Kae Tempest

Kae Tempest raps through grief, dead NHS, and love in a world on fire

Grief, dread, and societal collapse mold the contours of Kae Tempest’s fifth album, Self Titled. In “Bless the Bold Future,” the artist contemplates parenthood against a crumbling world; elsewhere, “Hyperdistillation” contrasts death on the street with penthouse vacancies and NHS deadlock.

But amidst relentless despair, Tempest threads unwavering affection—for London's grit, a partner’s steadiness, and the trans community. His cadence remains razor-sharp, forged in performance poetry and honed into rhythmic lyricism, marked by both fury and tenderness.