Introducing: Nottingham's Ascending Rapper Smash Fiction

Hailing from Nottingham, 19 year-old Smash Fiction is the next ascending artist to emerge from the East Midlands.

From the thriving age of 14, Smash Fiction and his friends were making music for fun in school. Growing up in a working household, from a young age he found himself being more creatively-inclined. Smash Fiction was told that his interests were just ‘play’ and therefore had to establish a clear difference between both work and doing what he loved. It wasn’t until he turned 15 or 16 after meeting his close friend Ronin, that he really started to take music seriously. Ronin started to introduce Fiction to various studios and creative spaces in which he could explore his talent. In doing so, they formed a rap group named ‘K-Tan Mafia’ and from there until they turned 17 they were enjoying the freedom and fun that came with music. Working with other emerging artists, growing there sound and having fun was all that mattered! In regards to his earliest influences, Fiction was listening to the likes of DMX and Gorillaz; when he started to develop his own taste in music he turned to the likes of 50 Cent, Three 6 Mafia, The Sex Pistols and The Clash. It was around this age that Fiction really started to idolise the Punk culture - that raw, bold and cutting-edge look. However, he struggled to find the confidence to fully convert his sense of style into that of punk. After that era passed, along came Joey Badass followed by Carti’s rise to fame which was the influential tipping point for him musically. Inspired by the driving 808’s, heavy bass and crazy pen game, Smash Fiction and his friends caught the eye of Eddz who had first-hand experience in the industry and was looking to create his own collective - Lostboys. The Lostboys endeavour in various disciplines, made up of a team of extremely talented creatives they are one of the UK’s rising and hottest collectives. Last month, the newcomer released his debut single “Heathens” - a bass heavy, hard hitting and wavey single. Referring back to his musical influences, you can hear an overriding Carti-essence woven throughout. Boasting his varied flows, wordsmith and distinct tone, Smash Fiction has made a bold statement with his debut release, posing as one to watch over the coming years. Still on a journey with the aim to fulfil his greatest potential, the determination and ambition soars through him “I’m still in gutter mode so I feel like my image is only a section of who I really am. That’s probably why I want to do music because I know there’s a whole load of ‘ish’ I’m hiding away. Ima make music for the rest of my life so stay tuned because I can’t stop evolving. I’d like to experiment more with the fashion and be more hands on with the visual side of all of it. So yeah, Smash Fiction the movie will come soon…” Listen to “Heathens” below.