Marching to the beat of his own drum, MckNasty’s new tune ‘Not Nice’ is a powerful expression of Black masculinity. An influential DJ and drummer, MckNasty is not only Labrinth’s older brother, but an aide to Kamaal Williams and a Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist. Here he enlists the phenomenal pairing of Kojey Radical and Laudable to vocalise their struggles against systemic racism. MckNasty’s steady, escalating rhythm keeps the tense track as taught as a drumskin.
Laudable is a South African rapper and producer who comes with the energy and sharp syllables to match Kojey Radical’s prophetic poetry. Going back-to-back and bar-for-bar, they both deliver resonant lyrics written in the midst of recent atrocities. They call for mass change on a societal scale as well as on an individual basis, with Laudable rapping “If it ain’t you then who’s fixing the cracks? / If it ain’t true then who’s sending it back?”. To take on corrupt systems and abusive power structures we must also challenge ourselves and alter our own behaviour.
Rich with storytelling and personal experiences, ‘Not Nice’ is a mighty collaboration to get playing on your eardrums.
