As Ug artists become some of the biggest names around and labels increasingly haunt Reddit forums in search of new markets, we investigate how the digital age has transformed one of music’s oldest debates: the underground vs the mainstream
Aug 19, 2026
Releasing after over two years of delays next month, the cult British rapper explains why his latest album marks the beginning of a new, more community-focused phase in his career
Jul 24, 2026
Making music in parallel with Jim Legxacy, Ceebo and others, the South London rapper-producer explains why he thinks now is the best time to be an artist
Jun 10, 2026
From inspirations from drill to how he’s staying ahead of the trend cycle, here’s everything the rapper told Dazed about his sophomore record, Terrified
May 20, 2026
Hip-hop’s biggest music festival welcomed a changing of the rap guard at this year’s event, as Ug artists from the US and UK took centre stage
May 15, 2026
From Zackavelli and Yungpalo to C4rl, we explore a new wave of rappers and producers finally putting a German stamp on underground rap
Apr 30, 2026
As the viral EsDeeKid collaborator releases his debut album, Blackjack, we look back at the unadulterated rap sonics that have defined his rise over the last three years
Apr 10, 2026
The likes of EsDeeKid and his UK Ug peers fuse disparate subcultural aesthetics – something that would’ve been unthinkable in the 2000s. Emma Garland reports on how the style divides collapsed
Mar 20, 2026
‘I’m so much better than these man and they can't face it’: For our spring 2026 issue, we spend a day with the 21-year-old UK Ug trailblazer as he closes in on mainstream stardom
Mar 02, 2026
As the Brit Awards touch down in Manchester for the first time in their 50-year history, we spotlight the artists redefining the city’s sound right now
Feb 28, 2026
Hosts Zain and Ellis explain the ideas behind Pick a Piece, their unlikely web series which features unique voice acting from fakemink, Jim Legxacy, Pa Salieu and more
Feb 19, 2026
The Indonesia-born artist talks about the influences behind her new mixtape, The Elephant, and her rise as one of UK rap’s most compelling new voices
Feb 13, 2026
We round up the first leg of 2026 music releases with tracks from fakemink, Charli xcx, A$AP Rocky, Dina Ayada, Harry Styles, Kibo and more
Feb 02, 2026
Dropped abruptly in the middle of the run-up to his long-awaited sophomore album, we break down our favourite tracks from the UK Ug star’s new EP
Jan 29, 2026
While Afrobeats continues to define Nigeria’s musical reputation abroad, bubbling beneath the surface is a new scene that captures life from the ground up
Jan 28, 2026
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