Today, British MC legend and godfather of Grime, Dizzee Rascal, releases his highly anticipated eighth studio album Don’t Take It Personal, via Dirte3 Records.

Following the recently released single ‘What You Know About That’ featuring friends and long-time collaborators D Double E and JME, Don’t Take It Personal is a 16-track masterpiece that pays homage to the ground-breaking sound that Dizzee forged in his decades-long musical career; produced in part by Dizzee alongside producers such as Matt Johnson, Rymez, Turno, Yung Chencs, and Roddy Beatz, the project is a unique amalgamation of garage, jungle, and UK Rap that led to the Grime genre we know today. Bringing back a soundscape filled with nostalgia, this album is both a classic iteration of Dizzee’s music, but also a fresh and innovative new sound from the rapper, demonstrating his constant evolution and versatility in music.

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Featuring an impressive line-up of collaborators such as Frisco, iLL BLU, D Double E, JME, Not3s, P Money and Backroad Gee, Don’t Take It Personal is a full-bodied album that includes energetic club-hits ‘Stay In Your Lane’ and ‘Sugar And Spice’, as well as melodic tracks such as ‘Roll With Me’ and ‘Here For Now’. These reflective and thoughtful tracks show a deeper, more introspective side to Dizzee. They not only portray the range of emotions explored in the tracks, but also the storytelling evident throughout the entire project. Taking us back to 2003 with the synth-heavy production and DJ sampled SFX’s, tracks such as ‘Get Out The Way’, ‘Swerve And Pivot’ and ‘POV’ echo the homegrown, DIY-esque sound for which Dizzee was famed for. Meanwhile, ‘Keep That Same Energy’ and ‘Tell Me About It’ introduce a fresh sound to the rapper’s repertoire; these tracks focus on exploring new lyrical themes while experimenting with different musical genres.

With two decades between this project and Dizzee’s Mercury Award Winning, seminal debut, Boy In Da Corner, this release comes hot on the heels of the 20-year anniversary of the album and doesn’t just celebrate Dizzee’s illustrious career, but also underscores his unwavering influence on the music scene and constant ability to redefine and evolve not only the UK’s musical landscape, but also himself as an artist. Don’t Take It Personal marks a significant milestone and continuation of Dizzee’s incredible career, and is a testament to his ongoing relevance in the music industry. Representing an exciting new chapter in his musical journey, this album cements Dizzee Rascal’s position in the UK rappers’ ‘hall of fame’ , and his status as one of the UK’s most influential music figures, both past and present.

Dizzee will be setting off around the UK/EU tour next month in celebration of the new record, with dates in London, Glasgow, Paris and more. Full dates below. Dizzee will also headline London’s South Facing festival in Crystal Palace this summer August 3rd.

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