Next Wave #876: Loski

In Association With Tommy Hilfiger

“I was like, ‘Wow, no way is this guy listening to my music’,” says Loski, with disbelief. The 19-year-old South London rapper is recounting the moment that he found out that Drake was a fan of his music.

“At first it was shocking, I didn’t think it was real!” The news first reached him via DM, when the Six God reached out personally to praise his music. Drake continued to fan out, citing Loski’s music amongst the inspiration for his latest album, ‘Scorpion’, and the pair met in London earlier this year.

It was a surreal moment for the Kennington King, whose foray into the music world started off as hobby that he picked up after an injury halted a promising footballing career. Since swapping the turf for the booth, Loski has rapidly become one of the brightest UK talents.

Earlier this year the Harlem Spartans affiliate released his debut solo mixtape, ‘Call Me Loose’, pushing the UK drill sound with a broader palette of sounds and melodies. Lead single ‘Forrest Gump’ was a particular highlight, with its strong Afrobeat-influenced instrumental a different direction for Loski. He sees his drill roots in the new sound, and isn’t subscribed to any narrow-minded thinking that puts limitations on it.

“If you say that it’s not drill music because I changed the beat, does that mean that drill songs are only made with a certain kind of instrumental?” he ponders out loud. “Do we define drill music by the beats or the lyrics? [Because] if it’s the lyrics and the way that you’re rapping, I’m still talking the same way that I do, just on a more funky beat.”

Loski’s instinct is paying off. His debut headline tour sold out in a matter of hours, and ‘Forrest Gump’ is currently sitting on over 10 million plays on Spotify. He intends to follow his gut into a successful career that puts quality over quantity: “No one else is my competition,” he says. “It’s only me. I know what my fans want and I’m going to take my time to give them the best possible project.”

Where: Kennington, South London
What: UK drill
Get 3 Songs: ‘Forrest Gump’, ‘Cool Kid’, ‘Cheque’

Fact: The only time Loski gets nervous is before going on stage.

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Words: Mike Wood

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