Lebbs
As one half of Portsmouth team-up PROSPECTS, young Lebbs has been putting work into helping build a potent strain of lyrically complex hip hop that’s unique to the duo. If, like any diligent explorer of the underground, you’ve already caught an earful of their work… You might be tempted to take an educated guess at what a Lebbs solo effort would sound like. If you think you’ve got the lyricist / singer / producer figured though, he’s probably one step ahead of you.
Like some schizophrenic musical wizard with a chaotic array of melodic tricks up his billowing sleeves… Brandon Lebbie is on a permanent bob and weave. Multiple personalities have already seen him fronting reggae bands and waxing lyrical over various combinations of kicks and snares. More recently the alter-ego known only as Lebbs has finally pushed to the forefront to take control of his solo career. And things are getting moody, jazzy and smoother than cleaning your room after lubing your hoover. But also still with a bunch of rap thrown in. Because Obviously.
Critics in his own mind have thusfar dubbed him; among other things…
“The grand young duke of funk” ★★★★★ “Frank Ocean but franker and with more ocean” ★★★★★ “Hampshire’s Ray Charles on salvia for the rap generation” ★★★★★ “Eric A Badu” ★★★★ “Soul Goodman” ★★★★★ “The best thing to happen to bandanas since Cory from Trailer Park Boys” ★★★★★ “Cory from Trailer Park Boys” ★★★ “An uncompromising visionary” ★★★★★ “Not quite as good as Mos Def” ★★★★ “Neo-soul for people who like hip hop” ★★★★★ “Hip hop for people who like other music as well as hip hop” ★★★★★ “To the Portsmouth hip hop scene, what Hannibal is to mountaineering with elephants.” ★★★★★