Rising rapper Deema shares new single “C4LL MY PHONE” following music video for “LILREDWHIP”
Deema - LILREDWHIP
Listen to “Call Me” Here
Peckham-born rapper Deema releases his latest single, ‘C4LL MY PHONE,’ the fourth track from his upcoming EP ‘DOG WITH A £’, set to drop on 14th November. On Monday, Deema unveiled the video for the fan-favourite ‘LILREDWHIP,’ directed by close friend and collaborator Ed Peacock, building on the success of his previous single ‘UK SYNTH’ featuring Bawo. These releases have only heightened fans' anticipation for more from the rising lyricist. Showcasing his genre-blending versatility, ‘C4LL MY PHONE’ is a psychedelic, Jersey Club-inspired track produced by Cotton. The experimental production features distorted synths and chopped Soul vocals as Deema demands the attention of his love interest, creating a fresh, captivating sound.
Deema’s musical journey began with his dad’s iPod, exposing him to artists like Skepta, Arctic Monkeys, Dizzee Rascal, and Jamie T, which heavily influenced his sound. During his school years, Deema played drums and met his producer, Dom Valentino. Passionate about grime, Deema and his friends would write lyrics and freestyle, eventually catching the attention of Blakie, who invited him to perform on a radio show with his Lewisham-based grime collective, The Square. This pivotal radio performance launched Deema’s career, leading to gigs on Rinse FM, performances alongside BBK, and at Wiley’s Eskimo Dance and Reading Festival. Deema’s solo career took off with the release of "Chew Your Food" in 2020, featuring the fan-favourite track "Hash Brown," showcasing his lyricism and dynamic flow. His 2021 EP "Rainbow," produced by Grammy Award winner Venna and Dom Valentino, further cemented his reputation. In 2023, Deema released three more EPs, supported US rappers The Underachievers at The Garage in Highbury and Islington, and maintained a regular show at Balamii radio.
Deema is rapidly becoming among the most respected voices in the UK rap scene, celebrated for blending humour and swagger into his rhymes. Dazed has hailed him as "perhaps the happiest rapper you’ll ever hear," and his artistic growth continues to impress. With backing from tastemakers like NME, Complex, Clash Magazine, and Notion, excitement is building for his upcoming EP, ‘DOG WITH A £’. His previous release, ‘UK SYNTH,’ showcased his evolving style, marking a pivotal moment in his career with his highest first-week streaming numbers. The collaborative single earned spots on multiple editorial playlists further cemented his place in the music community. With the release of ‘C4LL MY PHONE’, Deema reveals a new dimension of his artistry, blending vocals with a hyper-rap twist as he serenades a love interest, another single that will leave fans eagerly awaiting the ‘DOG WITH A £’ EP, set to drop on November 14th. Having refined his art over the past few years, Deema now emerges as a nonconformist, showcasing versatility and creativity.
Deema image credit @Lukerowanphoto
About Deema:
It’s hard to work out what feels more exciting about 20-year-old rapper, Deema. The fact that his borderless approach to the rap is something that feels like it could only exist in Today’s forward-thinking urban landscape. “I just try and make every song I do different to the last one,” he explains. Or the reassuring fact that amongst a now expansive UK rap culture splintering into cross-pollinating street sounds, a fresh-faced new name can raise his head with a flow that somehow feels just timeless.
Following his explosive debut EP ‘Chew Your Food’ in 2020, which tore its way across streaming playlists, press and radio, which, for a bit of context, saw Deema claiming five separate tracks all in the same Spotify ‘Fresh Finds Hip Hop’ at the same time! Including the No. 1 spot with anthem ‘Hash Brown’. Media champions ranged from the likes Toddla T and Jamz Supernova to FADER, Complex and NME. The EP dexterously showcased Deema’s trademark versatility, taking us from party-bound bass-quakes like ‘Hash Brown’ to conscious bangers like ‘Rat Race’, which attempts to dissect the meaning of it all... Now he’s readying the release of of next opus, ‘Rainbow’, that’s set to take things to the next level and beyond, staying true to both his hip-hop stylings and grime roots, but hinting at a crossover ambition that looks set to make him one of 2021’s true breakthrough stars.
Affiliated with notorious Lewisham grime collective, The Square, Deema is wise beyond his tender years. The SE LDN dons rose to fame from viral hits like ‘Pengaleng’ and ‘Lewisham McDeez’ with break-out star Novelist going on to crossover commercial success. Deema first earned his stripes as Square-member Elf Kid’s hype-man. It was Elf Kid’s 2015 Amerie-sampling hit that took Elf and a then just 16-year-old Deema on a dizzyingly ascendant ride that traded pirate radio for mainstream acclaim, culminating in legendary sets at Reading Festival and following AJ Tracey at Wembley Arena for Wiley’s iconic Eskimo Dance.
Despite experiencing the rollercoaster that comes with crossover success and a close affiliation to one of grime’s most notorious crews, Deema knew from the start that he was his own artist. “I’ve been influenced by grime, of course. But sticking to one genre would be like asking a painter to stick to one colour.” So when the shimmering 90s-influenced hiphop groove of ‘Maddie’ followed the tracks like ‘Through It All’ into the ether, the classic feel of his solo flow surprised some.
“I grew up hearing my dad’s family listening to OutKast and Jay Z in the background, but honestly, it’s only more recently that I’ve joined up the dots more. I listened to my first Biggie album in 2018,” he laughs. His delivery is versatile, adapting to whatever tempo or sound he finds before him. With a conscious, narrative approach and vocabulary that feels akin to classic rap names but a toughness and energy that could only be born in a post-grime landscape. Citing everyone from Brockhampton to Slowthai as recent kindred spirits, he’s a breath of fresh air for UK rap
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