On Purpose, With Purpose
“To anyone who feels like they’re being overlooked, don’t have conversations with people about ‘It should be you.’ No, it shouldn’t,” Ghetts tells Apple Music’s Dotty. “Don’t download the virus. Saying to me, ‘It should be you’ is a virus because if you take that upon yourself, you’re going to put out this energy of \[being\] underrated—now you become that. Your time comes when it’s meant to. Everyone has a time, and the truth is this: We’re only individuals, so the culture will *always* remain bigger than us.” After two decades of grime-scene grind, 2021’s lauded *Conflict of Interest* proved a landmark moment for the prolific MC, once labeled “Ghetto” as a product of his inner-city environment. The album’s subtle arrangement met with sharp, analytical insights that surfaced a greater sense of self. *On Purpose, With Purpose*, Ghetts pushes further across the ground he explored on his major label debut, reflecting the climb from impoverished youth to esteemed elder statesman in detail. “I wanted to keep the story going,” he explains. “Creating an album is simply adding another chapter to my book, and I wouldn’t want you reading the same \[part\] twice.” It was while touring *Conflict of Interest* that Ghetts put the foundation in place for album four. He gutted out a derelict complex and built separate recording rooms, each housing different producers, with Ghetts moving from one to another in a door-to-door writing-camp experience. This all-encompassing approach is felt throughout. On the Sampha-assisted “Double Standards,” he takes aim at the contradictions of global conflict—and the taxman. For synth-knocker “Laps,” Ghetts pairs again with South Africa’s Moonchild Sanelly, renewing the electric chemistry of *Conflict of Interest* standout “Mozambique.” The album’s eye-catching MC additions also deliver fireworks at steady intervals. “Mount Rushmore” sets out a sizzling, three-way rally with Kano and Wretch 32 (his old crew teammates from N.A.S.T.Y. and The Movement respectively). Unbelievably the first time the trio has shared a track, it employs choir harmonies and the timeless words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as the three enshrine their status as UK greats in stone-cold rhyme. *On Purpose, With Purpose* serves up a dedication to Ghetts’ perseverance and longevity, swinging through genres—and generations—from track to track. “We are pieces of a huge puzzle,” he says. “Sometimes, we’re not given enough credit for what we’ve been inspired by—or who we’ve gone on to inspire. Those very important conversations are just not had. But that attitude only comes from people who don’t really understand: The whole time I’ve been blessed, the whole time.”
The winner of MOBOs' Pioneer Award proves the title is justified on thrilling fifth album 'On Purpose With Purpose'.
For the best part of two decades, Ghetts has been a talismanic figure in the UK rap sphere. The East London artist has helped define the genre of grime
The grime veteran proves he’s still on the up with a well-crafted collection of thoughtful, impassioned tracks
Ghetts - On Purpose, With Purpose review: Boldest ninja, creep in the coldest winter...