Ms Banks - The Coldest Winter Ever Pt 2

The Guardian 80

(Ms Banks)
The south-east Londoner’s second album shifts from downbeat trap to euphoric afropop rhythms and steely playfulness

The Coldest Winter Ever Pt 2 – the follow-up to an ice-cold self-released project from 2018 – was set to be released in May this year, which might explain why it sounds so counterintuitively summery. But Ms Banks has, understandably, been busy. The south-east London rapper kicked off the year by appearing on stage with Little Mix at the Brits, before providing guest vocals on R&B singer Tinashe’s new album, and just this week, on a remix of Jorja Smith’s latest single, Be Honest. Still unsigned, Banks is following a well-trodden path for UK rap stars in 2019 by eschewing major labels to build her own artistic and brand connections. Her support slots for Cardi B and an as-yet-unreleased collaboration with Nicki Minaj suggest the plan is working.