#NEWMUSIC | Stormzy - Heavy is the Head Album

This juxtaposition between authenticity and the celebration of success is the theme for much of Stormzy’s long-awaited sophomore album, Heavy is the Head.

Throughout the 16-track release, the rapper, real name Michael Omari, leads listeners through a journey that flutters between introspective personal realities – such as the Maya Jama-inspired ‘Lessons’ – and the absurdities of where he has found himself in culture. “They’re saying I’m the voice of the young black youth, then I say ‘yeah cool’, and I bun my zoot”, he divulges in the top 5 single ‘Crown’.

Early album track ‘Rainfall’ samples Mary Mary’s 2000 RnB classic ‘Shackles (Praise You)’. And several other tracks, such as ‘Rachael’s Little Brother’, create vocal melodies with the use of intentionally abundant auto-tune and Tracey Beaker Theme Tune, taking all the 90’s kids nostalgically back to their childhoods.

Although this is an album with unmistakable flashes of humour – evident in one of 2019’s highlights, ‘Vossi Bop’ – this is principally a collection of songs about grappling with superstardom, and the highs and lows that come with it. Since releasing his debut album, Stormzy has funded scholarships to send young black students to Cambridge and headlined the UK’s biggest festival – both milestones that were met with unjust controversy from isolated pockets of society.

To experience a snippet of the album, check out Lessons here: