Helen Archer | On 11, Oct 2020

This short series follows F.O.S and Ransom, two contestants from The Rap Game UK, as they take to the road in their ‘rap mobile’ to showcase some regional talents in places where musicians have had to create their own scene. In the course of their journey, they make new friends, squash old beefs, and decide who they want to collaborate with.

Starting in Liverpool, they meet, among others, 16-year-old Pelumi, who is bringing clean lyrics to drill music, and SSJ, who is attempting to give a platform to local artists by organising gigs. In Dublin, they meet JYellowL, who has recently achieved more global popularity after featuring on the FIFA soundtrack. He talks about feeling like an outsider because of his Nigerian roots, while Cal and Pepper talk about being local heroes after a viral video in which they rap in their own accents. The Lemon Pie Collective, meanwhile, have taken to a derelict town where they have built their own studio and venue. In the final episode, the duo head to Leicester and Bradford to meet some British South Asian rappers – Jay Milli, who is incorporating a Punjabi sounds into his tunes, and Ceejay, who has previously sparred with F.O.S on Twitter.

If rap’s your thing, this will doubtless be something of an inspiration into how you can create your own scene without the confines of established circles. In the end, regardless of where you’re from, it’s all about the music and expressing yourself in an authentic and meaningful way.

 

Rap Trip is available on BBC iPlayer until November 2022

 

This short review was originally published as part of a fortnightly BBC Three reviews column.

Add to Watchlist