After a seven-month hiatus, Blanco makes his long-awaited return with fresh new bop The Great Escape. The follow up to his popular ‘Anakin’, ‘The Great Escape’ sees Blanco take his Brazilian themed beats back to his original Drill sound, tapping in Shepherd’s Bush golden boy Central Cee for a back to back session of unlimited bars and early Summer vibes. The haunting flutes, chords, and staggered drums set up a cinematic backdrop for Blanco, who comes in with his distinct brand of clever wordplay that neatly slots classic TV show references, in between grittier tales from his past. Produced by LiTek (OFB, Aitch), the track gives fans a charismatic match up as Central Cee opens about his duality and the two rappers trade bars, effortlessly demonstrating their sharp delivery and intricate storytelling throughout the track. The combination of Blanco’s charm and Central Cee’s wit accompanied with a strong production proves a clever cocktail setting The Great Escape up to be a guaranteed hit this summer.
Continuing to grow from strength to strength, Blanco has proved himself to be more than just one to watch but a firm staple in UK rap. Armed with a growing fanbase who crave Blanco’s versatility, the Kennington Rapper released the ultra-cold Shippuden, which ignited a wave of Brazilian tinged singles including Memphis and Anakin. To date, all three singles have amassed a staggering 14.8 million combined streams on Spotify with a further 5 million views. Next to being one of the most recognisable stars in the UK Rap scene, Blanco is one of the most notable faces of the new generation of artists making their mark. Widely known for his witty lyrics, masterful metaphors and his cool relaxed demeanour on tracks, the South London rapper has collaborated with a variety of artists such as Donato, Laski, Stay Flee Get Lizzy, Youngs Teflon amongst others. As well as having had support from Complex, GRM Daily, Link Up TV, Charlie Sloth and Kenny Allstar, Blanco is an artist that has created his own lane and a signature style that’s respected industry wide.
Having started as a member in drill rap group Harlem Spartans, Blanco’s grown exponentially as a solo act over the last few years and has helped advance the accessibility of UK Rap in the mainstream by incorporating elements of his Angolan roots, UK Drill and Hip Hop to push the genre forward sonically. In 2019, he had a breakout moment on the mega single ‘Ringtone’ produced by Dr Vades, a song that flipped the traditional grime format into a bouncy, playful song assisted by smooth lyrics that resonated with millions and earned him his first appearance on the UK official chart. Blanco has talent, drive and is on course to be one of the biggest names in the scene, and with his loyal fanbase and penchant for only dropping quality music, he’s right at the forefront as a young rap star who is changing the game.
