Not3s - 3 Th3 Album

The Guardian 0

(Columbia)
UK rap’s go-to collaborator makes a strong case for his music not to be pigeonholed with this radio-friendly debut album

It’s been a frustrating few years for east London singer-rapper Not3s. Since 2017’s viral hit Addison Lee, he has coped with the record industry’s sluggish release schedules by becoming UK rap’s go-to collaborator for the likes of Mabel, Headie One and Tinie. He has also questioned why his blend of Afrobeat, trap and R&B can’t just be labelled pop as opposed to being awkwardly pigeonholed as Afroswing.

As if to prove his point, the first half of this debut proper (there have been mixtapes) prioritises radio-friendly bangers. The bouncy, AJ Tracey-accentuated One More Time playfully riffs on Britney’s biggest hit, while hook-laden summer sizzler Boom Bam is basically one long chorus. Even when things get introspective on the spiritual 3rd Eye, it’s anchored by a billowy, Radio 2-ready chorus.