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Ok, so first off I must iterate the fact that this particular run down is in no particular order, nor is it a definitive list of the best British record labels of all time (as if such a breakdown could ever be truly quantified). It is simply a list of some personal favourites within the British...MORE>>

London rapper, Speech Debelle, is not what you quite expect. Unlike the conventional macabre expressions of personal and wider cultural woes, the rap music of Speech Debelle has a true, believable poignancy.

This unique quality was noticed in her performance on the Introducing Stage at Glastonbury where she is said to have brought the house down. Here she introduced her new single, The Key – her third track to be released.

What is striking about Speech’s music is that it is in contrast to what you expect, that being a 26 year old rapper from south London.

She embodies both a youthfulness in her voice and yet an older, mature

feel to her lyrics. The fragility of her voice allows her to sing about heartfelt topics with ease – far away from the usual harsh, didactic approach of most rap music. This makes for a refreshing sound.

Speech’s new single, The Key, captures this warm mood. This is developed through the soul and acoustic sound that she brings to her music.

All of Speech’s songs, including her debut single Searching, Go then, bye and now The Key, are taken from emotional or thought-provoking conversations with friends or family. The music is therefore soul-searching for her as well as the listener.

The Key is just this: formulated around discussions with many different people and relating to anecdotes from everyday life. The Key, as with all of Speech’s material, breaks the mould of the usual hip-hop rap.

Speech Debelle will be performing over the summer at Exeter’s Respect Festival on 10th July, the Latitude Festival on 17th July, the Bloom Festival on 15th August and Bestival on 13th September.

The Key was released on 15th March. Speech Debelle’s debut album, Speech Therapy, was released on 1st June.