What I Listened To This Week (7/7/25):

The UK underground continues to feed me.

Yooo!!! Long time no talk. I never really know how to do intros, so maybe I just won’t—but I guess technically this is one?

Anyway, here’s what was in rotation this week:

Jim Legxacy

Probably my favourite and most listened to artist of the last two years. Jim could probably feature in this every week. He feels on the cusp of something special, his sound is so fresh and creative, something that no one can replicate and personally think that is the ultimate compliment for a rising artist. I wouldn’t even really know how to describe his music, nor would I feel comfortable doing so. Stick, Old Place and Father have been in heavy rotation this week. Check him out, promise you it’s worth it, this is an artist who has a strong vision for his art, and I admire that.

I said to my friend the other day: If Jim doesn’t blow up, I’ll lose hope in society. No hyperbole in sight.

YT

Yung Tola, aka YT, is another UK artist closely affiliated with Jim Legxacy and Lancey Foux. He’s another example of the peak creative diaspora happening over there right now.

YT has this flair and charisma in his music that I compare to a young Premier League winger with raw, naive technique; Alejandro Garnacho-esque, I’d say. His style feels fresh, yet a lot more approachable than others in the scene. He’s witty and funny but is also a talented, legitimate rapper. His most recent album, OI!, demonstrates this.

Don’t Miss Me Too Much demonstrates his humour - the Gary Barlow bar below literally made me L O L in my bedroom at about 1 am. I’d recommend giving Black and Tan (feat. Lancey Foux) and Serena a go from the album, while Pocket Full of Money Got My Trousers Falling Down is a must listen.

#OI

BB Trickz

Another artist that is hard to quantify, BB Trickz is a Spanish DJ & Rapper, sometimes (rather flippantly) described as the “Spanish Ice Spice”. BB raps in her native tongue but occasionally chucks some English in.

It’s been a big couple of years for her, culminating in a feature on woman-of-the-moment Charli XCX’s remix album Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat and it’s a banger.

BB’s discography is still developing. She’s released three projects so far: the earwormy Trickstar, the sombre Sadtrickz, and the extremely enjoyable and replayable 80’z. The latter album includes a highlight track, Not a Pretty Girl, which flips Clairo’s breakout single Pretty Girl. It’s a great introduction to BB’s dancey style and penchant for hypersexuality - and the video is also a really neat homage to the original.

The only issue I have with BB’s music, and she’s far from the only culprit, is the song lengths. Hip-hop and TikTok’s snippet culture have created a timeline where new artists seem to struggle to make songs over 1 minute & 50 seconds. Honestly, not a major issue though.

454

Now to arguably the MOST addictive artist on the list, 454.

I originally discovered his music via a Frank Ocean cosign around 2020. Last year, he released CASTS OF A DREAMER. I was late to the party on this one, but I’m glad I got there.

Even once I arrived at the destination that is this album, I struggled to find my footing with it. It’s messy at times, and the structure of the songs is all over the place. Yet again, the 1:50-minute trend rears its head - and that was hard to grasp at first. Twenty-nine songs in 58 minutes. Often, the tracks are just a verse and a chorus. His autotuned speed rap is already an acquired taste, so pairing that with the fragmented structure made for a tough first few listens. But wow, am I glad I persevered.

Under the hard-to-grasp style of the project, it’s just fantastic. His flow is as immaculate as ever, while the ideas on show are special. He re-reflips a familiar sample on Tem’s Flip and does a better job than the more popular version. He shows that you can make tonally downbeat music with an upbeat sound on Cirque Du Soleil and Moto City Bag, adding another tool to his already stuffed belt.

CASTS OF A DREAMER is a jewel in an already great discography. Give it a go, maybe even two or three just to be sure.

Ace Trumpets - Clipse: Live at Colors Studios.

Let’s finish off with a good one. Clipse’s album rollout continues with a live performance of the already-released single Ace Trumpets, and it’s arguably better than the studio recording. Pusha T’s delivery is as cold as ever, while (No) Malice’s verse is a highlight, flowing impeccably while sticking to his new non-cursing policy.

Can’t wait for the album to drop later this week.

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That’s all for a big music week. Hopefully I’ll see you next week or maybe next year? Who knows, but let’s aim for next week.

-LG