ROC4LIFE

(L-R: Shizz, Kay Willz, Merkz, and Tempz)

Who are these young genre hoppers? And there are four of them?

Turns out the UK foursome has been going strong since the pubescence, appropriately named Lil’ Rascals back then. They’ve come of age now, and they’re primed for the next leap.

If you’re new to the East London group, here’s a handy guide: Big Shizz is the vanilla lyricist; Merkz is the one with a massive ‘fro; Tempz is the J. Cole lookalike (he cites Jay-Z as his inspiration); and you can’t miss Kay Willz — he’s the tallest and the group’s lone singer.

Their sound ranges from grime and hip-hop to R&B and bashment. They’ve dropped two notable mixtapes, The Launch Vol 1 and The Launch Vol. 2. Both boast scattered moments of brilliance. Lead jawnt “Fire Blaze” is an airy smash with a killer beat that sounds like a lost file from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ Social Network session.

The Launch series hits at the headnod dankness that caught the ears of Virgin/EMI scouts. It’s a good place to start your Rascals experience. Download Vol 1 on their bandcamp. Grab Vol. 2 from their Facebook.

Rascals are on Twitter. You can stalk them @RascalsOfficial.

— Rizoh