Somewhere in West London resides Bawo, one of the most exciting and in-demand UK rappers to date. Widely renowned up and down the country for his personal and unique sound, Bawo seems to go about his business in an effortless manner — releasing consistently high-grade material for the world to see and listen to since his 2019 debut single “Give Me A Sec”. Perhaps now accepted as London’s not-so-hidden gem, the young rapper has spent the last few years finely tuning and perfecting his craft, ultimately resulting in a catalogue of truly captivating records.
The Londoner, who is renowned for intertwining smart lyricism with calming vocals, entered the soundsphere in 2020 with a two-track EP entitled Mood containing perhaps some of his strongest material in his short, yet illustrious musical career. Since this particular record, tracks such as “Brasilerieo”, featuring fellow hotshot Danny Sanchez and producer Kxmel, have amassed serious numbers clocking in at 1.7M Spotify streams and counting — with follow up singles “Smilk”, “Undercover” and crowd-pleaser “Chandler Bing” solidifying Bawo’s status and providing the perfect foundation for last year’s debut EP Live & Let Thrive. Totalling fourteen whole minutes of stunning instrumental and nonchalant vocals, this record houses his most popular solo track “Starts With A Text” and can be accurately described as pure bliss. Flitting between melodic sampling and catchier kicks, Bawo has well and truly got fans wrapped around his little finger — eagerly awaiting the next drop.
For his next adventure, the West Londoner serves up a beautifully crafted two-track EP aptly named Mazzalean / Headtop Buss From Luss. Eased in by moody guitar riffs, “Mazzalean” offers a smooth classic, switching between stellar bars and elongated vocals highlighting a deep conversation with a lover. A tidy kickdrum provides an initial beat before returning to a beatless soundtrack. Soothing, reflective, and original, the opener provides a perfect start to Bawo’s 2022 account. Follow-up “Headtop Buss From Luss” showcases a snappier tempo through distorted kick drums, calculated snares and smart synth usage. In a similar fashion to “Mazzalean”, the second showing demonstrates trademark combinations with composed vocal usage boldly stating “constantly working, is it even working, once I’m immersed in, you don’t want to know” – introspective and poignant in today’s society.
A genuinely captivating young artist in his own right, Bawo is well and truly set to push the outer boundaries and ascend to the very upper echelons of the UK rap scene. Whether releasing solo work or teaming up with fellow UK stars, the youngstar simply never misses. An addictive, refreshing sound that will no doubt cause waves for the next decade or more.
