Slowthai

Tyron Kaymone Frampton (born 18 December 1994),[1] better known by his stage name Slowthai (stylised in lowercase), is a British rapper. Raised in Northampton,[3] he rose to popularity in 2019 for his gritty and rough instrumentals and raw, politically charged lyrics, especially around Brexit and Theresa May’s tenure as British Prime Minister. Slowthai placed 4th in the BBC Sound Of 2019 and followed up in the same year with his debut studio album, Nothing Great About Britain. The album was nominated for the Mercury Prize; at Slowthai’s 2019 Mercury Prize ceremony performance, he held a fake severed head of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on stage, generating much controversy.[4]

Slowthai
Slowthai at Glastonbury Festival in 2019
Background information
Birth nameTyron Kaymone Frampton
Born (1994-12-18) 18 December 1994[1]
Northampton, England
Genres
InstrumentsVocals
Years active2015–present
Labels
Websiteslowthai.com

Early life

Slowthai was born on 18 December 1994 in Northampton to a teenage mother of mixed Barbadian and Irish descent, he was raised by his single mother in a council estate with his sister in the Lings area of Northampton. His step-father later moved in and his younger brother Michael was born with muscular dystrophy (MD). He died in 2001, aged one, which greatly affected Frampton and the family. Frampton attended Northampton Academy and in 2011 went on to attend Northampton College, where he studied a Level 3 BTEC in Music Technology.

Slowthai frequently skipped school during his years at Northampton Academy, often spending time at a nearby underground “recording studio” at his friend's house, only stopping when his mother was forced to attend a compulsory court hearing. After college, Slowthai had multiple miscellaneous short stints in employment - he worked as a labourer and at a clothes shop before being sacked for breach of contract after he gave his friends employee benefits. After his dismissal, he focused entirely on music, downloading a copy of FL Studio and releasing numerous singles and an extended play under Bone Soda.

Music career

The name Slowthai originates from his childhood nickname; slow ty due to his slow speech and drawled tone. In 2016, he released his first single titled Jiggle and went on to release a string of singles via SoundCloud that were later removed.

In 2017, Slowthai partnered up with indie record label Bone Soda to release his I WISH I KNEW EP, Murder and T N Biscuits. Later in the same year, Slowthai signed his recording contract with Method Records and since has released his RUNT EP and debut studio album, Nothing Great About Britain which charted at number 9 on the Official Charts on the week of release.[5]

In addition to being included in the BBC's Sound of 2019 poll[6] and NME's NME 100 list,[7] Slowthai has also received acclaim from publications such as DIY, Vevo and Metro[8][9][10] as well as having his debut album nominated for a Mercury Music Prize.

Slowthai contributed additional vocals on the song "What's Good"[11] from Tyler, The Creator's album Igor. He also featured on "Heaven Belongs To You"[12] from Brockhampton's album Ginger and later joined their HBTY North American tour in 2019 as the special guest.[13]

In 2020, Slowthai was featured alongside UK punk band Slaves on Gorillaz's single "Momentary Bliss". The single was the first "episode" of their Song Machine project.[14]

In 2020, after winning the Hero of the Year award at the NME Awards, Slowthai dropped his microphone into the crowd, which was then thrown back at him along with a drink. Slowthai then threw his own drink and jumped into the crowd. Although viewers complained of his comments to Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan, Ryan said Slowthai "didn't make me uncomfortable". He has since apologised to Ryan.[15]

Personal life

On 17 June 2020 Russian media announced engagement between Slowthai and Russian pop star Katya Kischuk, formerly with Serebro. [16]

Musical style

His music has been categorised as grime[17] and hip hop.[18] He often includes elements of punk rock,[19][20] leading to the categorisation of grime-punk.[21][22] In a 2019 article for the BBC, Kev Geoghegan described him as "either a grime MC making punk music or a punk making rap music".[23] In an article for Vice Media, Niloufar Haidari described his music as "caustically witty bars over abrasive beats that blend grime, trap, Soundcloud rap and even punk and screamo".[24]

He has cited musical influences including Gesaffelstein, Juelz Santana, Rosalía, Radiohead, Nirvana, Mount Kimbie, Arctic Monkeys, Sex Pistols, Justice, Oasis and Die Antwoord.[24]

Discography

Studio albums
Title Details Peak chart positions Sales
UK
[25]		 IRE
[26]
Nothing Great About Britain 964 UK: 15,252 [28]

Extended plays
Title Details
slowitdownn ノノ
  • Release: 7 March 2017[29]
  • Label: Bone Soda
  • Format: Digital download
I WISH I KNEW ノノ
  • Release: 3 November 2017[30]
  • Label: Bone Soda
  • Format: Digital download
RUNT
  • Release: 14 September 2018[31]
  • Label: Method Records
  • Format: Digital download

Singles
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
UK
[25]
"Jiggle"[32] 2016 — Non-album singles
"Murder"[33] 2017 —
"T N Biscuits"[34][a] 2018 — Nothing Great About Britain
"The Bottom"[35][b] — Non-album singles
"North Nights"[35][a][b] — Nothing Great About Britain
"Ladies"[36][a] —
"Polaroid"[37][a] —
"Drug Dealer"[38][a] — RUNT EP and Nothing Great About Britain
"Rainbow"[39][a] — Nothing Great About Britain
"Doorman"
(with Mura Masa)[40]		 —
"Peace of Mind"[41] 2019 —
"Gorgeous"[42] —
"Nothing Great About Britain"[43] —
"Inglorious"
(featuring Skepta)[44]		 50
"Toaster"[45] —
"Psycho"
(with Denzel Curry)[46]		 — TBA
"Deal Wiv It"
(with Mura Masa)[47]		 — R.Y.C
"Enemy"[48] 2020 — Non-album singles
"Magic"
(with Kenny Beats)[49]		 —
"BB (Bodybag)"[50] —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Notes

  • a Appears on the deluxe edition of Nothing Great About Britain only.
  • b "The Bottom" and "North Nights" were released as a double A-side.
Title Year Release
"Interior"
(JD.Reid featuring 808INK, Slowthai, Oscar #Worldpeace)[51]		 2017 Calibrate EP
"Noddy"
(Earbuds featuring Slowthai)[52][53]		 2018 Noddy Single
"Lighthouse"
(Take a Daytrip featuring Rico Nasty, Slowthai and IceColdBishop)[54]		 2019 TBA
"Momentary Bliss"
(Gorillaz featuring Slowthai and Slaves)		 2020 Song Machine, Ep. 1

Other charted songs
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
NZ
Hot
[55]
"High Beams"
(with Flume & HWLS)		 2019 7 Hi This Is Flume

Guest appearances
Title Year Other artist(s) Album Credit(s)
"Like A See Saw"[56] 2015 Lord Pusswhip Lord Pusswhip Is Wack
  • Featured artist
  • Co-writer
"Piggy Bank"[57] 2018 JD.Reid Tree
  • Featured artist
"High Beams"[58] 2019 Flume, HWLS Hi This Is Flume
  • Featured artist
  • Co-writer
"What's Good"[59] Tyler, the Creator Igor
  • Background vocals
"Meanwhile... at the Welcome Break"[60] The S.L.P. The S.L.P.
  • Featured artist
"Heaven Belongs to You"[61] Brockhampton Ginger
  • Vocals
  • Co-writer
"Tyron (Interlude)"[62] 2020 Headie One, Fred Again GANG
  • Featured artist
  • Co-writer
"My High"[63] Disclosure Energy
  • Featured artist
  • Co-writer

Awards and nominations
Year Organization Award Work Result
2018 Ticketmaster New for 2019 Himself Included
[64][9]
Vevo DSCVR 2019 Artists To Watch
BBC Sound of 2019 Fourth[6]
DIY Class of 2019 Included
[8][10]
Metro Ones To Watch 2019
2019 Hyundai Mercury Prize Nothing Great About Britain Nominated
[65][66]
Q Awards Best Album
Breakthrough Act Himself
NME The 50 Best Songs of 2019 "Deal Wiv It" #1[67]
The 50 Best Albums of 2020 Nothing Great About Britain #4[68]
2020 Best Album Nominated
[69]
Best Album in the World
Best British Song "Deal Wiv It"
Best Song in the World
Best British Solo Act Himself
Best Solo Act in the World
Best Live Act
Best Collaboration Himself, with Mura Masa Won[69]

Tours
Date City Country Venue Notes
2017
12/02/2017 London  United Kingdom Boiler Room Slowthai x Bone Soda Party
24/11/2017 London St. Pancras Old Church Headline Show
2018
15/02/2018 London  United Kingdom Hoxton Hall Headline Show
09/03/2018 Bristol Motion Supporting Rejjie Snow
14/03/2018 London Roundhouse
20/04/2018 Oxford O2 Academy
21/04/2018 Cambridge Cambridge Junction
22/04/2018 Birmingham O2 Institute
24/04/2018 Norwich The Waterfront
26/04/2018 Leeds Stylus
27/04/2018 Manchester Academy
28/04/2018 Gateshead Sage
24/11/2018[70] London Alexandra Palace Supporting Slaves
2019[71][72][73]
18/3/2019 Brussels  Belgium Beursschouwburg Brexit Bandit Tour
20/3/2019 Amsterdam  Netherlands Garage Noord
21/3/2019 Berlin  Germany Prince Charles
22/3/2019 Warsaw  Poland Hydrozagadka
24/3/2019 Paris  France Le Trabendo
26/3/2019 Glasgow  United Kingdom SWG3 Warehouse
27/3/2019 Birmingham O2 Institute
28/3/2019 Manchester O2 Ritz
29/3/2019 Bristol SWX
31/3/2019 Brighton Concorde 2
1/4/2019 London York Hall
08/04/2019 Dublin  Ireland Olympia Thetre Supporting Dave
09/04/2019 Dublin  Ireland Olympia Thetre
12/04/2019 Glasgow  Scotland O2 Academy
13/04/2019 Newcastle  United Kingdom O2 Academy
06/05/2019 Ramsgate Ramsgate Music Hall 99p Tour
07/05/2019 Milton Keynes Craufurd Arms
08/05/2019 Cardiff The Moon
09/05/2019 Leeds Temple of Boom
10/05/2019 Edinburgh Sneaky Pete's
11/05/2019 South Shields Trimmers Arms
17/05/2019 Northampton The Garibaldi Hotel Album launch party with Skepta[74]
19/06/2019 Los Angeles  United States The Echo Slowthai Woz Ere US Tour
21/06/2019 New York Elsewhere (Zone 1)
22/06/2019 New York Elsewhere (Zone 1)
04/09/2019 Los Angeles  United States Lodge Room Coming to America Tour
05/09/2019 San Francisco Rickshaw Stop
07/09/2019 Vancouver  Canada Fortune Sound Club
09/09/2019 Seattle  United States The Crocodile
12/09/2019 Toronto  Canada Velvet Underground
13/09/2019 Chicago  United States Subterranean
14/09/2019 Brooklyn Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/10/2019 Dublin  Ireland The Academy Eurovision Tour
11/10/2019
13/10/2019 Newcastle  United Kingdom Newcastle University Bet Ya A £5er UK Tour
14/10/2019 Scotland  Scotland SWG3
16/10/2019 Manchester  United Kingdom Academy
17/10/2019 Bristol O2 Academy
18/10/2019 London O2 Academy Brixton
21/10/2019 Rotterdam  Netherlands Bird Eurovision Tour
22/10/2019 Amsterdam Tolhuistuin
23/10/2019 Antwerp  Belgium Trix Club
24/10/2019 Hamburg  Germany Turmzimmer
26/10/2019 Copenhagen  Denmark Vega Small Hall
28/10/2019 Oslo  Norway Vulkan Arena
29/10/2019 Stockholm  Sweden Debaser Strand
01/11/2019 Zurich   Switzerland Exil
1/11/2019 Phoenix  United States The Van Buren Heaven Belongs to You Tour
Supporting Brockhampton with 100 Gecs
5/11/2019 Fresno Rainbow Ballroom
8/11/2019 Stanford Frost Amphitheater
13/11/2019 San Antonio The Aztec Theatre
14/11/2019 Dallas The Bomb Factory
15/11/2019 Austin ACL Live at the Moody Theater
17/11/2019 New Orleans The Fillmore New Orleans
19/11/2019 Miami Beach The Jackie Gleason Theater
20/11/2019 Atlanta Coca-Cola Roxy
22/11/2019 New York Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden
24/11/2019 Boston Agganis Arena
25/11/2019 Washington D.C. The Anthem
27/11/2019 Philadelphia The Fillmore
29/11/2019 Toronto Coca-Cola Coliseum
30/11/2019 Detroit Masonic Temple Thetre
03/12/2019 Minneapolis The Armory
04/12/2019 Milwaukee The Eagles Ballroom
06/12/2019 Chicago Aragon Ballroom
09/12/2019 Denver Mission Ballroom
13/12/2019 Los Angeles Hollywood Palladium

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