British rapper Stormzy took the globe by (ahem) storm last year when he parlayed the viral success of his 2015 freestyle “Shut Up” into a major label deal and an legitimate international music career with the release of his 2017 debut album Gang Signs & Prayer. Now, he’s set to prove that his rapid ascent was no fluke with the upcoming follow-up to Gang Signs, titled Heavy Is The Head and due for release this Friday. Today, he released the video for the album’s fifth single, “Audacity” featuring Headie One.
Directed by British director Taz Tron Delix, the video features chilly, nighttime shots of Stormzy stalking the streets of a seemingly deserted city while glowering at the camera and lamenting the “audacity” of anyone who wants to clash with the grime titan. The propulsive beat underscores some of Stormzy’s most crystalline delivery yet as he slices into the rhythm with chin-jutting boasts like, “Five thousand capacity / Spread that over the UK, then add it up and get back to me.”
Other singles from Stormzy’s second album include “Vossi Bop,” “Crown,” “Wiley Flow,” and “Own It,” while the tracklist promises features from Burna Boy, Ed Sheeran, and H.E.R. It’s out Friday, December 13, on Stormzy’s own Merky and Atlantic Records UK. Check out the dates for the accompanying world tour here.
Stormzy is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
