SL

A standout figure across the U.K. rap landscape from the late 2010s into the following decade, Croydon-rooted trailblazer SL distinguished himself through an understated vocal style and an unconventional take on the capital’s prevailing rap idioms. The Peckham-born, Croydon-raised artist released his first single, “Gentleman,” at fifteen; the 2017 cut held the record for most-viewed U.K. drill video until the close of 2021.

That debut track presented a relaxed reinterpretation of the typically frenetic U.K. drill template, pairing the rapper’s unhurried cadence with subdued beats and an idiosyncratic lyrical outlook. Within its first year the clip surpassed fifteen million views, securing its place as the most-streamed U.K. drill video of its era. After exploring more conventional territory on “Them Boyz,” SL scored another swift success with “Tropical,” a self-coined “tropical drill” experiment that deepened the languid sonic palette and amassed tens of millions of plays en route to a number 73 peak on the U.K. charts.

Throughout 2018 the rapper expanded his understated aesthetic on “Nothing to Say” and “Summertime Santa,” while joining grime veteran Chip for the assertive cut “Genes.” A 2019 EP titled Everything Good Is Bad gathered these early threads and spotlighted the glittering “FWA Boss,” alongside further examples of his characteristically mellow approach. Additional profile-building moves that year included an appearance on the star-studded “I Spy” remix alongside fellow drill artists Krept & Konan, a Mad About Bars freestyle, and a placement on the Top Boy soundtrack.

Entering 2020, SL issued the Selhurst SE25 EP, which incorporated the 808-heavy trap sound of Kenny Beats and featured the piercing Pa Salieu collaboration “Hit the Block.” Later that October came the debut mixtape Different Dude, an exercise in stylistic experimentation that juxtaposed soaring trap narratives with restless drill rhythms and included guest spots from Unknown T, Nafe Smallz, and Ayo Britain. SL opened 2021 by trading rapid-fire verses with M1llionz on “Versus.”