NiNE8 are essentially the UK underground hip hop version of The Avengers, genuinely I’m just waiting for them to start a track off with Avengers Assemble because it’s just the titans of the UK hip hop scene. You’ve got Biig Piig, Lava La Rue, Bone Slim, Nayana IZ, LORENZORSV, L!BAAN, Nige, KXRN and Mac Wetha all in one group together, it’s one of those fantasy collaborations that you’ve always needed but never know you wanted until they came out all guns a blazing.
Their latest single SHEDONTEVENKNOW features three members of the collective with Lava La Rue, LORENZORSV and Bone Slim all making contributions to the track. The production of the track is pure fire with a Mandolin sample leading the track with some hard-hitting synths have a nostalgic edge to them that is reminiscent of classic hip hop during the early 2000’s. The flow is undeniably addictive and the melodies are just as intoxicating, as for the lyrics and meaning of the piece LORENZORSV had this to say about the track:
“‘SHEDONTEVENKNOW’ is about being in a relationship and suffering from problems of your own; however you feel like you’re not able to speak on them due to your other half always speaking about theirs. The beat of the song came about by accident – Mac was looking for a specific sample to use on another track when he ended up playing the Mandolin sample that you hear at the start of the song and throughout. I told him to save that for another beat as I pictured a finished song in my head, and that ended up being ‘SHEDONTEVENKNOW’. The song gives me a nostalgic feel as it almost reminds me of 808s & Heartbreak-era Kanye, which funny enough was an album that I overplayed when I was younger.”
This group is undeniably talented and if you love their sound then dive into each members discography to fully experience the sonic waves they’re creating across the UK. Stellar stuff.