E3 AF

by Dizzee Rascal

Overview

A few weeks after Dizzee Rascal was officially named a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his services to music, the rapper released his seventh full-length, E3 AF, which he had described as "flawless" in a prior album announcement post on Instagram. The album's title is a reference to the E3 postal code of the area in East London where he was brought up, implying a return to the emcee's roots, much like 2017's Raskit, an about-face which followed two albums of overtly chart-friendly material. While Raskit was a stark, sometimes menacing hour-long set which found the artist re-focusing his talents, E3 AF is leaner and more refined, with only ten songs and a generally more upbeat outlook. It's as pure a grime record as his Mercury Prize-winning 2003 debut Boy in da Corner, but it sounds nothing alike, and it would be impossible for him to make both records at the same stage of his career. His signature unhinged squawk has all but disappeared from his voice, and he's streamlined his rambunctious energy into something more powerful yet just as determined as his earlier self. In terms of pure rhyming ability, he's better than he's ever been. Tracks like the opening declaration "God Knows" and "L.L.L.L. (Love Life Live Large)" reflect his continual efforts at self-improvement and his drive for respect and success, as well as his aspiration to live the good life. The festive, playful "Body Loose" is more party-driven, as well as nostalgic -- its beat is based on a slowed-down sample of Architechs' 2000 U.K. garage hit "Body Groove." "You Don't Know" is another garage flashback, but has a heavier club beat and a much colder demeanor, with lyrics meant as an observation on people's relationship with social media. Contrasting with Raskit, which featured no guest vocalists, E3 AF is loaded with appearances by grime A-listers like Kano, Ghetts, P Money, and D Double E, as well as additional hooks by singers such as Jamaican-born Alicai Harley and indie songwriter/bassist Rob Jones TV. All of them nicely complement Dizzee's masterly flows, but even he seems daunted by the staggeringly quick Ocean Wisdom as the two trade rapid-fire verses during the head-spinning "Don't Be Dumb." Dizzee has accomplished a lot in two decades, from pioneering a genre as a hotly tipped teenage prodigy to collaborating with pop stars on chart-topping hits, but his dedication to his craft has never been stronger, and E3 AF is proof of his lasting vitality. ~ Paul Simpson

Product Details

Release Date:	11/06/2020
Label:	Island / Universal
UPC:	0602507455422

Tracks

1. God Knows
2. That's Too Much
3. L.L.L.L. (Love Life Live Large)
4. Body Loose
5. You Don't Know
6. Energies + Powers
7. Eastside
8. Act Like U Know
9. Don't Be Dumb
10. Be Incredible

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Dizzee Rascal   Primary Artist,Vocals
Steel Banglez   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Frisco   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Rob Jones TV   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Smoke Boys   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Alicai Harley   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Chip   Primary Artist,Featured Artist,Vocals
D Double E   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Kano   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Ghetts   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
P-Money   Primary Artist,Vocals
Ocean Wisdom   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
P Money   Featured Artist

Technical Credits

Ghetts   Composer
Kano   Composer
Platinum 45   Producer
Robert Jones   Composer
D Double E   Composer
Nicholas Annand   Composer
Deshane Cornwall   Composer
Darren Dixon   Composer
Jonny Breakwell   Assistant Engineer
Tyrone Fagan   Composer
Ocean Wisdom   Composer
Dennis Michael Tenney   Composer
Terell Lee Rookwood   Composer
Alicai Harley   Composer
Leslieann Alicia Harley   Composer
Nana Ahaasa Asante   Composer
Pahuldip Sandhu   Composer
MKThePlug   Producer
David Obuamah   Composer
Jordan Deepee   Composer
Marcelus Kelly   Composer
Vader Beats   Producer
Nana Asante   Composer
Rob Jones TV   Composer
Darren Hector   Composer
Chubby Dreadz   Producer
Charlie Calvey   Design
Kokin Gumi   Composer
Ben Drury   Art Direction
DJ DeeKline   Producer
Jahmaal Fyffe   Composer
Ashley Akabah   Composer
Paul Akabah   Composer
Frisco   Composer
Kane Robinson   Composer
Jake Gordon   Mixing,Engineer
Nick Cage   A&R
Paris Moore-Williams   Composer
Steel Banglez   Composer,Producer,Musical Producer
Justin Clarke   Composer
Splurge Boys   Mixing,Producer
Chip   Composer
Dizzee Rascal   A&R,Composer,Producer,Executive Producer,Additional Production
P-Money   Composer
Dylan Mills   Mixing,Composer,Engineer
Stuart Hawkes   Mastering Engineer
Paul Lawrence   Mixing,Composer,Producer
Chubby Dread   Producer