'The Big Man Returns' - Big Narstie (mixtape review)

Large Londoner Big Narstie is back for the latest in his line of mixtapes: ‘The Big Man Returns’. It seems that this man can ride any beat and make it sound pretty good. Most of the beats here err on the grime side although the title alone of ‘Hip-Hop Miner’ makes it clear where he feels he stands.

As a member of N.A.A. (N-Dubz South) that “Na Na Nye” was bound to pierce the air somewhere and I hate to admit but the collabo is pretty catchy. Fellow N.A.A.-ers Solo and L.Man also feature as do big-in-the-gamers Giggs, Wretch 32 and Scorcher.

Big Narstie’s trademark “Hello Hi” punctuates this mixtape as he raps with poise on the classic bravado, lyrical tip. Not all of the lyrical content is to my taste but I’m just one man - this is hype-up music, don’t expect much of a message; just grimace to the likes of ‘Wildout’ and the looming '45 Remix’.

‘The Big Man Returns’ is out now on UK Runnings and can be bought here.

More Forthcoming Reviews

As usual I've got a never ending pile of CDs and a hard drive full of mp3 awaiting review. Here's what I'll be covering soon, hopefully before each of their release dates:

JVF Clique - 'Alternative Income' (album)
Big Narstie - 'The Big Man Returns' (mixtape)
Elemental & Tom Caruana - 'Rebel Without Applause' (album)
Dialect - 'D.Day' (album due out April)
Delegates of Culture - 'Bad Guys' (album due out on 27th April)
DJ Vadim - 'Hidden Treaure' (single due out 27th April)
Wordsmith & I.N.C. The Poet - 'Take a Walk in My Shoes' (single due out 27th April)
The Score - 'Opus' (album due out 27th April)
Yung - 'Unconditional Hustle' (mixtape due out 4th May)
Mr. Lif - 'I Heard it Today' (album due out 4th May
Homecut - 'No Freedom Without Sacrifice' (album due out 18th May)
YNR Records - 'Feeding Time At The Zoo' (album due out 25th May)
Wordsmith & I.N.C. The Poet - 'A Baltimore Martini' (album due out 25th May)
Choong Family - 'Baptism of Fire' (pre-album due out 25th May)
The Early Man - 'Alpha' (single due out 25th May)
Resin Dogs - 'More' (album out 1st June)
DJ Vadim - 'U Can't Lurn Imaginashun' (album due out 8th June)

There are probably more too. I'll try get these done for y'all!

Reviews Pending

As usual I've got a great big pile of CDs waiting to be reviewed, and as usual, I'll endeavour to write about them all. Just so you know, here's what's coming up whenever I get some time, in no particular order:

Joe Budden - 'Padded Room' (album)
Kyza - 'Love and Music' (single)
Haka Beats - 'Underground Journeys' (album)
Choong Family - 'Baptism of Fire' (pre-album)
Ghost - 'Freedom of Thought EP #1' (er....EP?)
Jyager - 'Encrypted Scriptures' (album)
Jack Flash - '4 Minute Warning' (single)
Asaviour & DJ IQ - 'The A Loop Theory' (album)
Tricksta & Lunatrix - VA - 'Flying the Flag' (double mixtape)
Big Narstie - 'The Big Man Returns' (album)
Two Fingers - 'Two Fingers' (album)
Modulok - 'Cities and Years' (album)
Knew Jeru'slum - 'Non Apologetix' ft. Manchild (single)
Mr Scruff - 'Nice Up The Function' ft. Roots Manuva (single)
Reachout - 'Fly Baby' (album)

I'll also be doing interviews with a number of UK Hip Hop artists including Ghost, Endemic, Knew Jeru'slum and Karl Hinds.

'I Can't Leave it Alone' - Big Narstie

Check out the first single off Big Narstie's forthcoming release 'The Big Man Returns'. It's a big track, produced by Rippa entitled 'I Can't Leave it Alone':

Coming Soon From Wolftown and UK Runnings

Two releases coming from this UK Hip Hop powerhouse very soon, March to be precise:

First up, since I've not covered it before and since Certified Banger gets a shout out on the outro is Big Narstie's 'The Big Man Returns' which is mixed by the one and only Tricksta and features Giggs, Wretch 32 and Scorcher.

Go here for Big Narstie's myspace, go here to read an interview with the man and go here to purchase some of his earlier work including mixtapes, CDs and DVDs.

Check out my shout out on that and big ups to Tricksta and Big Narstie for helping my name get out there.

Secondly, and one I've mentioned before, is the collabo between HHB Radio and UK Runnings: 'Flying the Flag', a double CD containing 50 tracks of UK badness (or goodness, depending on whether it's bad meaning good or good meaning good). I digress. It features the likes of Wiley, Tinchy Strider, Ghetto, Giggs, Big Narstie, Skinnyman, Kyza, Million Dan, Baby J, Lowkey, Pyrelli and loads and loads more (obviously, there are 50 tracks!)