Alex Dutty London-based rapper (formerly known as Lexus Dutty) has garnered support slots with the likes of Kano, Ghetts, Wiley, and Bashy, while DIY work ethic of trawling around the country saw the rapper sell 60,000 copies of his ‘Dutty Mouth’ volumes 1, 2, 3 mixtapes, earning him a nomination at the coveted Official Mixtape Awards two years running. Aside from his gritty determination to succeed, Dutty is also a producer and engineer. He recently released his debut album ‘Knock Down Ginger’ which was 5 years in the making. The album takes its name from the popular kids’ game he grew up playing, as he moved house from hostel to hostel during a childhood that would be completely foreign to most people. The name also pays homage to his physical characteristics, namely his ginger hair. Alex Dutty is whip smart, has a unique perspective, and zero filter — a content creator’s dream. But lost in that, is the fact that Dutty is also one of the better underground writers and rappers of recent memory from the UK.
His songs contain a photo-realistic attention to detail that belies the premise that he might not care. His lyrics are trimmed of useless fat, leaving only lean, sinewy ruminations on a harsh world that are tougher to chew and harder to swallow than click-friendly soundbites.
On his debut album, ‘Knock Down Ginger’, Alex Dutty continues to perfect his brand of nuanced realism while exploring new sounds that should put the music industry on notice that the future is now. On the album’s opener, “Intro”, which sounds like it would figure prominently in a movie soundtrack playlist, we eavesdrop on his inner monologue.
From that moments onward the Brit rapper doesn’t mince words or pull any punches. “What More Can I Say” is the second track on the album and carries with it, Dutty’s personal anecdote: “I don’t care about the fame, I was born to entertain.” Following up, is the lead single “Emoji (feat. OB The Author)”, a cracker of a Dancehall infused track designed to move booties.
The track will no doubt immediately justify any hype that has been brewing around this release. Another track that will immediately generate heaps of attention in the hip-hop world is “Alive” (feat. Kieran Skye) – an emotional slow-burner with raging verses from Dutty and passionate melodic singing in the hooks.
Alex Dutty has crafted an album that is shaped by the frustrations, pleasure, and pain of these modern times, and it is clear that Dutty is making assertive artistic statements based on his own turbulent times. Hence musical manifestos like “Knock Down Ginger” (feat. Antonio Vincente), “Letter To A Link” and “In My Own World” hit like a hammer to the head.
By the time we play on “Sold Your Soul”, we realize that Dutty has composed an innovative set entirely of his own devising, the depths of which we are just beginning to comprehend.
Alex Dutty is hardly interested in accolades and conventions, instead his songs are a way for him to further his cynical worldview and blunt lyricism from an even louder stage, as he looks directly into the eye of injustice and disparity within the human psyche and fiercely dismantles it.
Moving ahead on the album, we still encounter a hand full of bangers that interweave deep thought and hard rhymes, together with melodic hooks to die for. These include “Knot In Love” (feat. McLean), “No Games” (feat. Chysianna) and the outstanding “I’m Gone” (feat. Kieran Skye).
From start to finish on this album, Alex Dutty sets about swerving wildly from minimalism to maximalism at the drop of a hat. And the results are electrifying. He’s seen the ugly truths in this world and he’s sharing it through a mixture of searing irony and raw honesty. Alex Dutty is realness in a fake world.
Follow ALEX DUTTY:
Album ☛ http://bit.ly/DuttyAlbum
Spotify ☛ http://bit.ly/DuttySpotify
Apple Music ☛ http://bit.ly/DuttyApple
Facebook ☛ http://bit.ly/DuttyFacebook
Twitter ☛ http://bit.ly/DuttyTwitter
Instagram ☛ http://bit.ly/DuttyInstagram
YouTube ☛ http://bit.ly/DuttyYouTube
SoundCloud ☛ http://bit.ly/DuttySndCloud
Website ☛ http://bit.ly/DuttyWebsite
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