British Rapper PW - The New Kid On The Block

Throughout time the British music industry has hosted a stream of teen idols – acts that appeal to the popular 13-19 market. And with the UK urban scene thriving right now, it makes sense for this to apply here too.

Step forward PW. With Chipmunk now a veteran of the game at the – ahem – ripe old age of 20, this 18-year-old from, Edmonton North London is primed to smoothly slide into this spot.

Hailing from the same ends as Chipmunk and another one of his faves Wretch 32, PW, whose stage
moniker comes from his childhood nickname ‘Peewee’ – ‘I shortened it as I don’t think it would
have been cool for me to use that as my rap name, do you?’, started rhyming at the age of 14,
literally ‘behind the bike sheds’ at lunch and break times.

He then took some time out, before returning to it in college.

"I decided to pick it up again due to the inspiration from the area I grew up in,’ he says. ‘I saw the likes of Wretch 32, Marvell and Chipmunk, who actually went to my college, doing their thing. And then one of my close family friends is a co-manager at Chip’s label Always Recordings, so it was just being around the industry in one way or another."

So does he feel like he could have the younger generation on lock? The urban music scene, unlike
in previous years is large enough to accommodate several acts and it is always wise to identify a particular niche within that market. How does PW’s swag lend to this?

‘I wouldn’t use any elaborate terms to describe my style,’ he says matter-of-factly, ‘I would just say it is just young and fresh, as a young person coming up. I know good music, and my sound and lyrics are inspirational and full of motivation. I like to make feel-good music.’

So what’s P’s (real name Akheim Allen) master-plan for his inevitable UK chart domination?

"I am aware of the acts around me, but I am not hardcore studying what everyone else is doing
to use that as my template,’ he explains. ‘Even though I am brush shoulders with a lot of up-and-coming artists and artists period, I am just myself. I know if I do that to the best of my ability no one can top that. My best is my only competition."

Right now PW, who is currently independent, is warming up to really go hard in the industry with a series of school and club appearances and freestyles posted on YouTube, including one laid over Jay-Z’s DOA blogged by BBC Radio 1xtra and Universal A&R - Dj Semtex and a few other key taste making bloggers .

He also recently recorded the Summer-vibed Sensible, which documents a conversation between P
and a young lady about the direction of their relationship.

"I want people to know that I can rhyme before I really put out any official material," he assesses.

In the meantime PW is keeping his eyes locked straight up towards the sky, which he sees us having no limits. "I’ve seen what the likes of Tinie Tempah have done in the space of under a year. Obviously I know it has taken a lot of work and dedication to reach that point, but knowing I have both those qualities makes me believe I can have it all."




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