Enny – The NextUp British Invasion

by

NextUp MicUp feat. Enny credit by Lysious/AURN
Reading Time: 2 minutes

British-born artist Enny shows the influence of Hip Hop worldwide and is next to show that the U.K. has something to say.

Hip Hop Abroad

Enny credit by Teen Vogue/Danika Magdelena

Born and raised in Thamesmead, Southeast London, Enitan “Enny” Adepitan grew up a fan and student of the culture. “My heroes in music would probably be Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott, and J. Cole,” Enny told Music News Web. I am a very big fan of music, so the list could honestly go on.”

Rap Dreams

Enny dreams of being an artist felt blocked by reality. “I wanted to be a rapper like my whole life, but I couldn’t go to school to become a rapper, and so I was like okay, I’m gonna do film,” Enny tells A Foot in the Door podcast “I started studying film  and then the older I got, the more I was like I really want to do music, and so I started going to the studio  and then I quit my nine to five with just like we’ll see what happens.”

The U.K. rapper decided to release multiple songs online, building a small fanbase until Peng Black Girls gained enough momentum to catch the attention of R&B artist Jorja Smith. Jorja messaged Enny asking to be on the remix, elevating Enny’s rap dreams to a reality.

Here’s My Style

Enny credit by British GQ

The first note one hears in Enny’s musical catalog is her delicate yet witty rhyme style. There’s a vulnerability of storytelling that exists in songs like Charge It, a breakup relationship boomerang with raps like, “Cause even when you let me down. I don’t wanna watch you leave. See me when the sun goes down.” There’s also the challenge of critics who judge her music from a sexist perspective on Champagne Problems with the line “What’s that supposed to mean to me? If the basis of Hip Hop’s misogyny. Cause I grew up on Kim and Fela.”

Rhyme universal

Enny’s rhyme approach is often a spoken word style that is heard best on songs like 2am in Central, Same Old, and Under 25. The U.K. slang may be a tad off to the American ear, yet Enny speaks from an emotional depth that can be relatable to anyone. “What sums up my musical style is being very London,” Enny said “Very soulful, quite Hip Hop, rap, jazz, all that kind of vibe. “

advanced divider
advanced divider