By many accounts, Tinie and his crew have disturbed much more than London. Our own North London beat-bouncer, AARON LEE, checked his shades and descended to the Underground to meet this rhymer’s record head-on.
Tinie Tempah – Disc-Overy
Released: 04/10/2010
Label: Parlophone
You’ve been raving to his beats in the clubs and you’re sure to discover another side to Tinie Tempah with his hastily anticipated debut album. Whether it will leave you stunned or satisfied is another story. Whatever Disc-Overy was, or could have been, before the South London rapper hit it big with his first #1 single ‘Pass Out’ has gone.
Riding the tidal wave of two major hip hop successes, Tinie’s lyrical arc has taken on a different context. No longer is he a struggling lyricist, driving past the bus he used to run for. From the sounds of things, he’s got his private jet, groupies and he’s rolling with his own Southside posse. Of course, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, with his premier anthology, Tinie exhibits tremendous flare and proves he can rap with substance, on the pavement or in the penthouse.
Along with nitrous oxide beats, there’s a grimy tenderness to Tinie’s songs. With the slyness of a grinning shark, Tinie is mischievously explicit in ‘Frisky’, while wingman Labrinth plays the devil’s advocate on this dark fantasy. It’s almost a raw expression of Dizzee Rascal’s ‘Dance wiv Me’. Tinie’s similarities with last year’s king of UK hip hop don’t end there either.
From Ishi to Swedish House Mafia, the flanks of producers on Disc-Overy have effortlessly melded thumping hip hop with dup step, electro and dance beats. The dance epidemic that is ‘Miami 2 Ibiza’ is a standout club anthem. Yet tracks ‘Just a Little’, ‘Snap’ and ‘Invincible’ demonstrate themes and rhythms beyond his impulsive lead singles. In these tracks, the smoke and spirits take a back seat in favour of openness and reflection.
Featuring the soothing tones of Range, ‘Just a Little’ is the album’s romantic high. Almost out of place amid the rough and raw beats of its siblings, but, backed by a swelling melody of piano and percussion, Tinie’s message is as understanding as any Usher love song. Hailing from south of the river, Tinie clearly respects the hip hop artists from his block, too. Talk of micro SDs, photos and high school girlfriends on the wonky dub track ‘Snap’ hints at Brixton’s Roots Manuva. And the likes of Ellie Goulding, Kelly Rowland and Emeli Sandé bring a softness to the album.
Tinie’s lyrics have plenty of cheeky imagination to them, however, it’s a shame some of the tracks on Disc-Overy seem to exist simply to pet his ego. At times, Tinie is a tad too concerned with his initial success, something that keeps this album from being totally seminal.
Combining the wacky lyricism of MF Doom with a dirty shot of experimental rhythms and beats, Disc-Overy is a towering hip hop set. Tinie Tempah’s deviant rhymes tell tales that you’ll replay in your mind hours after the music has faded. It’s a bareback ride through the grime, and newly polished glam, of Tinie’s hood. The temperature is high for his debut, and this rapper has the potential to make things even hotter.
Aaron Lee
Tags: disc-overy, frisky, hip hop, parlophone, pass out, rap, tinie tempah
haha please tell me you didn’t compare him to MF DOOM?? but its an alrite album…not “real hip hop” but more of a pop reincarnation of the UK hip hop & grime scene….