Zone 2 (rap group)

Last updated

Zone 2
Origin Peckham, London, England
Genres
Years active2016–present
Members See list
Past members See list

Zone 2 is a British hip hop collective based in Peckham, London. [1] [2] [3] The group has gained millions of views and streams through their music on YouTube and streaming platforms. [4] [5] The group is noteworthy for its rivalry with Moscow17. The rivalry began around 2016 and has resulted in various diss tracks between the two groups, as well as physical violence. [6]

Contents

History

In December 2017, Zone 2 released the Known Zoo mixtape, later dubbed a 'classic' by DJ Mag. [7]

In August 2021, Kwengface released his debut mixtape, YPB: Tha Come Up. [8] [9]

In June 2022, Kwengface released his second solo mixtape, YPB: The Archive, featuring CB, Dizzee Rascal, French the Kid, Dusty Locane, Squeeks and 26ar.

Current members

The list below includes confirmed members of Zone 2:

[10] [15]

Former members

In 2017, two members of Moscow17, Incognito (real name Siddique Kamara) and Jet Black or JB (real name Kevin Aka-Kadjo) were charged of the murder of Abdirahman Mohamed, a brother to a Zone 2 member, but later cleared of murder. Incognito was later stabbed to death in August 2018. [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] Moscow17 rapper, GB (real name Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton), was allegedly shot by a Zone 2 member. Although he survived the attack, he was later shot and killed in May 2018. [1] [6]

In August 2018, a fight occurred in a children's playground in the Elmington Estate, Camberwell. The fight involved around 30 teenagers, some armed with knives. A 15-year old was 'disembowelled' during the event after being stabbed with a long-bladed knife, causing 'massive internal-bleeding'. The boy who was stabbed was alleged to be a member of Moscow17, and the fight was allegedly between Moscow17 members and Zone 2 members. [3]

In 2022, PS Hitsquad (real name Alieu Koroma) was sentenced to a total of 3 years and 7 months for being concerned with the supply of heroin and cocaine, as well as possession of a knife. According to the Essex Chronicle , he was found following a Metropolitan Police investigation into a missing 14-year old. [25]

Controversy

The group is notable for its rivalry with Moscow17 (based in the Brandon Estate, in Walworth). [6] These rivalries are expressed in the form of diss tracks, such as "Zone 2 Step" in response to Moscow17's "Moscow March", [26] and sometimes physical violence. [1] [3] [27] [28]

The group, and drill music in general, faced increased scrutiny by authorities following an increase in violence in 2018. Artists within the group, such as Kwengface, were given 'rap injunctions', restricting the topics they could rap about. In a 2021 interview, Kwengface explained: [7]

The authorities interfered a lot, you know? Shows was getting locked off. We were doing things with Adidas and then they stopped working with us. A lot of artists didn't wanna work with us, labels wouldn't work with us [..] We were kind of just stuck. We were blacklisted, basically. I even took time out. I stopped releasing music for a while.

Following the lifting of rap injunctions against the group, [7] in December 2019, Zone 2 released a song titled "No Censor!". The song gained notoriety and became infamous on social media due to the uncensored nature of the song, with various claims of murders committed by the group as well as dead rivals being named outright and mocked throughout the song. Drill artists typically allude to people they are dissing as opposed to naming them outright. The song was taken off of YouTube in less than 24 hours of its release, but has since been reuploaded. [4] [29] [30] Kwengface stated the song was a reaction to previously being censored. [7]

Discography

Mixtapes [31]

See also

Related Research Articles

The Peckham Boys, also referred to as Black Gang, is a multi-generational gang based in Peckham, South London. The gang is particularly prominent for its members prolific activity in music. Giggs, once a member of the SN1 set, is generally credited with popularising the British gangsta rap style known as road rap. Giggs would proceed to have a successful musical career, and re-form SN1 as a record label. In 2011, Peckham Boys rapper Stigs was given the first ever gang injunction, banning him from making any music that may encourage violence. Stigs was at the time allegedly a member of Anti GMG. In 2011, Southwark Council identified three sets of the Peckham Boys, PYG, Anti GMG and SN1, as the most active gangs in the Peckham area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">G Herbo</span> American rapper (born 1995)

Herbert Randall Wright III, better known by his stage name G Herbo, is an American rapper. He signed with the Chicago-based record label Machine Entertainment Group in 2011, at the age of 16. His debut mixtape, Welcome to Fazoland (2014), was released by the label, along with its follow-ups Pistol P Project (2014), Ballin Like I'm Kobe (2015), and Strictly 4 My Fans (2016). His debut studio album, Humble Beast (2017), was released by Cinematic Music Group and met with critical acclaim. He signed onto a triple-joint venture with Epic Records to release his collaborative album and major label debut, Swervo (2018) with record producer Southside; its sequel, Still Swervin (2019), served as Wright's second album. His third album, PTSD (2020), peaked within the top ten of the Billboard 200, along with his fourth and fifth albums, 25 (2021) and Survivor's Remorse (2022); 25 was his first release with Republic Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil Durk</span> American rapper (born 1992)

Durk Devontay Banks, known professionally as Lil Durk, is an American rapper. Regarded as a pioneering artist in the Chicago-based hip hop subgenre drill music, he has been noted as one of the subgenre's most commercially successful rappers. He initially garnered local success with the release of his Signed to the Streets mixtape series (2013–2014), which led to him to sign with Def Jam Recordings. The label released his debut studio album, Remember My Name (2015), and its follow-up, Lil Durk 2X (2016), to moderate commercial reception before parting ways with the rapper in 2018.

UK drill is a subgenre of drill music and road rap that originated in the South London district of Brixton from 2012 onwards. While being sonically distinct from Chicago drill music, it embraces its aesthetic and melds it with road rap, a British style of gangsta rap that became popular in the years prior to the existence of drill. UK drill lyrical content tends to be truculent, depicting the harsh realism of their lifestyles. The explicit lyricism has stimulated discussion about whether the subgenre is a factor in an increase in knife crime in London. Gang affiliation and socioeconomically-deprived backgrounds are common amongst UK drill artists. Artists such as 150, 67, Harlem Spartans, 1011, and 410 have been cited as innovators of UK drill.

67 are a British music group and street gang in the UK drill scene originally composed of members LD, Monkey, Dimzy, Liquez, ASAP and SJ. The group gained notoriety following the police shooting of Chris Kaba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drakeo the Ruler</span> American rapper from Los Angeles (1993-2021)

Darrell Wayne Caldwell, known professionally as Drakeo the Ruler, was an American rapper from Los Angeles, California. He became known for his rapping flow, as well as his "oddly expressive, poetic word-choices", leading the Los Angeles Times to call him "the most original West Coast stylist in decades". His 2021 single, "Talk to Me" entered the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart and preceded his debut studio album, The Truth Hurts (2021).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pop Smoke</span> American rapper (1999–2020)

Bashar Barakah Jackson, known professionally as Pop Smoke, was an American rapper. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, he rose to fame with the release of his 2019 singles "Welcome to the Party" and "Dior". He frequently collaborated with UK drill artists and producers, who employed more minimal and aggressive instrumentation than American drill artists from Chicago, reintroducing the sound as Brooklyn drill.

Harlem Spartans, often abbreviated to HS, also known as Harlem O or simply Harlem, is a British hip hop collective based in Kennington, London. Members of Harlem Spartans have acquired over 100 million streams through their music. The name, "Harlem", is a nickname for their local area of Kennington. The police allege that Harlem Spartans is a gang, however this is denied by the group.

OFB, short for Original Farm Boys, is a British hip hop collective based in Broadwater Farm, North London. OFB is one of the most prominent UK drill groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">War (Pop Smoke song)</span> Single by Pop Smoke featuring Lil Tjay

"War" is a song by American rapper Pop Smoke, featuring rapper Lil Tjay. The song was written by Pop Smoke, alongside Lil Tjay, alongside production from 808Melo and Swirv. It was released by Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records as a standalone single on October 4, 2019. The song was later included as a bonus track on Pop Smoke's second mixtape, Meet the Woo 2 (2020).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sus (rapper)</span> British rapper and convicted murderer

Tariq Kenedy Mangal Monteiro known professionally as Sus or Suspect, is a British rapper and convicted murderer. He is a member of the UK drill collective Active Gxng, who are based in the Agar Grove estate within Camden Town, London. He released his debut mixtape, Suspicious Activity, in 2022.

A92 is an Irish drill collective based in Drogheda. Named after the postal code of Drogheda town, A92 was formed in 2020 and went viral following the release of "Plugged in Freestyle".

Tomas Adedayo Adeyinka, commonly known by his stage name Offica, is an Irish rapper of Nigerian descent. During a youth soccer career between 2016 and 2019, he released his debut single "No Hook" in 2018, going viral following the release of "Naruto Drillings" in 2019 and "Plugged in Freestyle" alongside drill collective A92 in 2020.

Kemani Tutti Kane Duggan, known professionally as Bandokay, is a British rapper. He is a member of the UK drill group OFB.

Andre Deer, known professionally as Double Lz, is a British rapper and songwriter. He is a former member of the UK drill group OFB. Debuting in 2018, he released two mixtapes - Frontstreet and Drill Commandments - alongside Bandokay and SJ in 2019 and 2021, respectively. He released his debut solo mixtape, Two Lz Make a Win, in 2022.

Jyrelle Justin O'Connor, known professionally as Loski, is a British rapper and singer from Kennington, London. He is part of the Kennington-based UK drill group Harlem Spartans.

Joshua Emmanuel Pinto João Eduardo, known professionally as Blanco, is a British-Angolan rapper and singer. Beginning his career in 2015, he released his debut EP, English Dubbed, in 2019, and debut mixtape, City of God, in 2021. He is a former member of the UK drill group Harlem Spartans.

7th is a street gang based on the Woodgrange Estate in Forest Gate, London.

<i>Noughty by Nature</i> 2022 mixtape by Digga D

Noughty by Nature is the third commercial mixtape by British rapper Digga D. It was released on 15 April 2022 by CGM. It features guest appearances from Still Brickin', Rack5, Dodgy, Horrid1, AJ Tracey, and Maverick Sabre, and American rappers B-Lovee, Moneybagg Yo, and Hotboii. The extended edition adds a further guest appearance from Arrdee. The mixtape debuted atop the UK Albums Chart, becoming Digga D's first number-one album.

Kwengface is a British drill rapper. He began his rap career in 2015 as part of the Peckham-based Zone 2 collective. He released his debut solo mixtape, YPB: Tha Come Up, in 2020.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Brouwer, Erik (22 January 2019). "Londen in de ban van rapmoorden". revu.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  2. ↑ Paor-Evans, Adam de. "How grime music is sparking a seismic shift in public debate". The New European. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 "'I just want to leave': Residents at Elmington Estate on the 'war zone' that used to be their home". meaww.com. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  4. 1 2 "Drill video naming murder victims banned by YouTube". 9 December 2019. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  5. ↑ "What is drill music and why is it linked to violent crime in London?". Metro. 8 August 2018. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 "Gangs of London - How globalisation and drill supercharged a surge in violence". Reaction. 3 June 2019. Archived from the original on 23 June 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Kwengface: new horizons". DJMag.com. 12 August 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  8. 1 2 "Kwengface Premieres His Debut 'YPB: Tha Come Up' Mixtape". Mixtape Madness. 15 August 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  9. ↑ Dummy. "The 10 Best UK Drill Releases To Date, according to Kwengface". DummyMag. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "10 UK rap artists to watch in 2018". FACT Magazine: Transmissions from the underground. 4 January 2018. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  11. ↑ "FADER Mix: Gully Type". The FADER. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  12. ↑ FlamboyEnt. "(Zone 2) Kiz X X Snoop – Violent Men (Music Video) @itspressplayuk | Flamboyent". Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  13. ↑ "Full Flow". Red Bull . Lil Deesquezo (or Simply LD)
  14. ↑ "Tiny Boost 'Street Dreams' out now". Voice Online. 22 November 2019. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  15. 1 2 "Zone 2 X Skengdo & AM (410) Voice of The Streets Freestyle w/ Kenny Allstar". The Uk's No.1 For Urban Media WWW.WEGOINGIN.COM. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  16. ↑ "Zone 2 & Hitsquad join forces as Kwengface, PS Hitsquad, Snoopy & LR create 'Exit Wounds'". Melodic Motif. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  17. ↑ "Zone 2 (P.S X Teej) X Karmakayos – GINNALS 2 (MM Exclusive) | @MixtapeMadness | OSM Vision". Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  18. ↑ Hillside Zoo by Carns Hill & Zone 2, archived from the original on 10 December 2019, retrieved 10 December 2019
  19. ↑ O'Connor, Mary (24 August 2018). "Gang friend of murdered drill rappers jailed after being caught with machete". Evening Standard . Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  20. ↑ "CAMBERWELL MAN APPEARS IN COURT CHARGED WITH MURDER OF TEENAGER IN SOUTHAMPTON WAY". Southwark News . 15 June 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  21. ↑ Rawlinson, Kevin (7 August 2018). "Man charged with murder of drill rapper Sidique Kamara". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  22. ↑ "Stabbed boy held over rapper murder". 3 August 2018. Archived from the original on 24 August 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  23. ↑ "Man charged with murdering drill rapper 'Incognito' in Camberwell". ITV News. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  24. ↑ "Man Charged With Murder Of Drill Rapper Sidique Kamara Appears in Court". HuffPost UK. 8 August 2018. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  25. ↑ Hume, Holly (5 July 2022). "Rapper PS Hitsquad used 14-year-old boy to run drugs from London to Clacton for county lines gang". Essex Chronicle . Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  26. ↑ "From Chicago to Brixton: The surprising rise of UK drill". FACT Magazine: Transmissions from the underground. 27 April 2017. Archived from the original on 29 May 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  27. ↑ Tóth, Matúš (5 August 2018). "Mars pulls advertising from YouTube after its products appear alongside violent UK drill rap videos". Illicit Trade News Network. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  28. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (7 December 2018). "'The British music industry needs to update': Paloma Faith, Nao, Sleaford Mods and others on 2018's music controversies". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  29. ↑ "Drill group Zone 2's video pulled by YouTube after allegedly naming murder victims". NME Music News, Reviews, Videos, Galleries, Tickets and Blogs | NME.COM. 10 December 2019. Archived from the original on 11 December 2019. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  30. ↑ "Zone 2's 'No Censor' video removed: YouTube issue official statement". Capital XTRA. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  31. ↑ "Zone 2 on Apple Music". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  32. ↑ "MK The Plug and M1 On The Beat are UK drill's brightest hope". FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music. Archived from the original on 13 July 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  33. ↑ Archibald-Powell, Naimah (27 May 2022). "KWENGFACE OFFLOADS 'YPB: THE ARCHIVE' PROJECT FEATURING CB, FRENCH THE KID & MORE". grmdaily.com. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  34. ↑ Scott, Jimi (14 April 2023). "GIGGS, KNUCKS, SL & MORE JOIN KWENGFACE ON 'THE MEMOIR' MIXTAPE". grmdaily.com. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  35. ↑ Daily, GRM (9 June 2023). "PS HITSQUAD UNVEILS DEBUT 'COMMUNITY SERVICE' MIXTAPE". grmdaily.com. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.