Speech Debelle

6:10pm, Saturday, Into The Wild

London rapper Corynne Elliot (aka Speech Debelle) came to prominence by winning the 2009 Mercury Music Prize for her debut album Speech Therapy. Her clear and honest voice, one which is unafraid to focus on all aspects of her life, got her signed to influential label Big Dada, the home of UK Hip Hop. The resulting debut charmed in both style and content, with Speech's effecting, disarming rhymes being matched by a solid, confident instrumental backing led by jazz-folk acoustic guitar and laid back funky beats.

2012 sees her return with her second album for Big Dada in Freedom of Speech. A more mature and confident affair, Debelle continues her acutely personal lyrics but reaches further to include a broadening world view, like the blistering anger of Blaze Up A Fire featuring label mate and Speech Debelle fan Roots Manuva and rapper Realism. She has also collaborated with top producer Bonobo on the sublime Sun Will Rise track which was included on the second volume of Ninja Tune's XX compilation, celebrating 20 years of the label.

Official Website

http://www.speechdebelle.com

MySpace

http://www.myspace.com/speechdebellemusic

Twitter

http://www.twitter.com/speechdebelle

Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/speechdebelle