Jelani Blackman is a rapper and singer, set to take the music industry by storm. Born and raised in London, growing up Jelani was heavily influenced by soul and RnB but grew up at a time when Grime was everywhere. This mix of musical influence comes through in his music, blending hard and soft.
Working with artists from Brian Eno to Burna Boy, Wolf Alice to Abra Cadabra, Jelani is able to bring about the hype but at the same time, display the reality of being a young black male living in inner city London. His voice holds a very distinctive deep gravel tone creating a raw edge to his music but if you listen carefully, his songs often have a rich, resonating lyrical content. His music brings about fun but also raw truth and a profound vulnerability.
His first EP ‘1-4’ marked Jelani out as a one to watch. Twisted after-dark anthem ‘Twenty//Three’, racked up nearly 4 million streams on Spotify and garnered support from influencers across the board. Then came the captivating collaboration with ascendant production duo Sylas and Brian Eno on ‘Layer’. Last year, Jelani released his fiery EP ‘Lockjaw’, excelling at a variety of genres and styles, drawing from R&B and grime to create his instantly recognisable sound. The EP features acclaimed singles ‘Lockjaw’ and ‘Go Low’.
With just a few singles being released this year, Jelani has already been highly praised and garnered support from the likes of; Annie Mac, Huw Stephens, DJ Target, BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC Introducing, Hypebeast, Notion, Trench, GRM Daily and Link Up TV, to name a few.
Average Joe is the EP bringing about a new perspective to Jelani’s musical ability showcasing a strong body of work including 2018 hit releases; Nobody’s Son, Brixton and Cheers.
Apart from music, Jelani also likes to experiment with fashion. His ability to interchange his style caught the eye of the Tommy Hilfiger team and he subsequently went on to feature in two Tommy Hilfiger Capsule Collections alongside IAMDDB and RIMON. Today you can find him collaborating with positive fashion brand Naeco collaborating on a collection of sustainable clothing.
‘Born in a place that don't know me, Brixton, Brixton….
When I reach you, it's like you're in my bones, Brixton, Brixton
How could you lose something that you never known?’
There is a strong sense of place in your music, but also one of not belonging, in tracks like Brixton and Nobody’s Son. Can you talk us through this dichotomy?
I find that life is all an abstract space so wherever you are or whatever you think, for me there is always a sense of existing in an area of grey.
Compared with the trippy hip hop/ funk elements of 1-4 and 5-8, to the more R&B, club-focused Lockjaw, your latest releases are higher energy, more live-focused. Was this an intentional directional shift?
My energy just changed, and the music changed with it.
You’ve been championed by the likes of the Brits, the BBC, GRM Daily, and Charlie Sloth. What does being featured on these platforms mean to you as an artist?
It’s great to have the acknowledgement from people and institutions that have a long-standing history of backing amazing artists that I respect.
Charlie Sloth has called you a ‘real wordsmith… a real lyricist’. Where do you look for lyrical inspiration?
In what the music pulls out me, or things that I feel need to be spoken out.
Can you talk us through the lyrics ‘But they pop up like meerkats for the photos/ Like yo that’s my g that’s my don that’s my drag then they stroll straight back to their 4-floor homes’? Does this touch on the issue of performative allyship?
It's more about cultural appropriation without an appreciation of the culture.
In Tricky, you use the lyric ‘I just can’t be everyone’s teacher’. Can you tell us what you mean here?
If I answered that it would defeat the object lol
Your delivery on COLORS is so dynamic and energetic, and you’ve described Hello with the words ‘energy, fun, truth’. Is it hard working through lockdowns when you can’t feed off the energy of a live audience, or does that energy emerge internally for you?
It’s internal but I do love the energy of a crowd, it takes things to another level.
One can’t help but end up with a smile on your face after listening to Hello. Was it as fun to write as it is to hear?
Yeah it was a lot of fun, I know the producer well and there was good energy in the room, it all happened really quickly, the whole thing was basically produced, written and recorded in two hours.
Your shows look SO FUN. How excited are you to get back in the room and say Hello to a live audience?
Too excited, I actually can’t wait.
Can you talk to us about your journey with producers? You’ve said in one interview you’d worked with over 35…
You just need to find a few that understand you and appreciate what you want to make. Every producer has their own sound so they’ll want to bring some of that into what they make with you. That’s fine if you know what you want to make but if you’re starting out it can be confusing to have loads of different input to your sound. When you know what you want to make it’s good though, and working with different producers can take your consolidated sound to new places.
‘I never have average clothes’: Fashion and design appear important to you. We’ve seen you recently in Gucci, Vans, and Carhartt, and you’ve featured in two Tommy Hilfiger campaigns. What draws you to fashion?
I have always just liked to look good when I can.
We're interested in how you use fashion in your video for Tricky, which is filmed in two halves - one surrounded by multi-million-pound homes in the shadow of Grenfell, and the other in a block of flats. What was your message here?
The juxtaposition you find anywhere in London between poverty and privilege is something that you grow up with but never feels fully comfortable - people can live next to each other but exist in completely different worlds.
Finally, what is the venue you most look forward to playing one day?
Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury
