Hak Baker Explained

Hak Baker (born 1991) is a British singer and rapper from London.

Early life

Hak Baker was born in Luton to a Grenadian father and Jamaican mother, the fifth of nine kids.^[1] Since the age of one he has lived on the Isle of Dogs.^[2] As a child, he was a choirboy at Southwark Cathedral. Aged 14, he joined the grime group Bomb Squad.^[3] He dropped out of school aged 15. In his mid 20s he spent two years in jail for robbery.^[4]

History

Baker performed musical collaborations with the Streets.^[5] In 2022, he performed at Glastonbury festival.

Worlds End FM

In 2023 Baker recorded his first album, Worlds End FM.^[6] NME featured the album in their lineup of the "10 best debut albums released in 2023," praising it for introducing Baker as a "21^st Century troubadour speaking to modern problems with empathy and requisite anger”.^[7]

Style

Baker's musical style is influenced by grime music, reggae and punk rock.^[8] In addition to his singing and rapping talents, he is a skilled guitarist.^[9]

Discography

Worlds End FM (2023)

• 1. World's End FM (Intro)
• 2. DOOLALLY
• 3. Windrush Baby
• 4. Collateral Cause
• 5. Bricks In The Wall
• 6. Full On
• 7. Babylon Must Fall (MC Grindah Skit)
• 8. I Don't Know
• 9. Run
• 10. Telephones 4 Eyes
• 11. Watford's Burning (Connie Constance Skit)
• 12. Brotherhood
• 13. Luv u Bro (Big Zees Skit)
• 14. Dying to Live
• 15. Almost Lost London
• 16. The End of the World

Personal life

Baker supports left-wing political causes. He has criticised the gentrification of working class areas by yuppies and middle class hipster subculture.^[10] He also opposes the Tories' attempts to deport refugees to Rwanda, and has compared it to the discrimination faced by the Windrush generation.^{[11] [12]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Windrush: Hak Baker says why singing about it now feels right. June 22, 2023. www.bbc.co.uk.
2. Web site: Musician Hak Baker Wikipedia Age Wife And Net Worth. Sangit. Pant. June 16, 2023.
3. https://www.hungertv.com/editorial/hak-baker-on-falling-out-of-love-with-east-london-and-pub-culture/ Baker falling out of love with East London
4. Web site: Singer-songwriter Hak Baker: ‘The old guard is being priced out of London’. Jenessa. Williams. June 6, 2023. The Guardian.
5. Web site: December 4, 2017 . The Era Of The Misfit: Clash Meets Hak Baker .
6. Web site: WORLDS END FM - SIGNED CD . Hak Baker.
7. Web site: NME . 2023-12-12 . The 10 best debut albums of 2023 . 2023-12-21 . NME . en-GB.
8. Web site: Hak Baker and the power of his electrifying protest music. Fred. Garratt-Stanley. June 9, 2023.
9. Web site: Hak Baker on 'World's End FM: 'I just want to make people feel good'. Nick. Reilly. June 7, 2023. Rolling Stone UK.
10. Web site: Hak Baker: "Budget cuts and middle class elites are killing London's working class culture". Hak. Baker. July 21, 2020.
11. Web site: Hak Baker: ‘The Windrush generation is built on resilience’. April 5, 2023. The Independent.
12. Web site: Rebellion music: Hak Baker is taking down the powers-that-be and having fun with it. Mixmag.