Blanco continues to cement his position as one of the UK’s most forward-thinking voices, following a show-stopping COLORS performance where he delivered a gripping freestyle of “Sombrero / This System” from his acclaimed 2023 album Gilberto’s Son.

Named in tribute to his late father, the record marked a defining moment for Blanco, an artist already shaping a generation while actively pushing his evolution as a boundary-breaking solo musician.

Featuring his most ambitious international collaborations to date and blending a wide spectrum of influences, the project earned major acclaim, with “Sombrero” taking BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Hottest Record with DJ Target and “Ponzi Scheme”

Since then, Blanco has only expanded his presence. Fresh from powerhouse debut performances at Glastonbury, Boomtown, and return appearances at Reading & Leeds, he has become a dynamic figure not only in music but across wider culture.

Campaigns with Nike Air Jordan x END, as well as a growing presence at London and Paris Fashion Weeks,attending headline shows from JW Anderson to Ahluwalia. showcase a rising star shaping conversations across art, identity, style and sound. His collaboration trail continues, linking with Interplanetary Criminal on the garage-charged “Races” and featuring on “Sorry I’m Like This” with p-rallel and ODF.

A musical pilgrimage to Brazil added fuel to his creative evolution, connecting with some of the country’s most exciting producers and rappers.

2023 also became a landmark year with the release of Rebourne, a mixtape that arrived off the back of a GRM Daily ‘Daily Duppy’ and quickly became one of the standout UK rap releases of the year. Featuring Kojey Radical, Avelino and boundary-pushing production from Litek, Jens Muller, ATG, Alexaybeats and KXLLAK, the project earned glowing attention from outlets including The Guardian, CLASH, DJ Mag, Complex UK, Huck Magazine and more. “Brilliant Mind” became its breakout anthem racking up over 67 million streams, scoring six weeks in the Official Charts and landing heavy support on BBC Radio 1. Nemzzz jumped on the official remix, with streams now beyond 64 million.

Now, Blanco enters a new chapter. Already this year, he has starred in the adidas Originals x JD campaign and teased an anticipated collaboration with global DJ-producer Fred again.. He is now preparing to release a powerful six-track EP inspired by an emotional arc from Naruto, a project whose oxymoronic title captures the duality at the heart of Blanco’s life and artistry: beauty and struggle, paradise and hardship. The EP channels his Angolan heritage with Kuduro-inspired energy on “Regime” and reunites him with Kidwild on “One More Day”, following the success of their previous collaboration “Remontada”, which has surpassed 1.5M streams. Across the project, Blanco delivers sharp, socially aware lyricism that reflects conflict, turbulence and the world around him cementing his place as one of UK rap’s most compelling and thoughtful writers.

With the new EP out now, accompanied by the official video for “Akaza”, the stage is set for another defining moment for Blanco. Tirade World will be keeping eyes locked.