EP review: Kid Bookie – Mass Hysteria

There’s been quite a bit of hype around Kid Bookie, and for good reason. In the past three years the London artist has found himself working with the likes of Tech N9ne, Bexey and even Slipknot’s Corey Taylor and Sid Wilson on a litany of tracks that have pushed his profile sky-high. Having released his second album Cheaper Than Therapy last year, the genre-busting rapper’s new EP continues to showcase his love of nu-metal, hip-hop and trap-metal through seven rapid-fire tracks.

Enlisting Corey again for Game, it’s a sinister mix of ’90s bounce and distorted screams from Bookie, before The Great Big Mouth comes crashing in to take the aural attack to another level. There’s no phoning it in, Slipknot’s fearless leader goes hard, let off the leash and barking at everyone he sees. Previous collaborator Ziey Kizzy also returns for Let It Ring, providing rapid-fire delivery against a backdrop of low-slung guitars and industrialised oomph.

There’s a lot going on throughout, from the Korn-esque Here We Go, to the antagonistic Mass Hysteria (which also name-checks a certain excellent publication), to the metronomic tension of Say A Word, but as a record it doesn’t feel like the perfect example of Bookie as an artist. While the music is aggressive and in-your-face, none of it lingers longer than the rather brisk runtime. There are some great ideas, and there’s genuine, seething anger underpinning the whole thing, but Kid Bookie is yet to truly find his voice and make the record he will be known for.

Verdict: 3/5

For fans of: Hyro The Hero, Hacktivist, Scarlxrd

Mass Hysteria is out now via Marshall