Lyricist, artist, author, entrepreneur, creative director – Wretch 32 continues to embrace new challenges and cover an untrodden path in a singular career that’s already 15 years deep. On his new project little BIG Man, the revered Tottenham multi-hyphenate showcases growth in perspective and wisdom; as both an elder statesman and a versatile artist still clearly in his prime.
Never afraid to step outside of his comfort zone, Wretch places himself in the shoes of a teenager in order to consider the immediate issues that plague today’s youth, then zooms out to expose how these issues feed into the tragic cycle of incarceration that’s visible from his current perspective. Across the empathetic 9-track concept project he examines themes like incarceration, violence and poverty.
“I was trying to put myself in a 17-year-old’s body and trying to see how they feel,” he explains. “How does it feel to come out of prison at that age? What struggles do I face? As a senior, I’m seeing a pattern and a cycle and this was about me trying to understand their experiences.”
Across the tracklist Wretch calls upon a diverse range of voices including K-Trap, Nafe Smallz, Tiggs Da Author, Kayy Kayy, Blade Brown, M Huncho, SL, Little Simz and Henrie Kwushue as a way of sparking layered conversation around the complexity of these societal issues from multiple points of view.
In anticipation of the release, Wretch has released a short film directed by Edem Wornoo (Dave, Fredo) which explores the themes of the project across three acts. Drawing from little BIG Man’s narrative, the piece follows a protagonist as he returns home from jail and – left to balance residual trauma and anxiety with the pressures of being a provider for his mother and sister – finds himself falling into the cycle of reoffending.
With little BIG Man Wretch offers a thoughtful take on growing up in the hood that very few could deliver: one that intertwines youthful energy with a grown mentality and, offers wisdom as a peer rather than a preacher.
Track listing:
01 The Beginning
02 On My Life
03 All White- Interlude ft K-Trap & Nafe Smallz
04 Take Care Of Me ft Tiggs Da Author
05 Anxiety ft Kayy Kayy
06 Pressure ft Blade Brown
07 Last Night – No One Can Relate ft M-Huncho
08 Next Door ft SL & Little Simz
09 The Endz
