Ard Adz’s tracks combine an assured, steely South-London flow with the boom bap classicism of New York’s golden age. Born in 1991, Adz eventually won notice in the UK rap scene alongside fellow rising stars like Pa Salieu and slowthai thanks to his grasp of varied flows and thought-provoking lyrics. His 2021 LP, Dinner For One, a personal opus on life in working-class London, drew listeners with its gritty street tales. On the album, he speaks to his experience of growing up the son of an immigrant on the raw “74 Bars of Pain,” the stress of grinding in the face of death on the morose “Dont Forget,” and the joy of success on the ebullient “Rise & Prosper.” Like his hip-hop forebears in both the UK and abroad, the artist inspires fans by overcoming immense obstacles to rise to the top.