It’s been a memorable 12 months for the city of Nottingham. At the forefront of the headlines has been Nuno Espirito Santo, who has proved miracles happen as Forest sit near the top of the summit in the Premier League. What perhaps has been in the peripheral shadow is the rise of the city’s prominent, multi-genre star in Skeete.
His backgrounds are of Jamaican heritage, and his music sonically takes us there. Stars of today’s most-loved Caribbean country in Shensea and Skeng had the expertise to have him open stages, with intimate performances setting the tone for memorable nights.
Last week was the release of his sophomore E.P _Excuse My Language_. It’s a project that explores different sounds and one that resonates with every type of Skeete fan as he tackles topics of love, relationships and fun for the mandem.
As he takes a break from his hectic schedule, GRM exclusively speaks to the man of the moment, as he breaks down his musical processes, evolving with his music and staying consistent with his craft.
**Let’s start with _Excuse My Language_, what do you want your listeners to take from this project?**
“_Excuse My Language_ is a mixture of things. The title itself will have people thinking it’s going to be vulgar. I’m actually stepping away from that in a sense of creative writing. They expect a mixture of different music. A lot of features on there have a Caribbean vibe. What I want people to take away from it is greatness. It’s a nice sonic of music that I want people to feel in their souls.”
**How long was the recording process?**
“It varies to be fair. Some were already done from early 2024. Some I started around mid-2024. There’s also some I did like “Excuse My Language” only a couple weeks ago. When it came to the recording side of things, it wasn’t something that took crazy long but in comparison to _Vibes Don’t Lie_, it took more time with the type of concepts. There’s a lot of life experiences that I’ve went through since _Vibes Don’t Lie_ that I had to put into this tape. You’ll hear a lot of songs about love and relationships. I hope people kind of clock onto this!”
**Staying on recording, what was your personal favourite to record off this tape?**
“Track one which is titled “Wha Do Dem?” was enjoyable. I managed to linkup with a good producer from New York. That’s where I’m trying to bridge the gap with my fan base over there. The concept itself gave the Skeete from _Vibes Don’t Lie_. I’m hoping this track pulls people in. It was enjoyable, I was in the booth by myself, no engineer and I was happy with the way things came out. Other than that, I would definitely say “Caution” which was working off the back of a Brandy sample. “Dem Dead” is also a very upbeat, summertime one. Maybe more so for the mandem! I put out there that I wanted to do a song like that and when it came together, I was over the moon with it.”
**When you go into the studio, is it about having a concept in mind or just hearing a sound?**
“I think I have to hear a beat. A lot of them was just hearing the beats. I always have a concept in mind, but I have to resonate with the beat straight away. For a couple of them, there was a concept where I wanted it to be more for the mandem or something everyone can jump up to in the dance. I’ll be real, that’s something I’ve always noticed about my creative process. Even if I have a concept which isn’t clear in my mind, it definitely becomes more clear as day as soon as I hear the beat. The beat process has a massive effect on me.”
**The latest project explores different genres, how would you define your sound?**
“I just like to call it multi-genre. To begin with, I wasn’t doing just one genre, I was always doing something different. As time went on, R&B became more heavily a genre I enjoyed doing. I had already done some Dancehall sounds but with TikTok, it helped to break it through a little more. Dancehall is heavily in there but I’m not a straight Dancehall artist!”
**TikTok can play a part in your music evolving. If we touch on a previous hit of yours “Tek Buddy”, did you envision the impact that it’s gone on to have?**
“Yes. I already done a song to the sample of “Tek Buddy” in 2018 from a E.P which was going around my city. In my city, a lot of people were saying my song was taking off the most. When I heard the sample again, my producer resonated it more with a Dancehall beat and I was thinking it could go off. I put a little snippet on Instagram and TikTok and it went off.”
**How would you say you’ve evolved from your 2023 project _Vibes Don’t Lie_?**
“I would say I’ve been trying a lot more to understand what the people want to hear. Doing the multi-genre thing is not the easiest. For me, it’s ticking off the fact of not staying with one sound. I would say my writing has become a lot more relatable with people. I’m hoping they hear that with _Excuse My Language_. In terms of evolvement, I think a lot of it comes from the drive and being a lot more hungrier.”
**As an artist, do you prefer intimate shows or being at a festival and showcasing your music to new fans?**
“I would say the intimate shows. From day one, I was always somebody that was pretending to perform. I’ve opened shows for people like Shenseea and Skeng, and I’ve been taken back a lot of times where people are there to see me. Even festivals have felt the same. It’s hard to differentiate the two but I think intimate shows for me as I see people singing my lyrics back.”
**What would you say has been your career highlight so far?**
“A highlight for me in a personal sense is getting to look after my family. Coming from a 9-5 setting, breaking out and looking after people is my highlight. In terms of music, I would have to say shows and people coming out to show out for me.”
**Being from Nottingham, can you recall your first memory in music and did anyone push you towards music?**
“I think by the time I linked up with anyone from the music side, I already told myself that was the direction I was going in. Before, I was a baller from the age of seven! That felt like that was for me, but life situations can hit you and I then knew football wasn’t going to be my outlet. By the time I linked up with producers, it was something I told myself I was going to do.”
**When did you know you had the talents to push music?**
“Music’s been in my life from a kid. I was a drummer from the age of six. I knew when I was in school that I wanted to make music. I can look back, listen now and genuinely identity the development that I’ve managed to create by being in the studio all the time and not stopping. It’s something that I love to do. I wasn’t 100% knowing but I knew I was going to do something within music.”
**What’s been the best advice given to yourself on your musical journey?**
“Not to be disheartened. I’ve seen the scene change, people come and go, a lot of times where I’ve not had my moment. Once I got to a place where I could say “_Just take it easy on yourself and the brain”_, that was it. The moment then came. I’m still doing the same thing now, I just take it easy, and everyone’s time will come.”
**What advice do you have for those who want to start a career within music?**
“I’ve always said if you have a passion for something, go for it. There should be no stopping you. That passion though, as much as it comes from inspiration, you need to be truthful with yourself. Is it something you definitely want to do? Do you have the mindset for it? If you have the mindset to take on anything, then go for it! There’s always room for development. Before talent, there’s a mindset that comes into this industry and a lot of that is to keep yourself at bay. Everyone has a moment and the next day it can go.”
**_Skeete’s new project Excuse My Language is out now and available to stream on all digital platforms._**