Listen to Rico Ace and EsDeeKid’s “Bally”: New Rap Music Today

Rico Ace & EsDeeKid: “Bally”

The UK underground is having a moment. One of the year’s breakout rap stars is skaiwater, whose album #gigi absorbed Uzi’s flamboyance and Carti’s swag without sounding like a clone. You will not watch a cooler music video this month than Fimiguerrero and YT’s “MVP,” which nostalgically (and so accurately that it’s a little creepy) recreates scenes from NBA Street V3. SG and H4rry’s Zaytoven-inspired EP Up in Smoke has been in my rotation for a minute. I always check for Jesse James Solomon, Jadasea, and John Glacier. And lately, I’ve been having a good ass time clicking around the pages of fakemink, Dav1d, Pretty V, and cal1sto.

Now added to my list is Rico Ace and EsDeeKid, a duo with bars that aren’t far off from YT’s nonstop flexing on last year’s #StillSwaggin but with more edge and beats undeniably rooted in the UK. “Bally” is their second joint single in the last few weeks, and it’s got the loose feel of an episode of Plugged In or a cypher aired on Balamii, rounded out by a fast-paced beat curled around a sped-up vocal sample reminiscent of classic grime. Weaving the old into the new without nostalgia being the point—a miracle these days.

With artists releasing songs at a fast and furious pace, it’s difficult for the average hip-hop head to keep track of it all—no matter how tapped in they are. That’s why we created The Ones, a daily post to highlight the song you need to hear.

Check out previous Ones, and listen to new rap from Rico Ace, EsDeeKid, and more on our Spotify playlist.