Sometimes an artist is un-sleep-on-able. What do I mean by that? Well, at times in this writing game, an artist gets thrown at you from multiple directions enough that you need to concede eventually, and just go with it. Ard Adz is one such artist.
A UK native, I’ve given an (unreasonably) cold reception simply for the fact that I am resisting entering the UK market [as a writer]. Admittedly, it’s due to a daunting amount of research I need to be up on the scene, beyond those that have boiled to the top, like Skepta and company.
Ard Adz, though, is becoming difficult to ignore, with well over 50 million spins on YouTube. More impressive, though, he has over one million Spotify streams. Those in the know understand that Spotify plays are everything in 2017.
I mean, for fuck sakes! Drake, said point blank in an interview that he listens to Adz music.
https://youtu.be/twNV2ItVBcY?t=2m10s
He’s 100% independent and unsigned, yet last December, he entered the iTunes Hip Hop/Rap Charts at number 4 with his debut EP, Call Me Dirty — which is super impressive.
I previously featured his video “RumPumPum” in my weekly playlist series, but wanted to double down and share his newest visual, “Went From.” The freestyle clip has Adz speaking on his rap influences, mentioning godfathers of the genre such as B.I.G and Pac, as well as addressing the political crisis and divides between governing parties Labour and Tori.
This kid is on his way, so sleep is futile! Get up on him!
Early!