Loyle Carner, a British MC, delivers his rhymes with a purposeful, poetic flow, accompanied by warm jazzy sound reminiscent of 1990s acid-jazz/hip-hop. He got his breakthrough in the late 2010s with Yesterday’s Gone, which was nominated for the Mercury Prize. Not Waving But Drowning peaked at number three on the UK album chart. He released his third album, Hugo, in 2022.
Born Benjamin Coyle-Larner in South London, he began recording demos that — when passed to friends King Krule and Rejjie Snow — earned him a 2012 opening slot in Dublin in support of MF Doom. In 2014, he released his first EP, A Little Late. “Guts,” a collaborative track with poet/rapper Kate Tempest, was released that same year. In 2015, he issued the indie single “Tierney Terrace” before he signed with AMF, a label associated with Virgin EMI. The young creative had begun to generate hype among lovers of alternative hip-hop, and was noted for the distinct difference between his languid vocal delivery and the more abrasive delivery of his Croydon counterparts. His insightful and surprisingly honest lyrics made a mark and caused waves with songs like “The Isle of Arran” and “Ain’t Nothing Changed.” The tracks appear on his debut full-length album, Yesterday’s Gone, which was released in early 2017. Months later, the set was nominated for a Mercury Prize and appeared on numerous year-end best-of lists in the United Kingdom.
From Soundcloud to primetime TV, Loyle Carner has caught the imagination of British music fans with unwavering candor and openness. Since his early collaborations with Tom Misch and Rebel Kleff, and his debut musical statement on the 2014 EP A Little Late, the South London MC has demonstrated immense emotional intelligence and lyrical wizardry as one of the most distinctive rappers in modern UK hip-hop, tackling personal politics, family, masculinity, pain, and more.
Carner returned in 2019 with his second album, Not Waving, but Drowning, and philosophically looked outward to the world in front of him, offering a rich, layered sophomore effort. It peaked at number three on the Albums Chart, marking his first appearance in the top five, while lead single ‘Ottolenghi’ and the Jorja Smith-assisted ‘Loose Ends’ both earned Silver single status. Carner’s live performance schedule in 2019 included Glastonbury, Lovebox, Latitude, Primavera, Outlook, Parklife, and Pukklepop. He also headlined his own event in London’s famous Alexandra Palace, where tickets sold out in less than 10 minutes. Not Waving, but Drowning is Carner’s second Gold-certified album.
In 2020, Carner blessed fans with the Madlib-produced cut ‘Yesterday,’ an international collaboration that lit up the internet and hip-hop forums. This would be the quiet before the storm of Carner’s newly released third studio album Hugo, a very personal offering in which he addresses his identity in new and inventive ways.
Hugo is Carner’s fastest-selling album to date, with over 16,000 sales in its first week, including over 12,000 physical sales and 3500 streams, nearly doubling Not Waving, but Drowning. Hugo arrived at number three on the Album Charts and has received widespread critical acclaim, with The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The Wire, and NME hailing it Carner’s best work yet.
Meanwhile, he has effectively marketed the record through appearances on Later With Jools Holland, The Graham Norton Show, Glastonbury 2022, Saturday Kitchen, and The One Show. Carner took Hugo on the road in 2023, selling out the UK and Ireland almost immediately.
Loyle Carner continues to establish himself as one of the most outstanding British rappers in history.