Tom Talks #8: Ghetts-Conflict of Interest

 

Hello folks and welcome back to another Tom Talks! Justin Clarke, (known to you and I as Ghetts) is a Grime veteran, who has been making waves since the mid 2000s, with mixtapes like 'Ghetto Gospel' and his ferocious energy and anger in his delivery. His debut album 'Rebel With A Cause,' had moments of that raw sound, mixed with more poppy sounding tracks, leading to a solid but flawed LP.

His sophmore project 'Ghetto Gospel: The New Testament,' saw him return to his roots in full with amazing tracks like 'Black Rose' covering many social issues, but the inconsistencies persisted on this project, due to the many filler tracks that didn't fit the themes of the album. This new album feels like a continuation of those similar themes present on both previous tape's, yet much more refined and the best we've seen so far from Mr. Clarke.

The album seems to have Justin debating his many different interests, separating the album into different arcs that focus on Hood Life, Love, Family and Fame. These tales of his life are backed by an orchestra, that really add to the dramatic nature of the album, giving it a really classy vibe. We kick things off with 'Fine Wine,' which introduces the project and the life of Ghetts, with the struggles that have come with his rise to fame. The echoing choir vocals, mixed in with lines like "I was probably an accident, but I know what my purpose is," really grip you and highlight that you're in for a ride. We see the versatility of his flow's and you understand why he is considered one of the best.

'Mozambique' was an amazing single, that is seamlessly transitioned into with an extended speech at the start telling you to be confident in yourself. The choir additions such as the dramatic violin, add to the track, making it even better than the original. With the unique vocals of Moonchild Sanelly (make sure to keep an eye on her) and one of the hardest Jaykae verses I have seen in a while, it's an absolute banger.

The theme of hood life is continued onto 'Fire and Brimstone,' which has a sinister vibe like Ghetts is out at night and trying to evade the police. The tense hi-hats and the police sirens add to this, with the Dizzee sample certifying this as a street anthem. 'Hop Out' feels like a part 2 to the previous song, as he talks of taking cars, while the line "Year 9, bare crime," highlights that he's been part of this life from young. The chorus features these oohs, that continue this sinister feeling over a punchy Grime beat, showing the confidence that Justin had, despite the dangerous situations he put himself in. 

'IC3' is an amazing single that was on my faves of 2020 and to summarise, it's a B2B between Justin and Skepta over this gripping beat that has this royal like quality, making it feel like these two are the certified kings of their genre. There's also plenty of important discussion like black rights and the Queen wearing stolen jewelry. A big track, that got nowhere near the attention it deserved.

We then start the next chapter of the album, as 'Autobiography' sees the life story of Ghetts documented, with a sample of his mother starting it off, saying she knew he was destined for greatness. This more mellow beat allows you to focus on the lyrics, with talk of grinding his way through sets, his time in the N.A.S.T.Y. crew and the Movement and how he got to where he is today and the affects it had on personal relationships. The most impactful part is where he talks about how you have to tell your own story or someone else will, highlighting that people can lie and ruin your legacy if you don't speak the truth yourself.

We then start the relationship/love arc of the album, for me the weakest part of the LP, with 'Good Hearts,' which has a nice garage beat to match the vibe of the track from Sir Spyro. Overall it's an ok talk of the struggles of the heart, with Aida Lee's vocals being fairly average and the song just not being that interesting. 'Dead To Me' is a follow up to this and has a more melancholic beat to match the breakdown of the relationship, with Ghetto showing his more vulnerable side and how he feels like she has blanked and ignored him. The sampling of a phone call of her breaking up with him and claiming he has been toxic, leads to this feeling they were not good for one another and maybe there isn't one party to blame for the dissolving of this partnership.

We then get the pop crossover track with '10,000 Tears,' with the autotuned vocals really not working for Justin and the track just not suiting him at all. Ed Sheeran sounds pretty good on the track, but it's by far the most forgettable and pointless one on the album, which just feels like a cash grab. The final track in this arc, focuses on a friendship rather than love, with 'Sonya' seeing him try to reconcile with a lost friend, who has suffered her own issues. The melancholic beat and the jazzy sax really hit the mood and it did remind me a lot of Kano's 'Little Sis,' with Emeli Sande's vocals adding the final touch to a personal track.

'Proud Family' was a single I didn't pay enough attention to because man this goes over some heavy topics. He discusses becoming the man of the house when his dad died and hiding his criminal lifestyle from his mom, indicating he had a lot of pressure as a child. You really get the sense that he is a loving man, stating his friends become his family or they leave and that he gave up his prior lifestyle, due to the love for his mother and children. He does actually sing at points not badly, really showing his emotions and exposing who he truly is and that he's not angry, hard man Ghetts every day. The sinister violins and the echoing choir vocals add the final touch, really showing that rappers and men in general can be themselves and don't have to put on this façade they have to be tough all the time.

We then get the final two singles, starting with 'Skengman' that just feels like the big single with the huge Trumpets over this Grimey instrumental, that just oozes the sound we expect from featured guest Stormzy. It's just an absolute banger and feels like it belongs on 'Ghetto Gospel,' but is just as suited in it's placement here. The beat switch-up sees the ferocious Ghetts we know and love, with the sinister violins and braggadocio talk, making this a nighttime street anthem for all to blast in the whip. 

I love the other big single 'No Mercy' which sees a collab with two of the hottest up and coming talents, Pa Salieu and Backroad Gee, who come through with fire verses that match the energy of the beat. The beat is so chilled, but sinister, with the chorus "No mercy, doo-doo-doo-doo," adding to this feeling Ghetts is coming for you and he's going to grab you into your listening device. (Vinyl player or phone, wherever you get your music from) These three are lethal on the mic and judging by this track, there not to be messed with in real life either.

The final anthem of the album comes from 'Crud' which has a real Mafioso sound, as two dons of the scene come together for five and a half minutes of pure confidence. These two feel like a partnership and make me question, why has their not been a collaborative LP between these two legends of the UK scene? 'Squeeze' immediately gets your attention with the sirens in this murderous sounding track as the protagonist Mr. Clarke, relays to us his killer instincts. Miraa May sounds frightened in her delivery of the chorus like she's the next victim, with the echoing choir adding to the intensity of this bloody track. All in all, it's top tier stuff and continues this theme in projects from slowthai and other rappers, of wanting to creep out the listener or express the darkness from within.

And this album concludes with 'Little Bo Peep' and damn what a way to finish off this project. Ghetts shows that he has come to terms with himself over this album and his life, being "an outsider, inside." He also highlights people being led by trends and not being themselves, which for me is very relevant to how people behave in modern society, unwilling to follow their own path and make their own destiny. Hamzaa shares this sentiment with her powerful vocals telling the listener to use their own mind, while Wretch uses the metaphor of a rock between a hard place, to highlight how the selling of drugs can give you short term joy, but it will hurt you in the long term. 

But to top this all off, man like Dave gives one of his best verses and my god it's tremendous. He indicates that you should follow your morals and the inconsistences in society of how people who kill in the hood are criminals, yet soldiers who kill and molest in the Middle East are heralded as hero's. He really gives a good message to go against the grain and focus less on sex and the normalisation of death and to just be you. It's a dramatic closer, but it highlights not only Ghetts' journey of realisation, but a word to the listener to be themselves.

Finally! Ghetts has made a classic that flows consistently throughout and bar a few dud tracks is good from start to finish. The features bang, the verses slap and the orchestra gives it a touch of class, setting it above his previous projects, getting his message across and delivering some hard tunes. 

8.5/10

Thank you for reading and join us next time for a review of the new 'Call of Duty!' Leave some thoughts in the comments and see you next time for another Tom Talks.