Wiley Flow

Album: Heavy Is the Head (2019)
Charted: 22
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Songfacts®:

  • This song finds Stormzy returning to his rap roots as he pays tribute to his fellow emcee Wiley. The Londoner is regarded as a key figure in the creation of grime music and often referred to as the "Godfather of Grime."
  • The track begins with a snippet of dialogue from Wiley in which he reflects on his pioneer status:

    Bruv, I didn't look at it this way before
    But as I approach my birthday
    All you man are my youngers


    Stormzy then picks up the baton; during his rhymes he presents himself as a younger version of Wiley: street tough, wealthy and successful. The rapper also interpolates a couple of Wiley's tunes, both recorded in 2006: "Nightbus Dubplate" and "Bad 'Em Up."
  • Stormzy may have recorded this homage to Wiley as a peace offering. The pair locked horns on social media after Stormzy collaborated with Ed Sheeran on the hit single "Take Me Back To London." Wiley posted a comment on Stormzy's Instagram page saying "it's sounding very weird, Ed on grime"; he also labeled the pop star a "culture vulture" and a "clout chaser." Stormzy responded by pointing out that Sheeran has been rapping since his early days.

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