Music
7 stand-out Swift 16 freestyles from 2019
Red Bull Music Studios London was awash with talent this year – from grime heavyweights to the brightest stars in d'n'b and dancehall, here are the talents that lit up the booth.
Red Bull's #Swift16 format is a real test of skill for the aspiring MC – you've got just 60 seconds to make an impression, so you need to come packing your very best bars.
A couple of dozen MCs have swung through Red Bull Music Studios London this year – let's run down a few of the freestyles that really lit up the booth.
Manga Saint Hilare
Former member of East London grime progenitors Roll Deep, in recent years Manga Saint Hilare has emerged as one of grime's true mavericks, his smart and skippy flow carving out a space at the genre's margins.
1 min
Grime maverick Manga St Hilare delivers a Swift 16
The former Roll Deep member and self-proclaimed grime outsider flips the script on this incredible freestyle.
Want to hear more? Check out his new collaboration with Murkage Dave, We Need To Look After Us.
Lioness
Lioness, the finest: the woman born Izabelle Fender blazed a trail for women in grime, and continues to be one of the genre's stand-out lyricists, combining meaningful lyrics with powerful delivery.
1 min
Grime queen Lioness goes hard on her Swift 16
The leading lady of grime, Izabelle ‘Lioness’ Fender, stuns the competition with a quick freestyle.
Want to hear more? Hear her jump on the mic with grime DJ A.G in the player below.
Harry Shotta
Harry Shotta's golden reputation in the drum'n'bass scene is backed up by facts: in 2017, he found his way into the Guinness Book Of World Records for Most Words In A Single (his track Animal packs 1771 words into 6 minutes 9 seconds – that's over four words per second).
1 min
Watch drum'n'bass MC Harry Shotta spit a Swift 16 freestyle
The Guinness Records winner spits a rapid fire freestyle on a beat by Erb N Dub.
Want to hear more? His new EP Year Of The Lyricist is out now.
J Kaz
The UK dancehall scene was in particularly good health in 2019, and one of the young rising stars was this Leicester firebrand. Big bars, confident delivery, what's not to like?
1 min
Dancehall MC J Kaz gets the party started with his Swift 16
Your boy J Kaz gives us a quick 16 bars
Want to hear more? Check his new single Carry Feelings, featuring Trillary Banks and Dejour.
Deyah
This was one of the stand-outs of 2019 – a very assured freestyle by the up-and-coming Deyah, who counts Lauren Hill and Queen Latifah amongst her influences. Everyone from Little Simz to Lily Allen has earmarked her as one to watch – will 2020 be her year?
1 min
Watch Deyah go deep on her Swift 16
Hip-hop meets neo-soul in Deyah's fast, quick-witted freestyle.
Want to hear more? Check out her LP Lover Loner.
Jafro
A certified beast of the grime underground, Jafro's freestyles have been running some serious numbers on YouTube. Watch him step into the Swift 16 booth and serve up some sauce on a carnival-inspired beat.
1 min
Jafro brings the carnival flavour on his Swift 16
The Leicester grime MC brings the sauce on this carnival-inflected freestyle.
Want to hear more? Jafro was part of the Leicester team in Grime-A-Side 2016 – watch them spin Sheffield here.
Nayana IZ
One of the rising young stars of NiNE8 Collective – the West London clan that's already spawned talents like Big Piig and Lava La Rue – Nayana IZ blends London attitude and Indian heritage into a cooly assured flow.
1 min
Watch NayanaIZ spit a Swift 16
The West Londoner and Nine8 Collective member brings her sultry raps to the Swift 16 booth.
Want to hear more? Her debut single How We Do is out now.
