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Amid the hundreds of categories in the recently announced Grammy nominations, there are plenty of names a British music fan won’t recognise.
GoldLink, otherwise known as Washington DC hip hop artist D’Anthony Carlos, is one who’s risen to a decent height over there without doing much over here yet, but that means we get the treat of seeing his dynamic live show in a smallish Brixton club twice over the next week.
His song Crew is the one to look out for – a leisurely R&B stroll with a sweetly sung chorus contrasting with GoldLink’s rapid rapping. It’s currently on a mightly 64.5 million Spotify plays and 49 million YouTube views, and is up against Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar for Best Rap/Sung Performance at next month’s Grammy ceremony.
It’s far from the only highlight of his debut album, At What Cost, released earlier this year to follow two mixtapes offering a danceable electronic sound he calls “future bounce”.
Collaborators include his fellow DC rapper Wale and acclaimed Canadian producer Kaytranada. Look out for him too on the next Craig David album, released two days before the Grammys. That could be the week his name becomes a lot more familiar.
Dec 9, 12, Electric Brixton, SW2 (020 7274 2290, electricbrixton.uk.com)