Okay-Entice isn’t the robust driller we as soon as knew. Blowing up with hard-hitting viral songs equivalent to 2022’s ‘Heat’ and his characteristic on Krept & Konan‘s 2019 tune ‘I Spy’, the Brixton native would as soon as flex his ties to the road and warn “opps” to by no means mess with him. Properly, he’s nonetheless telling his foes to again up, however on his debut album ‘Smile?’, the once-elusive star opens up.
‘Smile?’ begins with famend tastemaker Tiffany Calver, assuming the function of the rapper’s therapist. She asks him to “take the masks off whereas we speak” earlier than he takes you on a journey the place Entice (often known as Trapo) touches on pivotal matters in his life.
He talks about his time promoting medicine in south London; whether or not that’s on the mafia-inspired ‘Mobsters’ with Blade Brown, and the audacious ‘Outdated Faculty Period’ or ‘Whoosh’. However one of the best of those gritty highlights is ‘Whistle’. Over ethereal manufacturing, Entice asks his potential lover if she will slot in together with his fast-paced life-style: “Do you chase the bag or simply fuck it up? / Do you stand up and go, or simply cuddle up?”
All of that is then contrasted by his tales of fame, affluence and success. On ‘Victory Lap’, Entice celebrated his nomination for Group of the Yr on the 2024 BRIT Awards alongside fellow drill mainstay Headie One. This mainstream recognition, he has mentioned, has made him realise life is worth it.
Then, there’s a bunch of radio-ready songs that may probably be inescapable this yr. The charming ‘Totally different’ options British-Congolese newcomer Highlyy, who sings from the attitude of Entice’s heartbroken different half, whereas the narrator is clawing for forgiveness. ‘Let’s Run Away’ and ‘Somebody Acquainted’ present the comfortable inside that was as soon as hardened by Entice’s previous.
However Trapo can be affected by survivor’s guilt, as explored on ‘Grown Selections’. The tune sees the rapper wrestle with the emotions of being a traitor to his surroundings, now that he’s made his cash and gained some knowledge. “Out within the suburbs / If I inform the reality, I ain’t lacking South,” he raps. “Then once more I’m mendacity that’s the place the music’s impressed / However there’s an excessive amount of feelings, an excessive amount of crying, an excessive amount of folks dying.”
Drill tradition was as soon as deeply rooted in gang politics, however the music it birthed grew to become an outlet for many who consider life can’t be good when there’s a lot unhealthy round. Now that Okay-Entice has advanced and now stands as a luminary in his scene, ‘Smile?’ evokes these like him – and others – to softly transfer on from their previous and see the brilliant facet of life. It’s OK to smile infrequently, he tells us.
Particulars
- Launch date: Might 31
- Document Label: Thousand8/EGA Data
