For any rising rapper, being featured alongside icons like Kendrick Lamar, Skepta, and Tyler, the Creator is a dream come true.
For Sheffield-based artist Sliime, it’s now a reality as his latest track, Bengali, earns a spot on BBC 1Xtra’s playlist.
Sliime first shot to fame in 2023 with his viral hit Lehenga, which racked up millions of streams on TikTok.
His new track Bengali builds on that success, weaving his South Asian identity and heritage into the music.
Speaking to BBC Asian Network News, Sliime described the experience of hearing his music aired alongside hip-hop legends as surreal.
“I never thought I’d be acknowledged as a South Asian artist by such a wide audience,” he says. “It just shows that it’s possible.”
Known for maintaining a mysterious persona with his signature face covering, Sliime admits the initial fame from Lehenga was overwhelming.
However, performing at events like BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend and receiving heartfelt messages from fans highlighted the song’s impact.
This success inspired him to delve deeper into his roots with Bengali.
“At first, my music wasn’t tailored to the South Asian audience,” he says.
“But after seeing how much Lehenga meant to them, I realized what I needed to do.”
Sliime’s mother emigrated from Bangladesh to the UK, but he grew up without much connection to his heritage.
Only recently has he started exploring it.
Government data from the 2021 census shows just under 650,000 people in the UK identify as Bangladeshi, about 1% of the population.
Around 200,000 speak Bengali as their primary language aside from English.
“We’ve been here for half a century, but I feel like we’re not in the spotlight,” Sliime says.
“That’s what I’m here for.”
In Bengali, he addresses themes like the immigrant experience and the stereotypes South Asians face in the UK.
“People say we ‘take jobs,’ but really, we’re making jobs,” he explains.
“I wanted to challenge those misconceptions and give people a different perspective.”
Sliime hopes his music on platforms like 1Xtra will introduce Bengali culture to new audiences and inspire others in the South Asian community to embrace their identities.
“I want to show the world what we’re about while representing people who grew up like me,” he shares.
“For a lot of us, growing up meant feeling like we had to fit in. I want to make sure the next generations don’t feel that way.”
By spotlighting his heritage through music, Sliime is paving the way for more South Asian representation in UK hip-hop, ensuring young people see themselves reflected in the culture around them.
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