Album: Insomnia (2020)
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Songfacts®:

  • This is the opening track from Tottenham MCs Skepta and Chip and D-Block Europe's Yung Adz joint album Insomnia. The record originated with a project that that Clip and Adz were working on, and gained further momentum when Skepta signed on. "It was all in one room, sleeping on the floor, waking up, like proper work," Chip told Apple Music. "It was straight, organic. Sometimes you might even just run in there and put something down first. Just straight bouncing off each other, whatever works best for the track."
  • Skepta also produced the track. It was the first beat that Skepta sent to Chip, and the rap veteran thought it was something Adz would like to jump on. Chip recalled to Apple Music that at that point Skepta and Adz had never met and this was the first song the three did together. "Adz went in, we just kept going back to back, off the back of it," he said. "And after the first song we had a chat. 'You all right, mate? How are you doing?' They're both more…anti. I'm the middle generation that connects them both."
  • "Mains" is the name of Skepta's streetwear brand. Young Adz references it in his verse.

    Got a gun in my brother's crib
    And if we see 'em on the mains, that's fire on the mains
    Got a little three-two concealed in my boxers, call that fire in the mains


    Mains boxer shorts are one of the primary items from Skepta's range of clothing.

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