Blade†

b. Armenia, but settled in New Cross, London, England. One of the most forceful presences in UK rap in the 90s and 00s, Blade is widely regarded for his ability to tear up audiences live (though indie Carter USM fans bottled him offstage when he acted as the latter's support). More impressive still is his commitment to his art. After starting rapping at age 12, he financed his career by literally hand-selling his records as they emerged, slowly building up a network of fans. His debut album on his own label included contributions from Sista Nubia, MC Mell ‘O' and Afriqsoul on ...