The UK Rap Scene Needs Sustainable Support Systems: Here's What We Can Do
With the noise around the UK underground scene and artists like EsDeeKid, Jim Legxacy and Proph, now's the time to ensure UK rap gets the structured support it needs to sustain.
The 2025 UK Underground Rap Cypher lineup. Image property of UK Underground Rap.
"I'm the hardest out of the century," proclaims Liverpool rapper EsDeeKid on his track "Century". "These other man, they can't step to me." By December 2025, the scouse artist was already receiving more than 10 million monthly listens on Spotify.
On YouTube, he'd also generated more than 56 million views, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers. All of this happened in less than two years, with his first online releases arriving in 2024, followed by his debut project, Rebel, in June 2025.
Digitally-native communities, social media hype and viral conspiracy theories (some were convinced he was actually Hollywood actor Timothée Chalamet) have driven this rapid rise for artists like EsDeeKid. Still, popularity doesn't always translate into sustainable success. A one-off fund might help an artist maintain momentum at this stage of their career, but, again, it doesn't necessarily lead to equity or longevity.
Many, many names come to mind, but the likes of Proph, N4T, Ciel and bib sama.'s sonic style—unbound by the limitations that once defined rap subgenres—perfectly crystalises this new generation. Where earlier UK rap waves were defined by grime or drill, the underground seems genre-fluid, blending multiple influences and connected through the shared experiences of Gen Z. While this somewhat limitless creativity adds value by broadening reach, it also exposes potential issues. There is no current infrastructure to ensure these artists thrive beyond the initial hype.
They need empowerment through investment in early-career development. To prevent them from being thrust into the mainstream, unequipped to navigate the economic and wellbeing challenges that often come with a life in music, which are particularly pertinent for UK rappers, they must have access to holistic support.
In November, music charity Help Musicians launched its UK Rap Award, in partnership with Tiffany Calver, supporting the next generation of UK rap talent while raising awareness of the genre's cultural significance and the systemic barriers it continues to face.
The programme—a 12-month career accelerator, providing financial support, business advice, networking sessions and mentoring—was designed following the Musicians' Census, conducted by the charity in collaboration with the Musicians' Union, which revealed how one-in-three musicians working in UK rap report low mental well-being.
Research by Black Lives in Music also revealed that 35% of Black musicians work in genres of Black origin, such as rap and hip-hop, and 63% report experiencing direct or indirect racism, with almost a third (29%) reporting discrimination as a significant barrier to entry.
"UK rap is one of the most creative and authentic genres in British music, but it’s often had to work harder for recognition," explains Tiffany Calver, speaking on the launch of the programme. "Too many great artists face barriers that limit their opportunities."
"This award is about shifting that," she adds. "Making sure rap artists can build sustainable, long-term careers." By providing access to industry networks, business advice, mentoring and financial support, the programme is designed to help UK rap artists sustain beyond short-term hype.
Investing in UK rap means investing in the UK economy. The UK's music industry contributed a record £8 billion to the UK economy in 2024, driven in part by artists performing domestically and internationally, according to UK Music's This Is Music 2025 report. The same report showed that export revenues reached £4.8 billion, a new high, suggesting that British artists are not only successful at home but are increasingly consumed abroad.
While UK artists become more popular overseas—including UK rappers like Central Cee, whose debut LP Can't Rush Greatness reached number nine on the Billboard 200 earlier this year, making him the first UK rapper to reach the Top 10—US rap's mainstream success has declined.
After Kendrick Lamar and SZA's 13-week Billboard Hot 100 number one "Luther" fell out of the Billboard Hot 100 on October 25, there were officially no rap songs in the chart's top 40 that week. This was the first time that had happened since 1990.
With a rising international appetite for UK Rap, could this be an opportunity for the UK underground's frontrunners to fill that void, if only partially? EsDeeKid has already made it to number 67 on the Billboard 200 with his debut album, Rebel. Jim Legxacy has also touched a few stages in the States and Canada, following the release of his mixtape Black British Music (2025).
Interestingly, as well, as suggested by the latter's title, these projects are also inherently British. Jim Legxacy's mixtape provides social commentary on the Black British experience and EsDeeKid's is unapologetically scouse, introducing regional accents, dialects and slang to audiences who may be unfamiliar.
If UK rap continues to break through globally, its impact won't just be measured in chart positions or export revenue, but in how British identity, language and lived experience are shared, understood and reshaped on a global cultural stage.
"UK rap makes a significant impact on the sound and culture of British music, yet many artists in this area face systemic barriers that limit their opportunities and lead to financial and creative inequity," explains Laurie Oliva, Director of Services and Research at Help Musicians. “We've listened to musicians to ensure the UK Rap Award takes a bold approach to tackling all of those barriers, giving artists the step forward they need and, we hope, contributing to a more equitable music ecosystem."
"We want to empower the next generation of UK rap talent and ensure the genre's creativity is celebrated and supported at every level," she adds. "Which means helping artists build networks, access mentoring and advice as well as financial support to create and share new music and develop their skills."
There is huge cultural and commercial potential in UK rap right now, with artists innovating sonically and building global communities organically. Therefore, while this is a cause for celebration, it is also a time for action.
Through a wider comprehension of the unique challenges UK rap is facing, as well as specialised support, we can ensure the genre can sustain its upward trajectory and continue to build and thrive, subsequently impacting the entire UK music ecosystem.
To find out more about the UK Rap Award with Tiffany Calver, visit Help Musicians' website here. Applications are open until February 13 2026.