Two elderly British men have become genuine hip hop stars in their 70s
Their sound isn't just a gimmick.
Two elderly UK men are taking over hiphop, people love them
When you think of hiphop music a distinct image comes to mind and while there are a few anomalies in the world of rap, it's mostly a genre dominated by Black rappers. Traditionally, many of them grew up in inner cities and used hiphop to not only get out of dire circumstances but as a way to process their feelings around what they were exposed to while growing up.
As things do, rap music evolved becoming popular with a wider audience causing people of different backgrounds to give rapping a try. As rappers age so does their audience, but the artistry continues to extend beyond their target audience. This is exactly how the rap duo Pete & Bas came to be.
While spending time with his granddaughter, Pete would get frustrated when she would change the station in his car to drill music, a subgenre of hiphop that comes from the south side of Chicago. According to Underground Sound, Pete eventually got tired of fighting with his granddaughter about the radio station and began to listen to the music that discussed the dangers of crime. That was it for the grandpa. The music struck him so after introducing it to his friend Bas, the two decided to try the style themselves, with a little help from their grandchildren.
@peteandbas Where should we play a show next? #newmusic #rap ♬ original sound - Peteandbas
America may just be getting introduced to the pair that hail from the UK but they've been around since 2017. In fact, they released their first album "Shut Ya Mouth" the same year and have gone on several tours, though they're both in their 70s. The duo may not be from the south side of Chicago but they are from the south of London so they may know a thing or two about the streets that they rap about.
@peteandbas Gloves are truly off this Friday. Something special coming your way. #newmusic #rap ♬ T Pain - Pete & Bas
Recently the two went viral for their song T-Pain on TikTok. In the video the two are in a recording studio holding their pretty snazzy walking sticks rapping about being so cool that birds whistle when they walk and heads bob when they talk. Their dancing skills are exactly what you'd expect a grandfather's dance skills to be and it's beyond adorable, which kinda softens the aggressive nature of the songs the produce. Some people say the elderly grandpas bring comedy to the rap genre but they're bringing nothing but fire.
So much fire that American rapper, T-Pain decided to collaborate with the two, adding his own verse to the men's single named after the rapper. When Pete received the news that T-Pain sent in his verse, he calls Bas which results in the most subdued excited calls you'll ever see. Something about their thick English accents makes the call feel that much cuter between the rap duo.
@peteandbas T Pain remix featuring @T-Pain is officially out tomorrow at 6pm sharp #rap #newmusic #tpain ♬ original sound - Peteandbas
As for Americans just discovering the UK rapping granddads, they have a lot to say.
"Proud of the senior citizens,showing the young generation that it's never too late to follow your career," one person says.
"Eminem in 30 years," another writes.
"These two granddaddies got flow," someone else chimes in.
"It’s criminal how fire this song is," a commenter shares.
"Why can't I stop watching this they got bars," another person says.
@peteandbas Let’s go people! T Pain remix featuring @T-Pain OUT RIGHT NOW! #rap #newmusic ♬ T Pain Remix (Feat. T-Pain) - Pete & Bas
The compliments seem to be never ending for these two rapping grandpas but if Americans want to see them in concert, they'll have to hop across the pond. They've got their tour dates listed and their audience is full of people young enough to be their grandchildren but they don't care. They're living out their late in life dream proving to everyone it's never too late to dream big and go after it.