Nafe Smallz Elevates His Sound On "Ticket To The Moon"

For the past five years, Nafe Smallz has carved out his niche lane in the vast soundscape of the UK rap scene. He initially landed on our radar when he appeared on Skepta’s Ignorance Is Bliss single, “Greaze Mode.” His infectious syrupy melodies helped develop some serious earworm for hooks that ultimately gained him early favor in the UK and abroad. 2019’s Good Love boasted appearances from Toronto’s Tory Lanez and Lil Berete while he traded bars with stars like M Huncho, whom he later collaborated with on their joint mixtape, DNA, and UK vets like Chip.

The rapper continued to keep his momentum high year after year. Following the release of 2023’s High Profile, he doubled back with the release of Ticket To The Moon last week. The 15-song body of work finds Nafe Smallz refining his sound without being confined to it. He continues to explore his melodic prowess over spacey instrumentals that, at times, sound almost like they were crafted for Gunna. However, Smallz’s distinct delivery transforms these records into something else entirely. His strengths lie in his versatility, and he effectively draws from a variety of influences, whether Afrobeats and dancehall or trap, without skipping a beat. 

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The new album also delivers a few rivetting collaborations, largely from UK mainstays. Aitch comes through with the assist on the ever-vibrant, “LANDSLIDE”; “BE A HOE (LUTIN TING)” merges Lancey Foux’s intergalactic flows with a hynotizing Memphis-influenced production. Then, AJ Tracey comes through on the rage-forward, “GEEKIN” and D-Block Europe’s Dirtbike LB trades bars with Nafe Smallz on “CALI X.” Other features include Toronto’s Northside Benji and Dange.

While it might be too early to consider this on any mid-year or year-end lists, Nafe Smallz’s consistency remains his strongest suit. Ticket To The Moon marks his seventh body of work in his arsenal and it remains a strong entry into his catalog that proves that there aren’t any limitations to his honeyed flows. Check out his new project above and sound off with your thoughts in the comment sections below.

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1. TOO GONE
2. LANDSLIDE (With Aitch)
3. BE A HOE (LUTIN TING) ft. Lancey Foux
4. GEEKIN ft. AJ Tracey
5. CALI X ft. Dirtbike LB
6. YODA
7. IT’S ONLY YOU
8. CAN YOU SHOW ME
9. L.O.V.E. ft. Tom Did It
10. ON A FLIGHT
11. BE WHAT IT BE ft. NorthsideBenji
12. COSTING ME ft. Dange
13. IMPECCABLE TIMING
14. I’M ON
15. WONDERFUL FEELING