As much as music can define a moment in time, the conversations, essays and reviews it provokes are just as important.
Good music writing can add context, highlight connections to the art that came before, and perhaps most importantly of all, document those stories that might otherwise be lost as time goes on. As ever, there was plenty to discuss this year: J Hus returned to us with a huge Drake collab and a new album, Andre 3000 got everyone into flutes, Central Cee and Dave hopped out their “Spinter” for all to see, and women continued to dominate rap both in the UK and US.
And on top of all that, grime’s masked villain CASISDEAD gave us his 23-track dystopian epic, Famous Last Words, R&B star Jorja Smith released her first album since going independent, and Nines shattered any illusion of retirement with not one but two new albums. And still: there's loads more that happened this year.
Along with so many amazing releases were some pretty remarkable pieces of music journalism, too. While conversations have been circulating online recently about its current state, it’s times like these—when we get to look back on the past year’s greatness—that we remember just how many talented wordsmiths there are out there.
Here’s the best of what the Complex UK team (and extended family) have been reading and rating in 2023.
Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson, EIC
Central Cee, Britain’s Hip-Hop Ambassador
Carrie Battan, The New Yorker
March 12, 2023
‘Touch Mic And Shell It!’ How British Freestyle Rap Videos Became A Global Phenomenon
Will Pritchard, The Guardian
June 13, 2023
When I Fell In Love With Hip-Hop
William E. Ketchum III, Vulture
Oct. 9, 2023
Alternative British Rap, Please Step Forward
Yemi Abiade, TRENCH Magazine
Oct. 17, 2023
Regional Rap Classics Are Slowly Disappearing From The Internet
Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork
Nov. 3, 2023
From Castro Saint To CASISDEAD: A Brief History Of Grime’s Masked Villain
Son Raw, TRENCH Magazine
Nov. 6, 2023
James Keith, Contributing Editor
I Almost Quit, Then I Read Rick Rubin’s Book
Insanul Ahmed, Pigeons & Planes
Jan. 17, 2023
The Price Of Pop Fandom
Marc Hogan, Jill Makes, Marina Kozak, Pitchfork
Aug. 3, 2023
How Hip-Hop Conquered The World
Wesley Morris, The New York Times
Aug. 10, 2023
It’s No Mystery: Earl Sweatshirt And The Alchemist’s ‘Voir Dire’ Is Available To Stream
Andre Gee, Rolling Stone
Oct. 6, 2023
André 3000 On His Surprise Flute Album: ‘It’s Pure Excitement – Like A Child Seeing Bubbles For The First Time’
Jeff Weiss, The Guardian
Nov. 17, 2023
Chantelle Fiddy, Contributor
Introducing... Orii Jam
Kat Friar, UD
March 6, 2023
UD 2023’s ‘Knowledge Exchange’ With Ray BLK & Jacqueline Springer
Kat Friar, TRENCH x UD
May 5, 2023
How The Cost Of Living Crisis Is Impacting DJs & Producers
Patrick Hinton, Mixmag
May 11, 2023
Nines, UK Rap's Humble Hustler, Is Preparing To Go Global
Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson, Mixmag
May 30, 2023
In Memory Of Jamal Edwards
Laura ‘Hyperfrank’ Brosnan, TRENCH x Google Arts
Sept. 11, 2023
Yemi Abiade, Contributor
Digga D: Trial By Fire
Connor Garel, Dazed
May 31, 2023
How Black Musicians Carved Out A Space In Ambient Music
John Morrison, Okayplayer
Aug. 22, 2023
‘In My Mind I Was Already Gone’: The Endless End Of Outkast
Paul Thompson, The Ringer
Sept. 22, 2023
Sampha’s Circle Of Life
Craig Jenkins, Vulture
Oct. 20, 2023
An Extremely Rare Interview With CASISDEAD
Sam Davies, The FACE
Oct. 26, 2023
Rahel Aklilu, Contributor
Channel Tres: ‘House Music Is For Everybody, But It’s Special When It’s Your People’
Christine Ochefu, The Guardian
Feb. 14, 2023
Ragz Originale’s ‘Bare Sugar’ Will Make You Believe In Your Sauce
Yemi Abiade, Complex UK
July 5, 2023
Meet The MC: Jordy
Dwayne Wilks, DJ Mag
Sept. 4 2023
‘I’m A Better Musician Than I Ever Was A Drug Dealer’: Rapper Potter Payper On Leaving Prison Behind
Ciaran Thapar, The Guardian
Sept. 30 2023
‘I’m Trying To Love Myself Holistically’: Little Simz Is Stepping Into Her Power
Kemi Alemoru, British Vogue
Nov. 16, 2023
Son Raw, Contributor
Grime’s Blog Era: An Oral History
Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson, Complex UK
Jan. 9, 2023
The Making Of Mach-Hommy, Part 1: Designated Unicorn
Paul Thompson, The FADER
Feb. 28, 2023
What’s A God To A Machine? (On Frank Ocean At Coachella)
Jeff Weiss, The Ringer
April 20, 2023
How Nines Became One Of UK Rap’s Most Cherished Figures
Yemi Abiade, TRENCH Magazine
May 3, 2023
Review: Buju Banton – ‘Til Shiloh
Edwin ‘Stats’ Houghton, Pitchfork
Nov. 5, 2023
Robert Kazandjian, Contributor
The Master: How Chunky Grew From Magnetic MC To Artist All-Rounder
Tracy Kawalik, Mixmag
April 25, 2023
Hak Baker And The Power Of His Electrifying Protest Music
Fred Garratt-Stanley, NME
June 9, 2023
Ragz Orignale Takes Centre Stage With His World Building Album
Nicolas-Tyrell Scott, i-D
June 30, 2023
Mali Wave: The Rise Of Somali UK Rap
Rahel Aklilu, The FACE
Aug. 29, 2023
An Afternoon Shooting Hoops With UK Rap Legend D Double E
Emmanuel Onapa, Dazed
Nov. 29, 2023
