AJ Tracey Essentials

Since he broke out at the start of the '10s, AJ Tracey has established himself as one of grime's most uncompromising voices. Hailing from Ladbroke Grove in West London, the rapper cuts a barbed, dangerous sound built on rough and rugged drum loops, booming basslines and murky flows. Tracks like “Thiago Silva” and “Pasta” encapsulate his menacing manifesto with sinister keyboard riffs and ghostly synths. On top of his tough beats, Tracey often spits chest-beating boasts—see the swaggering “Blacked Out”, on which he confidently proclaims: “I am not second, but I am top two.”