LOCKED IN

Roughly a third of the way through <i>LOCKED IN,</i> Nemzzz’s fourth project in as many years, the Manchester MC distills his drive to be considered on of the greats. He charts his ongoing ascent on a track called <b>“BRB”</b>: “Too persistent, so consistent/All of my goals, I’m tickin’ ’em off.” Having been a force in UK rap since breaking out with short-form viral hits like “Elevate” and “2MS”, Nemzzz has upped his game with each release, and the aptly titled <i>LOCKED IN</i> is in no way a deviation from that practice. “Prince of the scene right now, but they don’t wanna give me the crown,” he declares on <b>“PRINCE OF THE SCENE”</b>. It’s a standard rap brag in one light, and in another, an allusion to the fact that his global impact has yet to catch up with his standard of his bar work. Even when spitting game, a mode he’s deeply in on <b>“KILLIN EM”</b>, his references reward a worldly ear: “Seen your texts, it’s read like Man U/Miss, you’re stuck in my head like Cantu/Want me to tie the knot like Bantu/Pay for your hair and nails? I can do.” If the guests of <i>LOCKED IN</i> are any indication, Nemzzz is ready and willing to make the leap into true international stardom. NYC hero Cash Cobain brings his signature melodic bounce to <b>“TRICK”</b>, Atlanta’s Latto dials up the heat on <b>“OK”</b>, a sultry flip of ’90s R&B group SWV’s “Weak”, and Cactus Jack himself, Travis Scott, delivers <i>UTOPIA</i>-like energy on <b>“GASS”</b>. With Lil Yachty and fellow UK standout Tunde rounding out the guest list, Nemzzz is very clearly ready for the world. He admits as much on album closer <b>“101”</b>, even if needing to differentiate himself from MCs on the same mission. “I might as well take this global/90 per cent get stuck, I’m hopeful,” he raps. “I just do it for me and my closest ones, you do it for socials.”