Heart of the Matter is a new single and visual from UK rapper Mr Ekow. If you’re into Hawk House, Shad, Oddisee, Ozay Moore, Sivion, Sareem Poems… you’ll dig this one.
South London rapper Mr Ekow delivers a new soulful cut, pondering love in the 21st century: Heart of the Matter. If 500 days of summer was a hip hop song, this is what it would sound like. With a video shot on the rooftops of his hometown Croydon, Ekow shares an alternative valentines day message, in which arrows from “flying babes” aren’t to be relied on. Instead he gets real about his own struggle to find love, while attempting to redefine it.
Coming off the back of his 2017 release, the Between Haircuts EP, Mr Ekow continues to fly the flag for down-to-earth Hip Hop that explores life for all it is; the highs, the lows and everything in-between. The Croydon rapper shares some of his thoughts on making the song:
“It’s funny, it turned out to be way more personal than I originally intended. It’s crazy reaching your mid-twenties and seeing people around you start to settle down and get married etc. There’s something really powerful about two people saying, “I want to do this life with you”… and when you haven’t experienced that yourself it can leave you scratching your head. Add to that, the barrage of love stories we’re fed through the media and it feels like something isn’t quite adding up. This song was a chance for me to explore what’s gone wrong along the equation and figure out whether our current definition of love has a part to play.”
Heart of the Matter showcases production from friend and regular Ekow collaborator, Nathan Prospect. The producer, who has been making growing noise in the London beat scene as a member of the LAB Collective, provides a smooth and jazzy foundation that incites the perfect head nod. Featured on the track is Mr Ekow’s brother, Myles the Rhetorical, who lays down some soulful melodies to sing along to.
