Nemzzz

Manchester phenomenon Nemzzz guests the Pump House with his introspective UK rap

With over 100 million streams, backing from names such as Drake, Lil Yatchy and Central Cee and a sound that has put Manchester on the world map, Nemzzz has become one of British rap's most talked-about emerging artists. With a calm, pensive delivery and productions that move between drill, trap and melodic elements, the 22-year-old rapper has created an expression that stands out on the British hip hop scene.

Nemzzz, who has the civil name Nemiah Emmanuel Simms, was born and raised in Gorton, south Manchester. Music was in the cards early on: His father was a reggae and bashment vocalist, his mother a producer, and in the family's home studio he began to reconcile the soundtracks of childhood - from Bob Marley and Lauryn Hill to British rap and New York productions.

As early as 13, Nemzzz began sharing music on SoundCloud, but his breakthrough came in 2021 with the single “Elevate”. The number's cool keys, crisp 808s and precise delivery went viral and has since rounded out 100 million streams on Spotify. Backing from Drake, Central Cee and Lil Yachty, among others, followed, while the numbers “2Ms” and “PTSD” cemented his ability to turn ambition, loss and inner turmoil into both pensive and immediate rap.

Following Nemzzz's breakthrough with his debut mixtape Do Not Disturb, the mixtape followed Rent's Due, where he expanded his sound universe with inspiration from Jersey Club and grime, among others. Now he has again entered a new phase. The singles “GEEKIN”, “Locked In Freestyle” and “KILLIN EM” point to the mixtape Locked In, which will be released on September 4. Bringing together the 22-year-old rapper's focused and increasingly confident expression, the project follows collaborations with names such as Lil Yachty and Latto, as well as continued support from Drake.

When Nemzzz goes on stage, it's without the big acts. Instead, it is his presence, distinctive delivery and Manchester flow, as well as a streak of the most streamed UK rap tracks of recent years, that propel the concert forward and provide the framework for an experience in which the audience is an active part of the energy.