Music
The rise and rise of Headie One in 10 essential tracks
The Tottenham MC and OFB crew affiliate is cutting a unique path through the UK's rap scene.
Headie One has risen to become one of UK drill’s most prominent voices -- occupying an unofficial position as the scene’s new-age leader.
Cutting his teeth in Tottenham's road rap scene as Headz, he soon established himself as a serious contender in the drill arena -- building momentum with a series of acclaimed mixtapes, including The One, Drillers X Trappers (with RV), and Music X Road.
Amongst the grit, there’s a nonchalant dynamic to Headie's poignant archiving of his experiences. With his laid-back, laconic style and half-singing, half-rapping approach, the OFB affiliate has caught the ears of peers beyond the confines of the drill scene. In doing so, he's helped spread the sound that made his name -- and charted in the process.
In late 2019, he shared his ambitions to explore wider genres. “If I just stuck to drill, I’d be holding back my talent,” he told the Evening Standard.
He followed up on this in April 2020, collaborating with go-to producer of Ed Sheeran and Stormzy, Fred Again, for the GANG EP. From the Burial-esque Smoke to the FKA Twigs-featuring Judge Me's interlude, it’s more than evident that Headie One is primed for an experimental future in music.
Here are ten tracks that document his journey to date.
1. Heads or Tails
Released under his former alias, Heads or Tails proves that Headie One had rapper ambitions from early on. Lines such as “My G's telling me I need to get my flow tighter” highlight his latent competitive nature, while his homage to French Montana’s Straight Cash gives gives an example of his grounding in street rap.
2. Golden Boot
After years of rapping over conventional hip-hop productions, Headie One parlayed his way into the drill scene in the late 2010s -- hitting his stride in 2017. On Golden Boot, the Tottenham talent arrives with a stronger, smoother flow and an even more relaxed cadence as he describes his realities.
3. Know Better (with RV)
Released at the beginning of 2018, Know Better quickly morphed into a UK drill classic -- with its beat being used later by a plethora of UK rappers including Aitch, Poundz, Big Jest. The track's popularity also helped cement the now-iconic “shh” ad lib as a staple of UK drill -- at once a sonic innovation and a reflection of many artists' need to self-censor.
4. Missing (with Belly Squad)
Appearing alongside Belly Squad on an Afro-tinged trap beat, this was one of Headie’s first ventures into the UK charts -- and an early example of his commercial potential.
5. Work (ft. K-Trap)
What more could you want than two of the UK’s leading drill MC’s on an aggressive Slay Productions beat? Work is jam-packed with affirmations and punch-lines as Headie asserts his love for Italian cuisine and women on his line. To him, his life is now a movie, with or without the blossoming profile.
6. 18HUNNA (ft. Dave)
Building on his resume of strong collaborations, 18HUNNA ushers Headie One into a new realm. Donned in a Fendi hoodie in the accompanying video, Headie has now entered the higher echelon of UK rap -- along with Dave. But he maintains his same self: simplistic and honest in his lyrics. Entering the charts at number six, the track broke new ground for UK drill.
7. Both
Anchoring a tune on a sample of Ultra Nate's Free without being overshadowed is no mean feat. On Both, Headie makes it look easy. He's self-reflective here, wrestling with internal struggles as works to explore a life away from the streets -- lines such as “Why they all want me to war?” emphasise his frustrations. But among the track's weighty deliberations, Both’s instantly meme-able hook -- which plays out in YouTube comments and on social media -- reflects the duality of pain and playfulness that exists simultaneously in much of Headie’s work.
8. Don’t Rush (with Young T & Bugsey)
Originally released in November 2019, Young T & Bugsey's Don't Rush found new life as part of a viral TikTok challenge in 2020. Infectious, humorous and carefree, the track made its way onto the Billboard Hot 100 in May -- cementing Headie One’s developing international prospects.
9. Audacity (with Stormzy)
Rounding off an incredible 2019 at hyper-visibility, Headie joined Stormzy on this Heavy Is The Head standout. Over the anthemic Fraser T Smith production, Headie One brings a dose of humour with a round of food-related one-liners, and manages to somehow mention Ali G and Ghandi in the same verse. The call-up from Stormzy not only reflects the artistic respect Headie has garnered in his short career to date, but suggests he's seen as a gatekeeper too when it comes to drill.
10. Soldiers
Arguably his most out-of-the-box song to date, Soldiers sits on Headie One’s latest collaborative effort with Fred Again -- the GANG EP. Here, Headie half sings, half raps alongside Sampha, laying bare his multiple issues in and outside of the booth. What’s striking here is Headie’s admission that his vulnerabilities might be leading to a lack of control -- a poignant moment of reflection when viewed in the context of his rapid rise.
