premiere: uk hip-hop artist ty takes on gentrification in video for the feel-good ode to his hometown “brixton baby”

MC, producer, and hip-hop artist TY has built a reputation off of his uniquely creative style, vacillating between singing and rapping while tackling sociopolitical topics other artists shy away from. Starting off in the London underground scene, TY’s bold approach to music has led to four critically acclaimed albums, two EPs and a Mercury Prize nomination.

His next album, A Work of Heart, to be released later this year on the Jazz re:freshed label, promises to be an evolution of this already established legacy, if its lead single “Brixton Baby” is any representation. The video, a visual ode to the communities within the South London district, tackles gentrification as the artist tries to hold onto the essence of Brixton that inspired his generation of Black artists, while holding onto optimism for the future.

“The vision for this video and song, was to establish some pride about where I come from,” explains TY. “To show the complexities of coming from a place which is changing and going through gentrification, embracing the change and resisting the change at the same time. Brixton is a very important black landmark in the UK and I wanted to document and celebrate all that live within it.”

Check out the moving video above!

Directed & Shot by: Bunny Bread

Jazz re:freshed website | TY website