This Intimate Rap Song Is For Anyone Who Needs A Little Space

British artist Dylan Cartlidge’s new single “Strawberry Blonde Snip” is streaming now.

September 21, 2017
This Intimate Rap Song Is For Anyone Who Needs A Little Space

U.K. rapper Dylan Cartlidge spent his teenage years in the north east of England, in the small town of Redcar. It was here that he began writing songs, not only as a form of expression but as a means of escape. That theme is explored on “Strawberry Blonde Snip,” which is premiering on The FADER today. Over a scrappy and low-slung bassline, his confessional bars deal with a romantic situation that is causing a whole load of confusion. "To be honest girl I don't love you, is that OK?" he asks. "I'm just happy riding the wave." This age-old story of indecision and struggling to communicate with a partner is undercut by his voice, full of idiosyncrasies and skipping between sing-song and rap, falsetto and laconic drawl.

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In an email to The FADER, Dylan said: "The song is the first I ever wrote. It was an expression of how I was feeling about a particular person at the time and just not having the answers they wanted. I was not quite able to say how I felt or explain myself, so I made this song as a way to be able to communicate what was going on in my head in some way.

"It felt like I was building a safe cubbyhole for my thoughts. This made me able to feel, moan, and groan my way to inner clarity about the situation, as well as finding a source to pinpoint the message I was trying to leave for the person."

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Listen to “Strawberry Blonde Snip ”via the embed below.

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This Intimate Rap Song Is For Anyone Who Needs A Little Space