Crafty 893 – Step 1

Crafty 893 delivers ‘Step 1’, a track that apparently had someone asking if this was the best bar of 2024 – and honestly, when you’re giving yourself that kind of hype, you better back it up. The two-time BAFTA winner treats this release like a public service announcement, describing it as ‘literally just a fun warning to other MCs’ because he ‘doesn’t play games when it comes to this grime ting’.

The track builds on momentum from recent singles ‘Nothing Left’ and ‘Anyway feat. Manga Saint Hilare’, which earned support across BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC Radio 6 Music, and the grime ecosystem. DJ Mag positioned him as a face of ‘Grime 3.0’, suggesting the genre needed yet another reboot – though to be fair, Crafty’s been championing the culture since its early days, so he’s earned the right to lecture newcomers.

As he puts it, ‘Crafty 893 is a genre – no one tells me what to do; versatility is my best ability’. It’s the kind of confidence that either comes from genuine skill or supreme delusion, and based on his track record, it’s likely the former.