East London’s Black Britanyaa serves up thought provoking hip hop with reggae flavored drum n bass rhythms. The group draws upon the black heroes of the rich British heritage as well as speaking to the youth of today. The disc starts out with “The Excursion”, a song that pays homage to the black pioneers in UK soul like Sade, Soul to Soul and Loose Ends. “Wha Gwan” is an upbeat joyful track that talks about celebrating life and has a Middle Eastern feel to it thanks to the flute playing that complements the thumping bass. “Illegal Aliens” is a cover of Sting’s hit “Englishman In New York” except they flip the script and speak on life as a black man in Britain. Another favorite is “Libation” which features the soulful voice of UK soul man Omar. The “Windrush Vol. 2” is a solid combination of banging beats and conscious lyrics. Black Britanyaa does its part to ensure that UK hip hop is in good hands.
