SL releases new mixtape ‘Block Tales’

SL releases his long-awaited new mixtape Block Tales. In the masked rapper’s own words, it is an act of “street cinema”; a musical translation of social pressure and survivalism, boys too eager to become men, the snares of gang culture and the possibility of aspiring for more than the circumstances you were born into. South London is a living, breathing character in itself, joining a cast of rap heavyweights both legendary and on the rise, including Giggs, Sainté, Booter Bee and Catch. SL’s lyrics and production choices have been chosen to plunge you into a fictional world rooted in cold realities.

Its release will be accompanied by the Block Tales short film, which will premiere on September 11th at Everyman at The Whiteley. SL will unveil the film and then sit down for a Q+A, with a fan exclusive screening to run the following day. It follows the story of Trey – and though he is fictional, the world he moves through is not. His environment is one in which survival often means becoming the very thing you fear. The world is raw, tactile, lived-in. Inspired by films like La Haine, Athena, Top Boy and the visceral energy of Uncut Gems, it brings urgency to the screen through handheld realism meeting heightened visual poetry.

SL will be bringing the mixtape to life for his debut UK & EU headline tour in October, where he will perform at strongholds including Le Hasard Ludique in Paris, Privatclub in Berlin, with his crowning moment to conclude the tour taking place in his home city at KOKO on October 20th. See full touring details below.

Block Tales’ forerunning singles ‘Robbery’, ‘Paranoia’ and ‘Shooter’ (ft. Aystar and Booter Bee) set the stage by leading us down a dangerous path, while ‘Summertime’, which featured Sainté and Knucks showed us that there are also glimmers of light, conjuring the nights of freedom his characters are chasing – a life less complicated than the trials SL writes of in Block Tales. The title track, which called on his childhood idol Giggs and rising rapper Catch, marked the final installation before the mixtape release revealed the bigger picture. It shows us the chain reaction of inescapable choices and retaliations which perpetuate the loss which lies at the core of Block Tales.

SL rides the knife’s edge between global celebrity and absolute anonymity. He is one of UK rap’s leading storytellers, penning generational classics before he had even sat his GCSEs as a teenager with accolades from JME and Stormzy to Drake and Virgil Abloh – and yet his story has remained closely guarded. His signature balaclava has concealed his identity while his tracks have amassed streams in nine-figures. The likes of ‘Tropical’ and ‘Gentleman’ – proof of his lyrical dexterity and unforgettable melodic cadence – have soundtracked the house parties and night bus rides of his peers. The phenomenon of SL has progressed in step with his own coming-of-age story, from teenager to young adult – and, finally, an artist in full command of his gifts. Block Tales gives us unprecedented access into his world.

The last couple of years have seen SL grow as an artist, but also as a teenager becoming a young man. The 2017 release of his life-transforming debut single ‘Gentleman’ arrived when he was only 15-years-old. His career began in secret so he could complete his GCSEs. He has released three EPs so far – Everything Good Is Bad and Selhurst SE25 culminating in 2020’s Different Dude – whilst also setting up a foundation in response to the Black Lives Matter movement, empowering young people from ethnicities across the UK.

Having been raised on golden-age kingmakers like Wu-Tang Clan, DMX, and Jay Z, it’s SL’s multi-faceted approach – where the production, visuals and compelling storytelling all go hand-in-hand – that has seen his formative work carve out a singular lane in contemporary music.

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SL – Block Tales Tour Dates

October 3 – Paris, FR – Le Hasard Ludique

October 4 – Amsterdam, NL – Bitterzoet

October 5 – Cologne, DE – Yuca

October 7 – Berlin, DE – Privatclub

October 8 – Hamburg, DE – Turmzimmer

October 10 – Warsaw, PL – Hydrozagadka

October 16 – Glasgow, UK – SWG3

October 17 – Manchester, UK – Club Academy

October 18 – Birmingham, UK – O2 Institute2

October 19 – Bristol, UK – Strange Brew

October 20 – London, UK – KOKO