18.2.10

Metro One To Watch - Devlin





This is in today's Metro. Seriously I've not been this excited by a grime MC in eons.

ONE TO WATCH

Devlin

Dagenham’s Devlin (20) is primed to make his mainstream mark in 2010: the tall, lean MC, who’s been in the grime game since he was 15, was one of 15 artists featured in the BBC’s Sound of 2010 and his 2009 tracks London City (1.67m Youtube views) and Community Outcast, demonstrate why.

London City sees Devlin deftly recount the anticipation, thrill and minutiae of a night out ‘up west’. Community Outcast, meanwhile, is dedicated to the people society has forgotten (jobless young men struggling to provide for their families, single mums, the homeless and isolated elderly) with remarkable eloquence and clarity.

There’s something of Mike Skinner in Devlin’s poetic eye for detail but what really stands out – aside from his silver fox hair [‘I got my greys than my dad’s got’] – is he’s a powerful yet accessible lyricist with a social conscience. Devlin’s currently is on the verge of signing on the dotted line with a major then the countdown begins to his much-anticipated debut LP, Bud, Sweat & Beers.

www.myspace.com/devlinot