Loski Explained

Loski
Birth Name:Jyrelle Justin O'Connor[1]
Birth Date:6 May 1999[2]
Birth Place:Kennington, London, England[3]
Label:Since '93
Current Member Of:Harlem Spartans
Years Active:2012 - present

Jyrelle Justin O'Connor[4] (born 6 May 1999), known professionally as Loski (formerly Lil' Nizzy), is a British rapper and singer from Kennington, London. He is part of the Kennington-based UK drill group Harlem Spartans.

Loski began his career in 2012 under the name Lil’ Nizzy and in 2016 under his current moniker he released his breakout single “Hazards”; this was followed by “DJ Khaled”, which both became underground hits.

On 13 April 2018 he released his debut mixtape, Call Me Loose, and on 1 March 2019 he released his second mixtape, Mad Move. In 2020, Loski released his long awaited debut studio album, Music, Trial & Trauma: A Drill Story. On 15 October 2021 he released a 10 song EP titled, Censored EP and on 30 June 2023 he released his fifth project titled, See You At The Gates, after being sentenced to 7 years in prison after being convicted of possessing a loaded revolver.

Early life

Jyrelle Justin O'Connor was born in Kennington, London on 6 May 1999. His father was Ty Nizzy, a member of the PDC rap group and "an originator of road rap", according to The Guardian. His mother, Dionne Greenland, studied English literature and history while attending university, which Loski said inspired storytelling within his songs.[5] O'Connor said in an interview with VICE that both of his parents supported him in pursuing a musical career.[3]

O'Connor moved from Kennington to Borehamwood to live with his grandmother at the age of 12 following a group of boys putting a gun to his head.[1] He attended Hertswood Academy. In 2013, he was reported as missing from his house.[6]

Career

During O'Connor's early musical career, he went under the name Lil' Nizzy, in reference to his father, Ty Nizzy, member of legendary road rap collective PDC . He released a song alongside Danks in 2012.[7]

Under the name Loski, he released his breakout single, "Hazards", in 2016.[5] Other early songs included "Money and Beef", "DJ Khaled" and "Teddy Bruckshot".[8]

In March 2018, Loski was signed to Sony Music Entertainment.[9] The following month, he released his debut mixtape Call Me Loose,[8] which peaked at number 44 on the UK Albums Chart and was named as one of the inspirations for Scorpion by Drake.[10] [11] In an article with MTV, Loski stated that the mixtape was about "the neighbourhood, friends, everything growing up".[12] The following year, he released the mixtape Mad Move, which peaked at number 41. An article in Versus noted that the mixtape "sees the south Londoner plant himself firmly at the fore of the genre."[13]

In 2020, Loski released his debut album, Music, Trial & Trauma: A Drill Story, which peaked at number 39 on the UK Albums Chart and was noted as being "several albums at once".[14] Robert Kazandjian, writing for Clash, stated that the album was divided into three acts, with the album as a whole mainly centered around legal issues.[15]

In September 2021, Loski announced his debut EP, Censored.[16] The EP was released on 15 October;[17] an article in Trench noted that "although the extensive cast of producers keep the Censoreds sound close to Loski's drill roots, the rapper's evolution is laid bare as he attacks each track with an effortless display of lyrical greaze."[18]

Criminal convictions

In 2015, while O'Connor was 15 years old he was convicted of possession of a sawn-off shotgun. In 2016, O'Connor was sentenced to prison after being found in possession of a knife. He was released in 2017.

On 9 April 2019, he was stopped by police while travelling to Willesden; they found him in possession of a revolver.[19] O'Connor was charged with possession of a firearm, intent to endanger life, and possession of ammunition as a result; his first trial resulted in a retrial as a result of his prosecutor falling ill, while the second resulted in a hung jury.[20] [9] He was found guilty of possessing a prohibited firearm on 5 January 2023 and was sentenced to 7 years in prison.[21] [2]

Discography

Studio albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em"
DetailsPeak chart positions
UK
[22]
Music, Trial & Trauma: A Drill Story
  • Released: 20 November 2020
  • Label: Since '93
  • Format: CD, streaming, digital download
39

Mixtapes

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em"
DetailsPeak chart positions
UK
Call Me Loose
  • Released: 13 April 2018
  • Label: Since '93
  • Format: Streaming, digital download
44
Mad Move
  • Released: 1 March 2019
  • Label: Since '93
  • Format: Streaming, digital download
41
See You At The Gates
  • Released: 30 June 2023
  • Label: Loski
  • Format: Streaming, digital download

EPs

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em"
DetailsPeak chart positions
UK
Censored
  • Released: 15 October 2021
  • Label: Since '93
  • Format: Streaming, digital download

Singles

As lead artist

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2"
YearPeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum
UK
"Teddy Bruckshot"2017Call Me Loose
"Money & Beef"
"Mummy's Kitchen"
(featuring Mayski)
"Cool Kid"2018Call Me Loose
"Forrest Gump"88
"Mad About Bars"
(with Kenny Allstar)
rowspan="2"
"Calm Down"
"Boasy"2019Mad Move
"No Cap"
(with DigDat)
51
"Hazards 2.0"
"Ghost"2020rowspan="4"
"Allegedly" 65
"Slay"
"Training Day"
(with MoStack)
75
"On Me"
(with MizOrMac)
57Music, Trial & Trauma: A Drill Story
"Daily Duppy"
"Anglo Saxon"
(featuring Blanco)
Music, Trial & Trauma: A Drill Story
"Avengers"
(featuring Popcaan)
"Flavour"
(featuring Stormzy)
43
"P.U.G" 202187Censored
"Rolling Dice"81
"Tag Team"2022rowspan="3"
"Obssessed"
"G Lock"

As featured artist

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2"
YearPeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum
UK
"Dues"
(Headie One featuring Loski)
2018The One
"Rusty"
(Lavida Loca featuring Loski)
Just B' Coz
"R.I.P"
(Ms Banks featuring Loski)
The Coldest Winter Ever
"Ugly Faces"
(Smoke Boys and Swift featuring Loski)
Swiftionary
"2 and a Shoe"
(Smoke Boys and Swift featuring Loski, Dimzy, Deepee and RV)
"Gang Mode"
(CS featuring Loski)
2019Everyone Hates Chris
"Trust"
(The Plug featuring Nafe Smallz, YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Loski)
Plug Talk
"Go N Get It"
(Lil Berete featuring Loski)
1 Way Out
"Stop Lying"
(Woosh featuring Loski)
Gang Unit
"Flexin"
(Mowgs featuring Loski)
Roll the Dice
"Tee"
(Jay1 featuring Loski)
202065
"Chop My Money"
(iLL BLU featuring Krept and Konan and Loski)
202164
  • BPI: Silver
The BLUPRINT
"Bad Guy"
(Morrisson featuring Loski)
Guilty
"Sorry Not Sorry"
(Bandokay and Double Lz featuring Loski)
Drill Commandments
"Cerberus"
(Blanco featuring K-Trap and Loski)
City of God

Awards and nominations

YearAwardNominated workCategoryResult
2018GRM Daily Rated AwardsHimselfBreakthrough of the Year[24]
GRM Daily Rated AwardsCall Me LooseMixtape of the Year
2020MOBO AwardsHimselfBest Newcomer[25]
2021MOBO AwardsBest Drill Act[26]
GRM Daily Rated AwardsMusic, Trial & Trauma: A Drill StoryAlbum of the Year[27]
2022Urban Music AwardsAlbum of the Year[28]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rapper Loski tells court drug dealer forced him to carry gun. Diane. Taylor. 3 February 2020. theguardian.com. 27 January 2022. 27 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220127192811/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/03/rapper-loski-tells-court-death-threats-forced-him-carry-gun. live.
  2. Web site: Rapper and gang member jailed for seven years. Crown Prosecution Service. 9 January 2023. 6 February 2023.
  3. Web site: 'I'm Still Playing Catch Up – I Just Gotta Kill It': Loski on His Journey to the Top of Drill. Ethan. Herlock. 3 April 2020. VICE. 27 January 2022. 27 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220127223954/https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvg4z8/uk-drill-loski-slay-interview-2020. live.
  4. Web site: ACE Repertory. ASCAP. 2022-03-30.
  5. Web site: Drill Artist Loski Is Dripping with Flair. Ryan. Bassil. 11 January 2019. VICE. 27 January 2022. 27 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220127223952/https://www.vice.com/en/article/ev3y4p/loski-boasy-new-video-track-interview-2019. live.
  6. Web site: Jyrelle O'Connor Greenland, 13, missing from Borehamwood. Anna. Slater. 11 February 2013. borehamwoodtimes.co.uk. 7 February 2022. 7 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220207140414/https://www.borehamwoodtimes.co.uk/news/10220804.jyrelle-oconnor-greenland-13-missing-from-borehamwood/. live.
  7. Web site: HERITAGE: BEFORE HE WAS LOSKI, LIL' NIZZY WAS SPRAYING PURE HEAT OVER SOLID GOLD HIP-HOP INSTRUMENTALS (2012). 16 April 2018. trenchtrenchtrench.com. 27 January 2022. 27 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220127223954/https://trenchtrenchtrench.com/news/heritage-before-he-was-loski-lil-nizzy-was-spraying-pure-heat-over-solid-gold-hip-hop-instrumentals-2012. live.
  8. Web site: THE BREAK PRESENTS: LOSKI. Nikita. Rathod. 31 October 2018. XXL. 27 January 2022. 27 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220127073330/https://www.xxlmag.com/loski-interview-the-break/. live.
  9. Web site: Jury discharged after failing to reach verdict in trial of rapper Loski. Diane. Taylor. 27 May 2021. The Guardian. 7 February 2022. 7 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220207174349/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/may/27/loski-trial-jury-discharged-after-failing-to-reach-verdict-on-rapper. live.
  10. Web site: DRAKE REVEALS THESE UK RAPPERS INSPIRED 'SCORPION'. Alex. Griffin. grmdaily.com. 29 June 2018. 27 January 2022. 28 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220128005535/https://grmdaily.com/drake-loski-octavian-scorpion-inspiration/. live.
  11. Web site: Drake Reveals The Music That Inspired 'Scorpion' Sessions. Navjosh. 30 June 2018. hiphop-n-more.com. 27 January 2022. 28 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220128005541/https://hiphop-n-more.com/2018/06/drake-music-that-inspired-scorpion/. live.
  12. Web site: Loski Talks Drake Being A Fan & The Inspiration Behind Mixtape 'Call Me Loose'. Claire. Rowden. 18 January 2019. MTV. 10 February 2022. 10 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220210185815/http://www.mtv.co.uk/mtv-push-ones-to-watch-2019/news/loski-talks-drake-being-a-fan-and-the-inspiration-behind-mixtape-call-me-loose. live.
  13. Web site: Loski Drops His Hard-Hitting New Mixtape 'Mad Move'. Lewis. Scrafton. 1 March 2019. versus.uk.com. 27 January 2022. 28 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220128005541/https://versus.uk.com/2019/03/loski-drops-hard-hitting-new-mixtape-mad-move/. live.
  14. Web site: A Drill Story: Music, Trial & Trauma. Hubert. Adjei-Kontoh. 24 November 2020. Pitchfork. 20 May 2022.
  15. Web site: Loski - Music, Trial And Trauma: A Drill Story. Robert. Kazandjian. 20 November 2020. Clash. 27 January 2022. 28 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220128005543/https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/loski-music-trial-and-trauma-a-drill-story. live.
  16. Web site: LOSKI ANNOUNCES NEW EP 'CENSORED'. Courtney. W. 22 September 2021. grmdaily.com. 7 February 2022. 7 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220207235222/https://grmdaily.com/loski-censored-ep-announced/. live.
  17. Web site: Loski Returns To His Roots With New 10-Track EP 'Censored'. James. Keith. 15 October 2021. Complex Networks. 7 February 2022. 7 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220207235224/https://www.complex.com/music/loski-censored-ep-stream. live.
  18. Web site: LOSKI DELIVERS NEW 'CENSORED' EP WITH FEATURES FROM SUSPECT, GEE SPLASH, SD. Blessing. Borode. 18 October 2021. trenchtrenchtrench.com. 7 February 2022. 7 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220207235223/https://trenchtrenchtrench.com/news/loski-censored. live.
  19. Web site: 21 January 2020. Drill artist Loski caught with loaded gun, court told. Diane. Taylor. 2 February 2022. The Guardian. 3 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220203214758/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jan/21/drill-artist-loski-caught-with-loaded-gun-court-told. live.
  20. Web site: Trial of rapper Loski collapses as prosecutor falls ill. Diane. Taylor. 5 February 2020. The Guardian. 7 February 2022. 7 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220207174348/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/05/trial-of-rapper-loski-collapses-as-prosecutor-falls-ill. live.
  21. Web site: Brixton drill rapper 'Loski' guilty of possessing loaded revolver. Miriam. Burrell. 4 January 2023. Evening Standard. 5 January 2023.
  22. Web site: LOSKI full Official Chart History Official Charts Company. officialcharts.com. 27 January 2022. 27 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220127223952/https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/53172/loski//. live.
  23. United Kingdom. Loski. 20 March 2022.
  24. Web site: RATED AWARDS 2018: ALL NOMINEES REVEALED. Nic. Coaker. 31 July 2018. grmdaily.com. 28 January 2022. 28 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220128193139/https://grmdaily.com/rated-awards-2018-all-nominees/. live.
  25. Web site: MOBO AWARDS 2020: SEE THE FULL LIST OF NOMINEES!. 23 November 2020. mobo.com. 28 January 2022. 29 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220129020818/https://mobo.com/news/mobo-awards-2020-see-full-list-nominees. live.
  26. Web site: Dave tops nominations at 2021 Mobo awards. Ben. Beaumont-Thomas. 11 November 2021. theguardian.com. 27 January 2022. 13 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220113072222/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/nov/11/dave-nominations-2021-mobo-awards-central-cee-ghetts-little-simz-aj-tracey. live.
  27. Web site: Jorja Smith, Central Cee & More Take Home 2021 GRM Rated Awards: Full Winners List. Mia. Nazareno. 16 September 2021. Billboard. 15 February 2022. 15 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220215141924/https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/2021-grm-rated-awards-winners-list-9631271/. live.
  28. Web site: Drake up for 4 prizes at Urban Music Awards. 26 August 2021. music-news.com. 17 March 2022.