Morrisson

Emerging from East London’s unforgiving trap scene, Newham native Morrisson established himself in the late 2010s as an unwavering voice for his borough. He chronicled the exploits of a local trap kingpin without restraint, his straightforward approach, raw cadence, and lived experiences fueling borough anthems such as “Shots” and “Brothers.”

Although he reached national prominence during the 2010s, his foundation stretched back to the U.K. underground of the late 2000s. An early endorsement came from grime veteran Giggs after the pair connected inside London’s Ruthless Records shop, leading to joint work. His accounts of what he termed “gutter life,” encompassing street-level hustles and territorial control, formed the core of his first project, the 2008 mixtape Currently Getting Currency. Exposure on the historic SBTV platform delivered his initial digital traction and paved the way for the follow-up release, 2009’s The Best of Morrisson.

Potent standalone tracks and Daily Duppy spots marked his entry into the new decade, yet a drug-related prison term suspended further progress until the second half of the 2010s. Upon resurfacing in 2017, he recalibrated to the evolving U.K. rap landscape. The urgent cuts “Crowbar in My Bag,” “Enemies,” and “Buckingham Palace” steered him toward the trap-drill fusion then in vogue, yet it was the 2019 single “Shots” that finally carried his unflinching storytelling to broader listeners. Crafted over M1OnTheBeat’s ominous drill backdrop, its memorable hook and gravelly vocal style generated widespread U.K. streams; momentum doubled with the “Shots [Remix]” that added OFB, V9, Burner, and Snap Capone. Early 2020 brought “Bad Boys,” followed by the fiercely devoted “Brothers,” written in memory of his sibling’s passing. Further drill traction arrived via pairings with Loski on “Bad Guy” and M24 on “Gulag.” The following year yielded “Eastender,” the U.K. garage-infused “House & Garage” with Aitch, and the frenetic “Blama” alongside Steel Banglez and Tion Wayne.