Belfast rapper/producer cbakl has returned with his new single “Stop Playing,” the third instalment in a run of monthly releases steadily building his profile across the UK and Ireland. Continuing his commitment to dropping a track every month this year, the song doubles down on soulful, alternative hip-hop while sharpening the edge of his delivery.
“‘Stop Playing’ is a song I wrote last year when I was on a trip to Dublin, a producer called Frederick James from London had sent the beat across and when I started freestyling some lyrics to it, the basis of what you hear today came pretty fast. I really like the kind of aggressive delivery I have on it, I think it’s one for the hip-hop heads mostly……” (cbakl)
The release is accompanied by a music video shot in London’s Chinatown by acclaimed director Honey JD, known for work with High Focus, Curtisy and CLBRKS. Matching late-night city visuals with a performance-led focus, the video mirrors the track’s gritty yet polished mood and firmly roots cbakl within the wider independent UK rap ecosystem.
Musically the track sits in the universe of Earl Sweatshirt and early Kanye: warm, sample-driven textures, slightly off-kilter drums and plenty of space for the vocal to cut through. Over this backdrop, cbakl delivers one of his most aggressive performances to date, pushing his flow into a tight, percussive pocket. Lyrically it plays as a statement of intent, balancing frustration, self-belief and determination as he calls out complacency and asserts himself as an artist who refuses to be boxed in.
‘Stop Playing’ marks another step in a breakout year as he continues to link Belfast, London and Dublin, reinforcing a clear identity and positioning himself as one of the most exciting emerging voices in alternative hip-hop from these islands.
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