Discover Conscious Rapper, XtG

One thing: perspective. 

See, ever since getting an ear for Hip Hop back in the early noughties, the urge to become a rapper was always simmering in the back of my mind. Only catch is, I’m not all that fussed about the typical hobbies of your average rapper – flexing flash cars, a phonebook rammed with 1k girls & playing with Monopoly £££, just isn’t me.

But the one thing I am, is a philosophical thinker. Hence why the thought of becoming a conscious rapper seemed SO appealing. And besides, as a great man once said: “Life is a ONE time affair. If we’re only here for so long, then what exactly do we have to loose by chasing our dreams?… Nothing!”

So get ready, as this is going to be UK Hip Hop like you’ve never seen it before.  

Ahhaaaa – well spotted! Although don’t read too much into it, as the reason is actually a lot more simple than you’d think. 

That swagged-up streetwear of your typical MC – it just isn’t me. I guess it comes with being a conscious rapper. Plus, I don’t know about you but, I don’t fancy being the rapper who abandons his self image just to ‘be accepted’. So yeah, this is me – like it or lump it. 

FYI: Don’t mistake XtG for a facade – he’s really not! The best way to describe him would be a caricature of the rebel inside me. Want proof? Rapping or not, denim is a HUGE part of my wardrobe. That chain. It’s been around my neck for well over 5 years. In the summer, you’ll no doubt catch me in a round-rimmed pair of shades & should the weather make a turn for the worse, you’ll spot a flat cap resting on my head.

I don’t have a filter. 

I simply spit whatever I feel & that’s pretty much it. Call it my trademark. 

So if doing so causes Mr X,Y & Z to develop a grudge against me, so be it. I’m not bothered. For me, music is not just some popularity contest, but more a way of opening a fan’s mind to a new way of thinking & resonating with them on a deeper level. 

In other words, I’m out to make music that inspires & motivates – not just entertains. So hopefully now my motto makes sense… 

“Follow Intuition, Not The Crowd.” 

Sounds bad, but… only when I was forced to.

See, prior to becoming a conscious rapper, Grade 1 in piano was my largest musical achievement to date (permission to laugh). And as far as school went, music was one of (if not ‘the’) first subjects I chose to drop. Although, I only realised why a couple of years back. 

I was so eager to drop music, NOT because I hated music, but because at the time, I didn’t understand my creative process. Nor even knew it existed! So as a result, for young me, becoming a conscious rapper was more of a distant fantasy than a possibility. 

Pains me to say it, but… at the time my dream was to become a Solicitor or Barrister (shivvers intensely)

How did you guess??

As a conscious rapper & lyricist, to have music with real meaning is incredibly important to me, especially at the gym. Team the Hip Hop sound with conscious lyrics, & I’d say you’ve pretty much hit the jackpot. 

Speaking of which, the artist who’s my ‘go-to’ at the gym, actually released a song called Jackpot. Although out of all his songs, there is one that for me, stands out particularly in the gym. It’s called ‘Reminder’ & is the conscious work of G-Unit rapper, Lloyd Banks.  

Have a listen & within the 1st couple of bars I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to sense why this tune gets me pumped to do the extra rep. As the title suggests, it’s a reminder to stay true to yourself – exactly the self-motivating message you need when pumping iron.

Indeed it is. 

Junction 24 of the M62 – that’s where I’m at. The plucky mill town sandwiched in-between Leeds & Manchester – 2 of the North’s biggest cities! So as you can imagine, my accent isn’t what you’d call ‘run of the mill’.

Curious to know more about my Hudd? Take 5 to check out my blog all about my hometown – Huddersfield 101.

They shouldn’t.

Really no rapper (be they conscious or not) should fear me. As there’s only 1 person I’m competing against. 

Myself.

Well in that case, call me the exception to the rule! 

See, I haven’t spent X amount of months going boss-eyed for no reason. In fact, this website isn’t even really for me – it’s for you.

I say so because nowadays I know just how hard it is to keep up to date with your favourite MC – let alone conscious rappers, who for the most part, tend to be a LOT less ‘in your face’. So I figured that any fan of mine should be able to find the all the latest to do with me in the click of a button, & not have to stalk me over social media just to discover my latest tunes or merch.

Heck, thanks to this site I even have a blog too! So if philosophical rants are your thing, then do take 5 to check it out! (link below) But yeah, I guess the only other thing left to say is: 

“Bookmark this URL!”

Grant me the power to change 1 thing about the industry & it’d almost certainly be this… 

To stop artists from putting on a false facade just to impress people that they don’t know. Why? Because at the end of the day, it’s self sabotage. Attain stardom by ‘putting on a front’ & yes you get mega rich & have everyone under the sun screaming your name, BUT… if they’re not fans of the real you, then what’s the point of it all??

Sounds like the start of a downward spiral if you ask me. #Authenticity4TheWin

Thought you might ask this, as what with us conscious rappers being a bit ‘outside the box’, you’d imagine our music taste would match. And in my case, it does…

So apart from Hip Hop classics from the likes of G-Unit, JayZ & Biggie, my CD collection also includes a fair wad of albums that you perhaps wouldn’t expect. I’m talking about those by: 

Lionel Richie, Simply Red, Westlife, Madonna, Frank Sinatra, Britney Spears, Nsync & even Il Divo. Quite the mashup, but then again probably the reason why conventional Hip Hop just ain’t my style. 

My music taste itself is unorthodox.