Skepta has released his new album, The Fork and Knife, which took six years to make. The artist stated the lengthy process was deliberate to ensure the project was not tone deaf
, a lesson learned from an incident in 2024 where he had to remove artwork for his single Gas Me Up (Diligent)
after it was alleged to reference the Holocaust. Skepta described the new album as a classic
and said he is here to set levels
in the grime genre.
A Deliberate Six-Year Wait
The rapper explained the extended production timeline, saying, It took six years to make this because it’s important to make sure we’re not tone deaf.
This approach followed his decision to remove the controversial artwork for Gas Me Up (Diligent)
, which depicted men with shaved heads, one with a tattoo reading Gas Me Up
. He had intended it as a reference to skinhead culture but acknowledged it could be found offensive without context and pledged to be more mindful in the future.
Mixed Critical Reception
Early reviews for The Fork and Knife
are mixed. Complex described the album as top-tier
and worth the wait
, while The Observer found it to be well-intentioned
but questioned whether it was over-egged
. Skepta remains confident in the project’s quality, reiterating his belief that we’ve delivered a classic.
Aiming to Elevate the Genre
Skepta believes standards in grime have been slipping and stated, I don’t think there’s been a good grime album for a long time.
He aims to make rap sophisticated again
and is hopeful that the launch of BBC Radio 1Xtra’s first UK rap chart show will provide more visibility for grime artists. This rap chart is going to give all the newcomers and a lot of people who are producing in their bedroom a chance to be seen and heard,
he said.
