Adian Coker is a name to get to know, and get to know fast. While many artists in the modern day music scene find fame incredibly quick, have 1 or 2 hit tracks and then disappear, there seems to be a trend of artists who are taking their time. While it may seem that many artists have ‘come from nowhere’, they have actually been hard at work, behind the scenes, and making sure everything is right before stepping into the spotlight. Adian Coker embodies this desire and it’s almost time for all his hard work to pay off. With new track ‘Gospel’ [feat. Raheem Bakare] released under a month ago, Adian relays his journey and knows it’s time to go;
“Momma told me to keep them heels on the ground boy, and when you get your shot, you better take your shot boy.”
South London born Adian Coker started his career in music with the release of his debut mixtape Lights Fantastic in 2012 which was released to great commercial success. The self-produced project saw Aidan release a string of successful singles including ‘Angels & Demons’ and ‘Airs & Graces’, which gained support from the likes of DJ MK, Lily Mercer and DJ Semtex. The project was 2 years in the making and it’s clear that Adian took his time with each track, perfecting every element to ensure a clean and polished result. Each track felt like proper hip-hop and had the visuals to match.
The style and swagger of 2012 Adian could be compared to US stars Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco of that era and he was picked up by many online outlets including SB.TV, Soul Culture, RWD and GRM Daily. One of our favourite tracks is ‘Gaza ‘which showcased his rough and gritty flow over a heavy bass instrumental with electric guitar synths and reflected his struggle to be one of the leaders of hip-hop in the UK.
https://soundcloud.com/adiancoker/gaza
Like the aforementioned short term success of some UK rappers, it can always be hard to follow up on a successful project. Adian sat back and planned his next piece of work and came back with a bang in the summer of 2013 with trap-influenced banger ‘Cream’.
What was so impressive about Adian’s return was the creativity that went into the track and accompanying video. The dark, noir visuals, directed by Drew Cox, showed how relevant he was and the track saw Adian speaking on the power of money and the love and hate it brings. While talking about how money can be seen as an overdone topic, Aidan took it and put a spin on it, which was a breath of fresh air in an oversaturated field of talent. While being featured on Earmilk and Dummy Magazine, Adian capitalised and dropped his long awaited second project Young World.
Ever one to surprise his fans, Adian incorporated a slower vibe with his second outing and incorporated singing [‘Dream’ feat. Josh Osho] and spoken word [‘Victory’] into his work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=40&v=b66TJd00S6w
Taking a hiatus from music is never easy and it can always prove a challenge to return and create an impact on arrival. Even knowing this, Adian Coker took some time out to jump back in the studio and work on new music. In this time, he was quoted by substantial media outlets in the US; XXL, The Source and Vibe Magazine to name a few, and it was only a matter a time before the London rapper resurfaced. The result was ‘Gospel’, a hard-hitting rap track which has all the credentials of a bona fide classic. While never afraid to tackle the critics, Adian told people what you did in his time away:
“Actually, I didn’t wait. I said ‘f*ck that’ and went and wrote (better) raps, produced (better) beats and changed my outlook on this music shit (for the better). The result is ‘Gospel’, featuring my darg Raheem Bakaré. This is a personal favourite of mine and I’m super-duper proud of it. Raheem sings the hook like he’s chirpsing the baddest lighty and my third verse is pretty nice if I do say so myself (if I D’usse so myself).”
The track itself is a catchy number and is reminiscent of Adian’s earlier music, but also shows his evolution and maturity over the years with the way he constructs and delivers his verses. The track has only been live for 3 weeks and has already amassed over 6,000 views on YouTube.
The journey has not always been easy but Adian’s perseverance has gained him a considerable following. With so many influential supporters and a gleaming resume of music, the future looks good for Adian Coker. Whatever the future holds, you can guarantee that he will come out of it shining and TRAPPED will be there every step of the way.
Words: Nathan Tuft – @Natz_AO
