Jelani Blackman today announces details of his long-awaited debut album, The Heart of It, due 10th November via 18 Records / MNRK UK. The announcement comes accompanied by the new single ‘When You Feel It,’ which premiered as The Hottest Record In The World on BBC Radio 1 last night.
“The Heart of It for me is finding love and truth in a world filled with greed and hypocrisy,” the London born artist explains. Never afraid to speak his mind, the personal and political are intertwined through 15 tracks of rich social commentary that candidly navigates his experiences of race growing up in London and in 2023, and the highs and lows of being in love. His most richly musical work yet, it brings together his myriad influences; blending rapping, singing, lush live instrumentation and heavy beats as only Jelani can, with a typically enigmatic list of features that includes Kojey Radical, Bob Vylan, Mavica and Biig Piig.
Produced by Danio Forni & Chris Andoh (the team behind Stormzy’s ‘Vossi Bop’), new single, ‘When You Feel It,’ is the perfect entry point to the album, as Jelani explains: “It’s one of the most important tracks on the album. The energy when we made it was what gave me clarity about the whole project, and I’m so happy that I took the step and didn’t hold back with my range in the chorus. The song is all about letting go when the feeling comes, whatever it is that gives you that feeling. Music, love, even food. It’s kind of its own explanation. For me this tune is one of the best reflections of who I am and what I can do; no one else could have made this tune.”
Jelani Blackman has been not so quietly forging his own lane for the best part of a decade; a rapper, singer and musician who seamlessly brings together disparate elements to create a unique sound that he’s described as afro-indie-electro-rap. This dexterity has attracted an array of collaborators to his sonic universe, from Ghetts, Fraser T Smith and Burna Boy to Gorillaz, Wolf Alice, Brian Eno and more. Equally at home calling out world leaders and unpacking the deeply personal as jumping into mosh pits at his raucous live shows, he’s picked up a raft of fans and praise from tastemakers, spurred on by a now iconic COLORS Session and the release of his much celebrated Unlimited Mixtape at the end of 2021. The Heart of It is his grandest statement yet; a body of work that is a true reflection of the artist and one that’s set to take him to the next level.
The Heart of It tracklist:
Feel The Same
My Bad
Clear
When You Feel It
Rise ft. Biig Piig
Deeper
Voice ft. Bob Vylan
Damage
Faded
Wavy ft. Mavica
Offbeat (Interlude)
Line Up
Izit ft. Kojey Radical
New World Order
Arrival
