\u200bThroughout the world of UK rap, the average shelf-life for rhymers in today\u2019s saturated market often lands on the three-year mark. So, when a British rapper manages to brush past the second \u2014 and sometimes, even third \u2014 studio album, it\u2019s a moment that deserves to be celebrated.<\/p>\n
Harlesden-raised road rap legend, Nines, real name Courtney Freckleton, has just dropped his latest album, Crop Circle 3<\/em> \u2014 his second full-length LP of the year. The first Crop Circle<\/em> was released in 2018 when Nines was signed to XL Recordings, a label revered for discovering the likes of Adele, M.I.A, and Giggs in the early stages of their careers. The start of the Crop Circle <\/em>trilogy birthed a more focused Nines, one that ambushed the British rap scene \u2014 and official UK charts \u2014 with records such as \u201cI See You Shining\u201d and \u201cOh My.\u201d<\/p>\n Nines\u2019 first Crop Circle<\/em> album was followed up by his 2020-released project, Crabs In A Bucke<\/em>t, which flew straight to number one in the Official UK Album Charts. However, it was soon followed by a 28-month prison stretch after the rapper was convicted of importing weed from Spain and Portugal. \u201cAfter [the single] \u201cI See You Shining,\u201d I just got signed for a mil and had two million in the bank \u2014 there was no way I should\u2019ve been selling cannabis. But, that’s all I knew at that point,\u201d Nines told Hypebeast.<\/p>\n That honesty translates in the music, too, with his lyrics painting a matter-of-fact picture of his life growing up in Harsleden, North West London; a borough that\u2019s publicly known for its gang-related troubles. And while the music industry and government have tried to keep the realities of living on the fringes of British society quiet \u2014 by canceling UK rap music tours and using released lyrics as evidence in court against other musicians \u2014 Nines has continued to show through his over-15-year music career, that poverty and racism are a real thing. But, for Nines, the musician has continued to push through these stigmas by creating a legacy as a UK rap titan, one that inspires others to excel.<\/p>\n Each Crop Circle <\/em>installment arrives with cinematic visuals that bring listeners into Nines\u2019 universe. Each\u00a0feature-length is inspired his two favorite blockbusters: The Godfather<\/em> and The Wolf of Wall Street<\/em>. Nines\u2019 films \u2014 which feature fellow London legends such as Alhan, Lippy Lickshot, and Poet \u2014 don\u2019t only offer the same entertainment and energy as his music, but provide a view of the community Nines stands for, while also using the hood-meets-musical concept to inspire those on the streets that other means of creativity exist outside of rhyming in the studio.<\/p>\n Ahead of Nines’ third Crop Circle<\/em> album and its corresponding movie \u2014 which both dropped today [October 6] \u2013 Hypebeast took a trip to Nines\u2019 smokey studio in Soho, London, to talk about new music, life after prison, early inspiration, and much more.