Artist: Deneil
Title: Step It Up
Genre: Grime, Electro-Grime
Length: 3:30
Written By: D.Khan
Produced By: Deneil
Label: Independent
Taken From: E2
"
Step It Up" is a grime/rap song written, recorded and produced by British musician Deneil Khan. The track serves as his second official solo single release following on from 2013's "Living For The Weekend" which was a worldwide hit, however, the EP which is was set to be taken from was shelved and no further solo material surfaced until now. Since the release of his top three debut single, Deneil returned to writing and producing for other artists as well as being a featured performer on hit singles for the likes of SYNCO and Kato. Most of Khan's productions for other artists are urban contemporary R&B/Hip-Hop inspired numbers which sometimes contain elements of pop. His specialities and first loves, however, are grime and bashment which are genres yet to make an impact outside of the UK. "Step It Up" sees Deneil return to his roots with it's unapologetic grimey underground London style production, fast paced and aggressive vocal delivery and references to his beloved home town. The track is the lead single from Deneil's upcoming EP which has yet to receive a release date. Like all of his work, it was written and produced entirely by Deneil himself and was recorded at his home in the inbuilt studio.
The lyrics of the track revolve around Deneil hitting back at people from his past, more specifically the ones who were around him when he first came to prominence on the London underground scene. Before producing for the biggest stars today and even before the world had even heard his elder brother's name, Deneil was rapping and making a name for himself while still in his school uniform and drifting in and out of care with his big brother, Billy. During his time as a low-key rapper and MC, Deneil divided the grime community's opinion which lead to many feuds and some backlash against Khan. As he was young and "did not look the part", many accused him of being a "fake" who hadn't lived through enough struggle to even write a single verse and believed he was trying to be something that he wasn't. However, it was clear that Deneil had talent and many believe all of the put downs were actually due to jealousy and fear. It's not everyday a mischievous schoolboy has an entire community floored by his lyricism, flow and off-the-cuff verses. On the track, Deneil delivers lines which refer to the rumours and trash talk surrounding him when he first appeared on the scene.
"People are gonna natter and make it seem like I had an easy ride",
"People wanna make it seem like we're some clean-cut chart toppers" &
"They palmed it off as a stroke of luck, tried to put it on a downer" are all lines which refer to people accusing Deneil of always having it easy, being clean-cut and that they don't believe he's successful because of his talent or lack of, as they would say. Deneil made a conscious decision not the swear on the single as he wanted to test himself by going in hard on a track, showing off his strong feelings throughout and grabbing the listener's attention without resorting to any cuss words. Khan also makes some interesting references to the Tasmanian Devil, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and even compares his life to...crunchy peanut butter(?)
Vocally, Deneil is sounding more aggressive and fast paced than anything the general public has heard before. On his debut single, Khan toned down his vocals to compliment to serene and slow flowing production on "Living For The Weekend". He has also had to do the same on his featured verses for commercial, international artists as his speed along with his strong Cockney accent isn't very easy on the ears for radio. On "Step It Up" we are hearing true Deneil though. It's back to the old underground, spitting like snake venom style. He's showing that he's a fully fledged grime artist and isn't toning that thick accent or aggression down for anyone. The gravelly voice and sheer emotion he puts into his delivery have drawn comparisons to that of Eminem, an artist who Deneil admires. The track is like one big vent, an outlet of anger and frustration. Deneil is laying the facts out for people and making no bones about it. His vocals may not exactly sound radio friendly on "Step It Up" and that accent is not for everyone but if you're looking for raw emotion and a powerful delivery, Deneil ticks all the boxes.
The production of the track can be described as erratic and definitely one of Khan's most over the top pieces of work to date. While the track contains a heavy bass which gives the song its dark, aggressive tone aided with an effect sounding similar to a gunshot fire, it's the wild violin which plays throughout the song which steals the show. From the moment the track opens you can't compare it to anything else out there at the moment. The frantic progression and repetition of the violin and all other effects sound rather disjointed, which is the beauty of it, during the almost minute long introduction before a short silence. Just as Deneil delivers his first line, everything dramatically drops and all of the instruments play alongside one another, gelling well this time and giving the song its deliciously dark and striking sound.
Deneil wrote:"I feel like this song and the few others that you'll be hearing from very shortly just really need to be heard. Some of them are eye-openers, some of them are what I believe to be my best work and like this one, some of the tracks just let loose and I have my say, tell my story. I haven't gone public about it but I recently started a new job as a youth worker in Hackney, where I was born and raised and where I still live today. Music was put on the back burner for a while. I got into the youth work because I'm from that area and I know what it's like to be a deprived child and teen there. Trying to make a living and make the right choices when there's so much crime and unemployment around is extremely hard and I wanted to get the kids off the street, share stories with them, develop different skills and give them a helping hand into turning their lives around. "Step It Up" was actually born after my first couple of days as a youth worker. A lot of the kids had divided opinions of me. Some thought I was a hero, some thought I was this massive sellout who had an easy life and had no right in getting involved with the less fortunate because apparently, I couldn't relate. I was rapping and MC-ing since I was like...13/14 but it wasn't until 16 when I went public and started performing and getting involved in battles...illegally, of course. I was well known in Hackney and then most of London eventually, way before I released anything and way before the world had even heard of Weekend and knew who the Khan's were. There was a buzz around me on the underground, a bit of a local celebrity but the top dogs of the time didn't like it. The general public won't have a clue who I'm talking about so I won't name names but if you lived in my area or you're into the grime scene, these guys are like God. Anyway, of course they didn't like me! I was this 16 year old, Pakistani schoolboy with a big quiff and who looked very dapper, well presented. I was dealing with older guys who lived and breathed grime music since it's birth. They looked the part, grew up and watched it evolve and had been in the game since day one. They didn't welcome me. I was laughed at but really it was because I was feared. I had a strong following of my own, people used to whisper about me and I'd always walk away victorious in freestyle battles. Whenever someone went in hard with their verses, I'd go in even harder. I was a big threat but they tried to cover it up. Instead of saying "man, that Deneil kid is the best around!" they'd focus on my looks and accuse me of being a fake, thinking I had this comfy life and I was just a wannabe hard man when really it was to mask how intimidated they were. I can say this because a few people from back in the day have admitted now and finally came around. When I was working with the youths and being looked down on in my own area, I just had to say something and prove people wrong. Maybe it will revive old feuds? Who knows? So, "Step It Up" is really a way of telling people that I'm here where I am today because I worked hard and I'm Hackney, E2 born and bred. If people want to take shots at me and discredit my work then they need to step it up, step up to the plate and deliver something better than I have. Don't talk behind my back, try to rubbish me and whisper in people's ears just because you're going nowhere in life. It's also a way of giving international fans a very brief insight and little background of my life before becoming a success. I didn't just pop out of nowhere as Billy Khan's little brother who just so happens to produce and write too. I know that's how it seems to almost everybody and that's mainly my fault as I refuse to do interviews and I don't even have my own website but you'll get to know me a little better soon. I'll let the new music do all the talking."
Went from wandering E2's streets to flying through the sky
Times finally changed and best believe that it wasn't all overnight
People are gonna natter and make it seem like I had an easy ride
Man, I don't like it smooth and spreadable, low fat and extra light
Gimme some of that crunch, I like my life to have a bit of a bite
They want to water me down and try to wedge in their knives
Murderers, gangsters, dealers and all those dirty little coppers
The fam has dealt with them all and not one of them could stop us
People wanna make it seem like we're some clean-cut chart toppers
Who roll around in limousines, earning serious pounds and dollars
A few awards on the shelf don't ever erase all of the horrors
Still got my ties, all the scars and I wear them like it's an honour
Step it up
When I got my first cheque some so-called friends turned a bit sour
One minute it was love, the next I was left there to be devoured
I stepped out of my box, used my sharp words, I've never been a coward
They palmed it off as a stroke of luck, tried to put it on a downer
I've earned it, guess they forgot that work away until the small hours
Put my pen on paper, wisdom down the mic before big bro's name had power
They said I was the pretty mixed boy who would amount to sod all
I keep my father's roots in my heart and stay White at the knuckles
Worked all these fingers to the bone, you don't even know my struggle
They tried to keep me in a box, didn't want their feathers ruffled
But you can't cage one of the big dogs, I tore off that muzzle
Put it all down on some paper and they can play my stuff on shuffle
Step it up
I keep on raising on the bar 'cause they're never gonna be on my level
LDN boys try to step on my toes, man they should really be more careful
Got love for the fam but all these haters are starting to look dishevelled
They can't even get the crowd started, I bring the bass and the treble
My rhymes hit 'em all hard whether they're played in L.A or down in Bethnal
You don't have to provide a beat, I'll still tear it up like Tasmanian Devil
I'm only trying to open some doors yet they accuse me of selling out
Guess you're vexed cause you're staying stuck on the other side
We know it'd be a different story had it been the other way around
Punching way above your weight, better sit in the corner and simmer down
Don't come for the Mayweather when you ain't even close to being Pacquiao
Nah, I don't even need to throw fists, my bars alone are a total knock out
Don't get up
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