BBC Radio 1Xtra’s DJ Target on Lotto Boyzz's Afrobean (The Genre Definition)
At the moment, there’s this massive wave of music coming through that’s hard to put a name on because there are several different sub-genres within it. African influences are fusing with Caribbean culture and UK youth culture, and this new sound is just emerging. J Hus is leading the way and then you’ve got artists like Yxng Bane… There’s just a ton of them.
Lotto Boyzz, two young lads from Birmingham called Ash and Lucas, are moulding their own sound within that and they’re about to drop an EP, which is full of absolute bangers. I’m listening to some of the music they’ve got coming up and it’s exciting times. Their biggest track so far is No Don and their others, like Birmingham (Anthem), are doing a load of damage in the clubs, online and on streaming platforms.
I think things are really starting to grow for them, and I feel like artists like them coming out over the past couple of years are really helping to dispel the myth that being from outside London makes it next to impossible to break through. I came across them on YouTube and then started playing them on the radio. As soon as I get wind of music that I’m into, we try and get it on the radio as soon as possible. Having been part of Roll Deep and come through from the other side, I love that 1Xtra can help at the start of an artist’s career. I know how much that recognition means.
DJ Target (@djtarget)
DJ, BBC Radio 1Xtra
