepta! I’d never heard of Skepta before so it was fun to check out a new artist to me. Overall, I thought this was a solid hip hop/rap album that I would revisit in the future!
It's solid, with a bunch of good tunes and really good production. I don't really know enough about grime as a genre to explain why it sounds good to me but it does. "It Ain't Safe" is the one that'll be stuck in my head.
Rule brittania
Beats were good. But the rest is just...generic trap. It increasingly feels like a "1001 albums that have been popular in Britain over the years" list.
Never heard of grime as a genre before, so I dig the beats associated with it.
Connaissais pas.
Okay pas beaucoup de love au début, mais à la 2e écoute j'ai décidé de blaster le son et je me sentais comme un tru gangsta. Il y avait des airs de Public Enemy là-dedans mais avec des meilleures loops, plus dansantes et badass.
Muito bom, superou as minhas expectativas.
cool rap album. i liked the different sounds
I haven't spent much time with this side of the pond's hip-hop, but this is great. A solid, engaging ride. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - It Ain't Safe - Man - Shutdown - That's Not Me
Vond het eigenlijk best grappig
i cannot do british rappers
I was a bit skepta going into this one :drumroll: It’s Grime, UK hip hop over garage beats. Grime had its moment when it came out, I remember Dizzee Rascal hitting it big. The genre is kinda cool. I get that this guy is a founding member of the genre but the songs are kinda weak and honestly one album from this genre ever is enough.
That’s more British ska hip-hop rap than I need in my life.
classic ting
Litt bra og litt rart
Worth reading about grimes history, Skepta and his place in it before or after listening. Sheds a light on why this is included. It’s the rebirth of the grime genre. It’s decent, but grime has never been a genre that produces great albums.
I was optimistic when the album started. Moments where I really liked it, but couldn’t maintain it.
Is that how you pronounce Konnichiwa? I don’t think so. Is this one to the top albums of my life? No. Did he have a conversation and say ‘fam’ too much? Perhaps. Did he use the term ‘Pussyhole”? Yes. Yes he did.
Interesting. Kind of an addictive beat…when in the mood. 2.5
Not today. 1
nicht so meine Musikrichtung
Ehhhhh, ok
It’s alright. I’m not English so not really my thing. The regular john sample was cool though.
No thanks.
An okay album, not my usual style of music and no real standouts.
For a group that talks about how original they are, they sure repeat a lot of lyrics.
Kekkodesu
2 - ok
I usually have a tough time with UK rap, which is incredibly provincial of me, I know. This is particularly true when the topics are run-of-the-mill hip hop stuff (money, hoes, clothes; guns/gangs). Again, I realize it's just a bias, and there's no reason a UK rapper can't come by this stuff honestly (even assuming any rapper comes by it honestly, which may or may not be the case). The man has bars, I gotta give him that. I thought the features were almost all weak, particularly Pharrell's phoned-in hook on "Numbers." Production is mostly solid (a few of them are weaker, like "That's Not Me"), flow is good, big energy. Topics are tired, but whatever, I'm cool with this sort of thing from, like, Raekwon. Not a grime guy, usually, but maybe I need to get over the provincialism. Highlights: The title track; "Man" (LOVED the Queens of the Stone Age Sample); "Shutdown" Lowlights: "Numbers", "Ladies Hit Squad", all skits, although on a first listen the video game one was kinda clever.
Cool
Why on earth was this on this list
Some cool beats and solid rapping. Didn't care for the hits ("Shutdown" and "That's Not Me") but there were some decent tracks including "Crime Riddim" and the title track.
p944. 2016. 1 star. Two things I cannot abide: 1. Rap 2. Foul mouthed guttersnipes from Norf Landan This is a rap album by a foul mouthed guttersnipe from Norf Landan. Nope.
I really wanted to like this - beats and production were really good but I can't get past the UK rap accent unfortunately. Shutdown was good though.
A mix of fun drill songs that bring the energy and some stinkers. A good representation of how I feel about UK grime/drill as a genre.
Two plus two is four, minus three that’s one quick maths
I don't mind grime for a song or two at a time; it's a fresh and intense sound and has a great beat. But I think it is really a singles genre rather than an album format. A whole album wears a bit -- it's all swagger, all the time. I am also highly wary of Mercury Prize winners. But if you dropped 'Shutdown' into a set, I'd dance to it.
This album was delayed so many times and then it came out and sounded like a collection of beats you could have made in a couple of hours. With that being said the vocals, lyrics, and features are all great, Skepta deserves his flowers for being such a long-term fixture of the scene, and both Shutdown and That's Not Me are all-timers. 3.5*
I don’t know how it goes in England, but in America we all decorate our own Christmas trees. Santa brings us presents, he doesn’t do anything with the tree. That being said, this guy has some bars but I didn’t love the album. The production was great, but some of the hooks were god awful, like painful to listen to. And the skit where the guy said fam 70,000 times was obnoxious.
Relatively easy listening, for rap.
It’s one and done for me. I do like British rap though.
Pretty fun bops
#793. Nah big dog, I learned my lesson with the other 3 British rap albums I listened to for this thing. That shit is terrible on a very basic level and I will not be wasting my time listening to this. 2/5: just pop it in the bin, love
The universal awfulness of skits on hip hop albums spans an entire ocean.
I’m not finishing this bro
It’s good but not amazing.
Eh, I wish I liked rap more. Yes it's better for being understandable.
That was quite annoying. Rap that doesn't seem to go anywhere. Most of the instrumentation is annoying. Conversations slapped onto on songs.
I liked it, but it was repetitive
This is the first hip hop album I've gotten that's pretty bad. I'm not necessarily against British hip hop, but this is not a good case for it. Favorite track: Numbers 1.5/5
I always kinda liked UK rap.
Grime är en väldigt distinkt stil ändå
Inte min grej överlag, men en del intressant produktion som väger upp. (
Coolt med SVÄRDLJUD i första låten. Resten var väl rätt trevlig också!
Trust me daddy, I'd love to shut down this incoherent mess.
I realize that I’m not the demographic for this, but pretty much every song sounded identical to me, interesting for about 1 minute.
It's nice to hear some hip hop outside of the 90s. It's decent. Some interesting tracks. Didn't grab me with anything in particular though. But I can definitely see why some would really dig it.
UK Grime has never been a genre that I’ve enjoyed. I’ve tried over and over and it just doesn’t work.
I listened, I suffered. It's been a hard genre run over the past few weeks.
I dont know what makes this album special. His rapping is not very interesting nor the music. Boring, change it for more original rap.
Not bad. Although I find the skits for each song to be hilarious, especially with the British accents
"Konnichiwa" is the fourth studio album by British rapper Septa (Joseph Olaitan Adenuga Jr.). Hip hop and grime are the Wiki-listed genres. It's my first foray, that I know of, into the grime genre (electronic dance music that emerged out of London the early 2000's). There are a number of guests appearances including Jme, Boy Better Know, D Double E, Novelist, Wiley, Chip, Pharrell Williams, ASAP Nast and Young Lord. Septa was executive producer and produced three of the songs on the album. A host of others produced the songs, among them Pharrell Williams. Commercially, the album reached #2 in the UK and #160 on the US Billboard 200. It was critically acclaimed for its resurging grime music and it also won the 2016 UK Mercury Prize. The album and song "Konnichiwa" open with the sounds of waves, birds, swords, a woman singing "come as you are" and finally sirens. A slow hip hop beat and chilling "Omen"-like synth keys. Skepta rapping quickly and he's killing it as he returns to the scene. "Ladies Hit Squad" continues the slow hip hop beat but there's a dreamy-synth melody. D Double E and ASAP Nast join Skepta on the rap and echoing vocals in a commentary on the sexualization of women in music videos. "Man" uses a killer, underlying sample of Queen of the Stone Age's "Regular John" which pervades throughout along with a chugging hip hop beat. "Shutdown" starts with a Drake vocal sample of "Shutdown. Truss Mi Daddy" which repeats. A deeper bass beat and a hypnotic synth melody. A song about empowerment in the face of prejudice. The first single "That's Not Me" has a bubbly synth sample of Wiley's "Jam Pie." Layered electronic beats. Here's the grime. The music combines hip hop and electronic beats with synth melodies. Some the eerie melodies reminded me of the Wu-Tang Clan. There's samples but but they're not excessively used. The lyrics are somewhat varied with a number of them personal dealing with his struggles of fame and identity. Septa is a quick and confident rapper. This is a solid album in which most hip hop fans should like.
2.5
Not terribly interesting lyrics, not terribly interesting beats.
Lyrically, it’s a little too much on the bravado side. I prefer my grim to come with a little more self-reflection, à la Dave but musically the beats here are top notch. Particularly enjoyed the QOTSA sample on _Man_.
Really liked some of these - Man, Numbers, and Text Me Back. Would not have heard this album but for this project.
This hits hard. I enjoy being able to understand the lyrics and none of the beats have annoying sounds being repeated like some of the other rap beats. Surprisingly, I listened to this one twice. I would jam again.
Not a big grime fine, but this album is ok. I feel that there are probably better grime albums out there though. 3/5
Not a lot for me to get excited about here. If it caught me in a different mood, maybe I'd like it more, but I gave it a few tries and . . . meh.
I like grime, and I like this. I like the mixture of hardcore and trap, and it makes me wish I owned a Roland TR-808 so I could make sick bass lines to...um... be middle-aged to? Other than that, I don't have much of anything insightful to say about this. Ooh, yeah. If you liked this and you like punk, check out Bob Vylan, a grime punk duo from Britain. Great stuff!
There were at very least a couple of better hip hop records in 2016, including Coloring Book. I feel like hip hop is where you most feel the author’s predisposition toward British artists. I liked a couple of tracks but the production and flow get repetitive to me. I appreciate the relative economy of the 44min runtime.
A charity 2 because I couldn't make myself listen to the second half, which seems a little unfair. But I did not enjoy this at all.
2/5 - Didn’t care for this at all. Production was monotonous, and the songs were boring. It finally ended.
I have a weakspot for grime. Minus 1 for the skits.
whole album is fine but shutdown is still a hit almost a decade later
Once again I find myself unable to engage with grime. Sorry, Skepta. I'm happy that, as a Brit, you got it all out there and won a Mercury music prize, though.
Not my thing
i really can’t do uk rap
I liked it, i guess it was included partly because of its importance in taking grime beyond the UK (the pharrell appearance, some of the skits referenced this too). Didn't feel like it overstayed its welcome, had variety in style. Shutdown and thats not me were the obvious tracks heard before. The pharell track felt like one of the weaker ones.
Couldn't finish, didn't like this or the skits they'd have in between each track
Cool grooves and cool flow. Skits do nothing for me. Overall, this album was fine. Not one I'll bother returning to.
7/10 - some solid grime here, need more of this
This was not for me. Well produced, but not a good listen
Very fun energy. The beats, flow, and lyrics were all immaculate.
Okay good
as everybody knows, the panel of mercury award have always been edgelords, despite the sometimes clarity of giving the prize to peak albums like different class and stories from the city, stories from the sea. and in 2016, when you think a moon shaped pool or blackstar may win the prize, they gave it to this album. but still i listened to this for a bit and i like the beat and the bri'ish accent and this is not as bad as they think! でもね…さようなら。もう二度と来ないで。ア・ムーン・シェイプト・プールの方がいいわ。 (im bad at japanese so i translated using google and this is what i imputted: but anyway... sayonara. don't bring this to me again. a moon shaped pool is clearly better.) 3/5
I'm not too familiar with British rap, including grime. This album was very mid-2010s sounding. Despite that I thought it was decent. Pretty average.
É um álbum legal, mas não é muito minha praia. Tem umas músicas legais, como Lyrics, It Ain't Safe, Numbers, Text Me Back e um bom uso do sample de Regular John do QOTSA em Man (Gang)
Absolute crap
Competent hip hop but not my style
This album rules. I won't be getting in the Grime, but I will replay this album every now and then.
1/5. Did not like the lyrics. Melodically and rhythmically uninspired. Though I did like the audio sample in Shutdown - “Black men dancing aggressively on TV, I’m so intimidated, I just don’t expect this on daytime television.” But overall I felt annoyed throughout. One more thought scares me; someone out there listens to this and thinks they’re a badass for it. And that scares me
It's fine(ish). My only exposure to Skepta before this was off a bonus track (How Far?) on Gorillaz: Song Machine. I liked him alright on that song but something about it just didn't click for me here. I like his voice, lyricism, and flow on some tracks; but damn he raps over some of the most annoying beats I've ever heard in this album. Some of these tracks are absolutely goofy and the skits at the end of them really pad the runtime I thought Numbers, Man, and Shutdown were pretty good. At different points I felt it was anywhere from a 1-3 so I think I'll just avg it out to a 2.
shit was narsty. drill is fun, but it's never something that i would intentionally throw on. i had a good time though
Imagine how good this would’ve been if it wasn’t Bri*ish. In all seriousness, the front and back end songs didn’t really fit with the meat of the sandwich, and the skits were 10000x more annoying than American ones due to the slang. The core of this album was pleasantly surprising, and I could see myself returning to those fairly often.
I’m a sucker for British rap, I think that British rappers have some of the coolest deliveries. Grime is a dope subgenre, and their spin on the drill sound is really unique, too. I also love how it feels like a parallel universe to the US rap scene, with their own beef and their own "king of Brit rap" conversations. This isn’t my favorite Skepta album, (I love ‘Ignorance is Bliss,’ it's sadly too recent for this list), but there are some great tracks on this one. I always get a little bit of lead foot when "Crime Riddim" comes on in my car. Production across the board is fantastic stuff and also undeniably 2016-sounding. Rap was simpler back then (for better and worse). One gripe I have with Skepta (and sometimes Brit rap in general) is all the Drake influence -- the way the chorus is sung on "Ladies Hit Squad" sounds almost identical to the melody on "Hotling Bling." Drake is on the intro and outro of "Shutdown" on this album. It cheapens British rap for me to know they're cannibalizing a style that has cannibalized US rap/hip-hop. I always appreciate the more authentic sounds of artists like Dave and Stormzy who carve their own lanes, and I think it stops me from completely appreciating Skepta. If you're a fan of this one, check out Jme's 'Integrity>' or Giggs's 'Wamp 2 Dem.' Not the same caliber of rapper as Skepta, but still a lot of fun.
There were moments I was really with it and moments I wasn’t. The skits are ridiculous and really pull you out. Huge influence for the UK rap scene. Enough good to give it a 4.
Don’t listen to as much rap these days as my younger years. Wasn’t particularly enthused about this one going in, hence my Northern Boys comparison. But I liked this quite a bit.
Driving through foggy farmland and misty city streets to this album made it feel like I was in the outskirts of London — even though I was on the right side of the road. Bumping a UK rapper at a reckless two volume levels higher than usual in my 2015 Honda Civic en route to peck away at my laptop at Martine’s pastry shop was less immersive, but still fun. I feel like hip hop can range from profound+poetic to vacuous+hedonistic. Skepta finds himself somewhere in the middle here. That’s definitely not a bad place to be, and he explores either side of that scale throughout. But I think my take is somewhere in the middle too, I enjoyed quite a bit of this album but some of the tracks and skits were lackluster. I think br*tish rappers with pronounced accents sound cool (sue me) which boosts this for me. Liked giving this a listen, but not sure I’ll revisit it when many American rappers feel more substantial.
Kinda funny how much the American reviewers complain that its not hard enough, given how much its poking fun at their poser culture, but ultimately while I enjoyed it I dunno if I'd listen again
Was ok ( I think)
Fav: Konnichiwa Least Fav: Crime Riddim You could say I was… skeptacle… about this album, but I think it’s a fairly competent album in a genre I’m not really a fan of. It’s impressive for sure
Totally not my style
Hotly awaited, and critically acclaimed upon release, Konnichiwa seems to be a commercial and cultural resurgence for grime. Grime is admittedly not a sub-genre of hip-hop I'm especially well-versed in, but I have enjoyed some. While I'm sure someone more immersed in UK hip hop may get more out of this, I did think it was good. Skepta is charismatic, the beats are good, the features are cool, it's a great formula for an enjoyable rap album with catchy, memorable songs, and that's what I get out of it. Although I don't see the genre centerpiece that a lot of people claim this is. Some of the highlights here are Lyrics, Crime Riddim, Numbers, Man, That's Not Me and Shutdown. In particular, Man may have the best beat on the album, and Numbers' Pharrell Williams verse may be the best feature here. It's competing with JME's verse on That's Not Me. There a couple of tracks here that don't do it for me as much though. But there's enough good that I did enjoy the experience at large. This is pretty good, and I'd be interested in hearing more from Grime as a genre.
Good rap but couldn't get into it
Wasn’t for me
Hip hop was a genre that I hated as a child. I was a rock kid, later even prog kid I'm afraid. A little snob for lack of better words. It took me a few years to admit I like some hip hop song around and even more to accept it as the glorious art form it is. Since than some of my favorite albums of all times have been hip hop record, and I am a big fan and admirer of the greats. This album is so, so, so incredibly bad. The beats are unimaginative, production is so lame and sad. I couldn't find even one memorable hook, as hard as they try nothing sticks (which makes it even sadder). Lyrics are laughable. Not in a good way. They're fucking bad. Not funny, not clever. Just bad. In the end I couldn't believe I listen to the entire thing. It made me question the genre itself. Wow. There could be no justification for it being one this list. And any awards it got have me astounded. Beating Radiohead's AMSP and Bowie's Blackstar? No fucking way. That was one of the worst so far. 0. Impossible, so...
Moments of good, but just not for me.
British rap at its finest. Got some Black on Both Sides vibes.
Better album than I was expecting. I heard a couple of songs of his before this. I will have to go back and listen to this again since there were a few I really liked
Not my thing
3.81
Not for me
No thanks
Nostalgic af
I've never smashed out so many emails - like having a personal hype man! This did slap!
British hip hop always hits different. Not something I’d listen to too often but not bad.
Some songs are bangers and others sound so flat to me that I almost skipped them instinctually
every song is amazing, the spoken word interludes are hilarious (unintentionally so but still), 4.5 Fav song: That's Not Me or Shutdown or Text Me Back or Lyrics or
This might be good as a Rap album but I just don't like Rap. 2 stars or D.
Pretty dull
Clever rhymes and delivery. This is a fun sound
This is fun English accent rap
Just can't stand Brittish rap
This was pretty fun. Had to look up the genre of hip hop - grime - not something I'd say I'm particularly drawn to, but spinning this several times didn't get old. It's hard not to take off a star for him being a Sp*rs fan, but I've gotta let the music speak for itself.
Not my thing but not terrible
This was good - I would 100% go off to this in the ‘Sup in the festival environment but as a work day listen it probably didn’t hit as hard as I hoped it would. Probably not something I would actively listen to but still a super fun time.
I don't know if it's worthy of this list, but it was fun. I didn't think it was the greatest thing ever, especially compared to all the other rap I've listened too. However, "Numbers" is the goofiest song I've ever heard, but in the best possible way. This album is worth listening to just for that song alone.
The saving grace on this is that it's British and zi can understand the words. But it's still rap music.
I had to listen to this twice, because I had a feeling I was under the spell of the kickass beats the first time, and I was right. On my second listen I was a lot more annoyed by the skits and bored by the repetition of various hooks and a similar mood/tone throughout. Still, this is probably one of the better UK grime-derived rap albums that I’ve heard. As a piece of art, doesn’t hold a candle to the Little Simz record I had earlier this week.
It’s so bad I couldn’t help but laugh. Maybe it was meant to be a comedy album all along.
There were a few tracks (I’m not even going to bother going back to look up which ones) that were interesting but overall it just sounded like Yet Another rap record except with an English accent.
The beats seemed simple and uninspired. The lyrics didn't add much. Some real low lows on this one.
Boring, and repetitive. Probably a 2 star except for the god awful skits.
Didn't know who this was or what to expect, but I enjoyed it a lot. Some of it is still stuck in my head. Not a fan of the skits, but most everything else I liked.
This would have been alright if it was by a rapper with something to say and knew how to deliver it. Tired "I'm so tough and women like me" bullshit we all left behind more than a decade earlier should not land a rapper on this list. With such a shit flow and even worse rhyme scheme, it's hard to understand why any critic liked this album. ⭐⭐
Again, went in with slightly snobby impressions but the album won me over
Solid all round.
Fam was tidy hot sauce
7.96 - seems like it should be a hit lower avg. very on-the-nose lyrics. Some nice beats. Not exactly my style. Best were Crime Ridding and Numbers (8.3). Worst was Konnichiwa (7.6)
There's a 3 stars EP in here.
This was kind of right up my alley. I dug it.
Good lyrics, well synced beats with catchy samples
24/10/2025 Some catchy tunes, but i hate how a lot of the songs resort to some form of violence. Unnecessary. Spotify listeners: 15.3 million
I generally prefer European hip hop to American. To me, non-native English speaker, British English sounds more musical than American English. More specific for this album: I didn't hate it and although I think lots of albums are too long, this one isn't. Favorite song: that's not me.
I'd rate it higher but it was very hit and miss
nice to see something different i wasnt familiar with!
Expecting the worst when I saw “Bristish grime rap” but it was ok. The skits were dumb as shit fam
Really not my thing but there’s real skill and lyricism here and the Americans are underrating it severely for their own dumb reasons so giving it an extra star
I'm not the target audience from UK grime, I guess (mid-60s, white, middle class), but I remember playing this on release. I liked it then, and I like it now, but I don't think it's a great album.