Whether you like it or not, when discussing the success of the current UK music scene and its continued ascendancy within the global music industry, Charlie Sloth is a name that is quite frankly unavoidable.
A constant theme throughout the life of Sloth has been a willingness to try new things, despite his many rightful claims to success. Sloth always finds himself in search of the ‘next big thing’ that will challenge, and stimulate, him in tandem. This quest for continued elevation and a willingness to conquer something new led him to the sleek and seductive city of Dubai. Sloth has embarked on another weekly residency at The Penthouse rooftop and BLING nightclub at FIVE Palm Jumeirah, which is famous for being one of the most extravagant party destinations in the world. This follows on from his sold-out run at FIVE last year, as well as lighting up New Year’s Eve in Dubai when he played at Soul Street in FIVE Jumeirah Village, FIVE’s second hotel in Dubai. The residency has garnered much attention as one of the most popular nights hosted at FIVE as the evocative FIVE continues to lead the evolution of music in the city.
Reflecting on the success of last year’s residency, Sloth commented: “We’ve got the biggest party in Dubai on a Saturday night. There’s no party bigger than Charlie Sloth in The Penthouse, FIVE Palm Jumeirah. People from all over the world travel to Dubai just to have a good time and experience the vibe at FIVE – because no one throws a party better than FIVE!
Sloth is unequivocal in his belief that this year’s residency will trump what he achieved a year ago. A residency, which will see him continue his run of sold-out nights, filling FIVE with a Millennial-strong audience looking for Dubai’s best source of Hip-Hop. Playing alongside Sloth, to a celebrity-filled audience of rappers such as French Montana, Not3s,Yo Gotti, Yungen, D-Block Europe, NorthSideBenji as well as boxer Anthony Joshua.
“2022 will be bigger than ever before – Sloth and FIVE are proven to be an unbeatable combination and we are about to turn it up a notch – just for you!”
Another of Sloth’s great accomplishments in recent years has been his part ownership in the premium vodka brand, AU Vodka. Founded in 2016, it has fast become one of the UK’s most popular alcoholic beverages and taken the alcohol industry by storm. With the brand in the phase of global expansion, Sloth has decided to take his popular flavoured Vodka to the UAE after an amazing period of growth for the brand.
“We felt it was very fitting to the brand and the brand really fits in with the culture and lifestyle in Dubai. Last year we surpassed Cîroc and Grey Goose sales by double in the UK. We outsold Grey Goose by £1.3million. Grey Goose is probably the biggest premium vodka in the world today so the fact we outsold them is a statement and testament to what we’re doing with the brand.”
However, when you circle back to the crux of what has driven and continues to drive Charlie Sloth, it fundamentally goes back to the art form that is music. To the artists, and a flourishing UK music scene that he has worked tirelessly to fashion a career in.
“When it comes to music, for me and when I talk about music, it’s never about business. I never make a decision within music based on financial sway or something that benefits me personally. When it’s music, it’s always the artists who come first. The artist has got to win before I win.”
When Sloth joined the BBC, he quickly became a household name thanks to his shows on platforms such as BBC Radio 1 and Radio 1xtra. Sloth was then able to cultivate one of the biggest freestyle platforms in the world with his Fire in the Booth show. A show that has featured some of the very best musicians, such as Ghetts, Stormzy, Wretch 32, Kano but to name a few.
“I’ve always been a champion of UK music, and I’ve always felt that these guys can challenge the best in the world in terms of lyrical ability and overall artistic activity. But I never felt there was any platform that was truly dedicated to them. I was approached by the BBC to create a platform and showcase all of this talent, and that’s pretty much what I did. It was something that I started outside the BBC, and it just so happened that the timing aligned.”
Despite “no one believing in it”, it being a freestyle platform on YouTube, Sloth had a deeply layered belief in the depth of talent in the UK, as well as an awareness of the change in the way people were consuming media. Sloth reflected: “People didn’t realise the impact and significance that it would have culturally, just because the way people were consuming content was very different, and YouTube was a massive part of that change.”
Whilst Sloth is proud of his achievements and the overall health of the UK music scene, he is also very much aware of the criticisms he has faced in being perceived as over exuberant and attention seeking. He is steely in his stance that the platform has always been about the artist.
“No matter what anyone says about the fact that I shout, use sound effects and whether I’m loud in the videos, that’s a celebration of the artist. It’s not a celebration of me or FITB, it’s a celebration of the artist. That’s what the platform has always been there for. It’s to support that artist and be a platform for them to showcase their ability, and we’ve never swayed away from that.”.
When Sloth left the BBC in 2018 it caused an initial shockwave on the internet and amongst news outlets. However, as usual, Sloth had another card up his sleeve. In January 2019 he announced that he had joined tech giant Apple, where he now has his ‘The Charlie Sloth Rap Show’ on Apple Music Radio 1. He was able to bring with him the FITB show and marry a ‘cutting-edge brand that does things for the right reasons’, with his stance that “when it’s music it’s always the artists comes first.”
One of the best things to come from the FITB show since its initial inception has been the friendly yet competitive environment that is created. A desire amongst the guests that appear to trump their peers and show the world who the best is. Kano’s 2016 FITB, his first appearance on the platform, is a prime example of the competitive nature that exists between the veterans of the UK scene where he brazenly raps:
“Gs move in silence, that’s the veteran rules
Giggs told me I was scared to bless this booth
Ghetto even threw in his two pence and all
But that’s the banter when the legends talk”
When discussing the competitiveness that freestyles as an art form creates, Sloth went deep into his bag: “It’s still there, but people have a lot more to lose than they did before. I feel like the will to be the best is still there, but I feel we’re in a different space and time frame. How people showcase that has changed and moved on somewhat. I feel like a lot of the newer artists would rather brag about how many numbers they’ve done, what sales they’re doing or how much money they’re making than talk about how good they’re. Whereas the generation before were very much about ‘I’m the best. I’m the best rapper. Fuck how much money you’ve got. I’m the best rapper’.”
Evolution is a fundamental aspect of Charlie Sloth’s fabric. From developing new business ventures to growing the ones he’s already invested in. He recently took the FITB series to Jamaica with the aim of showcasing the best Reggae and Dancehall acts. Yet, he insists there’s even more to come from him and the series this year. “There’s some really exciting news which is imminent. So I feel we’re about to have a real shift and another stronghold in the world of freestyles.”
Whether you like him or not, Charlie Sloth has proven that he is here to stay.
