Skepta and Fred again.. Work Together Again on a Joint Eponymous EP Skepta .. Fred

Two genres. Two gurus. Two-to-tango jams. That’s the portrait painted by the clever chemistry between grime MC Skepta and house producer Fred again.. on their new 5-track EP titled Skepta .. Fred. Released in late August, this drop came after Skepta brought Fred again.. out for a surprise headline appearance at “Big Smoke Festival” earlier in the same month.

The duo scratched the surface in mid-June with ‘Victory Lap’ finely blending British and American culture. ‘Victory Lap’ had a guest appearance by emerging American producer PlaqueBoyMax. Although not widely known, PlaqueBoyMax isn’t the only American star spotlighted on the song. Commencing the song is Grammy winner Doechii, whose kickoff rap doubled as the hook. This culminated in a smooth transition between two British talents and two American creatives—one producer and one rapper from either country. 

Two months later, Skepta and Fred again.. resurfaced with another single ‘Back 2 Back’. Little did we know they were about to grace us with more songs back-to-back. Exactly a week later, they wrapped up August with the release of an eponymous 5-track EP, their two preceding singles inclusive. 

While the producer handles the beats as expected, the rapper spits bars. Spearheaded by their latest single, Skepta reinstates his legacy on ‘Back 2 Back’ as he tags himself a great MC. The next track, named after the duo’s hometown, follows in the same path of subtle brag. On ‘London’, Skepta ascertains that he runs the capital city. 

Switching up, the 42-year-old rapper sets ‘21 years’ off on an introspective route as he reflects on his journey from scratch to success and commends his own resilience. Taking the deviation further, a female voice sings a falsetto over the hook. Their debut single, ‘Victory Lap’, closes the curtains on this joint piece of work. 

Despite not being the most predictable collaboration, this house-rap EP highlights Skepta’s versatility across genres and his unending capability to slide and glide on various sounds. Fred again.. also works wonders with the sonic work.