Konnichiwa

Skepta's fourth studio album, Konnichiwa, arrived on 6 May 2016 via Boy Better Know, after a three-year stretch of delays and reworks. The title, Japanese for "hello," nods to the Tokyo launch party and the album's global outlook. Produced almost entirely by Skepta himself, with a hand from Pharrell Williams on a few tracks, the record is a stark, confrontational grime statement. It strips the genre to its bare bones: cold synths, sparse beats, and Skepta's deadpan delivery. Guests include Wiley, D Double E, Novelist, Jme, and ASAP Nast, but the focus stays on Skepta's sharp observations about fame, identity, and the UK music scene.

Konnichiwa peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart and went Gold, but its real impact was cultural. It became the centerpiece of grime's mainstream resurgence, earning the 2016 Mercury Prize and topping year-end lists from NME, The Guardian, and Apple Music. Tracks like "That's Not Me" and "Shutdown" turned into anthems, and the album's raw energy still resonates as a defining moment for British rap. [edit]