Rap has contemporarily been at the forefront of American music. From 2Pac to Nettspend, the hip-hop realm has genuinely become endless. Whether the music is absurd or genius is pretty much subjective nowadays. The genre continues to grow internationally, with a notable increase in the U.K underground.
Rap has never necessarily been at the forefront of the U.K.’s music scene. This was especially true during the 90s and 2000s, when bands like Oasis, Radiohead, and The Cure dominated, while hip-hop had already reached mass appeal in the U.S. The 2010s finally saw the rise of Skepta and Dave, and more recently, the rise of Central Cee, but what’s in store for the next generation? Here are five rappers who are making waves in the U.K. underground right now.
Fakemink
At just 20 years old, London rapper Fakemink is quickly becoming a name you won’t need to be introduced to much longer. 2025 is certainly the year for his rise to mainstream. He has already pulled in millions of listeners and shared the stage with none other than Drake and Yeat last week to perform Mink’s hook on “LV Sandals.”
Fakemink’s ever-growing catalog is absurd, with over 100+ released songs since 2022. He first turned heads with London Saviour in 2023, his debut album that positioned him as one of the UK’s most promising underground rappers. Fakemink isn’t just living up to that promise, he’s surpassing it. His song artwork is wrapped in a fixation with “indie sleaze” and bizarre imagery. Mink takes inspiration from fellow U.S rapper Nettspend and experimental artist and rapper Dean Blunt, which has led him to move toward slower-tempo jerk and cloud rap. Fakemink is considered to be the most notable underground rapper at the moment.
Feng
Feng, a 19-year-old rising British rapper and producer from Croydon, England. He has become known for rapping over nostalgic, cloudy beats, many of which he produces himself, and is quickly gaining traction in the U.K. underground scene. Feng has similar aesthetics to Fakemink, priding himself on the early 2010s and cloud rap inspirations, whilst dropping many singles with the same sort of vibe as Mink.
Feng is a relatively newer artist in this list, despite producing beats since 2019. He dropped his first song on streaming services last August. Since his debut, he has climbed to nearly 500,000 monthly listeners thus far. What the Feng, his first and newest EP, combines ideas of trap music and electro-hop, whilst focusing on a laid-back flow. Feng has continued to impress in the underground scene and while he is more contemporary than the rest, his talent makes up for his lack of experience in the game. Social media platforms like TikTok have helped boost him into stardom and as his music career progresses, he has potential to grow a cult-like fanbase.
EsDeeKid
The man behind the balaclava is EsDeeKid who marks himself as the most hardcore rapper out of the bunch on this list. EsDee represents the Merseyside of U.K. rap, with absurdly high-energy and hard-hitting 808s. His thick Liverpool accent only adds to his disgustingly addictive flow and clever lines. The sheer abrasiveness of each beat is almost impossible not to get hype to.
EsDeeKid’s debut album, Rebel, released last month, sticks to his hardcore persona. The album features the hit “LV Sandals,” a collaboration with Fakemink and EsDee’s friend Rico Ace, though EsDee doesn’t receive as much credit as he deserves for his verse in the track. Rebel also includes a contribution from Fimiguerrero, another rising U.K. rapper known for their high-energy style, bearing some similarities to veteran Lancey Foux. The future is bright for EsDee, especially judging from “LV Sandals.” He may be a relatively newer face in the scene, but once again, he deserves the spotlight.
YT
YT might be one of the older rappers in this list, but his future is still quite promising. In 2021, YT’s music finally had a wider online presence with his song Arc’teryx. Videos showed people testing out and sporting their Arc’teryx coats.
Despite the initial buzz from his viral trend, YT faced challenges in breaking into the mainstream music scene. However, when he released #STILLSWAGGIN two years later, it was a clear highlight to his talent as an underground star. The album is characterized by catchy hooks and impeccable delivery, solidifying his unique style and sound.
His latest release, Oi!, further emphasizes his creative evolution. The album cleverly incorporates the British slang word “Oi” as an ad-lib throughout its tracks, a playful nod to a random snippet from Abi Online Teach’s YouTube video. The word is plastered all over the project, and even though it may seem excessive, its presence is clearly intentional. With Oi!, YT continues to carve out his niche in the U.K. rap scene. It is yet another great project released this year by a U.K. rapper.
Phreshboyswag
Gaining a devoted fanbase in 2023 alongside fellow rapper Xaviersobased and the rest of the 1c crew, Phreshboyswag has already secured a place in underground stardom. However, 2024 brought a setback for Phreshboy’s career when 1c decided to cut ties with him. He played a pivotal role in popularizing the “indie sleaze” aesthetic within the underground scene. Most notably highlighted by a photo of actress Chloe Cherry smoking a blunt, captured with a low-quality Instagram filter on his album Rock Bottom.
Later that year, he released his second project, VIP, which featured the same vibe, clearly showcasing hedonistic lyricism and his signature monotone delivery.
Despite facing criticism for his unique style of rapping, Phreshboyswag has successfully distinguished himself from his peers.
