Blade Brown

Last updated

Blade Brown
Blade Brown picture.jpg
Blade Brown
Background information
Birth nameJonathan James Wrate [1]
Born (1985-02-12) 12 February 1985 (age 39)
Streatham, London, England
Origin Battersea, London, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
Years active2003–present
Website bxbldn.com

Jonathan James Wrate (born 12 February 1985), known professionally as Blade Brown [2] is a British rapper and songwriter from Battersea, London. He released the mixtape series Bags and Boxes, and the Financial Times mixtapes. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] XXL has compared his style to that of early Young Jeezy and Gucci Mane. [8]

Contents

Biography

Early life and career beginnings (1985–2006)

Wrate was born on 12 February 1985 in Streatham, later moving to Battersea. He is a supporter of Manchester United F.C. [9] He was first exposed to hip hop through his father who would listen to 80s and 90s hip hop as well as reggae at home, all of which influenced Wrate to take an interest in music and start rapping more seriously around the age of 17. He released his debut mixtape entitled Nothing Long Volume 1 under Defenders Entertainment in 2004, but he took a break from music following a spell of both underground and commercial success through the mixtape which was played on mainstream radio stations such as Choice FM, BBC Radio 1Xtra and Kiss FM, as well as street DVDs in circulation at the time such as Streetz Incarcerated, Streetz Is Raw and Welcome to the city. [10] Between 2005 and 2006 he recorded material for a second mixtape, which was initially entitled Nothing Long Volume 2, but it was never released due to the legal troubles Wrate was experiencing at the time, as well as a change in his own preferences as he has stated that he did not want to release many of the songs he had recorded.

Business Ventures

Blade Brown is the owner of the clothing label BXB LDN. BXB LDN for one fashion season did a collaboration with worldwide fashion brand founded from West London called "Trapstar". [11] [12]

Discography

Collaborative mixtapes

TitleReleasedDetailsPeak chart positions
UK
[13]
UK R&B
[14]
Hollowman meets Blade
(with Giggs (rapper))
Released: 2007Label: SN1 Records,

Formats: CD, Digital Download

Joints
(with K-Trap)
Released: 25 March 2022 [15] Label: BXB Ent Ltd., Thousand8 Records

Formats: CD, Digital Download

182

Mixtapes

TitleReleasedDetailsPeak chart positions
UK
[13]
Nothing Long Volume 12004
  • Label: Defenders Entertainment
  • Formats: CD
Best of Blade2009
  • Label: Ruthless Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Bags and BoxesReleased: 31 March 2010
  • Host: Mykal Million
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Financial TimesReleased: 31 March 2011
  • Label: Hill Productions
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Best of Blade 2Released: 9 February 2012
Bags and Boxes 2Released: 30 November 2012
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Best of Blade 3Released: 14 October 2014
  • Host: Big Bad Blue
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Bags and Boxes 3Released: 31 November 2014
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: CD, digital download
42 [16]
Bags and Boxes 4Released: 16 August 2019
  • Label: Catalyst Records
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
12
"—" denotes an album that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Other charted songs

TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
UK
[13]
"Joints"
(featuring K-Trap)
201970Bags and Boxes 4

Awards and nominations

YearEventPrizeNominated workResultRef
2010Official Mixtape AwardsBest Hip Hop MixtapeBags and BoxesNominated
2012Official Mixtape AwardsMixtape of the YearFinancial TimesWon
Best Hip Hop MixtapeFinancial TimesWon
Best Male ArtistNominated [17]
2013Official Mixtape AwardsBest Overall MixtapeBags and Boxes 2Nominated [18]
2015Rated AwardsBest VideoDrug Dealer (featuring Tiggs Da Author)Nominated [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil' Kim</span> American rapper (born 1974)

Kimberly Denise Jones, better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper. She was born and raised in New York City and lived much of her adolescent life on the streets after being expelled from home. In her teens, she would freestyle rap, influenced by fellow female hip-hop artists like MC Lyte and the Lady of Rage. In 1994, she was discovered by fellow rapper The Notorious B.I.G., who invited her to join his group Junior M.A.F.I.A.; their debut album, Conspiracy, generated two top 20 singles in the United States and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trina</span> American rapper (born 1978)

Katrina Laverne Taylor, known professionally as Trina, is an American rapper. She rose to prominence in the late 1990s for her collaborations with Trick Daddy on the singles "Nann Nigga", "Shut Up", and "Take It to da House". In 2000, she released her debut album Da Baddest Bitch. Afterwards, she made an appearance on the remix of "One Minute Man" by Missy Elliott and Ludacris. In 2002, she released the Kanye West-produced single "B R Right" featuring Ludacris, from her sophomore album Diamond Princess (2002).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurupt</span> American rapper and record producer (born 1972)

Ricardo Emmanuel Brown, better known by his stage name Kurupt, is an American rapper and record producer. Born and raised in Philadelphia, he formed Tha Dogg Pound in 1992 along with Daz Dillinger; the rap duo has released eight albums. He also formed the hip hop group The Hrsmn in 1996, with whom he has released two albums. His debut solo album, Kuruption! (1998) was released by A&M Records and peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giggs (rapper)</span> British rapper (born 1985)

Nathaniel Thompson, better known professionally as Giggs, is a British rapper and songwriter from Peckham, London. He released his debut studio album Walk in da Park in 2008 and released a follow-up album Let Em Ave It the following year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cory Gunz</span> American rapper (born 1987)

Peter Cory Pankey, Jr., better known by his stage name Cory Gunz, is an American rapper from the Bronx, New York City. He is best known for his guest appearance on Lil Wayne's 2010 single "6 Foot 7 Foot," which peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and received septuple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). He signed with Wayne's Young Money Entertainment, a then-imprint of Cash Money and Universal Republic Records in August of that year, although he has released no major albums with the label as a solo act. He starred and was the subject of the 2011 documentary series Son of a Gun, which was presented by his mentor, American comedian Nick Cannon.

<i>No Mercy</i> (T.I. album) 2010 studio album by T.I.

No Mercy is the seventh studio album by American rapper T.I. Originally titled King Uncaged, It was released on December 7, 2010, by Grand Hustle Records and Atlantic Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2009 to 2010. Production was handled by several high-profile record producers, including Kanye West, Polow da Don, The-Dream, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, The Neptunes, TrackSlayerz, Jake One, T-Minus, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Rico Love, Alex da Kid, DJ Toomp, Jim Jonsin, Danja and Dr. Luke, among others. The album also features guest appearances from several prominent artists such as Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Scarface, Chris Brown, Eminem, The-Dream, Trey Songz, Pharrell, Drake, Christina Aguilera and Rick Ross, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wale discography</span>

The discography of American rapper Wale consists of seven studio albums, three compilation albums, ten mixtapes, one extended play, sixty-five singles, two promotional singles and forty-one music videos. In 2005, Wale started his music career by releasing mixtapes in the Washington, D.C. area. His debut mixtape was titled Paint a Picture. Following that, Wale released his second mixtape in 2006, Hate Is the New Love. In the same year, Wale signed with a local record label in Studio 43. In 2007 Wale was discovered by Mark Ronson, and was signed by Allido Records, which released his third mixtape, 100 Miles & Running, featuring artist Daniel Merriweather.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Future (rapper)</span> American rapper (born 1983)

Nayvadius DeMun Cash, known professionally as Future, is an American rapper and singer. Known for his mumble-styled vocals and prolific output, Future is considered a pioneer of the use of Auto-Tuned melodies in trap music. Due to the sustained popularity of this musical style, he is commonly regarded as one of the most influential rappers of his generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southside (record producer)</span> American record producer, rapper and songwriter

Joshua Howard Luellen, known professionally as Southside, is an American record producer, rapper and songwriter. Based in Atlanta, he is recognized in the music industry for his aggressive, trap-infused production work for prominent hip hop artists. His association with hometown rapper Waka Flocka Flame led Luellen to sign to his label Brick Squad Monopoly, an imprint of Gucci Mane's 1017 Records, as in-house talent in 2010. Luellen and labelmate, fellow producer Lex Luger established the production team 808 Mafia that same year, who were credited on several commercially successful releases throughout the remaining decade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Young Scooter</span> American rapper (born 1986)

Kenneth Edward Bailey, better known by his stage name Young Scooter, is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. He was among the first artists to sign with fellow Atlanta rapper Future's record label, Freebandz in 2012, having known its founder since childhood. The following year, he jointly signed with Waka Flocka Flame's Brick Squad Monopoly, an imprint of Gucci Mane's 1017 Records. He first gained regional recognition for his collaborations with the rappers, as well as his mixtape Street Lottery (2012) and its lead single, "Colombia". His guest appearance on Future and Juice Wrld's 2018 song, "Jet Lag" marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freebandz</span> American record label

Freebandz is an American record label founded by American rapper Future in 2011. The label's releases are distributed through Epic Records. Freebandz has signed artists including Real Boston Richey, Lil Double O, Doe Boy, Young Scooter, and Future's personal mixtape compiler, DJ Esco.

Maurice "Verse" Simmonds is a Puerto Rican / Virgin Islander rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and record executive. Based in Los Angeles but raised in the Virgin Islands, he moved to the United States after high school and he formed the production duo the Jugganauts in the 1990s. The duo has since co-written and produced tracks such as "Man Down" by Rihanna and "Who Gon Stop Me" by Kanye West and Jay-Z, both of which charted prominently on Billboard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fetty Wap</span> American rapper (born 1991)

Willie Junior Maxwell II, better known by his stage name Fetty Wap, is an American rapper. He quickly rose to mainstream prominence in late 2014, after his single song "Trap Queen" was re-released as his debut single for 300 Entertainment, an imprint of Atlantic Records. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, and was followed by the singles "679" and "My Way", both of which saw similar chart success throughout 2015. The trio of hits—along with his single "Again"—preceded the release of Fetty Wap's eponymous debut studio album (2015), which peaked atop the Billboard 200 chart. During this time, he became distinctive for his melodic blending of singing and rapping, lighthearted lyricism, "bouncy" production, and exclamation of various catchphrases such as "1738!"

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zaytoven</span> American record producer (born 1980)

Xavier Lamar Dotson, known professionally as Zaytoven, is an American record producer from Atlanta, Georgia. He has released collaborative projects with artists including Gucci Mane, Usher, Future, Young Dolph, Migos, Lecrae, Lil Yachty, Chief Keef, Young Scooter, B.o.B, Boosie Badazz, Waka Flocka Flame, 21 Savage, Deitrick Haddon and La Fève.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grass Ain't Greener</span> 2016 single by Chris Brown

"Grass Ain't Greener" is a song by American singer Chris Brown released on May 5, 2016 as the lead single from Brown's eight studio album, Heartbreak on a Full Moon. The song was written by Brown and Prince Chrishan, and produced by Nikhil. "Grass Ain't Greener" is a mid-tempo alternative R&B and trap song, that explores themes of breakup and untrusting love relationships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nines (rapper)</span> British rapper

Courtney Leon Freckleton , known professionally as Nines, is a British rapper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smokepurpp</span> American rapper from Florida

Omar Jeffery Pineiro, known professionally as Smokepurpp, is an American rapper. He first became known in the SoundCloud rap scene for his 2017 single "Audi", which received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In March of that year, he signed with Alamo and Interscope Records to release the song and his debut mixtape for which it served as lead single, Deadstar (2017), the following September. It peaked at number 42 on the Billboard 200, while his debut studio album and the mixtape's sequel, Deadstar 2 (2019) narrowly entered the chart. His second album, Florida Jit (2020) failed to chart in any known territory and served as his final album on the label.

Devonte Kasi Martin Perkins, better known by his stage name K-Trap, is a British rapper and songwriter from South London. He is known for his prominence in the UK drill scene, releasing notable mixtapes such as The Last Whip (2017), The Re-Up (2018) and No Magic (2019). Previously, K-Trap was widely known for wearing a balaclava to conceal his identity until June 2019 when he revealed his face for the first time in the music video for his single ‘Big Mood’, promoting his mixtape No Magic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tion Wayne</span> British rapper (born 1993)

Dennis Junior Odunwo, known professionally as Tion Wayne, is a British rapper and DJ from Edmonton, North London.

Isam Mostafa, better known by his stage name Doe Boy, is an American rapper. He best known for his 2019 single "100 Shooters", which peaked atop the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.

References

  1. "BLOCKS HOT". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  2. One To Watch... Blade Brown
  3. ""My Music Is Wrapped Around Real Life Experiences": An Interview With South London's Trap-Rap Ringleader, Blade Brown". Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  4. “I hear other rappers but I’m better than them”- Blade Brown
  5. Blade Brown: the interview!
  6. Krept & Konan Crowned MTV's Best Of The Best UK MCs Of 2013!
  7. G4 Boyz – Alexander Wang (Remix) Feat. Blade Brown
  8. 15 New European Rappers
  9. "Blade Brown Talks Music, Football Upbringing & Manchester United". SoccerBible. 25 September 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  10. Oke, Tobi (25 May 2011). "Blade Brown: the interview!". MTV UK. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  11. BXB LDN Website - https://bxbldn.com/
  12. Trapstar: the West London hustle that went global - BBC London - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV6M-jkr1yg
  13. 1 2 3 "Blade Brown | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  14. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  15. "Blade Brown & K-Trap's 'Joints' Project Has Finally Arrived". Complex . 25 March 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  16. UK Official Album Charts: Bags and Boxes 3
  17. The Official Mixtape Awards (OMA’s) Nominations Are In
  18. OMS Awards Nominations 2013 Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  19. RATED AWARDS ANNOUNCE CATEGORIES & NOMINEES