Under the Radar: AjForty7

AjForty7 PIC: Will Downe

We first saw AjForty7 at the Pitch hip-hop showcase in 2023, where he put in a high-energy performance which was reciprocated by the audience. Hailing from Clydebank, his debut single Tien Shan in 2020 was a brooding calling card reminiscent of Edinburgh pioneers Penpushers a generation earlier. It mocked Scottish rappers who feign English accents, and set out AjForty7’s lyrical stall, which draws on personal experience from his early life up to the present day.

A serial collaborator, he has worked with numerous people in Scotland’s scene, including Eugene, Sherlock and McRoy, as well as producers Kid Robotik and Koren. Further afield, he has garnered overseas airplay and built his international connections thanks to support slots for well-established acts such as ONYX, Dezzie and Australia’s Complete.

This year AjForty7 plans to step things up with what he describes as a “snowball of singles”, which will be released in physical formats towards the end of the year. In the meantime, regular visits to London are being lined up, as well as a showcase at FOCUSWales in May, see https://ajforty7.com/

Olaf Furniss and Derick Mackinnon run music industry seminar and social night Born To Be Wide, see www.borntobewide.co.uk

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