7-9 Langcliffe road, Preston, PR2 6ue
Forever Independent
Artistic Work and Cultural Engagement
I have been working in music since 2012, primarily as a rap artist in my solo work. Over time I’ve grown into production, taking on instrumentation, editing, mixing, and mastering myself, though I still collaborate with producers and engineers when it suits the project.
I have performed at most venues in Preston, including The Ferret, The Conti, The Guildhall, The Angel, The Moor Brook, and Preston Masonic Hall and outside Preston in Liverpool, London, Manchester, Nottingham, and Leeds. I’ve played at local festivals such as G-Fest, Blaze Fest, and Aspire Fest, won Preston’s Got Talent in 2018 (runner-up in 2019), and was invited to perform at the Best of Preston event 2023 at the Orchard Craft Bar under the Open Market.
I have over 100 releases on YouTube across multiple channels, including Dymedia, and I also release my music on streaming platforms. My work has been played on the radio, including BBC Radio Lancashire, Beat 103.2, City Beat, Guild Radio, Preston FM, Amazing Radio, and I’ve worked with BBC Radio 1Xtra on their Street Session series. I’ve been featured in blogs and newspapers, including Blog Prest, ANR Factory, Rap Cheddar, and The LEP.
During lockdown I took part in high-profile online rap challenges such as Mic Righteous’ “Because I Love You”, Joyner Lucas’ “ISIS”, Doez & DParts’ “Grime Escape” (which I won), and Tokens’ “Peter”. These challenges involved artists adding verses to existing songs, with winners typically featured on remixes. I was also invited onto HBD’s Adaptive Remix, a professionally released cypher-style track featuring some of Preston’s best-regarded rappers. The music video reached 23k views and received local media attention. It has gone on to be the most viewed track I’ve been on as an artist.
My community and cultural work is centred around Soundskills, where I’ve worked since 2018. I support communities interested in music and sound, working with artists from beginners to established levels, and with young people from primary and secondary schools, including SEND and PRUS. I’ve hosted workshops, groups, and events centred around music, including the Urban Influence Project, which worked with under-21s to enter the rap scene. Mic Righteous and Westy visited the centre, and we created a track with the #1 iTunes rap charting artist. This generated media coverage, and many artists from the project have continued their music practice. One of the participants, Gizmo, is now working with BBC Radio 1Xtra and was highlighted by DJ Target as an up-and-coming artist. I’ve also worked with Brewtime and the UP Project. I’m a member of the Lancashire Music Association (LMA), engaging with the wider regional music community.
Experience highlights
• Working in music since 2012, primarily as a rap artist
• Self-producing tracks (instrumentation, editing, mixing, mastering) alongside collaborations
• Over 100 YouTube releases and multiple streaming releases
• Radio: BBC Radio Lancashire, Beat 103.2, City Beat, Guild Radio, Preston FM, Amazing Radio, BBC Radio 1Xtra Street Session
• Press: Blog Prest, ANR Factory, Rap Cheddar, The LEP
• Performances at Preston venues and outside Preston (Liverpool, London, Manchester, Nottingham, Leeds)
• Festivals: G-Fest, Blaze Fest, Aspire Fest
• Preston’s Got Talent winner (2018), runner-up (2019)
• High-profile lockdown rap challenges, winner of Doez & DParts’ “Grime Escape”
• Featured on HBD’s Adaptive Remix (23k views, local media attention)
• Community work at Soundskills since 2018, Urban Influence Project, Brewtime, UP Project
• Member of Lancashire Music Association (LMA)
HBD Adaptive Remix
December 2022
Project brief :
To be featured as an artist on HBD’s Adaptive Remix, a professionally released cypher-style track featuring what were widely regarded as the best rappers in Preston.
What I did :
I contributed a rap verse to the track as one of the featured artists on this high-profile collaborative release.
Outcome :
The music video accumulated 23k views and received a decent amount of local media attention. This is the most viewed track I have been a part of as an artist and demonstrates my ability to contribute to professionally released collaborative work with established Preston artists.
Skills demonstrated :
• Featured artist on collaborative rap track
• Contributing verse to cypher-style production
• Working with established Preston artists
• Professional release with music video
• Generating local media attention and significant views
Bartober Challenge and mixtapes
2024 - present
Project brief :
To create an annual personal challenge called Bartober, releasing a verse every day for the entirety of October, and to compile my favourite verses into a mixtape.
What I did :
I wrote and recorded a new rap verse every day for 31 days in October for two years, then selected my 10 favourite verses from the previous year and turned them into full tracks with featuring artists from across the city for the Bartober Mixtape.
Outcome :
The Bartober Mixtape was quite successful, and I plan to do this again this year. This demonstrates my discipline as a writer, my ability to maintain a consistent creative output, and my capacity to compile and produce a cohesive mixtape from daily verses.
Skills demonstrated :
• Daily creative writing and recording discipline
• Selecting and compiling best work into a mixtape
• Collaborating with featuring artists
• Self-production of full tracks from verses
• Sustaining a personal creative challenge over multiple years
Stamp of Approval — Collaborative EP with HBD
late 2026
Project brief:
To develop and deliver Stamp of Approval, a self-financed four-track collaborative EP created with HBD, as the first release in a planned three-volume series. The project brings together original writing, independent production, and visual release assets, with a lead single and supporting promotional material designed to support a professional independent release. The EP is currently unreleased and is set for release on all major streaming platforms later this year.
Role:
Rap artist, recording engineer, editor, mixing engineer, mastering engineer, and executive producer.
What I did:
I worked with HBD as executive producer on the EP, overseeing the development of the release as part of a wider three-volume series. All four tracks were recorded by me at Soundskills Studios, and I was responsible for the editing, mixing, and mastering across the project. I also co-wrote the lyrics with HBD across the EP, with the exception of Gandom Rhy’s featured verse on Grim Reaper, which he wrote himself.
The EP consists of four tracks: Stamp of Approval, the lead single produced by Bargholz; Part of the Game, the second single, produced by Epik The Dawn and accompanied by a kinetic typography lyric video; Grim Reaper, featuring Gandom Rhy, for which I created the beat; and Weak Moves, produced by XXDannyRose. In addition to the audio production, I worked with HBD on the artwork for the project using GIMP, and we collaborated with emerging local graphic designers and directors to produce a high-quality music video and lyric video to support the release.
Outcome:
Stamp of Approval demonstrates my ability to lead and deliver a substantial independent music project across recording, post-production, creative direction, and release planning. As a self-financed EP developed over an extended period and set for release later this year, it reflects a high level of commitment, organisation, and technical control. The project also shows my ability to combine collaboration with clear production leadership, bringing together multiple producers, featured artists, and visual creatives within a coherent release strategy.
Skills demonstrated:
• Executive production of a multi-track independent release
• Recording, editing, mixing, and mastering
• Collaborative songwriting and artist development
• Beat production
• Release planning across audio and visual assets
• Artwork development using GIMP
• Working with external designers and video creatives
• Delivering a self-financed project to professional standard
Urban influence project
2021
Project brief :
To run the Urban Influence Project at Soundskills, working with under-21s to get them into the rap scene through workshops, visits from established artists, and track creation.
What I did :
I hosted the project, working with young people to develop their rap practice. Mic Righteous and Westy visited the centre, and we created a track with an iTunes rap charting artist. This led to media coverage, and many artists from the project have continued their music practice to varying levels. Gizmo, one member of the project, is now working with BBC Radio 1Xtra and was highlighted as an up-and-coming artist to watch by a major publication.
Outcome :
The project generated media coverage and had a lasting impact on participants’ music practice. Gizmo’s progression to BBC Radio 1Xtra demonstrates the quality of mentoring and development work. This shows my ability to mentor emerging artists, run structured music projects, and create opportunities that lead to real career progression.
Skills demonstrated :
• Mentoring emerging rap artists
• Running workshops and groups
• Coordinating visits from established artists
• Creating collaborative tracks
• Generating media coverage through youth work
• Supporting artists toward professional progression
Media Recognition
My work has been recognised through radio broadcasts and press coverage across regional and national platforms. This includes appearances on BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC Radio Lancashire, and multiple local stations, as well as features in blogs and newspapers.
Radio:
• BBC Radio 1Xtra – Street Session series
• BBC Radio Lancashire
• Beat 103.2
• City Beat
• Guild Radio
• Preston FM
• Amazing Radio
Press & Blogs:
• Blog Preston
• ANR Factory
• Rap Cheddar
• The LEP (Lancashire Evening Post)