The Endurance of Giggs
From the streets of Peckham to hanging with Jay-Z, Joseph 'JP' Patterson details the endurance of the South London rap legend.
TRENCH
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Giggs—born Nathaniel Thompson and raised on the pre-gentrified streets of Peckham, South East London—has been a dominant force in UK rap ever since he decided to jump on the Dr. Dre beat behind Stat Quo's 2007 single, "Here We Go".
Giggs titled his version "Talkin' Da Hardest", and did just as the title suggests on the track—a hood anthem which went on to become the catalyst of a new dawn for UK hip-hop: a darker strain, aptly-dubbed 'road rap'.
This was our own, unique spin on US gangsta rap: music made for the streets by those living in the thick of it.
In the 15 years since, Giggs aka Hollowman aka The Landlord has never once shown to put value on his music charting, more that his lived experiences through rhyme—via that beloved monotone flow—hits home.
Of course, with a fanbase like his, charting was inevitable and he now has a number of Silver and Gold-selling records under his belt.
Whether it be mixtapes like 'Ard Bodied or long-plays like The Landlord, Giggs made classics then and he's still in the classic-making business today.
South London Artist Giggs by Christopher CargillTRENCH
Who would have thought the guy that major establishments tried to ban all those years ago would have billionaires (see: Jay-Z) name-checking him on songs?
For those of us who have supported his every move, we were never in doubt, but it’s been a real joy to see Giggs let ‘em av it.
From his back-and-forth trips over to the U.S. recently, it’s clear Hollow's about to level up even more. Some advice for the naysayers: fasten your seatbelts.
This digital work has been produced in collaboration with PRS Foundation and POWER UP. The article first featured in TRENCH x Union Black's Chapter One: Game Changers zine.
Words by Joseph 'JP' Patterson
Photography by Christopher Cargill and Ashley Verse
Videos by Giggs, XL Recordings, GRM Daily, BBC Music
Commissioned by TRENCH
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