Embodying all that is Hip Hop, Bristolian based artist, producer, radio host and hip hop event director Blacksmith, releases long awaited new music in the shape of ‘Price of Love’ featuring UK legend Skinnyman and production by none other than New York’s Statik Selektah.
Already a constant within the depths of UK Hip Hop, Blacksmith’s CV reads as a rundown of some of the biggest accolades an artist can boast of. From performances at Glastonbury to Fusion Festival in Germany, he has also supported the likes of Lupe Fiasco, Common, Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples, Evidence, Brother Ali and many more. As an MC and producer, he can also include Jeff Wooton (The Gorillaz), Hodgy (Odd Future), Dilated Peoples, Carasel, Stamina MC and Dynamite MC, as fellow artists he has worked with and produced music for, and his love for hip hop doesn’t stop there. A self-made events promoter and radio host, Blacksmith is a key component to UK hip hop, giving both established and upcoming artists a platform through his regular hip-hop events and radio shows.
With a thirst for new, exciting sounds and his drive for both his own evolution as an artist, and the evolution of hip hop as a movement, ‘Price of Love’ makes for a dream collaboration for Blacksmith as he explains “This track features one of my favourite artists to ever come out of the U.K Skinnyman and is produced by one of my favourite producers out of New York Statik Selektah, getting them both on board for this single is a real dream into reality moment.”
Delivering conscious lyricism with an introspective hue, the track sits upon a key led beat that mellowly draws in a deep, soulful sample which reinforces the message of the track, “what is the Price of Love?”. In his own words, Blacksmith explains: “Price Of Love as a song talks about the amount of work that goes into trying to make anything you love or are passionate about work, even when it feels like it wonʼt. Whether that be chasing dreams and all the uncertainty that comes with the highs and low, .to working on relationships with others or even internal work with yourself – what are you willing to do to live the life you would love?”
Adding to an extensive back catalogue, including his most recent project ‘Less Ego More Soul’which featured the EARMILK favourite ‘Everything Is Blue’, Blacksmith continues his lyrical quest to lyrically unravel everyday thoughts and feelings in a poetic, intelligent, yet witty way. With emotion being a golden thread that sews his tracks together, and the track being instantly snapped up by hip hop royalty Shortee Blitz & MK for their flagship show on Kiss FM, ‘Price of Love’ is a successful and noteworthy inclusion to his work past and present.