Prose

The Mancunian rap/acoustic trio Prose attracted an eclectic array of critical responses in their earliest coverage, with writers noting a fusion of grounded British hip-hop in the vein of the Streets or Plan B alongside melodic lad-rock influences drawn from fellow Manchester act Oasis. Their lyrics drew directly from lived experience and frequently explored intimate personal themes.

Mike Murray handled rap and vocals, Dave Stone played bass and handled production duties, and Lee Royle contributed guitar; Murray and Stone were cousins who had already spent years separately chasing music careers before the group formed. During their youth, Stone regularly crafted beats for Murray to sharpen his wordplay, a pattern that shifted once Murray sought a more immediate, organic sound and asked Stone to bring in Royle on guitar. The three clicked at once and settled into a weekly rehearsal routine that stretched across six years without formal plans.

In 2014 they finally began performing publicly, recruiting additional musicians on keys and drums for those initial shows. Casual YouTube uploads followed until London rapper Naughty Boy encountered their material and connected them with Emeli Sandé, leading to a support slot at a London benefit concert for a homeless charity before an audience of 700—their biggest crowd to date. Virgin Records issued their debut single, What If?, in October 2015, followed by the full-length Home of the Brave the next year.