After six intense weeks of challenges, clashes, and even a live performance on the BBC Introducing Stage at Leeds Festival, The Rap Game UK finale is here.
The four finalists—Haydog, Layyah, Cbliminal, and Only Zizou—are ready to prove themselves and claim the £20,000 cash prize in the final episode airing tonight on BBC Three and iPlayer.
Haydog from Wirral, Merseyside, declares, “It’s our time right now. [The industry] needs a reset, and that’s what we’re here to do.”
Fellow finalist Layyah agrees: “All of us. We’re the ones to do it.”
The aspiring rappers have been mentored by UK music heavyweights DJ Target, Krept, and Konan.
Krept, whose 2013 album Young Kingz became the highest-charting UK album by an unsigned act, believes the finalists bring something fresh to the rap scene, which he says can feel “a bit samey” at times.
“Every time we come across new artists with completely new sounds, it’s exciting,” he shares.
Social media has played a pivotal role in shaping the current music landscape.
Haydog notes that platforms like TikTok make it easier than ever for emerging artists to gain recognition, especially with industry figures like DJ AG and Mak 10 organizing open-mic events that help underground rappers go viral.
Only Zizou calls his experience on the show “crazy,” adding, “Six weeks of solely focusing on music… spitting bars in front of established artists is just incredible.”
Cbliminal, from Nottingham, hopes his journey inspires the next generation: “It’s nice for youngsters in my city to see me on the show and think, ‘If he’s doing it, there’s no reason why I can’t.’”
Haydog, who also works with young people in his community, echoes this sentiment: “Anybody out there with a dream—don’t stop chasing it. Never quit and stay focused.”
As the only woman in the final, Layyah stands determined to inspire more girls to step into the male-dominated rap scene.
“I’m trying to represent all the little girls out there,” she says passionately. Recognized by guest mentor Fumez the Engineer as “a generational talent,” Layyah knows she’s carrying the hopes of many: “It just makes me wanna go harder for all the females out there.”
With the stakes higher than ever, these rising stars are ready to reshape the UK rap industry and leave their mark.
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