Ghetts - Conflict of Interest [Album Review]
The metamorphosis of Ghetts’ artistry has been a beautiful sight to behold. Naturally, as the legendary Grime MC has grown older, we see less of his notorious belligerence that saw him clashing the likes of Boy Better Know, P Money and, as he humorously admits on ‘Skengman,’ throwing guys twice his weight into the boot of a car. ‘Conflict Of Interest’ sees the man formerly known as Ghetto further shed the unharnessed raw energy he once emitted, whilst maintaining the same lyrical potency and conviction in delivery that put him on the map back in Grime’s golden era.
Ghetts is widely recognised as one of the Grime scene’s biggest success stories. But if this project makes anything clear, it’s that the Plaistow rapper is determined to solidify his place at the pinnacle stating, “let’s talk about legacy, I don’t care about nostalgia,” with characteristic frankness on opener ‘Fine Wine.’ A cinematic introduction, Ghetts taps into the same source of energy that carried him through some of the game’s most notable wars. The integrity with which he pours out his feelings adds gravity to earnest claims such as, “my best years are ahead of me,” a suggestion that would likely be dismissed as audacious had another artist with almost two decades behind them made.
‘Conflict Of Interest’ excels as an album built upon a steadfast concept. Centred around the notion that different stages of his life and music career have shaped the sounds we hear from him today, Ghetts displays artistic fluidity without compromising the core imagery of channeling his youthful rage, to deliver devoted performances throughout. This is demonstrated exceptionally on ‘IC3,’ a heavyweight link up with longtime rival, Skepta. As the two trade bars about police profiling, their homelands and their come ups in the game over an eerie, sparse trap beat, the back-and-forth format evokes images of an old school clash, intriguing listeners who eagerly waited but were never able to witness the two trade blows competitively.
Ghetts pays tribute to those who have followed the journey, with subtle nods of fan service throughout, such as the ‘Top 3 Selected’ sample on the ridiculously infectious single ‘Mozambique’ and resurrecting his previous persona, Ghetto, to close out anthemic cut ‘Skengman.’ But he refuses to be restrained by throwbacks and nods to the past. Whether warming up his vocals on mellow ‘10,000 Tears’ or opening up about contrasts between generational pain and love on ‘Proud Family,’ Ghetts’ maturity shines through.
The evolution of the rooftop war MC who once infamously asked Bashy, “Where’s Carlos?” has probably even surprised himself. And whilst some may shy away from their pasts in the game, Ghetts embraces his, explaining, “You take the fire of the young, the power of now, the wisdom of old. Combine all three and that’s a recipe for winning.” Noting on ‘Autobiography’ that, “if you don’t tell your story they gon’ tell it for you,” Ghetts is evidently in full control of his narrative and where it goes from here.