Skepta announces details of new album ‘Knife and Fork’

Skepta has announced details of his new album, ‘Knife and Fork’, his first new studio record since 2019. 

READ MORE: Skepta – ‘Ignorance Is Bliss’ review  

Writing on Instagram, the rapper said: “It’s been years since I dropped my last album and I want to thank you for all the love during my hiatus. I’ve seen the messages, tweets and Tik Toks, I’m truly grateful that my music is still resonating with the world, even in my absence.” 

“I’m happy to announce my next studio album #KnifeAndFork is loading this year, the first single #GasMeUp (Diligent) will be out January 26th.” 

The Tottenham grime legend has released a total of five studio albums so far, most recently 2019’s ‘Ignorance is Bliss’, which included the singles ‘Bullet from a Gun’ and ‘Greaze Mode’. 

In a four-star review, NME said: “So although album five lacks the narrative that made ‘Konnichiwa’ so compelling (a victory lap for grime’s commercial renaissance, it also reasserted his DIY credentials), this sounds like a record from a rapper with gallons of creative juice in the tank.” 

Skepta recently announced the inaugural edition of Big Smoke, a one-day festival that will take place in Crystal Palace Park in south-east London on Saturday, July 6. Skepta himself will be performing, in his only announced show of 2024 so far. Get your tickets here. 

In November, Skepta released a collaborative EP with Ryder, ’48 Hours’. The 19-year-old Ryder shared his remix of Skepta’s ‘Konnichiwa‘ deep cut ‘Text Me Back’ to TikTok in October, called ‘#skeptacore pt. 3’. Since going viral with over one million views, London’s grime legend has officially paired up with the Hull-based producer to release a five-track EP. 

He also released the collaborative album ‘Insomnia’ in 2020, alongside Chip and Young Adz, which reached Number Three on the UK Albums Chart.