The London punk-rap band’s second album advocates for repatriation and an aggressive approach to the rental crisis. But equally important, says frontman Bobby Vylan, is promoting hope and self-worth
Bobby Vylan attended his first pro-Palestine protest at the age of 15, escorted by a friend’s mother. He remembers the “feeling of people coming together and using their voice to say that they don’t stand by the actions of this country”. Nearly two decades later, the singer and guitarist of rap-punk duo Bob Vylan has found himself marching again amid the escalation of destruction in Gaza since October 2023. He has also been calling out bands that describe themselves as leftwing but haven’t shown solidarity with Palestinians: at a show in Dublin in November, he castigated Idles and Sleaford Mods for their “cowardice”. (Idles subsequently voiced their support; Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williams said he is “horrified by the atrocities committed in Gaza and Israel”.) When I meet Bobby in Shoreditch, he reiterates his disgust for any act that stays silent despite having a radical aesthetic. “You might want to think of a new angle for your next album,” he says.
A burning sense of rage against injustice amplifies his fearsome but beautiful roar on stage and in the studio. Bob Vylan sing music that draws as much from grime as it does hardcore and tackles themes from the cost of living crisis, unscrupulous landlords and toxic masculinity in explicit, cursing, mocking fury. On the one hand, their abrasiveness makes their popularity seem remarkable – their last album, Bob Vylan Presents the Price of Life, reached the UK Top 20 – but they also couldn’t be more attuned to the state of the nation, their visceral live shows a jolt out of the doldrums: no wonder people are paying attention. They’ve formed their own scene far from the UK’s post-punk orthodoxy, collaborating with the likes of avant garde Bristol producer Grove, Laurie Vincent of Soft Play (formerly Slaves) and Enter Shikari. Still, they’re aiming higher this time. On their new album, Bobby sings: “The album went to 18 but they know I’m No 1.” Humble as the Sun represents an ambitious step up, with hip-hop-influenced production and high-profile samples, including revamping Fatboy Slim’s Right Here, Right Now on a track of the same name.
