Young, fearless and demiguric, the illimitable potential of BZ puts him amongst the most electrifying new artists in the UK. 

Rather than imitating a sound that has come before him, BZ’s aim is to pave the way for the next generation, spouting a sound that is gradually becoming more popular, expansive and nuanced. He may not be first artist to combine the vibrance and rhythmic intricacy of Afro-infused sounds with the raw grit of UK Rap, with artists like J Hus and Pa Salieu garnering critical acclaim with said fusion. However, BZ is very much in his own lane, with his conversational yet focused delivery and musical experimentation distinguishing an explicit and immersive mood within each of his releases. 

His latest effort 2G’s is an elegy of London life, the dark and light, atop a pacy, bouncy and arresting instrumental. Having amassed 300k and featured on the most talked about TV show in the country right now, Top Boy, it seems that with each passing release, BZ’s influential identity and sonic ideology is capturing the imagination of a wider, more receptive audience. With boundless talent and a unique sound, the sky is the limit for the Ghanian Londoner. 

I sat down with the creative force to discuss his recent release 2G’s, his experiences entering the music industry, and his eventful stylistic journey so far. 

Who’s been influencing you? 

Kendrick. We’ve got different styles, but I really like the way he manipulates his voice. I feel like I’ve adapted that same technique - I’m so intentional with my tone, my delivery and my ad libs. Also, names from the UK like Skepta, J Hus. I often get compared to Hus and it’s nice being compared to a name like that but I think I’m my own artist in my own lane. I feel like I’m going to be in this game for a very long time, and the more people hear from me, the more they’ll see I’m like no one else. 

When did you first start writing and why did you start?

I started writing when I was about 13. I used to do poetry and spoken word, so I’ve always been quite lyrical. I remember being in the changing rooms at secondary school and my boys used to make beats on the benches and we’d freestyle and make songs from that. People used to say I was alright at it and that I should actually try and make it into something. I got myself to the studio and went from there.

Have you released before under a different name? 

I’ve released before under a different name and also the same name and taken the music down. I spent a lot of years trying various different sounds, trying to understand music better, and trying to understand what makes me who I am and what represents me. I think a lot of the time I was trying to fit into the trends, but now I’ve realised that a large part of my music is about who I am as a person. I’m an African individual who grew up in London. I have a lot of London culture but also Ghana and my African background, so my music is a merger of the two. 

I like the fact that you found your sound organically through trial and error, it’s been a stylistic journey 

It’s been quite a journey yeah. I think music itself is quite a journey. Me taking the time to find my sound and figure out what suits me has been a beautiful process. You have the creative license to try whatever you like, and express yourself in whatever way you like. Different genres bring out different parts of your personality and of who you are. In that sense I’ve enjoyed it and I wouldn’t change anything about that process. 

How do you see your sound progressing? 

I’ve already started doing that I think. I have a backlog of unreleased music. I’m probably like 3 years ahead of my actual releases. I’ve tried tapping into different sounds and seeing how I can develop my music into a more mature sound. I’m so excited for people to hear the stuff that I’m going to release. 

How would you define your own sound? 

I’d define it as Afro-infused Hip Hop. I’d say that I’m developing as an artist, and that the music to come will move more into Alternative and Alté rap. A lot of what I make is heavily influenced by my background, but also maintains the Urban culture that I grew up around. 

You’ve started picking up more media and industry attention; how has your experience of getting into the music industry been?

Since I’ve started releasing as BZ, since ‘Big Oga’, the love I’ve received has been crazy, which outweighs everything else. There’s always down days when you feel that you should be further, to be in a certain position that you aren’t necessarily at, and you question if the work you put in is worth it. For me personally, the support of one person, one DM from a random person, can change that mindset - it outweighs the negatives of the industry. It’s been a process, but a beautiful one. 

That’s refreshing to hear. I think a lot of people, me included, are quite cynical about the way that the industry conducts itself sometimes. 

There are definite flaws, but at the end of the day, you have to find a way to manipulate it to work for you. I think that is something that I’ve come to realise. 

Why do you think your more recent releases have caught the ear of a wider listening base? 

I think they’ve been more relatable, and unique in the sense that, visually and sonically, no one is really doing what I’ve been doing, which I think is refreshing for the industry to hear. It doesn’t conform to everything else out there, and I think people are taking to its uniqueness. At first, a lot of people didn’t understand what I was doing, but I think they are starting to warm to it.

Why have you chosen to release some of your recent tracks via GRM? 

I think it’s more just the culture. In terms of getting it to the ears of people who are going to like it. I think GRM embodies the London culture and the UK rap culture. I want to begin to traffic the attention to me as an individual on my channel, which is why I dropped my other recent track Superstar on my own channel. The next step is to build myself, to make my channel the home of Afro Hip-Hop. 

What’s your impression of the way that Afro music is received in the UK? 

I think it’s getting there, it’s getting bigger, but it’s not there yet. I want to be one of the artists that takes it to the next stage world-wide. I can see that it’s gone leaps and bounds but it can go a lot further, and I think that it will do so once people start hearing more of my music and the other sick artists that are blending the two sounds and cultures. 

I think what your music does so effectively is give listeners a taste of the Afro sound, whilst also having the realness and relatability of the UK rap sound. 

The way that I think about it is this: babies don’t always like medicine, so sometimes you have to adapt it, and put a little bit of food or flavour so it tastes better for them. I think the combination of the sounds makes it a lot more digestible, tastefully feeding Afro styles to the UK scene. 

What was the creative process of 2G’s?

I was at a writing camp, stepped into a session I wasn’t meant to be in, caught a vibe with the producer, and within 30 mins we created 2G’s. I loved the energy of the track but If I’m honest, on the day, I didn’t think it was crazy. I think that’s the beauty of music - so many people relate to the things that you don’t even think they will. 

What’s the story behind appearing on the Top Boy soundtrack? 

I was shocked myself! I sent it across and they said that they really liked it, but then I didn’t hear anything for months and months. I kind of forgot about it, but then I was in a session and got a call from my manager who said Top Boy want to use the song and what would be going on in the scene. I’ve always loved the show, and last year joked with my manager that I wanted to be in it. It’s like I made my joke came true, crazy. 

If you were introducing yourself to a listener who had never heard of you before, what track would you play them? 

I’d play them No Rules. It encapsulates everything that I’m trying to do in one song. 

What’s to come from you? 

There’s a lot coming. I’ve got a few more singles coming out, potentially an EP at the end of the year so I’m working towards that. I’m hopefully going to have a few live performances coming up soon too. I’m just trying to build my fanbase, my identity, my catalogue, and properly put my stamp on the scene.