Not just an indie hub – How KODH TV is putting Yorkshire and Northern rap on the map

By Dan Antunes
With representation for urbanised music becoming far more widespread across the UK outside of the typical London scenes it’s affiliated with, there’s been an explosion of talent across the country. From artists like Aitch & Bugzy Malone in Manchester to Mez and Snowy in Nottingham right through to Lady Leshurr & MIST in Birmingham, the divides that once seem so evident in these scenes are thinner than ever.
Typically associated a glitzy indie scene aesthetic, Yorkshire is one of the areas that have been able to reflect the true to life conditions of street life in places like Huddersfield and Bradford through the rising trends of UK drill, a scene influenced by Chicago Drill and nurtured in London and fascination with current musical zeitgeists.
Primarily based in Bradford, KODHTV (King of the Hill) are helping shine a light on talent in places like Batley, Huddersfield and Wakefield as well as being on the ball for emerging Northern Talent. Much like big music platforms such as Link Up Tv and GRM Daily, KODHTV focus on providing exposure through video shoots, cyphers and various freestyles. Having collaborated with other industry organisations like Pirate studios and Rubix Cube music lab on their level up series, the most prominent feature for the cream of the crop in Yorkshire, the channel is leading the charge with their all-inclusive mentality which has led them to showcase artists like the rave centric MC Molegrip to more UK rap/drill artists like Curly.
A particular scene of interest is Dalston’s (HD5) upcoming drill scene. Differentiating from the more suburban aesthetics of places like Holmfirth, Honley and Almondbury, artists like Tmac, Trizzy Bangs, Sizzlac and Snizzy paint a much more realistic picture of a town with a broader range of classes and ethnicities than is immediately apparent.
With a recent shout out from Deontay Wilder as well as early freestyles from previously mentioned artists Bugzy Malone and Mist, the nearly decade long channel has very much proved why it’s going 12,000,000+ million strong.
Learn More about KODH TV here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCchd-iN6RAYqzfr_w1UPEcA