MUSIC: Podgy figures - Hardest

 West London rapper and musician Podgy Figures announces the release of his latest single, ‘The Hardest’, produced by the legendary Zeph Ellis AKA Dot Rotten, set to drop 11th March. 

From setting up his own radio station, Podgy 91.5 FM, to releasing his own fashion line, Gingerbread Clothing, the Acton-based artist has overcome a poverty stricken childhood which lends an emotional honesty to his music. 

This fast-flowing single features the lyricist’s trademark hard-hitting rap, backed up by Dot Rotten’s expert production style, to create a fresh sound described by the producer as ‘future grime.’ As Dot Rotten explains, the track “is a repletion of the truth during a time of lies and dishonesty. For those who understand the graft of making something out of nothing it will be their soundtrack.” 

‘The Hardest’ opens with Podgy’s eerily echoing, distorted voice, before Dot Rotten’s booming bass begins to whip it into a Notting Hill Carnival soundsystem-esque frenzy. The powerful production, infused with a touch of trap alongside rattling snare drums reminiscent of KSI’s ‘Keep Up’, provides the foundation for Podgy’s bars, which call to mind the likes of JME’s ‘Integrity’ and Ghetts x Rude Kid’s ‘One Take’. 

As the track progresses, Podgy’s unrelenting rhymes don’t let up, powering through the atmospheric production before slowly fading away, leaving the listener with decrescendoing muffled percussion before a silence which leaves us hungry for more. Podgy explains that the track is about “running from negativity into something positive”, a strong emotion expressed in the accompanying visuals, directed by the up and coming Jay Parpworth, whose past credits include the video for Boy Better Know’s ‘German Whip’, as well as work for the likes of Sean Kingston, T-Pain, MTV, SBTV and World Star Hip Hop. As Podgy notes, “the story line behind the video is essentially ‘Catch Me If You Can’” that includes footage of parkour, which Parpworth explains “was particularly fun...overall what we captured was amazing”. 

The striking artwork for the track, designed by L3wis, features Podgy’s signature Gingerbread man which poses a direct juxtaposition to the hard exterior of the track. Having received praise in the past from the likes of SBTV and GRM Daily, and having worked with the likes of Ghetts and Rossi, Podgy Figures’ latest release takes no prisoners. Perfectly showcasing the artist’s jovial and cheeky flow, Podgy and Dot Rotten present an undeniably infectious track with an aggression that hits hard and shows no remorse