If 2020 has been good for one thing, it’s giving artists precious time to focus on making new music. So, as we’ve all been cooped up at home for the majority of the year, hip-hop artist Britizen Kane has been a busy man.
The Manchester-born rapper is due to drop his 12-track self-titled debut album on Friday 4 December.
As expected, the tracklist is brimming with collaborations with top name rappers and hip-hop artists. The likes of Awate, Shogun, Jadakiss and fellow Manc Blizzard have all joined Kane to bring together this showcase of true talent.
The album has been exclusively produced, mixed and mastered by Turkish Dcypha. This guy is no stranger to top class production. Turkish has a hefty collection of projects under his belt. He’s worked on records with Giggs, JME, Stefflon Don and Wretch 32 to name just a few.
So, we’re in good hands.
Britizen Kane
On the release, Kane said: “I’m really excited to release my debut album. It’s been a great pleasure to work so closely with Turkish Dcypha on it and I hope people enjoy listening to it as much as we did creating it.
“My favourite track is The Great Escape. I feel like it serves as a statement of ‘this album is the end of the beginning and it’s all upwards from here’.”
Kane has already released a handful of the tracks over the past few months, ahead of the album. These include ‘Cheat Code’, ‘Ad-lib’, ‘Going For The Head’ and ‘Tyson Fury’.
Together, they’ve totalled nearly half a million streams on Spotify. But it’s easy to see why. Kane’s effortless flow and fierce rhymes make it look so easy.
In fact, the third release, ‘Tyson Fury’, has pricked the attention of the Gypsy King himself. Apparently, the song has even made it to the boxer’s training playlist. And we can just imagine him blasting this through the gym.
During early stages of the album, Kane also had the privilege of working with Fred The Godson before he tragically lost his life to Covid-19 earlier this year.
In a fitting gesture, Kane pays tribute to the late American rapper on the track ‘No Pressure’.
All in all, there are big things on the horizon for the Manchester lyricist Britizen Kane. With an interview and full album play taking place on BBC Introducing at the weekend, Kane is taking it all in his stride.
You can listen to the new album on Friday 4 December on all platforms.
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Popular noodle bar Chopstix to host ALL-NEW live music event in Manchester
Thomas Melia
Much-loved noodle box eatery Chopstix are hosting an all-new series of live music events, with the first kicking off at one of Manchester’s most popular venues.
Chopstix has become a foodie’s favourite in the city centre with its combo boxes and now they’re about to win over the musiclovers thanks to these brand-new live-performances.
The Asian restaurant chain is launching ‘Red Box Live’,a first-of-its-kind music event series taking place in some of the UK’s best independent music venues,, and it kicks off at one of the city’s most beloved music venues,YES.
These events will see a rising star headline slot, DJ’s, free drinks and of course, food, because it couldn’t be a Chopstix party without some of its iconic flavour-packed boxes.
Chopstix is known for serving up flavoursome feasts in their combo boxes.The Asian restaurant chain has chosen YES as the first spot for their ‘Red Box Live’ event.Credit: Supplied
Indie-pop artist Liang Lawrence is claiming the first headline spot and she’s definitely no stranger at frequenting some of the most famed stages in the country, having recently performed at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Sefton Park on the BBC Introducing stage, following in the footsteps of Manc rap-talent Aitch.
The ‘Red Box Live’ music events build from the eatery’s previous music-focused series ‘Red Box Sessions’ which saw acts like Flames Collective and Grace Davies (X-Factor) in intimate studio sessions.
Rob Burns, Marketing Director for Chopstix, said: The launch of our brand new Red Box Live event series is incredibly exciting.”We’re bringing big, bold flavour and raw music talent together – serving up an unbeatable combo for our flavour craving crowd right here in Manchester.”
“We’re bringing BIG, BOLD flavour and raw music talent together – serving up an unbeatable combo for our Flavour Craving crowd right here in Manchester.”
Liang Lawrence will be performing at ‘Red Box Live’ organised by Chopstix.There will be free food and live music at this exclusive event.Credit: Supplied
The first ‘Red Box Live’ is taking place on 16 July with a headline performance from Liang Lawrence at YES in Manchester. Doors open from 7pm with a DJ set, and tickets are available to win for free on Chopstix’s website.
Featured Images – Publicity Pictures (via Supplied)
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New FREE Oasis exhibition showing never-before-seen photos opens in Manchester next week
Emily Sergeant
A new free photography exhibition showing never-before-seen pictures of Oasis fans from the 90s opens in Manchester next week.
With a sensational summer of sound now firmly in our sights, and right as Manchester gears up to welcome Oasis back home once again, the city’s iconic Kimpton Clocktower Hotel has announced a new free exhibition that’s set to take music fans a trip down memory lane.
Opening next Wednesday, Oasis Fans – 1994-1997 will showcase a series of exclusive photographs by renowned photographer, Jon Shard, to the public for the first time ever, opening the door to a world before online sales, dynamic ticket pricing, and frantically refreshing a website to get the hottest ticket in town.
Renowned for his visually distinctive work across a number of fields, this was Shard’s first assignment for iconic music magazine NME.
The collection of photographs – which has been co-curated by the British Culture Archive – shows scenes of fans excitedly queuing up in the cold winter of 1996, hoping to get their hands on tickets for the band’s sold-out shows at Manchester City’s Maine Road stadium.
“Queuing in person had its charm,” admitted Jon Shard.
“I felt privileged to capture the dedication of fans willing to stay out all night and brave the cold. Getting the ticket was an event itself, almost a rite of passage for fans.”
Oasis Fans – 1994-1997 opens in Manchester for free next week / Credit: Kimpton Clocktower Hotel (Supplied)
Giving visitors a deeper insight into the world of sold-out shows, as well as the magic of Oasis and their music over the years, the new exhibition will also feature a ‘Fan Wonderwall’ with archive images from 1994-97 of fans attending gigs, spanning from pre-smart phone gig-videos, through to their latest performances.
“It’s a privilege to play a part in the city welcoming the Gallagher brothers home,” commented David Lockhart, who is the General Manager of Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, ahead of the exhibition opening next week.
“The photographs by Jon Shard offer a glimpse into a defining moment in Manchester’s music history, and we’re proud to share this with our guests and the city.”
Oasis Fans – 1994-1997 is open to the public from 7pm on Wednesday 2 July on the walls of Refuge at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel.
At to make it even more worth the trip, the first 50 visitors to the exhibition will also receive a free limited edition zine, so they can take a piece of Oasis history home with them.
Featured Image – Jon Shard (Supplied via Kimpton Clocktower Hotel & British Culture Archive)
Hannah Starkie -
4th December 2020 
