UK grime rapper Stormzy just dropped his new single “Vossi Bop,” his first new music since the 2017 debut album “Gang Signs & Prayer.” The song is in part inspired by a dance created by viral star NL Vossi. It’s coldly political, nimbly playful, infectiously party-ready, and hilarious all at once.

The accompanying music video (directed by Henry Scholfield and choreographed by Shay Latukola) matches the tracks high-wattage energy, taking the viewer around different iconic spots of London, Stormzy’s hometown.  The opening shows our protagonist in the middle of the Westminster bridge. Oh, and there’s an Idris Elba cameo, because why not?

When asked why NL Vossi served as an inspiration for the song, Stormzy replied: “He was just dancing to this song. But it was just so infectious, and such a genuine joyous moment that for whatever reason, I went to the studio a couple weeks later, and I made this song called Vossi Bop. But this is like three years ago; 2016 I made this song. Or 2015. And yeah, I just had the spirit of Vossi in me. I think it just embodies everything that I'm about. The confidence, the humor, the style, the flair, the anarchy, the chaos, just the vibe. All of these things, I was like, 'This is me embodied.'"

For those unfamiliar, grime music is a unique style of hip hop that emerged in London in the early 2000s. The common elements include: syncopated breakbeats around 140 beats per minute, jagged electronic sounds and lyrics depicting a post-industrial gritty urban life. Aside from hip hop, Grime draws from a myriad of genres: UK garage, drum and bass, hip hop, and of course dancehall. Stormzy, along with Ghetts, Skepta, and Ruff Sqwad, have become more famous than the genre's humble beginnings on UK pirate radios. Stormzy’s meteoric rise, in particular, typifies a new level of mainstream exposure for grime music. Stormzy will be the first ever British MC to headline Glastonbury this summer.

No new album has been officially announced, but with this track and it’s sleek music video, many think we’ll be getting a full LP from Stormzy any day.

Header photo by Red Bull Press.