Artist Spotlight: Chiedu Oraka

Shot by @trashpandamatt

Chiedu Oraka is an open book of resilient authenticity. This is blatant in his music, in his attitude and in his morality. A kind and intelligent persona, the Hull native carries his burdening passion for music with ease and poise, confident in his ability but humble to his wider role in the industry.

Having dropped music regularly since the mid 2010’s, Chiedu’s discography is dense and diverse; specialising in raw, gritty grime tunes but branching out into retrospective road rap and DnB indulging party anthems. A pioneering figure in the recent canon of Northern rap, Chiedu has elevated his home city onto a broader musical spectrum, allowing fellow Yorkshire rappers to begin emerging from their industrial shadows. His recent releases; the robust ‘Helly Hansen 4’, the retrospective yet unnerving ‘The Trials and Tribulations of C.E.O’ and the fierce ‘Foot Off The Gas’, have highlighted his honed craft and untouchable individuality. 

I sat down with Chiedu for a fascinating conversation about his musical and cultural roots, a look back on the significant impact he has had on the Northern grime scene, as well as the issues that continue to hold Northern rap back.

BT: Bless bro how’s it going

CO: Yes bro!

BT: With the pandemic changing the way we consume and create music, how have you been personally affected? 

CO: At the beginning it was a bit mad, I can’t lie. I’d just parted company with a little label situation, so I felt like the world had ended, thinking what am I going to do. I’d put everything into this label relationship. In hindsight, it was a lesson, but at the time I felt like my career was over. After two weeks of sulking, I just decided it was the perfect time to get in the studio. I thought instead of complaining, I should just build for 2021. Even in 2020 I released four tracks. Lockdown has been frustrating in terms of not performing live, but it has been quite a productive period for me because now I’m spoilt for choice with music. I’m looking to release an EP in June and hopefully a second EP later in the year as well. 

BT:  Yeah I think it’s about different mindsets, about making the most out of the situation.

CO: Yeah just finding things to do. I put out a four part documentary ‘Black Kings Upon Hull’ which started in lockdown. The lack of live is annoying because I love performing, it’s my favourite part of music. Having the finished product in hand, performing it to people and seeing their reaction, there’s no better feeling. 

BT: You’ve been a pioneer for Northern rap, but I want to go back to the roots. Who were you influenced by when you were coming up? Obviously, there wasn’t many Northern rappers around who you could look up to for inspiration. Where you looking to the south? Or aboard?

CO: My main influences were America and the London scene. My favourite rapper is Nas. I grew up with my older sister and cousin constantly playing 90s R&B, then when I was able to buy CD’s for myself, it was people like Tupac, Biggie, DMX etc. When I reached secondary school I got introduced to Channel U and that was the start. Kano and Dizzie were really prominent in my introduction to UK music. I just got swallowed by the London culture. I started getting the Lord of the Mic’s DVD’s and then came the Skepta and Boy Better Know era. Obviously UK rappers as well like Giggs and Blade Brown. Too many names to mention. That whole wave of grime and UK rap influenced me. 

BT: So you took that influence and put your own spin on it?

CO: Yeah I had to! There was no one really doing it from Hull. We were just chavs in tracksuits causing mayhem, taking in all the streets stuff from London.

BT: So how has your upbringing, and the situations you have been in, shaped your musical outlook and style?

CO: Massively. I’m unapologetically East Yorkshire. Believe it or not mate, there’s rappers in Hull rapping in London accents, trying to be from London and its cringe. I call them Link Up Tv wannabes. They are chatting about stuff that they’ve never seen or done. Me, I’ve always made a conscious effort to rap about, yes street culture, but where we are from. I can’t fully relate to what happens in London. I get that you might want to say stuff to get accepted by the masses, but all my favourite artists are authentic and that is what me and my collective do, we don’t know anything else. We’re just Hull kids. I’ve got so many songs with Hull references.

BT: Yeah I was listening to ‘I’m From A City’ and that perfectly sums up that authenticity.

CO: Yeah for sure. There was times, especially when I was in that label situation, when I wanted to be accepted by the mainstream black music sound. Then I thought to myself, just go where the love is. There’s no one from Yorkshire that has made it over the hill and I want to be that guy, and when I do that, I want people to see that I’ve done it in my own way. Listeners can feel like they know me when they listen to me and that I’ve been true to myself. I think that people in Hull are really honest people and I’m just a reflection of that. 

BT:  When you were coming up, there wasn’t really a grime scene in Hull, or even in the North at all. How did you manage to manufacture a scene out of nothing?

CO: When you put it like that… I never even gave myself a pat on the back! I struggle to, because I’m nowhere near where I want to be. I’m glad you’ve recognised that because it has been a tough journey. I’m from a city where guitar centric music is the most popular thing, indie music. When I first started doing music, everyone wanted to be the next Oasis or Arctic Monkeys. People laughed at me at first, they weren’t used to seeing it. I had to perform sandwiched in-between bands and acoustic singers. I’m giving it my all in front of people who don’t give a shit, they weren’t there to see a black kid rapping. It was perseverance, the youth and YouTube - me putting out freestyles and being consistent with it, going round selling mixtapes out the back of my rucksack and integrating with the people. I started getting a buzz and then I started getting slots at local festivals and bringing crowds. It got to the point where the local scene in Hull couldn’t ignore me and now I’d say I’m the biggest artist in the city. I’ve created a community of young kids who are into rap, which was definitely not happening before me.

BT: So are there up comers from Hull coming through now? Are you pushing through new artists?

CO: Yeah man, there are a couple of youngsters doing well but what’s missing is the consistency. They think that you release one song and you are going to be performing at the MOBO’s the next day. You have to be consistent with your content and package your product nicely, make sure you are a brand. I always say that I’m a sacrificial lamb; it’s for me to go through the door and then they’ll see someone made it from the city. I am the blueprint, there was no one before me that’s been as big as me from Hull in UK black music. I have a big responsibility on my shoulders and I don’t mind that. You’ve gotta pass down the ladder. 

BT: How would you say the Northern scene is different now compared to five years ago?

CO: It’s a lot better, there is a lot of emerging talent. Some sick spitters from Leeds and Sheffield. The Manchester lot have been killing it for a few years. What I’d like to see though is more authenticity. I still feel like a lot of guys who are popular from these areas aren’t real to themselves. I feel like they need to stop trying to copy the Londoners and come with their own stance. 

BT: I think progress is definitely being made, but why do you think it’s harder to find wider acclaim when you are from the North compared to South?

CO: I just think there is more of a scene in London; more industry, more structure. Most of PR, radio and labels are London based. They’ve got their infrastructure there and sometimes I feel like they can be ignorant and not feel the need to look outside what is in front of them. I think it’s our time now. What’s mad is that you turn on the radio or look at the DSP playlists and it is heavily Southern based - if these tastemakers want to live up to their name, it baffles me that they don’t reach further than what is in front of you. Why wouldn’t they want it to be more versatile? I’m just going to keep knocking on the door so they can’t ignore me. 

BT: How important is individuality to your music?

CO: It’s massive. I always use Skepta as an example. For me, he’s such an individual and he’s still the top MC in the country and he’s like 38. That’s no fluke, that’s because he stayed true to himself and he brings that energy like he doesn’t care. He wears what he wants, spits on any tempo and is very authentic to himself - that’s the reason he has been around for so long. Same with JME, same with Giggs. They are always themselves. That’s what I always try and do with my music and that’s why I’m coming with this ‘Black Yorkshire man’ flex - I’m black Yorkshire and proud, you either accept me or you don’t. It represents the underdog and council estate confidence. We might have all been through struggles but be proud that you’ve overcome them - that’s the energy I’m walking with. Individuality is the core of Chiedu Oraka. 

BT: Your narration is gritty and raw, but I feel like you are not afraid to show vulnerability in your work. Is that an intention approach or is it just you expressing yourself naturally? 

CO: It’s just me. I’m an open book. The track I released recently ‘The Trials and Tribulations of C.E.O’ is my most vulnerable track ever, I’m telling stories that not many people know and I think it’s important and goes back to the wider Black Yorkshireman. For listeners to get in tune with my brand, you need to know everything about me. I understand certain artists are private but I want people to be able to relate to me. 

BT: You’ve done some pretty crazy support shows over the years. What’s your favourite one? 

CO: Stormzy. I supported him just after he won his first MOBO in Hull in a venue called Sugar Mill and it was a proper realisation to me. At the time it was the biggest crowd I’d performed in front of. We performed a track called ’01482’ and we had the whole venue chanting back to us. That was the first gig I did that I thought woah we are really onto something here.  

BT: What do you reckon was the crowd size?

CO: A good 800. 

BT: That kind of crowd is always the best. The room is compact and there is energy in there. The biggest gigs sometimes lack at atmosphere. 

CO: Agreed. My favourite ever gig I did was a festival in Hull called Humber Street Sesh in 2017 on the BBC Introducing Stage - unreal. I’d say there was a good 1000 people at that stage and mate - mosh pits everywhere. I even got off the stage and jumped in myself. Proper rock star stuff. 

BT: That must be insane.

CO: Yeah it really is. I remember when I supported Novelist in Hull and he said something to me that has always stayed with me. He said ‘you know what, I rate you so much because your Hull people, they proper ride for you. You don’t understand how many artists in London can’t sell out their own hometown’. 

BT: Yeah, it’s about building a natural fan base. 

CO: Definitely man. I’ve got tracks on millions of streams on Spotify but are they real fans? Nah. I need to concentrate on getting fans outside of the city and I need do more London shows. 

BT: Next step for sure. 

CO: Yeah, I’m telling you bro, if you ever came to one of my live shows… I just can’t wait to get on that stage again. 

BT: So what’s next then? You looking to do a tour?

CO: I’d love to. I’ve got promoters in Leeds and Liverpool interested in booking me and that should be one of the aims for the latter stages of the year. Just expect loads of music from me. If I can drop two projects this year, I’ll be very happy. I’m just trying for this year to be Chiedu Oraka season because, no pun intended, I’m not taking my foot off the gas this year.

BT: Exciting stuff man, thanks for the openness!

CO: Anytime bro!