Wiley Flow Explained

Wiley Flow

Cover:

Stormzy - Wiley Flow.png

Type:

single

Artist:

Stormzy

Album:

Heavy Is the Head

Label:

• #Merky
• Atlantic

| writer =

• Michael Omari
• Eyobed Getachew
• Richard Kylea Cowie Jr.

| producer =

• EY
• AdotSkitz
• Illmind

| prev_title = Sounds of the Skeng| prev_year = 2019| next_title = Own It| next_year = 2019| misc = }}"Wiley Flow" is a song by English rapper Stormzy, released on 15 September 2019 through #Merky and Atlantic Records as the third single from his second studio album, Heavy Is the Head. The song is a homage to British grime MC Wiley that interpolates flows from his tracks "Bad 'Em Up" and "Nightbus Dubplate".^[1] The cover art also mirrors his mixtape, Tunnel Vision Vol 1 (2007).^[2]

Critical reception

Writing for Fact, Henry Bruce-Jones called it a salute to the "godfather of grime" on which Stormzy "cribs flows" from Wiley and "go[es] in on" over a "murky instrumental". Karen Gwee of NME labelled it "hard-hitting",^[3] while Sajae Elder of The Fader described it as Stormzy "racing through a series of number and OG checks ("If you can't do 10K first week then I don't wanna hear no chat about numbers')".^[4]

Music video

The music video features Stormzy rapping the song while "surrounded by his friends in a gloomy basement".

Charts

Chart (2019)! scope="col"

Peak position
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)^[5]	21

References

Notes and References

1. Web site: Stormzy salutes the grandfather of grime on 'Wiley Flow'. Fact. Bruce-Jones. Henry. 16 September 2019. 24 September 2019.
2. Web site: Stormzy Pays Homage To Wiley With Merky New Track "Wiley Flow". trenchtrenchtrench.com. en-US. 2019-11-20.
3. Web site: Hear Stormzy's hard-hitting new track, 'Wiley Flow'. NME. Gwee. Karen. 16 September 2019. 24 September 2019.
4. Web site: Stormzy drops 'Wiley Flow'. The Fader. Elder. Sajae. 15 September 2019. 24 September 2019.
5. Web site: NZ Hot Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. 23 September 2019. 24 September 2019.