Blade Brown Explained

Blade Brown
Birth Name:Jonathan James Wrate[1]
Birth Date:1985 2, df=y
Birth Place:Streatham, London, England
Origin:Battersea, London, England
Years Active:2003–present

Jonathan James Wrate (born 12 February 1985), known professionally as Blade Brown[2] is a British rapper and songwriter from Battersea, London. He released the mixtape series Bags and Boxes, and the Financial Times mixtapes.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] XXL has compared his style to that of early Young Jeezy and Gucci Mane.[8]

Biography

Early life and career beginnings (1985–2006)

Wrate was born on 12 February 1985 in Streatham, later moving to Battersea. He is a supporter of Manchester United F.C.[9] He was first exposed to hip hop through his father who would listen to 80s and 90s hip hop as well as reggae at home, all of which influenced Wrate to take an interest in music and start rapping more seriously around the age of 17. He released his debut mixtape entitled Nothing Long Volume 1 under Defenders Entertainment in 2004, but he took a break from music following a spell of both underground and commercial success through the mixtape which was played on mainstream radio stations such as Choice FM, BBC Radio 1Xtra and Kiss FM, as well as street DVDs in circulation at the time such as Streetz Incarcerated, Streetz Is Raw and Welcome to the city.[10] Between 2005 and 2006 he recorded material for a second mixtape, which was initially entitled Nothing Long Volume 2, but it was never released due to the legal troubles Wrate was experiencing at the time, as well as a change in his own preferences as he has stated that he did not want to release many of the songs he had recorded.

Business Ventures

Blade Brown is the owner of the clothing label BXB LDN, where he sells his clothes and merchandise on [11]

Discography

Collaborative mixtapes

TitleReleasedDetailsPeak chart positions
UK
UK R&B
[12]
Hollowman meets Blade
(with Giggs (rapper))
Released: 2007Label: SN1 Records, Formats: CD, Digital Download
Joints
(with K-Trap)
Released: 25 March 2022[13] Label: BXB Ent Ltd., Thousand8 RecordsFormats: CD, Digital Download 182

Mixtapes

TitleReleasedDetailsPeak chart positions
UK
[14]
Nothing Long Volume 12004
  • Label: Defenders Entertainment
  • Formats: CD
Best of Blade2009
  • Label: Ruthless Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Bags and BoxesReleased: 31 March 2010
  • Host: Mykal Million
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Financial TimesReleased: 31 March 2011
  • Label: Hill Productions
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Best of Blade 2Released: 9 February 2012
Bags and Boxes 2Released: 30 November 2012
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Best of Blade 3Released: 14 October 2014
  • Host: Big Bad Blue
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Bags and Boxes 3Released: 31 November 2014
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: CD, digital download
42[15]
Bags and Boxes 4Released: 16 August 2019
  • Label: Catalyst Records
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
12
"—" denotes an album that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Other charted songs

Awards and nominations

YearEventPrizeNominated workResultRef
2010Official Mixtape AwardsBest Hip Hop MixtapeBags and Boxes
2012Official Mixtape AwardsMixtape of the YearFinancial Times
Best Hip Hop MixtapeFinancial Times
Best Male Artist[16]
2013Official Mixtape AwardsBest Overall MixtapeBags and Boxes 2[17]
2015Rated AwardsBest VideoDrug Dealer (featuring Tiggs Da Author)[18]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: BLOCKS HOT . ASCAP . American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers . May 1, 2023.
  2. http://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/one-watch-blade-brown One To Watch... Blade Brown
  3. Web site: "My Music Is Wrapped Around Real Life Experiences": An Interview With South London's Trap-Rap Ringleader, Blade Brown . 21 May 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160407054503/http://uk.complex.com/music/2014/11/blade-brown-interview . 7 April 2016 . dead .
  4. http://www.flavourmag.co.uk/i-hear-other-rappers-but-im-better-than-them-blade-brown/ “I hear other rappers but I’m better than them”- Blade Brown
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20150522104611/http://www.mtv.co.uk/the-wrap-up/blog/blade-brown-the-interview Blade Brown: the interview!
  6. https://www.mtv.co.uk/news/kyf35j/krept-konan-crowned-mtvs-best-of-the-best-uk-mcs-of-2013 Krept & Konan Crowned MTV's Best Of The Best UK MCs Of 2013!
  7. http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/g4-boyz-alexander-wang-remix-feat-blade-brown-new-song.1964790.html G4 Boyz – Alexander Wang (Remix) Feat. Blade Brown
  8. http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2014/06/15-new-european-rappers/2/ 15 New European Rappers
  9. Web site: Blade Brown Talks Music, Football Upbringing & Manchester United . 25 September 2019 . 16 February 2021 . SoccerBible .
  10. Web site: Oke. Tobi. Blade Brown: the interview!. https://web.archive.org/web/20150522104611/http://www.mtv.co.uk/the-wrap-up/blog/blade-brown-the-interview. dead. 22 May 2015. 20 March 2016 . 25 May 2011 . MTV UK .
  11. https://bxbldn.com/
  12. Web site: Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart Top 40. Official Charts. 1 April 2022. 3 April 2022.
  13. Web site: Blade Brown & K-Trap's 'Joints' Project Has Finally Arrived. Complex. 25 March 2022. 3 April 2022.
  14. Web site: Blade Brown full Official Chart history. Official Charts Company. 24 August 2019.
  15. http://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/bags%20and%20boxes/ UK Official Album Charts: Bags and Boxes 3
  16. http://www.radiokingonline.com/news/the-official-mixtape-awards-omas-nominations-are-in/ The Official Mixtape Awards (OMA’s) Nominations Are In
  17. http://officialmixtapeawards.com/nominations-2013/ OMS Awards Nominations 2013
  18. http://rwdmag.com/rated-awards-announce-categories-nominees/ RATED AWARDS ANNOUNCE CATEGORIES & NOMINEES