“I been the G.O.A.T. for so long, I guess it’s not exciting when I win/ Boohoo, someone grab the violins/ Every time I try a ting, top bins like Haile when he sings/ So of course they don’t like me, I’m the king.” The opening bars to Stormzy’s comeback single ‘Mel Made Me Do It’ set the tone for the seven-plus minute onslaught. No hook, no pop-leaning elements, just a hard-hitting gritty beat, and Stormzy reminding everyone that he’s the king of the UK rap scene.
In an era of short, stream-friendly bops, ‘Mel Made Me Do It’ gives us what the game has been missing. Not only new Stormzy, but a reminder that top-tier rapping will never go out of style. Dripping with quotables, the cut sees Stormzy throwing jabs at opponents while flexing on a level few have the achievements to back. Lines like, “You know the bags Chanel, the trips to Paris/ And if your boy’s a king, the bit’s a palace/ Okay, three O2s that I sell out/ Man, I’m such a sellout/ Might fuck around and bring Adele out,” remind fans of the heights he’s attained and continues to push beyond. It’s the type of track that gets better with every spin. Each listen unlocks a new punchline or level to the track. With the long run time and repeatability, this may be the only thing you’ll be listening to, that’s certainly been the case for me this weekend.
If this is a sample of what we can expect from his upcoming album, it could be his best yet. Check the track and cinematic video for ‘Mel Made Me Do It’ below.
