By Cammy Thomas
We are once again at the precipice of a New Year, and as we all look back and reflect on the past year Kat Williams prophesised, and ponder personal highs and lows, we also tend to remember the musical highlights which soundtracked our individual experiences throughout the year.
Looking back sonically at 2024, it became apparent to me I would be doing this album a disservice by allowing the year to end without drawing attention to its sheer brilliance and honouring its artist’s lyricism and maturity. Released February 2024 three years after the equally brilliant, ‘Conflict of Interest,’ ‘On Purpose, with Purpose,’ Ghetts’ fourth studio album, expands upon the themes explored within its predecessor whilst introducing fresh topics.
An albums intro sets the tone for the listener, offers insight into an artist’s current mindset, and acts as the framework for which the remainder of the album will unfurl within, and ‘On Purpose, with Purpose’ intro is one of the best I have ever heard. This is hairs on your arms stood to attention, jaw agape, level lyricism! Ghetts laments on his fragile friendships as he evolves, how having daughters have made himself and peers’ real men, he muses on moments that should have been cherished, and pays respects to people lost in his journey through life. I found myself nodding in fervent agreement at the profound – “I’m a builder, and an architect, I design it and build it, I just still need to carpet it, I was into garage when I couldn’t put a car in it.” I was moved by the visceral lyric – “I don’t know if I’m strong or the pain’s been on hold so long, I don’t know what I’m going through exactly,” rarely has a lyric resonated so deeply and personally with my own experiences and losses. Just as I was attempting not to weep and wail like a crazy lady at the gym and keep my composure, Ghetts then followed up with the beyond powerful double entendre – “I’m at an age where man I grew up with are having heart attacks, I used to worry about arrests but not a cardiac…” So stirred by the raw truth and tragedy of Ghetts’ observations on the immense intro, I sat with his words for days before continuing the rest of the album.
Once the power of the intro had been fully digested, hearing Martin Luther Kings thunderous voice at the top of following track ‘Mount Rushmore’ informs we are about to be taken to the summit of lyrical greatness, with arguably the UK’s “big three” Ghetts, Kano, and Wretch 32, blessing us with supreme bar after bar. The song is reminiscent of the collaboration between Kano and Ghetts, joined by UK Grime legend D Double E, on 2016 track ‘Class of De Ja’. Against a haunting gospel chant, Ghetts gives his mum the greatest honour, comparing her to Donda West and Afeni Shakur, and asks us – “Have you ever picked a rose just to analyse the thorns? Have you ever played chess just to sacrifice the pawns,” the lyric not only depict life’s harsh contradictions, but is a fitting tribute to Afeni Shakur’s son, Tupac’s Shakur’s collection of poetry ‘The Rose That Grew from Concrete.’ As usual Kano delivers a solid verse and reveals he has become a father (Congratulations Kane!), he also nostalgically announces “Woo hah! That’s the vibe, got you all in check like I was Busta in his prime,” something us old schoolers will instantly recognise. Wretch 32’s verse contains such skillful wordplay, multiple replays are necessary to catch them all, as he remembers humble beginnings – “Went from being underground in my shell like a small turtle, now I’m Michelangelo and I’m painting the colour purple”. The track is one of the standouts on the album as each artist bares their innermost thoughts.
Social politically charged ‘Double Standards’ is a stark dissection of structural imbalance and hypocritical judgements dependent on differing demographics and their perceived stereotypes. Ghetts notes how people are profiled from their names alone, we’re reminded of diaspora wars at a time where it was cool to be Caribbean and shameful to admit African heritage, he opines that you’re viewed as a hero if you die for your country, but vilified if you defend your area and postcode with the same pride and patriotism. He questions why paedophiles get less time than drug pushers, focuses on recent topical events where – “Raheem could score 100 goals, but when he miss a penalty it’s monkey jokes”, and wonders why we were encouraged to clap for the NHS, but yet the same government refuse to adequately fund the NHS. Ghetts fearlessly tackles each taboo against a laid-back instrumental, and soulful guest vocals courtesy of Sampha. Ghetts should be commended for drawing attention to the state of the fractured socioeconomic climate at present. At the tracks close I was disappointed to learn that one of Ghetts’ best songs, ‘Black Rose’ which I previously reviewed, has seemingly been shadow banned.
The mid-section of ‘On Purpose. with Purpose’ delivers crud, greaze, and grit in abundance, with Ghetts switching up his cadence to menacing. Ghetts’ bars are unnervingly measured and threatening on the tracks ‘Anakin,’ ‘Blood on my Hands’ (with a charismatic feature from Drill Don Unknown T complete with his signature kiss teeths with vigour!), ‘Stylish Nxxxa,’ and ‘Laps.’ For fans of Ghetts’ skengman mode complete with descriptive horror core imagery, this portion of the album will not disappoint. We remain moody with the instrumental of ‘Twin Sister’ introducing a ghostly operatic vocal and flourishes of violin, as Ghetts assisted by Skrapz, tell vivid tales of their sexcapades with twin sisters and threesomes, respectively. Ghetts marvels at how the twins “don’t make the same sound,” whilst Skrapz is unapologetically cold towards his temporary beau, which makes his delivery even more intriguing. The tracks’ strength lies within the honesty in its story telling. My ultimate jam on the entire album is found on the sweet 1980’s synthesisers and double time drum pattern of ‘Mine’, where Ghetts expertly matches the drums, with double time raps over a saccharine R&B instrumental. Notting Hill singer, Shakka, laces the chorus with smooth vocals, as Ghetts cements his status as a ladies’ man. The track is a homage to much missed 1990’s R&B ballads sung by the likes of TLC and Eternal!
The last section of ‘On Purpose, with Purpose,’ reveals Ghetts at his most introspective whilst celebrating African culture on Afrobeats and Amapiano instrumentals. “Hallelujah” is a heartfelt piano laden trip down memory lane as Ghetts appreciates how far he’s come and acknowledges the rocky roads he’s navigated – “A lot of great moments I couldn’t even process, cause every time I’ve had a platform I’ve had to protest, I went against the grain, and it slowed down my progress, but I got god in my corner let me show dem”. ‘Gbedu’ is heavy on the horns as Ghetts flexes his Jamaican patios in an ode to his lady love. ‘Tumbi’ and ‘Blessings’ are bold displays of diverse ethnicity as Ghetts delivers the lyrics in a Yoruba dialect and accent, which is a world away from the days “Kwame used to tell his friends his name was Jerome. Just so they’d leave him alone” as told to us on previous track ‘Double Standards.’ ‘Street Politics’ is a cautionary tale of the catastrophic outcome when you allow pride to come before a fall. The storytelling is masterful, as Ghetts characterises himself as the protagonist who lashes out at his antagonist, only to ask himself far too late, “Was it worth it?” hopefully the songs warning will be heeded by young men who are tempted to make life changing impulsive decisions.
‘Jonah’s Safety’ featuring Mancunian songbird Pip Millet, is a brave subject for a male artist to tackle, as Ghetts empathetically delves deep into the differing elements of pregnancy and motherhood from postnatal depression, and eventual suicide, to abortion laws snatching the humane right of choice from women who are disregarded and expected to carry their child to full term when the conception of the child was not consensual. – “How can the state you live in, cause the state you been in? How can a man only get four years, for raping women? How can a government tell you what you can do with your body, I hate this system.” Ghetts does not shy away from telling searing truths, and although absolutely gut wrenching and heartbreaking to hear, they are essential truths which will raise awareness, and for this, Ghetts should be applauded for stepping into the heart and mind of a woman, and fully immersing himself within the harrowing experiences he speaks of with sincerity and sensitivity. When absorbing the song, you can feel Ghetts sat with his thoughts and feelings regarding these scenarios for a lengthy period before he got in the booth to commit to the finality of the lyrics. Pip Millet beautifully conveys the fragility and vulnerability women in these situations experience, within the opening strains of her vocals.
Ghetts has crafted a balanced album of crud, class, and culture! His social political observations are brutally honest, yet he’s managed to cater to every fan who appreciate the differing iterations of Ghetts’ persona, whether you’re a drill don, you’re collecting pearls of wisdom from a mature artist, or you just want something to vibe to, this album serves its purpose of satisfying your aural palate!
Photo credits: Image 1 and 2, Seye Isikalu. Image 3, BBC Music
* DOWNLOAD /LISTEN * to ‘On Purpose, with Purpose’ on your preferred music link below:
Dine On Grime / Munch on music 