Words from Mair Cave and Izzie Gaywood
After nearly a decade, Rizzle Kicks have blessed us with their new album Competition is For Losers and a subsequent UK tour. The crowd eagerly awaited their Manchester comeback, with their last performance at the Ritz being in 2012. What was the “new” Rizzle Kicks going to sound like? Who are Stephens and Sylvester now? And most importantly, will they play the old classics?
Any debates in the audience were silenced when they came bursting out with ‘Lost Generation’, telling Jeremy Kyle that “we hate him too” – reigning truer than ever after their hiatus. They commanded the stage, the crowd knowing every single word, a crowd that clearly never stopped listening after their breakup in 2016. We were reminded once again why the UK fell in love with Rizzle Kicks back in the 2010s – with Stephens bringing that playful grit, Sylvester delivering those rich vocals. It’s a chemistry that is undeniable, radiating the same infectious energy that made them a household name over a decade ago.
Their new material certainly isn’t without merit. The first track they played off their new album was ‘Bad Tattoo’, a laid-back, funk-infused track that blends their signature cheeky lyricism with a jazz-inspired beat. But with the legacy of their old tunes, it’s tricky to match – but what’s important is they understand this. The majority of their set list was compiled from their certified platinum 2011 album Stereo Typical, and their second studio album Roaring 20s.
Meeting in Brighton, Jordan Stephens and Harley Sylvester’s journey started in music workshops before they both attended the BRIT School. At just 16, they formed Rizzle Kicks in 2008, finding their style through rap battles – clips of a young Stephens spitting bars in 2010 still circulate on YouTube. Just a year later, they burst onto the scene with ‘Down with the Trumpets’, a track that would cement their place in the UK’s musical landscape.
After two chart-topping albums, the duo parted ways in 2016, due to Sylvester’s struggles with anxiety, and Stephens’ cocaine addiction. They released music under various pseudonyms allowing them to navigate their own artistic and personal struggles away from mainstream media. Two prominent songs from Stephens that encapsulate his ongoing recovery and vulnerability are Baggy and Whole, released under the stage name Wildhood on his Vert EP. On Competition is for Losers, this candid vulnerability was brought through in ‘New Energy’ featuring Mick Jenkins.
Stephens is now in a relatively high-profile relationship with Jade Thirlwall from Little Mix, and has appeared in several films and TV shows. Sylvester has pursued acting alongside his own music projects, both of them exploring alternative creative directions.
Now, Rizzle Kicks are back, older and wiser, but still delivering the same vibrant, genre-blending music that made them so beloved. Their closing track on the new record, ‘Undefeated’ – featuring DJ Premier – certainly feels like an ode to their older material, whereas songs like ‘Vice’ are an evolution towards a more soulful sound.
Every song hit. The set flew by, with not a single moment wasted. We barely took any photos – too caught up in the energy to reach for our phones. At a time when gigs often feel like seas of screens, this felt different. It was a throwback to the 2010s, a night of pure, unfiltered live music with an exceptional backing band.
Their return isn’t just nostalgia – it’s a testament to their staying power. Whether they’re playing the classics or unveiling fresh tracks, one thing is certain: Rizzle Kicks stay winning. And after a decade-long wait, Manchester was more than ready to welcome them home.
Catch them again in Manchester at Castlefield Bowl on the 11th July. To be alive in the time of the Rizzle Kicks comeback is a blessing, and to miss them for a second time is a travesty.
