FLETCHY

Image by Little & Large Media

ADAM PAXTON TALKS TO THE NORTH EAST RAPPER ABOUT THE POWER OF INDIVIDUALITY AND HONESTY ON HIS NEW RECORD

Art as a means of escapism is nothing new; both for the artist and the audience. That said, something does not have to be new to be vital and, in a sense, timeless. Shangri-La, the new album by North East rapper Fletchy, is living proof of this. It is hip-hop that speaks to the essence of what the genre, at its best, has always been; escapism, and the power of words. Production from Stottie Fingaz is simple but classy; the rap is rap, no frills, just bars.

“When I put my pen to the pad I’m subconsciously escaping, nothing else matters at that moment in time, it’s pure bliss,” Fletchy shares, and it’s plain to see in his body of work. If there is one thing that emerges throughout the course of this album’s ten tracks, it is just that; a love of hip-hop as a means of escapism. Peppered with samples from Carlito’s Way, these snippets of Al Pacino’s characters attempt to escape from the life he had built for himself contribute to the overall theme of the record.

On the topic of the record’s subject matter, Fletchy elucidates his desire to “speak what’s on my mind, and I know there’s people that can relate to some of the stuff I rap about. I keep it real, I may brag about this and that but there’s no lies.” This is refreshing, as so much of hip-hop has become about presenting an image of a gaudy, shallow lifestyle, Fletchy displays a desire to share what is genuinely important to him in the hopes that it speaks to people.

I KEEP IT REAL, I MAY BRAG ABOUT THIS AND THAT BUT THERE’S NO LIES

Fans of an older breed of lyrically denser hip-hop, with simple but slick beats that serve as a blank canvas for an MC to tell a story will feel right at home with this album. Opening track Conquest drops the gem ‘It’s in my heart, live for the art, charging my arteries / Rocking hard til I drop, I’m hip-hop to the death, raw as it gets’, which seems like a mission statement for Fletchy, as the rest of the album continues to sound like a love letter to his medium.

Regarding his decision to stick to what he loves, bringing an older school brand of hip-hop than many of his peers, Fletchy explains: “I’ve never jumped on anyone’s bandwagon or tried to ride on someone else’s hype. I’m proud to be an individual. It’s okay to stand alone and be yourself.”

His body of work so far lives up to this mantra: Fletchy isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel here, but what he is trying to do – and has succeeded in doing – is crafting something timeless, that will hold up whenever listened to.

And this is far from the last we will see of this MC. “I can’t ever see myself stopping. I hope to leave behind a part of me that will live on long after I’m gone.” Mission accomplished.

Fletchy releases Shangri-La on 20th December. www.fletchyandstottiefingaz.bandcamp.com