"I really love that, It's one of those songs that deserves to be heard far and wide." - Dean Jackson, BBC Music Introducing.

That was the sort of amazing praise I was given on the Saturday 19th November 2022, a couple of weeks before this article was posted. In the lead up to releasing my latest single, Broke Anthem, I decided to submit it to the BBC Music Introducing platform. If you are unaware of what BBC Music Introducing is, check out this video here.

Within a week of submission, I got a response via email to notify me that Broke Anthem had been selected to be played on local radio stations BBC Radio Nottingham, BBC Radio Derby and BBC Radio Leicester. Now anybody that knows me, know I have solid connections with each of these three cities. I was raised in Leicestershire, live in Derbyshire and a supporter of Nottingham Forest, some would say I was a confused individual... They wouldn't be wrong to be fair! Anyway, it made it just that bit more special knowing it wasn't being restricted to one main of the cites in the East Midlands, but all three.

While I was obviously gassed about the airtime however, the sudden realization hit that my socials were lacking and had been dead for quite some time due to a lengthy break I had taken from music. While I was able to update everything to a sufficient standard, the perfectionist I am was disappointed that my online presence wasn't top shelf before I was being broadcast across the airwaves. Lesson learned and a warning to other artists who may make the same mistakes. Don't put your music out until you are absolutely ready, because you never know!

With that being said, being granted such an opportunity was a huge catalyst in speeding up the rebuilding of my social platforms and the construction of my website. Obviously, as you're probably reading this news blog on the website right now. At the time Broke Anthem was aired on local radio, there was no release date set for the single either. Once again, the catalyst that is the BBC Music Introducing platform granted that added motivation to get things sorted. December 16th 2022, put it in your diaries, or your phones, man write it on your little brother's forehead with a sharpie. Just remember it!

So, back to the BBC Music Introducing show. As I said previously, the feedback was amazing. Not only was my song saw fit to be broadcast over the East Midlands over hundreds of other submissions they get each month, they absolutely loved it! Dean Jackson and his team discussed the track with adoration, which any artist will know just that amount of appreciation from only one person is enough to make your entire month! The part that I'm most appreciative of however outside of the amazing opportunity and access to the wider audience, is the fact my core principals as a rap artist were noticed. They praised my lyrics, with Dean Jackson himself explicitly saying they were "so clever". If you're around me long enough and the discussion about rap arises, you'll probably know my philosophy when it comes to being a lyricist. I pride myself on my ability to rhyme, flow and my ability to manipulate the english language to create entendres in a way that can provide imagery from mere words. When the team picked up on my creative lyricism, as commented on my live stream at the time, my face was like the Cheshire Cat.

I got two certificates of recognition that night. Firstly, the most obvious being the fact my latest track was played on local BBC Radio. That just gives me a small stamp of authenticity. It's given me something to write about, to talk about. The second is confirmation from not only a complete stranger, but a complete stranger who is a professional within the music industry that the way I construct my lyrics and wordplay is working. While personally, I feel there is still a very long way to go, I'm on the right path.

If you want to hear the broadcast for yourself, for another 20 days or so from the date of this article it will be available on the BBC website here. My song is played from about 1:11:00. If you are reading this after the link has expired, I'm sure I'll conjure up some form of method to show you the show's snippet and edit the article.

Broke Anthem is out on December 16th 2022 on all major streaming platforms.

It is a UK banger that takes Hip-Hop back to it's roots. Aimed at the fake society we live in, Als Griffs takes shots at phoney influencers, pretend ballers and more with brutal rhyme schemes, funny pars and a whole lot of character.

It's UK Hip-Hop like you've never heard it.