ArrDee has spoken to NME about his new single ‘Different’, his highly-anticipated debut album, and the state of UK rap.
The Brighton star is set to dropped his fifth song of the year later earlier this month – with ‘Different’ flipping The Shapeshifters’ iconic debut single ‘Lola’s Theme’ as the 21-year-old fuses the house classic with his signature pop-drill sound.
Talking to NME at Silverstone Circuit, he joked that the song was about “these girls that keep telling [him] they different [and] not like these other women” and was “bored of hearing it”.
He continued: “It sounds kind of dark and [‘Lola’s Theme’] is quite uplifting. I mean, you play that at the end of most raves and parties anywhere and everybody comes to life and I wanted my take on it to have the same effect, so we played about with the beat a little bit more. Shout out TSB as well – very very cold producer – and the rest wrote itself.”
The ‘Oliver Twist’ rapper said it was a “long” and “weird” process to get the sample cleared – an issue many artists find difficult in the current sample era.
“Five or six of them cleared it straight away and there was one left that was a little bit hard to track down,” he admitted. “But we got there eventually and everyone who was a part of the original song loves my take on it, which is always a good sign that I got their blessing.”
‘Different’ is expected to be featured on the “big project” ArrDee has been working on for a few years. It will be his first LP since dropping his debut mixtape ‘Pier Pressure’ back in 2022.
NME gave the record four stars, writing: “ArrDee plasters the record with radio-friendly drill beats, quality rhymes and nightclub belters befitting of his character, ensuring that ‘Pier Pressure’ provides a clear snapshot of a rapper very much on the rise.”
Speaking about his long-awaited LP, the rapper revealed that “there are all kinds of flavours” on the record.
“I know it feels like I’ve been saying forever now that I’m working on a big project, but I ain’t lying, I have been,” he stated. “We don’t want to put out anything that we’re above and beyond proud of.”
The rapper shared that fans can expect some amapiano and Afrobeats songs on there, as well as some real deep, meaningful hip-hop and “the – not old, but – original drill sound that I’m known and loved for.”
“I don’t like to put myself in a box or stick to one little bracket,” ArrDee explained. “That’s why you see me dipping in and out of a few scenes. You see me touch and show a little bit of love to the drum and bass scene as well.”
He spoke about his approach to exploring new sounds, saying he was focused “more on collaborating with artists from different sides of the world” and “making sure that our link-ups sound organic”.
ArrDee proceeded to tease a joint track with rising Afropop star Shallipopi: “If I’m collaborating with [him], I’m not going to go into the studio and start playing drill instrumentals because that’s more catered to me and that might not show his talents and sounds in the best way that it can.”
The rapper has yet to announce the release date or title for the project, but “it’s so near the end, it’s actually a little bit of a joke at this point”.
He added: “We’ve had it there for a second, man, but the scene is fluctuating more than it ever has, so it [needs to be] the best music on there but also the best chance of performing well. Some songs get swapped out, then put back in, and then taken out again – we might have an old song that fits the time right now.”
When talking about what fans can expect, he didn’t “want to say too much,” but teased that it’s “a level up”.
“I’ve got a few things coming out that’s going to answer a lot of unanswered questions in the sense of where have I been and why haven’t I been as consistent as I should have been,” he told NME. “I think everybody has to understand as well that I blew [up] when I was 18 and I’m growing up in front of you lot,” he continued. “This is all new to me and people go through things, man. I’m human as well, innit? So [the project will show] that evolution and [be] personal with my fan base and building a stronger relationship with them.”
Earlier this year, ArrDee dropped ‘If The Shoe Fits’ – his first solo effort of the year. The bold song called out the whole of the UK rap scene. NME asked the rising star why he decided to release the song.
“There were a few reasons, to be honest,” he replied. He reasoned that, because the UK is “quite small but also quite influential in the rap industry at the moment”, it needs to “constantly be moving” but feels like “the majority of the scene slowed down”.
“Everybody needed a little bit of a wake up,” ArrDee continued. “My whole brand is being cheeky, speaking my mind and doing what I want when I want and I stand by that.”
The song was inspired by the Kendrick Lamar and Drake feud, sampling ‘Like That’ – the Metro Boomin-produced song in which the former ignited his feud against the OVO rapper.
He also said he grew up on grime and “fell in love with UK rap when Chip and Bugsy [Malone] were going at it”. In 2015, the two went head-to-head in a rap feud that put grime back into the mainstream. ArrDee said: “Everybody knows that was all for the love of the sport and nothing outside of rap has come from it – that was my mentality.”
ArrDee also said UK rap newcomers need to make hits that have an impact on the charts, in clubs and on TikTok. He cited his own success with tracks like his verse on the remix to Russ and Tion Wayne‘s 2019 song ‘Body’ and ‘Oliver Twist’.
He feels “like it’s been a while” since a rising rap star has done such. “Where are the UK hits?” he questioned. “Not just necessarily songs that have a peak in the charts and then fuck off the next week, but the UK rap hits that live for a while?”
“Some people thought I was dissing UK rap, which is definitely the wrong way to take it. I’ve got such a passion and love for it. I don’t want to see such an important thing in my life get swept under the rug. Everybody as a scene has to do things to try and keep it all in the mix.
“LeoStayTrill, Ghetts, Kairo Keyz, Pozer – there are loads of artists I big everybody up, but it’s about time I get my flowers, how about that?”
Last year, ArrDee made his film debut in the British gangster sequel Rise Of The Footsoldier: Vengeance. In an exclusive chat with NME, he said he learned “to try and be in the moment as much as possible” from co-star Craig Fairbrass.
Reflecting on his role a year later, ArrDee said: “Branching out is always something I knew I’d do eventually, but I didn’t think it would happen as early as it has. We’ll look for a few bigger roles in the future, for sure.”
In other news, the rapper recently announced a lingerie line called ArrDoubleDee’s last month. There is currently no release date for the new venture.