A Manchester homecoming.
What happens when one of Manchester’s fastest-rising names comes home? Spotify found out as Nemzzz returned to the city last weekend for an intimate “Hometown” performance, bringing his music back to the place that helped shape it all.
The special one-night-only show saw the rapper take over his hometown for an evening dedicated to his roots, his fans and the community around him. Fresh from the release of his new album Locked In, Nemzzz gave fans a chance to experience the project up close, while Spotify captured the moment as part of its newest series.
Scroll on for a closer look at the night, plus our conversation with Nemzzz.
PHOTO CREDIT: All Points East
Yes Nemzzz! So Spotify’s “Hometown” series is all about going back to your roots. How has your relationship shifted with Manchester now that you’re moving globally?
To be honest, it hasn’t changed dramatically for me, at least from my point of view, because I’m not really in the mix as much. From the start, obviously, I used to get a lot of love in my hometown, Gorton, where I grew up. However, now that I’ve become a bigger artist, people outside of that are starting to notice me. I can go out anywhere in town, and I get a lot of love.
What’s been the biggest change in your day-to-day life as your career has grown?
Just being misunderstood. I feel like a lot of people don’t understand what comes with this level of fame, or my career in general, and what it’s actually like. People think I’m not as busy as I am, or that it’s not as consuming as it is. A lot of the time, I’m just thinking about tomorrow. I’m thinking about the next drop, thinking about what I’ve got to do next. I’m never really present as much as I’d like to be. So, yeah, I’d say misunderstood, 100%.
As your sound has evovled, so has your style. If you ever dropped your own clothing label, what would it include?
Yeah, I’m actually wearing it now. I’m going to put the brand out soon, so it might all be announced by the time this comes out, who knows? It’s just going to be called DND. The inspo is just simple and comfy, man. Something you can travel in all the time.
Your ‘fit pics are a mainstay on your IG. What’s an underground brand that you’d love to shine a light on right now?
I’ve been rocking Metro a lot, they’re a good brand and they’re actually London-based. Obviously, because I’m in Manny, I’ve got a big old drama that I go to, but in terms of a new clothing brand right now, I’d say Metro.
From Do Not Disturb to your newest album LOCKED IN, there is a strong red colour theme throughout. Tell me, what does that colour mean to you?
It’s just a colour that has always stood out for me. I used it on my first tape, and ever since then we have just run with it.
You travel a lot for shows. Are there any style scenes or communities you look to when you touch down somewhere new?
A lot of my inspiration comes from seeing people, seeing what different people are wearing and how they put it together. I’d say it’s mainly Europe, though, and tracksuits, specifically.
Was their a specific approach you adapted for this new album?
Throughout the project I just spent a lot of time recording. We went to LA, New York and Miami, and recorded some in the UK too. As I was recording, I just kept thinking that it sounded like I was locked in, so that’s where I got the name from. Around that time, I was also going through a change and really starting to understand what I like and what my purpose is. Yeah evolution, man.
What does a typical day for you look like when you’re not in front of the camera?
I just wake up, go to the gym, go to the sauna. I might play paddle in the morning, I play that quite a lot. I’m just going about my day, ha!
If you had one track to immortalise your work, which one would it be?
I’d give them the one with Travis Scott. My personal favourite would be Expansion, but if I was going to make people remember me forever, I’d give them the one with La Flame.
