Snakes & Ladders

by 
AlbumJan 29 / 202121 songs, 1h 11m 9s80%
UK Hip Hop
Noteable

This 11th mixtape from Tottenham MC Chip distills over a decade of hard-won UK rap wisdom into a sprawling, collaborative victory lap. It doesn’t just serve to unlock the secrets to his longevity, it points to fresh horizons for an artist who once declared he “can’t run out of bars.” The roster of guests energizes Chip—former nemesis Bugzy Malone sparks a highlight on “Grown Flex” (a bouncy flip of T2’s 2007 bassline classic “Heartbroken”) and “Ignite” with Jme and Dizzee Rascal feels like a heavyweight grime event, while his tribute to close friend and fellow North London rapper Black The Ripper (“0420”) is genuinely affecting. Everything, however, comes together with the dextrous current of Chip’s flow.

23

9 / 10

If Chip’s pen game was ever under dispute before this album, I think it will be difficult to not have him as one of the top MCs after listening to

A one-sided grievance clouds this impressively versatile set

6 / 10

Tottenham MC Chip goes into unsparing detail on Snakes & Ladders, exposing the good, the bad and the ugly in himself without flinching