After building momentum with a couple of buzzy mixtapes, South London's Krept & Konan are finally releasing their debut album, The Long Way Home, this week. The project is perfectly timed for 2015's grime resurgence and adds a welcome new dimension to the face of British rap. Over dark, moody beats largely coming courtesy of ADP and Levi Lennox, the pair dispenses thoughtful reflections on hood realities, alongside slick sex jams and party-ready tunes like single "Freak Of The Week"—one of my personal favorite songs of the summer. Across its 19 tracks, The Long Way Home paints a vivid picture of London life, with guest appearances from fellow Brits like Skepta and Ed Sheeran as well as American stars like Jeremih, Rick Ross, and Wiz Khalifa, rounding it out.
"Home to us is success, and we’ve taken the long way home," Krept & Konan told The FADER over email. Sometimes it's as simple as that. Stream the The Long Way Home below, watch the video for "Freak Of The Week", and check out its recently released all-star dancehall remix. The album is out in the US on July 10th.
