Stormzy’s debut album Gang Signs & Prayer has already become one of the most-discussed albums of 2017. His eclectic mix of traditional grime and open vulnerability is an invaluable eye opener into an ever-changing genre, touching on the trials and tribulations of life in South London, romance, and ongoing feuds.
Thunder and heavy rain introduce ‘First Things First’, the opening track on Gang Signs & Prayer. Intentional or not, the ensuing storm-esque recording that nods at Stormzy’s stage name acts as some form of pathetic fallacy regarding the overall attitude of the song, or moreover, the entire album.
After more than a decade rapping, Stormzy has finally had his largest breakthrough as a freestyle and grime artist. It has been a steady uprise for the South London rapper, but not one without challenge, seeing him dip in and out of the spotlight due to struggles with his mental health and faith. At just age 11, he began rapping at his local youth club, clashing with other young freestylers over his bars. In 2015, his ‘WickedSkengMan 4’ was the first freestyle to make it into the UK Official Singles Chart. A year later, ‘Shut Up’ debuted at no.8. Now he has released a debut album at just 23 years old, that is smashing UK Chart lists. On paper, the success is impressive, but the struggle behind it is rarely explored. Gang Signs & Prayer is Stormzy’s platform for this, and it embodies all the attitude expected but with a deeper and more accessible narrative into Stormzy’s psyche.
From the offset Stormzy sets the tone, with ‘First Things First’ as unapologetic and raw as ever. outlining warnings to those who disrespect his efforts or ability: “I've been gone for a while but I saw you n***** smile/When I cancelled all my tours /Someone tell 'em that I'm back/I don't never ever slack, grab my gun and go to war”. The track has an infectious powerhouse quality to it, with a beat that is repetitive in its reminder that Stormzy is the chosen one.
It’s clear that despite the enormity of Stormzy’s fame since his 2015 release ‘Shut Up’, he hasn’t let the gang mentality go. And why would he? Stormzy’s authenticity as a grime artist has paid off, seeing him become the leading freestyle artist to bring grime into the mainstream in the UK. However, underneath punchy lines and threatening currents, Stormzy bears his heart openly: "You was fighting with your girl/when I was fighting my depression.” It is this flicker of vulnerability regarding Stormzy’s struggle, in ‘First Things First’ and Gang Signs & Prayer as a whole, that makes the album a dynamic piece of music history.
That’s not to say Gang Signs & Prayer doesn’t have its fair share of trap-hi-hats and testosterone-charged anthems. ‘Cold’ is a synth-laden character assimilation of lesser rappers, that dares to be deemed a ‘club classic’ in years to come. Whether or not intentional, Stormzy’s ability to write mainstream-esque freestyles is certainly proven here, alongside ‘Big For Your Boots’ which sees fast-paced tempo beats littered with chipmunk-esque samples which seem almost juvenile against the superiority of his other tracks on the album. ‘Bad Boys (feat. Gets and J Hus)’, is a far stronger track that opens with cursive language and recordings, not unfamiliar to those who have been raised in outer London boroughs. The track is darker and decidedly more aggressive but consequently this only adds to the boorish charm that the grime scene is famous for.
That aside, it is Stormzy’s talent to deliver grime as a genre that doesn’t need to be brash to be good, and his ability to be dynamic on this record makes it such an asset to the scene as a whole. Organ-led track ‘Blinded By Your Grace’ is a ballad that is a shameless dedication to his long-term girlfriend, radio host Maya Jama: “Through the darkness you came/ And I’ll be alright with you by my side”. Grime doesn’t have a reputation for romance, but Stormzy’s managed to do it, and he’s executed it perfectly. ‘Velvet/Jenny Francis – Interlude’ is a gorgeous, five minute long slow jam that samples Nao, and really shows Stormzy’s old school R’n’B influences: “So how would you feel if a brother stayed around?/Taking care of you and not the other way around/Fell too deep, now we're both six feet/Baby I can barely breathe, could you suffocate me now?” It is a surprising addition, but Stormzy sings, and he sings well enough to induce goosebumps.
All in all, Gang Signs & Prayer has only garnered more respect for Stormzy as an artist and a human being. He has the ability to produce quality tracks that are quarrelsome and spiritual. The message of this album climaxes in clarity on the closing track ‘Lay Me Bare’. Soft and inoffensive, the bars laid down detail Stormzy’s battles with his mental health and explain his hiatus in April 2016, admitting that a crisis of faith left him isolated and depressed: “I know they see me climbing charts/But plaques won't help me find my heart/Yo God, what's good? I need you bad/Devil's in my ear I need you back”. It appears as though the album as a whole has acted as a catharsis for Stormzy to explore and accept his troubles, and he’s done it all the while creating a sell-out album, independent of commercial labels, that has made him the poster boy of the grime genre.
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