UK hip hop may take cues from its American counterpart, but it’s in no way overshadowed. Every year, more and more singular and innovative musicians enrich the UK hip hop scene by bringing something different to it. If you really want to get at the true essence of the local flavor, the first artist you should listen to is none other than Dave, the intellectual heart of UK hip hop.

Dave has been reshaping the landscape of UK hip hop ever since the late 2010s. His accolades speak for themselves—the rapper’s been recognized by countless prestigious events, including the Mercury Prize, the BRIT Awards, and the Ivor Novello Awards (named after Welsh entertainer Ivor Novello and honoring achievements in songwriting and composing). But beyond trophies, Dave’s accomplished something even greater: reviving the trend of authentic language in the world of music. His songs take us through the dark, dank streets of South London, a tangled mass of young people filled with anger and uncertainty, tense family relationships, and a social order that’s cold and unfeeling. To listen to Dave’s music is to walk through the world he’s lived in.

I still remember the first time I heard his 2021 song “Heart Attack.” The restrained arrangement—an achingly beautiful blend of sorrow-filled guitar, piano, and intermittent drums—and the expert rapping that can cut you to your core left me briefly frozen in place after the nine-minute, 55-second song came to an end. Something about the song wrapped itself around my entire being and refused to let go.

“Heart Attack,” the spiritual successor to the song “Panic Attack” from 2016, wasn’t just the most dramatic song of the year but also remains one of the best hip hop tracks of all time. It’s so good that it’s enough to answer how Dave became the face of UK hip hop. And it’s not just a musical masterpiece, but a literary one as well. It’s a raw and emotional rollercoaster as he raps about the sacrifice, identity, and roots that come with being an immigrant, and at the same time exposes the racism, crime, poverty, and duplicity of life in London.

Taking in this song is more than just a listening experience. As the rap unfolds, it feels less like you’re hearing one person’s personal history and more like you’re witnessing the suffocating reality of the entire community he represents. There’s a particularly striking moment toward the end when the music fades away entirely, leaving only Dave’s voice, before transitioning to a sob-filled monologue from his mother, Juliet. It’s this ability to cause something deep inside you to crumble that represents the sheer power of Dave’s music.

For his third studio album, “The Boy Who Played the Harp,” Dave ventures even further into the depths of his mind. His rapping remains razor-sharp, but this time, the blade isn’t pointed at the world. Instead, it’s turned to face inward. Though his earlier albums, “PSYCHODRAMA” (2019) and “We’re All Alone In This Together” (2021), already tackled introspective and societal questions, the new album explores a deeper awareness of, and raises profound questions about, the intersection of Dave’s fame, responsibility, and identity.

There’s a lot of meaning, right from the title. It references the biblical story of David, the young shepherd who played the harp to soothe Saul, the king tormented by an evil spirit, highlighting themes of faith and destiny woven throughout the entire album. At the same time, Dave continually grapples with tangible issues like the emptiness that comes in the wake of success, a fear of failure, and his roots. While “the boy who played the harp” refers to David, it also feels like Dave—once a boy simply in love with music for its own sake before reaching where he is today—announcing a return to his origins.

The album opener, “History,” marks a new approach for Dave. The song was created in conjunction with singer-songwriter James Blake, a frequent collaborator of Dave’s. From the very first verse, Dave mythologizes himself by referencing God’s plan, but this isn’t a heroic story—it’s more one of personal struggle. Dave questions who he truly is and what he stands for as the piano reverberates monumentally, and he reflects on the dreams he and his friends once drew up plans for, as well as the way they’ve now made history in South London.

The next track, “175 Months,” is one of the songs that best exemplify the album as a whole. On it, Dave confesses in deeply emotional language and masterful metaphors the impact his mother’s faith and Christianity had on his upbringing, as well as his own sense of morality, faith, guilt, and trauma. The sound of haunting vocal samples and irregular drumming vividly captures where his past (religious) choices and his present self collide.

“Selfish” is arguably the heart of the album. Blake sets up a chilling backdrop of vocals and piano, then Dave lays bare tales of betrayal, self-reflection, and questions he directs at himself, all in the context of the past, including a past relationship. Dave doubts himself throughout the song despite his dazzling success story and reveals his attempts to shoulder his own “ethical burden.” The rapper spends his new album continuously questioning things in deep introspection in that way. And while he’s mainly directing all that toward himself, he occasionally turns his gaze toward big-name rappers or men in general. On “Chapter 16,” for instance, he adopts a conversational format with UK grime legend Kano, seeking advice for coping with the weight he feels as a successor to those who came before him and as a generational voice. It’s a delicate tapestry of personal themes explored under religious metaphors—everything from what he should do with his fame and wealth to the guidance he should leave for those who come after him.

Meanwhile, in “Fairchild,” Dave confronts the misogyny that runs rampant throughout society, reflecting on the sexual harassment and abuse a woman he knows has gone through. This isn’t the first time he’s tackled such themes, either—he addressed similar issues on his 2019 track “Lesley.” This time, however, his rap shifts between the perspectives of the victim and an observer. What stands out most is that he doesn’t simply criticize other men but also deeply examines his own actions and attitudes. The whole song feels like a statement on the times. It’s also a testament to the rapper’s seasoned hand at tackling social issues with dexterity and tact.

When the final song, the titular “Boy Who Played the Harp,” finally comes on, the scope of the themes grows even more ambitious, Dave’s personal reflections and self-inquiry reaching their peak. He places himself in the context of countless moments in history—World War II, the African civil rights movement, the Battle of Karbala, even the sinking of the Titanic—to interrogate and test his long list of life choices and his moral compass. The lyrics, which encompass inner conflict, ancestral legacy, and social commentary, are the most expansive on the album. It’s truly a monumental showcase of Dave’s overwhelming talent.

Of course, the true value of Dave’s remarkable sense of structure and introspective lyrics shines so readily because it’s supported by such highly polished music, with the piano, harp, strings, and minimal percussion highlighting the beauty of restraint. The way he raps overtop the subtle rhythms gives rise to emotions that linger with you long after. Though his delivery is more subdued than ever, it seems poised to reach farther than it ever has before.

“The Boy Who Played the Harp” epitomizes why Dave is considered the most vital voice in UK hip hop today. It’s also one of the must-hear albums of the year in the wider genre. But to fully grasp what it’s truly trying to get at, you have to put in an earnest effort to interpret it as you listen. For your efforts, you’ll be rewarded with more than simply something to listen to—it’s a contemplative experience that you’ll feel in your bones. Just as David soothed Saul with his harp, Dave has proven himself to be a messenger who heals, challenges, and inspires the world through his music.