Skepta – Microphone Champion [Album Review]

Moving on from Bashy, we saw Skepta drop ‘Microphone Champion’. The follow up to ‘Greatest Hits’, and since declaring himself the ‘King of Grime’ and the ‘Champion’, Skepta had to come with a very good cd… let’s see if he did…

Reflecting: One track in, and i already sense the same problem that I had with JME’s ‘Famous’ album… we’ve heard this bars too many times before on the radio freestyles. Albums bars should not be used on radio (See Ghetts for this). That said, the beat nice is nice, the bars are still nice, and the flow is good. Its a solid start to an album. 8/10

Are You Ready? ft Wiley: Produced by Rude Kid, and featuring godfather Wiley, we have to expect a good song. Thankfully, they all deliever. The beat is banging, Skeps is on point. Wiley blesses us with a chorus (even if slightly pointless) that is quite catchy, shame we couldn’t get a verse from him. Again, more bars i’ve already heard from Skepta. Still a very good track. 8/10

Oh My Gosh: A JME beat (which he told me he made as a joke for his MySpace, but Skepta liked it so much he took it for the album) on this one, which is very nice, as i have come to expect from JMEs beats. Details a story of being arrested, and the following events. I guess its his intent to open up peoples eyes about jail and the regrets, its nice. I hope the rest of the album stays this strong. 8/10

Look Out ft. Giggs: Let me start of by saying i am not particulary a fan of Giggs. But he absolutely smashes this. The beat is absolutely banging. Skepta adopts a Giggs like flow as well, and likewise, kills it. This has been replayed many a time ever since SB dropped the hood video for it, and it never gets old. I don’t even know what to say, just wow. Its back on that ‘ard shit we expect. Some simple but big bars, eg, “Yo this might sound a bit cheeky, but i don’t even try fam i make it look easy, natrually greezy. Me and Giggs run up and take all the gold coins like Mario and Luigi”. 10/10

Sticks and Stones: The chorus is just jokes. “its all sticks and stones, if i punch a man in the face i’ll make your lip lean to the left like Slyvester Stallone!” The Stallone bar is just sick. Another very strong track, good chorus, good bars, good beat, good flow! So far, Skeptas been pretty darn consistent and awesome on this album, better than i expected, lets hope he keeps it up. 9/10

Too Many Man ft. BBK: Well I think we all know about this tune by now. In my opinion, its one of the best attempts at mainstream success to come out of grime so far, shame the charts didn’t so the same. It has that funky/grime/mainstream mixture, which is fire. Shorty starts it off, and them bars just don’t get old for some reason. Wiley/Skepta come hard [ll], not really feeling JME’s verse though. And then we come to Friscos verse. WOW. He actually kills it, amazing. 9/10

Lush ft. Jay Sean: A blatent attempt to garner some mainstream appeal, slightly forced, but i still like it. Jay Seans vocals are on point as always, you can see why Lil’ Wayne signed him. Skeptas okay on it, the beat is so-so, but despite that, theres still a certain likabillity to it. 7/10

My Emotions: The beat on this is pretty sick! “You’re doing a madness to my head!” is too catchy. This is nice, its something different. 2nd girly track on the spin though, I reckon the tracklist order should of been slightly different, Skeptas flow is on point, go so well with the beat. 8/10

Skepta: Now THIS is different. A rock like beat, similar to ‘Chip Diddy Chip’ as it happens. And it is pretty slick. It does sound slightly corny at times, but Skepta saves it with again another very good flow, and some nice bars. Before I even rewiew anymore, I must say, Skepta, you’ve already overdone my expectations. Well done. (More old bars on this one though!) 8/10

Amsterdam (Skit): Didn’t really see the point in this, until the next track…

Disguise ft. JME and Jammer: Wow, i don’t know where to begin. A track about… tranvestites? I have no idea how, but somehow, it’s awesome. “Tranvestites… Mandem in disguise… tranvestites… more than meets the eye”. JME and Jammer both absolutely rape the beat (no Alan Pardew, who knows about MOTD2?), Wow, banging tune. 9/10

Gingerbread Man: Hmm, “they can’t catch me, nurnurnurnurnur”. Slightly chidlish Joseph, no? Anyways, sick beat, sick song, I can’t get enough of it. [ll]. Talking about how good he is though, i’m not the biggest fan of this kinda tunes, but hey, its grime. Silencer on the (sick) beat. 8/10

Ed Hardy Party feat. Tinchy Stryder: Nice collabo to be honest. Skeptas bars are so old its unreal, but oh well. Tinchys nice. The chorus is kinda poor mind you. Production is nice, something that is very consistent on the album. 7/10

Madness feat. Dubz and Paper Pablo: Great beat. Its good to hear the two featured guys on the albums as well. Not sure about Skeptas bars to be honest. “Nee nor nee nor”? Come on man! 6/10

Over The Top/Dark ft. Trigga: Both very old tunes, not much to say, everyone knows about them. Should of included the Merdian OTT remix on the album however. 7/10

Once again moving onto the bonus tracks that we already know about….

Sunglasses At Night: Hmm, such a bad, but incredibly catchy chorus. Overall though, its a nice tune to be honest. Was suprised when i saw it was actually Skeps who produced it as well! 7/10

Rolex Sweep: A sort of remix to Wileys ‘Wearing My Rolex’, complete with its own dance. Not sure it had the affect they wanted however. Bless Beats on the production. 6/10.

Hm, overall, the album is very very good. Maybe not as polished or as allround as Bashys, but its very strong. The production levels are very high indeed, the spitting is good, it has most things you want from an album. And to be honest, by these days terms, its actually pretty grimey for the most part. (Although we do have Wiley to come…). In all honesty… 8/10 again!