Krept & Konan

Krept & Konan

Krept & Konan are a UK rap duo from South London, active since 2009. The group is made up of Krept and Konan, who begin making music together after becoming friends outside music and recognising that both have a talent for MCing and rapping.

Origins

Krept grows up in Gipsy Hill and Konan grows up in Thornton Heath. They start performing and making tracks in their neighbourhoods from an early age. Their early songs attract local attention and circulate widely among listeners, helping establish their presence in the UK underground scene.

Early development

The pair first record songs for fun, then continue building momentum through more tracks, freestyle videos and music videos. A period of interruption follows when Konan is incarcerated for a year in 2007. After his release in 2008, they return to the studio through a friend who has access to recording space, and their fanbase begins to grow again.

Mixtape and group identity

Krept & Konan release a mixtape called Redrum, which is made in response to demand from listeners. The project helps establish them as a duo in the music scene. They also use the name Play Dirty at an earlier stage before settling on Krept & Konan as the group name.

Style

Their music is associated with grime, hip hop and rap. They are known for punchlines and metaphors, and for a sound that is described as bringing a particular dynamism to UK rap.